Sports

A 24-year-old footballer, Safwan Awae, has di£d and 12 other players were injured after lightning struck the pitch during a match in Thailand. Safwan, who played as a winger for Yala FC, was taking part in the Golok FA Cup 2026 tournament when lightning struck the pitch at Santiphap Stadium in Narathiwat province, southern Thailand. The incident happened on August 4, 2026, during a match played amid heavy rain and stormy weather conditions. Footage from the stadium showed the moment lightning hit the playing area, causing players to collapse. Emergency responders and people at the venue rushed to assist the affected players before they were taken for medical treatment. Safwan was among those seriously affected and was later confirmed de@d from injuries sustained du...

The quarter-final line-up for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) has been confirmed, with eight teams remaining in contention for the continental crown.  The last-eight fixtures will see Côte d’Ivoire face Algeria, hosts Morocco take on South Africa, Malawi battle Ghana, and defending champions Nigeria face Cameroon in an all-West African heavyweight clash.  Ghana head into the knockout stage having won just one of their three group-stage matches, making the encounter against Malawi a crucial test for the Black Queens.  Malawi, meanwhile, have already demonstrated their ability to compete against the continent’s best after defeating Nigeria during the group stage. Their impressive result will give them confidence heading into the quarter-final against G...

The Mexican Football Federation (FMF) has publicly reaffirmed its support for FIFA President Gianni Infantino, distancing itself from Concacaf's criticism as the football chief faces growing pressure following the collapse of his controversial private investment proposal. Concacaf, which oversees football across North America, Central America and the Caribbean, recently demanded a "comprehensive reckoning" of Infantino's leadership after FIFA shelved plans to sell stakes in major competitions, including the men's and women's World Cups, to private investors. Despite the regional body's position, Mexico—one of the hosts of the 2026 FIFA World Cup—backed Infantino, calling on FIFA's member associations to continue operating within the organization's established governance framework. ...

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) Executive Committee has unanimously reaffirmed its support for FIFA president Gianni Infantino, placing the organisation at odds with football bodies in Europe, North America and Asia that have criticised his leadership. CAF’s backing comes as Infantino prepares to seek re-election in March next year, with the African confederation’s 54 member associations representing a significant voting bloc within FIFA’s 211-member structure. Since taking office in 2016, Infantino has maintained strong support across African football. In a statement, CAF said its Executive Committee had “unanimously reconfirmed its support for FIFA President Gianni Infantino and thanked him for his support for African football over the years.” The decision follows growi...

Real Madrid have completed the signing of Ivory Coast winger Yan Diomande from RB Leipzig in a deal worth up to £120m (€140m), making the teenager one of the most expensive players in football history. The 19-year-old has signed a seven-year contract with the Spanish giants, with the final fee potentially exceeding the £115m (€133.9m) Real Madrid agreed to pay Borussia Dortmund for Jude Bellingham in 2023. Paris Saint-Germain had been leading the race for Diomande’s signature but withdrew from negotiations after their £102.5m bid was rejected on Sunday, allowing Real Madrid to secure the highly rated forward. Should the full £120m fee be paid, Diomande would become the fourth most expensive player of all time, behind Paris Saint-Germain’s Neymar and Kylian Mbappe, as well as Liverpoo...

Tyson Fury’s promoter, Frank Warren, has disclosed that he expects the heavyweight showdown between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua to take place in November. While initial plans pointed to Wembley Stadium in the UK, discussions over start times for a global audience have heavily linked the fight to a US venue, such as Madison Square Garden in New York. In a chat with Boxing Scene, Warren noted that the final details remain up to His Excellency Turki Alalshikh to formally reveal. “Of course I do, but they contacted Wembley, didn’t they, Sela, and asked if they would push the time back and, as far as I understand, that has not happened.” “We have our arrangement and promotional arrangement with Tyson but it is not for me to announce what is going to happen with that fight yet… ...

The Football Association (FA) has reportedly informed FIFA that it is withdrawing its support for Gianni Infantino's bid for a fourth term as FIFA president, marking another significant setback for the football governing body's leader. The decision comes amid growing criticism of Infantino's leadership following the controversy surrounding FIFA's now-abandoned proposal to sell a stake in its commercial rights business to private investors. The plan sparked widespread opposition from several football associations, particularly in Europe, over concerns about governance, transparency, and the future direction of the global game. The FA's move follows similar actions by other national football associations that have also withdrawn their backing for the Swiss administrator ahead of the F...

Atletico Madrid have turned down the opportunity to sign 🇳🇬 Victor Osimhen from Galatasaray, despite the Nigerian international being offered to the Spanish club for a possible transfer fee of €75 million, according to reports. The Nigerian forward was said to be prepared to accept a reduction in salary to play under Diego Simeone, yet the Spanish club opted to reject the opportunity. The report said that Galatasaray had approached Atletico regarding Osimhen through intermediaries. The transfer for the 27-year-old Nigerian international would have cost the Spaniards around €75 million. Nevertheless, Los Rojiblancos officially rejected the offer to sign the forward. The Spanish club are said to currently lack the necessary financial resources to execute such a huge transaction during ...

Chelsea have reportedly placed 11 players on the transfer list as the club continues its squad overhaul during the ongoing summer transfer window. The Blues are said to be looking to reduce the size of their squad after spending more than £300 million on new signings this summer. The club has strengthened its ranks with the arrivals of Morgan Rogers, Maxence Lacroix, Marco Palestra, Geovany Quenda, Valentin Barco, Danny Welbeck and Emmanuel Emegha. As reported by the Athletic on Thursday, the players available for transfer include Enzo Fernández, Pedro Neto, Malo Gusto, Benoît Badiashile, Axel Disasi, Trevoh Chalobah, Marc Guiu, David Datro Fofana, Liam Delap and Nicolas Jackson. Chalobah has reportedly agreed a £31 million move to Serie A side Como, while Pedro Neto has be...

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has apologised after shelving a controversial proposal to sell a minority stake in the commercial rights of the FIFA World Cup following widespread opposition from football governing bodies, national associations and senior FIFA officials. The proposal sought to establish a new commercial entity that would manage FIFA's commercial rights, with 20 per cent of the business to be sold to private investors in a deal reportedly valued at $4.2 billion. FIFA had argued that the initiative would generate additional revenue to support football development around the world. However, the plan sparked strong criticism from stakeholders, who warned it could undermine the governance, independence and integrity of the sport. Announcing the decision to abandon the ...