Sports

Nigeria's Flying Eagles have been drawn in Group B of the 2026 WAFU B U20 Championship, where they will face long-time rivals Ghana, Burkina Faso, and Togo. The draw, conducted on Wednesday, July 15, placed Aliyu Zubairu's team in a competitive group as they begin their quest to qualify for the 2027 Africa U20 Cup of Nations. Defending champions and tournament hosts Côte d'Ivoire will compete in Group A alongside Niger and the Benin Republic. One of the most anticipated matches of the tournament will be the group-stage showdown between Nigeria and Ghana, two traditional West African football rivals with a rich history in youth competitions. The WAFU B U20 Championship serves as the qualifying tournament for the 2027 U20 AFCON, which Ghana will host. The continental championship...

France football icon Zinedine Zidane is expected to become the next head coach of the French national team following the conclusion of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, according to football transfer expert Fabrizio Romano. Romano revealed that the French Football Federation plans to finalize all necessary paperwork with the former Real Madrid manager once France's World Cup campaign officially comes to an end. He also disclosed that Zidane has rejected every coaching offer over the past eight months because his sole ambition was to take charge of the French national team. The anticipated appointment comes as current coach Didier Deschamps prepares to leave his position after France's participation at the tournament. France's hopes of reaching another FIFA World Cup final were dashed on...

FIFA has announced a significant change to the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system ahead of the highly anticipated World Cup semi-final clash between England and Argentina. The blockbuster encounter is scheduled to take place on Wednesday in Atlanta. Unlike previous matches, where VAR officials operated remotely from the International Broadcast Centre in Dallas, FIFA has decided to deploy an on-site VAR team for the semi-final. The officials at the venue will serve as a backup in case of any technical or communication issues during the match. Speaking on the decision, Organising Committee member Dan Hunt explained that the move was necessary given the intensity of the competition. "There is a significant amount of drama during these matches. With only four officials responsibl...

France coach Didier Deschamps is departing Les Bleus following the team's exit from the 2026 tournament. The dreams of the 57-year-old, who won the World Cup as a player (in 1998) and a manager (in 2018), of winning it a third time are over after their 2-0 defeat by Spain in Tuesday's first semi-final. Deschamps confirmed in January 2025 that he would step down after this summer's tournament and will mark his farewell game against the losers of England v Argentina in Miami on Saturday, July 18. "It's not time to talk about the future," he said in his post-match news conference. "It is not important on a personal level whether I leave a competition in a semi-final or final. "I am extremely happy. I am very proud of everything we've done to reach this stage and to win a World Cup...

Cristiano Ronaldo's Saudi club, Al Nassr, is reportedly facing a financial crisis that has halted transfers and delayed salary payments. According to a report in Al-Riyadiyah, several first-team players received their June salaries in instalments, while the club's hierarchy has been working to settle the upcoming outstanding amounts. The report does state, though, that the accumulation of debt, which exceeds the club's revenues, has seen Al Nassr's transfer activity stall during the current window, including plans to acquire a foreign player to replace midfielder Marcelo Brozovic. The precariousness of the situation could also have a lasting impact on those players already at the club, as highlighted by a source in Al-Riyadiyah. 'This makes it impossible to impose new...

England's semi-final with Argentina has been classified as the 'highest risk' match at the World Cup following a meeting of the FBI, tournament officials and local law enforcement. The FBI, FIFA officials and local police held a security meeting on Monday to assess the risks surrounding the match, highlighting the long-standing rivalry between England and Argentina and concerns over possible clashes between opposing fans. According to Mail Online, a comprehensive security operation will be rolled out in Atlanta, with England and Argentina supporters required to use separate entry gates. However, fans from both teams will not be segregated once inside the stadium. Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni has called for calm, despite the fact his players have continuously sang a song referenc...

A major controversy has erupted within the Senegalese football community following the national team’s exit from the World Cup in North America. Senegal Football Federation (FSF) president Abdoulaye Fall revealed that the squad’s chief medical officer of nine years was primarily trained as a gynaecologist, triggering deep concern among the playing squad regarding the quality of specialized sports medicine available to them. According to Fall, the oversight was discovered late in the campaign, forcing the federation to scramble for external medical consultants to restore confidence among the players. The federation president stated that feedback from the squad indicated the players did not feel sufficiently reassured by the medical support provided. He emphasized that the administr...

FIFA has appointed American referee Ismail Elfath to officiate Wednesday’s 2026 FIFA World Cup semi-final between England and Argentina. Elfath, 44, has already officiated three games at the tournament -- Japan vs. Netherlands, Uruguay vs. Spain and Brazil vs. Norway and has issued six yellow cards and one red card, to Uruguay's Agustín Canobbio. The appointment of Elfath, who will be assisted by fellow Americans Corey Parker and Kyle Atkins, makes him the second Concacaf official to be given a semifinal following the announcement of El Salvadorean referee Ivan Barton to the France-Spain clash in Arlington, Texas, on Tuesday. Argentina progressed to the semi-finals after defeating Cape Verde 3-2 in the Round of 32, edging Egypt 3-2 in the Round of 16 and overcoming Switzerland 3-1...

Dutch referee Rob Dieperink has died at the age of 38, weeks after he was removed from FIFA's list of World Cup officials following his arrest in the United Kingdom over allegations of s3xual assault. The Dutch Football Association (KNVB) confirmed his death, saying it was "shocked" and deeply saddened by the news. No cause of death has been disclosed. Dieperink was arrested by the Metropolitan Police in April after officers responded to a report of an alleged sexual assault involving a teenage boy at an address in Croydon, London.  LawEnforcement According to the Metropolitan Police, a man in his 30s was arrested on suspicion of s3xual assault. However, following an investigation that included reviewing CCTV footage and examining digital devices, officers concluded that the ...

Argentina have made a special request to FIFA regarding their choice of kit ahead of the blockbuster 2026 World Cup semi-final clash against England in Atlanta.  InternationalSports Competitions The tournament holders booked their place in the last four with a 3-1 victory over Switzerland, setting up a highly anticipated showdown against the Three Lions, who edged a 2-1 win over Norway in the quarter-finals.   \ According to reports, Argentina have contacted football's governing body requesting permission to wear their all-blue away kit instead of their iconic light blue and white striped home shirt. A final decision on the matter is expected to be delivered on Tuesday.   The world champions have donned their traditional home stripes in five of their six match...