NRG Stadium sold out for Gold Cup final
July 6 – Concacaf has announced that today’s 2025 Gold Cup Final at NRG Stadium, Houston, between the United States and Mexico, is sold out.
Women's Euro 2025
Norway dispatch Finland to take control of Group A
Norway 2 Finland 1
July 6 – Norway battled to a hard-fought victory 2-1 victory over Finland in Sion to all but guarantee their place at the top of Group A with one match left to play.
Other Stories
Ceferin turns full blast on Infantino accusing him of ‘selling the soul’ of the game
By Paul Nicholson
May 24 – If there was any lingering doubt that the relationship between former UEFA general-secretary-turned-FIFA-president Gianni Infantino and the head of the European governing body Aleksander Ceferin was strained, those doubts were blown out the water by a speech by Ceferin to the Council of European Union Sports Ministers in Brussels yesterday (Wednesday).
Cutting the cord: Wolfsburg face Lyon in Kiev before women’s final goes ‘standalone’
May 24 – Wolfsburg and Lyon meet in the final of the UEFA Women’s Champions League tonight in Kiev, two days before Liverpool and Real Madrid play the men’s final. In future UEFA says it is “moving the finals become a centrepiece of the calendar in their own right.”
Champions League final outside Europe a possibility, as Kiev logistics and prices frustrate
By Samindra Kunti in Kiev
May 24 – UEFA president Alexander Ceferin has remained tight-lipped about staging the Champions League final outside Europe, repeating that it is a ‘theoretical possibility.’ This week’s showpiece event in the Ukrainian capital has been a logistical nightmare, provoking renewed debate over which cities are suitable to host the showpiece game. The UEFA Executive Committee awarded the 2020 Champions League final to Istanbul.
Zwanziger, Niersbach and Schmidt indicted over World Cup 2006 tax evasion
By Mark Baber
May 24 – German prosecutors in Frankfurt have filed charges of tax evasion against former DFB Presidents Wolfgang Niersbach (pictured left) and Theo Zwanziger and the DFB Secretary General Horst R. Schmidt.
KPMG report shows European football business growing with English clubs dominant
By Paul Nicholson
May 24 – The top end of European football’s club financial pyramid is growing faster than Europe’s leading market-quoted businesses, according to KPMG global head of sports Andrea Sartori (pictured), speaking at the official unveiling of the third edition of the firm’s football club valuation report.
Liverpool goalie Karius is no keeper as extra-marital dating site ranks him most cheat-worthy
May 24 – Dangerous liaisons and sexy encounters seem to be a growing theme as football heads into its summer finales. First Argentina issued a manual with a chapter on how to pick up Russian women, now dating a dating website for married and attached people seeking an extra-marital affair has polled female members on who the sexiest, cheat-worthy players in the Champions League final are.
Ghana FA president Nyantakyi surrenders to authorities in corruption probe
May 24 – Ghana FA president Kwesi Nyantakyi (pictured) surrendered to Ghanaian authorities yesterday for questioning after Ghana’s president ordered his arrest on charges of “defrauding by false pretences” after he was caught on video accusing the president of corruption.
Standard Chartered banks on Liverpool for a further 4 years in £160m deal
May 24 – Liverpool has renewed main sponsor Standard Chartered for a further four years to the end of the 2022/23 season in a reported £160 million deal. The partnership which began in 2010, will be the second longest sponsorship in the club’s history.
Arsenal partner with ‘Visit Rwanda’ for one-season sleeve deal
May 24 – Arsenal have signed a shirt sleeve deal with The Rwanda Development Board, through their subsidiary, the Rwanda Convention Bureau, which will see the “Visit Rwanda’ become the club’s official Tourism Partner. The ‘Visit Rwanda’ logo will feature on the left sleeve of all Arsenal teams next season.
Ukrainian minister says 66% of top clubs involved in criminal match-fixing gangs
By Mark Baber
May 23 – Ukraine’s under-fire Interior Minister, Arsen Avakov, has accused 35 of the nation’s top football clubs of involvement in massive match-fixing operations which involved five criminal gangs, at least 320 people and up to $5 million a year in illegal earnings.
FIFA gives Russian squad all-clear after investigation finds no evidence of doping
By Paul Nicholson
May 23 – Russian players selected for duty at this summer’s World Cup finals have all been cleared to play. FIFA has confirmed that there are no anti-doping cases being pursued against any players named in Russia’s provisional squad for their home World Cup.
Buying time. FIFA postpones vote on $25bn global calendar revamp
By Paul Nicholson
May 23 – The $25 billion international calendar revamp proposal that FIFA was going to ask its members to vote on at its annual Congress in Moscow has reportedly been postponed. It is now unclear when a decision and vote will be taken, though more detail of the proposal is expected to be shown to FIFA Council members when they meet June 10 prior to the June 13 full member congress.
Saudi Crown Prince steps in to cover $340m of club debt in the Saudi Professional League
May 23 – Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman will cover all external debts owed by Saudi Professional League clubs, according to an announcement by The General Sports Authority and Saudi Arabia Football Federation (SAFF).
Ivory Coast appeals to CAS over FIFA ‘bullying’ with repeated audit demands
May 23 – The Ivory Coast Football Federation (FIF) has appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to review FIFA’s latest decision to audit the football body. The Ivorians are objecting that this is the second time in two months that FIFA has ordered an audit.
ACL hots up with draw pitching Qatar’s unbeaten Al Duhail against Iranian giants Persepolis
May 23 – The quarter-final ties for this season’s Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League and the fixtures for the next phase of the AFC Cup were all confirmed on Wednesday.