Sevilla rally, Alaves cruise in La Liga opener

LONDON: Sevilla scored from two second-half penalties as they came roaring back from a goal down to beat Rayo Vallecano 2-1 at home and Alaves hammered 10-man Getafe 3-0 as Spain’s LaLiga got under way on Saturday evening. In a hotly contested late kick-off, a dreadful defensive error by Arouna Sangante allowed Alvaro Garcia to […]
New Zealand withdraws support for Infantino

WELLINGTON: New Zealand Football said on Friday it had withdrawn support for FIFA boss Gianni Infantino and called for an independent review into his aborted plan to sell off part of the World Cup. Infantino came under renewed fire this week in an open letter signed by three confederations — UEFA, North and Central America’s […]
Somali referee ‘proud’ to oversee Super Cup

SALZBURG: Somalian referee Omar Artan, who was denied the chance to referee at the World Cup after being refused entry to the United States, will take charge of the UEFA Super Cup between Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa on Wednesday. Before the World Cup started in June, the 34-year-old referee unwittingly found himself in the media […]
Aston Villa gear up for PSG test

UEFA Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain will lock horns with UEFA Europa League champions Aston Villa on Wednesday(today) in the UEFA Super Cup at StadionSalzburg in Austria. Aston Villa manager Unai Emery says his side are entering a “new era” as they prepare to face Paris Saint-Germain in the 2026 UEFA Super Cup on Wednesday. Villa qualified for the showpiece after winning the […]
Palestinian club football to restart in September after Gaza war suspension

A football pitch amid the rubble in Gaza City. Photo: AFP GAZA: The Palestinian football association announced on Monday that it would resume activity in September after a nearly three-year pause due to the Gaza war. “We announce the resumption of sports activities and the football association’s league beginning September 4,” association president Jibril Rajoub […]
Infantino target of letter from three confederations

UEFA, CONCACAF and AFC in the joint letter declared football “belongs to no individual” FIFA president Gianni Infantino remains under fire over his aborted plan to allow private investment in the World Cup. Photo: AFP LAUSANNE: FIFA president Gianni Infantino came under renewed fire on Monday as a joint letter from three confederations — UEFA, CONCACAF and […]
Salah signs two-year deal with Trabzonspor

Trabzonspor’s new signing Mohamed Salah. Photo: REUTERS TURKEY: Mohamed Salah has signed a two-year deal with Trabzonspor, under which the Egypt forward will receive 17 million euros ($19.6 million) a season, the Turkish club said on Thursday. The announcement came as Trabzon’s fans prepared to head for the club’s stadium in the eastern Black Sea […]
Infantino holds emergency talks with directors

FIFA President Gianni Infantinois facing a wave of criticism over his investment plan. Photo: AFP/File RABAT: President Gianni Infantino held emergency talks with other FIFA directors in Morocco on Wednesday, a source told AFP, amid a wave of criticism over his now shelved plan to open the World Cup to private investment. Infantino has come under increasing pressure, […]
Thousands pay tribute to Italian football legend Baresi

MILAN: Thousands of people gathered outside a Milan church Tuesday to pay tribute to Italian football great Franco Baresi, who died last week aged 66. Regarded as one of the greatest sweepers in football history, a funeral service for the former AC Milan captain was held at Milan’s Sant’Ambrogio Basilica. Former teammates Paolo Maldini, Roberto […]
Battle lines drawn as Infantino fights to hold on

FIFA president Gianni Infantino is under pressure following a failed FIFA investment plan. Photo: AFP PARIS: The crisis triggered by FIFA President Gianni Infantino’sabandoned proposal to sell off a stake in the World Cup deepened on Tuesday with influential figures publicly distancing themselves from the project while scrambling to contain the damage. After three days of […]