Munich (Germany) (AFP) – FIFA's ethics tribunal on Wednesday banned top Qatari and Asia football official Saoud al-Mohannadi for one year for refusing to help in an investigation. Al-Mohannadi is vice-president of the 2022 World Cup host nation's football association and had wanted to run for an Asian Football Confederatioin vice president's position this year […]

Barcelona (AFP) – Spanish giants FC Barcelona sealed a massive shirt sponsorship deal Wednesday with Japanese online retailer Rakuten worth at least 55 million euros ($59 million) a year. One of world football's most lucrative shirt sponsorship deals sees Japan's leading e-commerce company replace Qatar Airways, Barcelona's shirt sponsor since 2013, confirming Asia's appetite for […]

Los Angeles (AFP) – Calls for Jurgen Klinsmann to be sacked were mounting Wednesday as the worst defeat of his five-year reign left the United States facing an uphill battle to qualify for the World Cup. A brutal 4-0 mauling by Costa Rica on Tuesday in San Jose, just four days after a shattering 2-1 […]

Both the US Men's National Team and US Women's National Team have completed their last games of the 2016 calendar year. And while their performances on the pitch have been a mix of good and poor, the attendance figures for home games paint a worrying picture for both the men and women's teams. In 2016, every […]

The Bundesliga's biggest game of the season will be televised on the over-the-air FOX network this Saturday, but Borussia Dortmund against Bayern Munich will face stiff competition against Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United, which will kick off at the same time on the over-the-air NBC network. The fact that two soccer games will be […]

Barcelona (AFP) – Japanese online retailer Rakuten will be Barcelona's main sponsor for the next four years in a deal worth at least 55 million euros ($59 million) a year, the Spanish giants said Wednesday. Rakuten will replace Qatar Airways, Barcelona's shirt sponsor since 2013, who were reported to have paid 35 million euros for […]

London (AFP) – Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers was coy Wednesday over suggestions that Steven Gerrard could be on his way to the Glasgow giants. Former England captain Gerrard was Rodgers' skipper when the pair were at Liverpool. The 36-year-old midfielder moved from Anfield to join the Los Angeles Galaxy but it was announced Tuesday he […]

Moscow (AFP) – Russian investigators said Wednesday they had detained the former deputy governor of Saint Petersburg over suspected fraud during the construction of a World Cup venue. Marat Oganesyan, who was deputy head of his region from 2013 to 2015, stands accused of making an "illegal" deal in 2014 with a construction firm that […]

San José (AFP) – United States coach Jurgen Klinsmann said his team's 4-0 thrashing by Costa Rica was the most dispiriting loss of his reign on Tuesday as he reflected on back-to-back World Cup qualifying defeats. "It's definitely the defeat that hurts the most in my five years, for sure," a somber Klinsmann admitted after […]

Montevideo (AFP) – Lionel Messi produced a magical display to get Argentina's World Cup qualification back on track Tuesday as Brazil notched their sixth consecutive victory to put one foot in the 2018 finals in Russia. Messi curled home a stunning 30-yard free-kick and set up goals for Lucas Pratto and Angel Di Maria in […]

Lima (AFP) – Brazil made it six wins out of six as goals from Gabriel Jesus and Renato Augusto handed them a 2-0 win over Peru to edge them ever closer to World Cup qualification here Tuesday. Manchester City-bound teenager Gabriel fired Brazil into the lead with an assured 57th-minute finish. The 19-year-old then set […]

San José (AFP) – Joel Campbell scored twice as Costa Rica thrashed the United States 4-0 here Tuesday to pile the pressure on beleaguered coach Jurgen Klinsmann. Campbell, who is on loan at Portuguese side Sporting Lisbon from Arsenal, scored twice in three minutes in the second half as the 2014 World Cup quarter-finalists ran […]

San Juan (Argentina) (AFP) – Lionel Messi scored a majestic free-kick as Argentina reignited their misfiring World Cup qualification campaign against Colombia on Tuesday before declaring a media boycott over claims of drug use by a team-mate. Barcelona maestro Messi was at his bewitching best in a 3-0 win over the Colombians which included his […]

San Juan (Argentina) (AFP) – Lionel Messi announced a press boycott here Tuesday to protest against a journalist who alleged team-mate Ezequiel Lavezzi had used marijuana at Argentina's training base. Standing in front of the entire Argentina squad at a post-match news conference following his team's 3-0 win over Colombia, Messi said the players would […]

London (AFP) – Gareth Southgate said he has shown he can handle "big matches" after concluding his four-game tenure as England's interim manager with a 2-2 friendly draw against Spain. Appointed caretaker manager in the wake of Sam Allardyce's departure, Southgate led England to two wins and two draws in his brief stint at the […]