Lviv (Ukraine) (AFP) – Holders Sevilla remain on course to reach yet another Europa League final after escaping from Ukraine with a 2-2 draw against Shakhtar Donetsk in their semi-final first leg on Thursday. Marlos and Taras Stepanenko scored for Shakhtar after Vitolo had given Sevilla an early lead, but Kevin Gameiro's 82nd-minute penalty ensured […]

Beijing (AFP) – He has never seen a Premier League match live or even set foot outside China, but Leicester City's fairytale season has made Zhang Tianbo, 16, their most high-profile fan in the country. For the last two years Zhang has run the most active Chinese social media account devoted to the Foxes, racking […]

London (AFP) – Leicester City defender Danny Simpson insists the prolonged absence of star striker Jamie Vardy won't stop the Premier League leaders clinching the most incredible title triumph in English football history at Manchester United on Sunday. Claudio Ranieri's side have the eyes of the world on them as they head to Old Trafford […]

Paris (AFP) – Michel Platini appears before the Court of Arbitration for Sport to appeal his six-year FIFA ban for ethics violations, with his future in football hanging on the outcome. The stakes could not be higher for the suspended head of European football. A favourable verdict and the 60-year-old will take his place in […]

Liverpool have been ordered to pay English second-tier club Burnley £6.5 million ($9.5 million, 8.4 million euros) for striker Danny Ings following a tribunal on Thursday. Ings joined Liverpool last year after his Burnley contract expired, but because he was aged under 23 at the time of the move, Burnley, who rejected an offer of […]

Watching grass grow is not usually considered exciting but there's currently a buzz of anticipation among Qatar's World Cup organizers about 12 different types of turf gently sprouting on former Doha farmland. If all goes well, one of these dozen grasses will eventually take centre stage and become the most watched strips of green on […]

Adrian Lopez's stoppage-time winner put Villarreal on the verge of reaching their first ever Cup final with a 1-0 win over Liverpool in the first leg of their Europa League semi-final on Thursday. A game of few chances was decided by a brilliant goal at the death as Denis Suarez unselfishly squared for substitute Lopez […]

The cross-section of Copa America Centenario and Euro 2016 tournaments this summer will bring a combination of 83 live games into homes across the United States. That's 32 Copa America matches and 51 Euro 2016 games between June 3-26 (Copa America) and June 10-July 10 (Euro 2016). Between June 3 to July 10, that's an […]

A collective euphoria has gripped Leicester's humdrum streets as the often-overlooked English city stands on the cusp of achieving global sporting immortality by winning football's most coveted league title. Many in the medium-sized Midlands city will not talk about the possibility of one of sporting history's most unlikely triumphs for fear of jinxing their heroes. […]

Kartik Krishnaiyer's newest book, SoccerWarz: Inside America's soccer feud between MLS, NASL and USL, examines the role that the now disgraced Traffic Sports had within NASL, as well as the league's plans to challenge Major League Soccer's position as the top division in the United States. What follows are the lessons the author learned behind […]

About a year ago, I attended a convention in downtown Detroit. This meeting of about 5,000 professionals took place at various sites throughout the city and was designed to show that Detroit was back. A city of great history, musical tradition, and sporting prowess was being revitalized by aggressive private sector investment and smart government […]

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp called for bravery from his players if they are to overcome Villarreal to reach the Europa League final and maintain their hopes of Champions League football next season. Klopp's men produced a sensational second-half comeback from 3-1 down to beat his old side Borussia Dortmund 4-3 at Anfield to reach the […]

Online retail giant Alibaba is on the verge of leading a Chinese takeover of AC Milan from disgraced former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi, Italian media reported Wednesday. Company supremo Jack Ma was recently in Italy and was wined and dined by Prime Minister Matteo Renzi at the VinItaly trade fair, where the Italian leader notably […]

PAOK failed to show up for their Greek Cup semi-final second leg away to Olympiakos on Wednesday as they promised and now face more disciplinary action from the country's football federation. The move by the Thessaloniki club had been pre-announced by Greek-Russian owner Ivan Savvidis, who was angry after they were punished for crowd violence […]

Mexican giants Club America clinched back-to-back CONCACAF Champions League crowns on Wednesday after coming from behind to beat fellow Liga MX side Tigres 2-1, sealing a 4-1 aggregate victory. America had been heavy favorites to retain their continental crown and seal their place in this year's FIFA Club World Cup after a superb 2-0 away […]