Sports

Five members of the Iranian women's football team have been granted humanitarian visas in Australia after their elimination in the Asian Cup. It comes after the United States President Donald Trump urged the Australian government to grant asylum to the Iranian women's team. There have been fears that the team could face persecution if they returned to Iran after they were eliminated on Sunday, losing 2-0 to the Philippines. They were branded 'traitors' by Iranian media after they failed to sing the national anthem before their first match at the Asian Cup in Gold Coast amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. In a statement, Immigration Minister Tony Burke said the women "were moved to a safe location" by Australian police. He said other squad members had been told they are w...

Europe’s football governing body, Premier League clubs have voted to introduce a new system, the Squad Cost Ratio (SCR). Under the rule, clubs may spend up to 85% of their revenue on squad costs, including player wages, transfer fees, adjustments, and allowances within the system; spending may reach up torrently operates a stricter cost-control model, limiting clubs to 70% of their revenue for teams competing in European competitions such as the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, and UEFA Europa Conference League. As reported by BBC Sport on Tuesday, UEFA said the new financial rule could undermine financial stability measures, warning that clubs across the continent may be forced to take additional risks and face higher costs and losses to retain their players. But the Pr...

Manchester United legend, Wayne Rooney has made a fresh Premier League title claim while defending Arsenal over the ‘unfair’ criticism they have received as the Gunners bid to win the English top-flight league this season. On his BBC podcast, Rooney explained that the title race isn’t over, stating that Manchester City remains a contender, despite Arsenal currently holding a seven-point advantage. Commenting on the backlash over Arsenal’s set-piece tactics, Rooney said, “I’m not saying this because I like Arsenal, I’m saying this because I think the criticism they are receiving is very unfair. “I don’t think the Premier League is out of reach for Man City yet,” Rooney continued. “They are well within the title race.” Arsenal have not won the Premier League title under manager M...

A former head coach of the Super Eagles, Chief Festus Adegboye Onigbinde, has died at 88. His demise was confirmed by his family in a statement on Monday. “With great gratitude to God for a life well spent, we announce the passing of this great man: a Modakeke High Chief, the 1st indigenous Nigerian Super Eagles football coach, father, husband, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, and friend – High Chief Festus Adegboye Onigbinde,” the family statement read. The family expressed deep appreciation for his fulfilled life and immense contributions to Nigerian football and the nation at large. “We thank God for the fulfilled life and your contributions to the Nigeria nation and the world as an unequalled football coach,” the statement continued. “We pray that your soul will res...

The Confederation of African Football has announced a major increase in prize money for its two premier club competitions, giving teams across the continent a significant financial boost. In a statement released on Monday, CAF confirmed that the winners of the CAF Champions League for the 2025/26 season will now receive $6 million, an increase from the $4 million awarded last season. Similarly, the champions of the CAF Confederation Cup—often regarded as Africa’s equivalent of the UEFA Europa League—will take home $4 million, representing a 50 percent rise compared to last year’s prize. Despite the boost for winners, the prize money for runners-up remains unchanged. Losing finalists in the Champions League will still receive $2 million, while the runners-up in the Confederation Cu...

Nigeria’s D’Tigress on Monday, arrived Villeurbanne, Lyon for the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup Qualifying Tournament, DAILY POST reports. The tournament is scheduled to run from March 11 to 17. Head coach, Rena Wakama, his assistants and the 12 selected players are all gearing up for the competition. The players have already started preparations for the tournament following their arrival in Lyon. The African champions will face France, Germany, Colombia, South Korea, and the Philippines during the competition. Promise Amukamara, Ezinne Kalu, Amy Okonkwo, and Sarah Ogoke are expected to play key their roles for the D’Tigress in Lyon.

Manchester City will take on Liverpool FC in the standout tie of the quarter-finals of the FA Cup following Monday’s draw for the last eight. The clash between the Premier League rivals is widely seen as the headline fixture of the round. Meanwhile, Arsenal FC will travel to face Southampton FC, while Chelsea FC will host Port Vale FC. City, managed by Pep Guardiola, have already beaten Liverpool twice this season—recording a 3–0 win in Manchester in November and a 2–1 victory at Anfield in February. The upcoming match will mark the two clubs’ first FA Cup meeting since 2022, when Liverpool edged City 3–2 in the semi-finals. Liverpool reached the quarter-finals after defeating Wolverhampton Wanderers 3–1 in the fifth round. The club has won the FA Cup eight times, most recently...

Speculation about the future of Éric Chelle has been dismissed by the Super Eagles camp, with the team’s media officer, Promise Efoghe, rejecting reports linking the coach to Moroccan club Wydad Casablanca. The rumours began after a report by Moroccan television outlet Le7TV claimed that the Malian tactician was close to finalising a deal with the club and was set to replace current manager Amine Benhachem. Efoghe, however, dismissed the claim, describing it as false and stressing that Chelle remains fully committed to his role with the Nigerian national team. “Good day friends and colleagues. Kindly ignore this story. It is fake news,” the media officer wrote in the Super Eagles’ official media WhatsApp group on March 9. The 48-year-old coach has drawn interest from clubs and ...

Cruzeiro were crowned champions of the Campeonato Mineiro after defeating rivals Atletico Mineiro 1–0 in a heated final that later saw 23 players sent off following a mass brawl. Kaio Jorge scored the decisive goal in Belo Horizonte as Cruzeiro, managed by former Brazil national football team coach Tite, secured their first Minas Gerais state title since 2019. However, the match ended in chaos during the final moments when a violent confrontation broke out between players from both sides. The incident began when Atletico goalkeeper Everson pushed Cruzeiro midfielder Christian to the ground and placed his knee on the player’s chest after a collision while chasing a loose ball. Christian’s teammates quickly rushed to confront Everson, shoving the goalkeeper into the goalpost. Th...

Members of the Iranian women's national football team could face severe consequences back home after losing a recent international football match, with growing fears that some players may be subjected to harsh punishment under the strict political climate in Iran. The women’s team suffered a 2-0 defeat against the Philippines at the stadium on the Gold Coast on Sunday night, March 8. The defeat ended their Women’s Asian Cup campaign, which was marked by controversy after they refused to sing the Iranian national anthem on Monday. Foreign Minister Penny Wong declared Australia “stands in solidarity” with the Iranian women’s soccer team amid fears the women could be jailed or killed if they return to their country. Thousands of Australians are urging the Albanese Government to ac...