Mexico dominate USA to retain their Gold Cup title
Mexico 2 USA 1
July 6 – In front of a sold-out crowd of 70,925 in the NRG Stadium in Houston, Mexico beat the USA 2-1 to win the 2025 Gold Cup.
Women's Euro 2025
Girelli strike edges Italy towards knock-outs
Italy 1 Portugal 1
July 7 – Italy edged closer to the Women’s Euro quarter-finals after a 1-1 draw with Portugal at the Stade de Genève, in a match defined by moments of individual brilliance and late drama.
Other Stories
Former political heavyweight Miliband lauds Sunderland’s unique partnership with Invest in Africa
By David Gold
June 26 – Former British Foreign Secretary David Miliband has hailed Sunderland’s new sponsorship deal with not-for-profit organisation Invest in Africa as the best in the club’s history.
David Owen: From Platini to Pirlo – how the playmaker’s role has evolved
Michel Platini once bemoaned to me the extinction of the old-style ‘Number 10’, a position in which he, of course, excelled like few others.
“They have practically done away with le Numéro 10,” he said, sitting in a large office across the street from the Comédie Française.
“There is practically no longer an organiser.
Rangers set for SPL rejection
By Andrew Warshaw
June 26 – Restructured Scottish giants Rangers look certain to start life in the lower leagues after six Scottish Premier League (SPL) clubs said they would vote against the 54-time domestic champions being allowed entry into the top flight.
We’ll never completely eliminate match-fixing, admits FIFA’s new head of security
By Andrew Warshaw
June 26 – FIFA’s new head of security Ralf Mutschke admits that match-fixing can never be totally eliminated but says FIFA will never give up the fight to weed out the criminals as the issue continues to seriously undermine the sport both in Europe and globally.
Russian football boss throws in the towel after early Euro 2012 exit
By David Gold
June 26 – The President of the Russian Football Union (RFU), Sergey Fursenko, has quit following his country’s early exit from the 2012 European Championship.
New Aussie A-League outfit Western Sydney Wanderers unveiled
By David Gold
June 26 – New Australian A-League team Western Sydney Wanderers has been officially launched at a media event at the Parramatta Stadium.
Russian Sports Minister blames season changes and Advocaat for Euro 2012 exit
By Andrew Warshaw
June 25 – Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko has cited the country’s protracted transition season for their surprise group stage elimination from the 2012 European Championship – and also laid the blame partly at the feet of coach Dick Advocaat (pictured below).
Johannesburg to host 2013 African Nations Cup qualifying draw next month
By David Gold
June 25 – The Confederation of African Football (CAF) and the board of the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations have confirmed the final qualifying round draw for the tournament will take place in Johannesburg on July 5.
CAS undermines FFP as it lifts Bursaspor’s UEFA ban
By Andrew Warshaw
June 25 – UEFA’s hopes of imposing Financial Fair Play (FFP) sanctions against clubs who fail to balance the books have suffered a potentially damaging blow after Turkish club Bursaspor won a shock appeal against being banned from playing in Europe for failing to pay transfer fees.
Warner appointed Minister of National Security in Trinidad and Tobago
By Andrew Warshaw
June 25 – The cash-for-votes scandal that led to former FIFA vice-president Jack Warner resigning in disgrace from all footballing activities is clearly having no effect on his political career after he was appointed Minister of National Security in his native Trinidad and Tobago.
Russia hit with third Euro 2012 fine as fans’ shameful behaviour continues
By Andrew Warshaw
June 23 – Russia’s Euro 2012 went from bad to worse today when the national association was fined for the third time by UEFA because of the misbehavior of their fans.
FFA to improve elite footballer development after review
By Tom Degun
June 22 – Football Federation Australia (FFA) has revealed its plan to help develop and improve elite male football players in the country after releasing the outcomes of their National Competition Review (NCR).
Mascot named for 2012 Under-17 Women’s World Cup
By Tom Degun
June 22 – The mascot for the FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup in Azerbaijan later this year has been officially named the “Top Top Girl” following a nationwide competition to decide what she would be called.
Exclusive: UEFA “hopping mad” at FIFA’s decision to allow Kosovo partial informal status
By Andrew Warshaw
June 22 – FIFA and UEFA are on a collision course over whether to allow Kosovo the right to play international matches, with European officials furious at what they see as a clear attempt by the world governing body to undermine their regulations.
Dević’s disallowed goal was an “unfortunate mistake”, says Collina
By Andrew Warshaw
June 22 – UEFA’s refereeing chief Pierluigi Collina has defended the organisation’s experimental system of two extra goal-line officials but admits that an “unfortunate mistake” helped eliminate Ukraine from the 2012 European Championship.