Sports

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has revealed that football's global governing body is actively reviewing a proposal to scale the World Cup up to an unprecedented 64-team tournament for the 2030 edition. The ambitious proposal, originally put forward by South American football executives, is being evaluated for the 2030 centenary tournament, which is already scheduled to be hosted across six countries on three separate continents. If approved, the format would allow nearly a third of all FIFA member nations to secure a spot in the finals, moving past the 48-team structure debut at the 2026 North American tournament. “These are all issues that we will be examining after the World Cup,” Infantino stated during an interview with Swiss television outlet Blue Sport. “I think it is impo...

Weeks after featuring for his country at the World cup, South Africa and Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Jayden Adams, has passed at 25. SouthAfrica's Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, announced his passing in a statement. "It is with profound shock and a heavy heart that I have learnt of the passing of Jayden Adams. South African football has lost one of its brightest young talents, and our nation mourns alongside his family, his team-mates and the millions of supporters who watched him grow from a promising academy prospect into a full Bafana Bafana international." Police in South Africa said they had opened an investigation after the body of a 25-year-old man was found at a house in Schotschekloof, a suburb in central Cape Town, on Saturday morning. ...

Norway's national football team has criticised FIFA after being forced to change hotels just days before their FIFA World Cup quarter-final against England. The Norwegian squad arrived in Miami on Monday, July 6, and was initially accommodated at The Dalmar hotel in Fort Lauderdale, a venue arranged by FIFA for participating teams. However, after spending just one night there, the team relocated to the Four Seasons Fort Lauderdale, located about three miles away. According to Norwegian broadcaster NRK, several of the rooms allocated to players reportedly had issues including cigarette smoke, mould and poor cleanliness. Norway head coach Stale Solbakken acknowledged that the reported room issues were resolved quickly but said the hotel's location was less than ideal. He noted t...

Zaire Wade, the eldest son of former NBA star Dwyane Wade, has been formally charged with a felony following his arrest last month in connection with an alleged domestic violence incident. According to reports, Wade now faces one felony charge after prosecutors reviewed the case. He was initially booked on three separate allegations following his arrest in Burbank, California. Police said officers responded to a residence at about 5:30 a.m. on June 21 after receiving reports of a woman screaming inside the home. Upon arrival, officers allegedly found Wade and a woman who had multiple lacerations to her face. Despite her reported injuries, she was not taken to hospital for treatment. Wade was initially arrested on suspicion of felony domestic violence, criminal threats and false im...

United States federal prosecutors and agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation have launched a preliminary probe into the financial operations of the Argentine Football Association in the US. They are investigating whether transactions linked to the body could constitute money laundering or fraud under American law. According to a report published on Wednesday by Argentine newspaper La Nacion, investigators from the US Department of Justice have begun taking testimony from individuals with knowledge of the AFA’s financial activities in the United States as the 2026 FIFA World Cup continues. The report said investigators are seeking to determine how the football body, led by Claudio “Chiqui” Tapia, channelled hundreds of millions of dollars through the US financial system and ...

Seventeen players will enter the quarter-final stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup facing the possibility of suspension, with another yellow card set to rule them out of a potential semi-final. According to FIFA's disciplinary rules, any player who receives a second caution of the tournament during the quarter-finals will automatically miss the semi-finals if their team advances. The number of players at risk increased after the conclusion of the Round of 16 on Tuesday, leaving several key stars walking a disciplinary tightrope. Morocco have the highest number of players in danger of suspension, with Issa Diop, Achraf Hakimi, Redouane Halhal and Bilal El Khannouss all needing to avoid another booking to remain eligible for the next round. England are also dealing with a similar co...

Fulham have appointed Alvaro Arbeloa as their new manager on a three-year contract. The ex-Real Madrid boss has signed a three-year deal at Craven Cottage to become Marco Silva's successor after the Portuguese left for Benfica following the expiration of his Fulham deal. Arbeloa departed Real Madrid in May and was replaced by Jose Mourinho at the Santiago Bernabeu last month. "It is a real honour for me to be embarking on this new stage at Fulham FC, the oldest club in London," he said. "I feel a great sense of responsibility and I'm deeply grateful to [chairman] Mr [Shahid] Khan and [vice-chairman] Tony Khan for the trust they have placed in me with Fulham in the Premier League." Chairman Shahid Khan said: "Alvaro is, by his own admission, very ambitious. He has spent...

Argentina staged a remarkable comeback to defeat Egypt 3-2 and secure a place in the quarter-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after overturning a two-goal deficit in an enthralling Round of 16 encounter. The defending champions fell behind in the 15th minute when Yasser Ibrahim headed home from a well-executed corner routine. Argentina were handed an immediate opportunity to respond after Haissem Hassan committed a foul inside the penalty area, but Lionel Messi's spot-kick was brilliantly saved by goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir, who recorded his second penalty save of the tournament. Shobeir continued to frustrate the South Americans throughout the opening half, denying Alexis Mac Allister from close range, watching Messi's free-kick crash against the woodwork, and keeping out Julián Ál...

Paraguayan Senator Celeste Amarilla has threatened legal action against France captain Kylian Mbappe after the football star accused her of racism over comments she made on social media following France's World Cup victory over Paraguay. The row erupted in the aftermath of France's 1-0 win over Paraguay in the Round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, a match that was marked by a series of controversies both on and off the pitch. Mbappe took exception to posts made by the senator on social media, accusing her of making racist remarks directed at him and the French national team. The Real Madrid forward publicly condemned the comments, describing them as racist and unacceptable. The senator has rejected the allegation and is demanding an apology from Mbappe. In an open letter rele...

The aftermath of the 2026 FIFA World Cup has triggered a wave of managerial changes, with eight national team coaches resigning after their countries were eliminated from the tournament. Portugal head coach Roberto Martínez became the latest to leave his position after Portugal's 1-0 defeat to Spain national football team in the Round of 16 on Monday. Martínez, who took charge of Portugal in 2023, had come under sustained criticism for his continued reliance on veteran captain Cristiano Ronaldo. Speaking after the defeat, the 52-year-old confirmed that the match marked the end of his tenure with the Portuguese national team. "It is true that it was my last game with the Portugal national team," Martínez said. "Thank you to the Portuguese people because it was an incredibl...