Jamaica 0 Guatemala 1
June 16 – It has been 12 years since Guatemala have beaten Jamaica. Six days ago they lost 3-0 to the Jamaicans in World Cup 2026 qualifying. On the opening night of their Gold Cup campaign they turned the form book on its head.
By Bernd Fisa
July 9 – Cristiano Ronaldo, the Portuguese superstar and captain of his national squad, has invited the widow of the former Italian striker Stefano Borgonovo to attend Sunday’s Final of the European Championship, which will see Portugal go head to head with tournament hosts France.
By Andrew Warshaw in Paris
July 8 – A former FIFA ticketing partner says he is suing the organisation for $40 million “for business losses” in a dispute over World Cup packages.
By Paul Nicholson in Paris
July 8 – The World Football Forum opened in Paris this morning – the night after Parisiens had celebrated their victory over Germany in the Euro semi-finals with a long and hard street party – with a focus on the ‘new geography of football’. It seemed to be a case of while the ‘old’ football world is recovering from its hangover, the new football landscape is putting its marker down for the future.
By Paul Nicholson in Paris
July 8 – With 705 days to go to the opening of the 2018 World Cup in Russia, organisers have said that stadia will be completed on time and that Russia will be ready to host “the best World Cup ever”.
By Samindra Kunti
July 8 – Les Bleus players stand to receive €300,000 each from the French Football Federation FFF if they win the European Championship against Portugal on Sunday.
July 8 – Car manufacturer Nissan has expanded its football media sponsorship as the weekend sponsor of Sky Sports’ Premier League action in a three-year partnership.
July 8 – No side ever wins a major football tournament without a modicum of good fortune and France arguably had theirs in the semifinal against Germany when they were outplayed for large parts of the game and were awarded a soft penalty.
By David Owen
July 8 – We will have to wait and see whether hosts France or Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal lift the European Championship trophy at the Stade de France on Sunday. But we can already say with absolute clarity that the US mark Nike has won Euro 2016’s Battle of the Brands.
July 8 – Seven people suspected of match-fixing – including players, coaches, agents and club presidents – have been arrested in Brazil.
July 8 – Manchester City have signed a new player. Kieran ‘Kez’ Brown will represent Manchester City in football gaming tournaments and fan events.
By Andrew Warshaw
July 7 – Lionel Messi has vowed to appeal and clear his name after being sensationally sentenced to 21 months in prison on three counts of tax fraud. Both Barcelona’s Argentine superstar and his father were handed the same jail term though it is unlikely they will serve time since custodial sentences are regularly suspended in Spain for first offences for non-violent crimes carrying a term of less than two years.
By Andrew Warshaw
July 7 – A new member of Gianni Infantino’s inner protective clan or a genuinely positive step in FIFA’s reform process? Make up your own mind.
July 7 – Is this the moment when France finally write a new chapter in their football history by beating Germany for the first time for 58 years in a competitive match? Anticipation has reached fever pitch ahead of the host nation’s Euro semifinal but a giant hurdle faces Didier Deschamps’ team in one of the tightest games to call.
July 7 – Two Russian players have been punished by their clubs after video evidence showed them partying in Monaco following the national team’s humiliating Euro 2016 exit.
July 7 – The dismissal of the appeal by Klubi Sportiv Skenderbeu to have their Champions League ban lifted by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) could prove to be a landmark decision in the battle against match-fixing.