Morocco's prime minister tells the head of the country's football federation to stop making promises about the 2030 World Cup final, while the head of the Spanish federation says the showpiece should be played in Spain.
BBC11 SeptMorocco's prime minister tells the head of the country's football federation to stop making promises about the 2030 World Cup final, while the head of the Spanish federation says the showpiece should be played in Spain.
BBC11 SeptMorocco's prime minister tells the head of the country's football federation to stop making promises about the 2030 World Cup final, while the head of the Spanish federation says the showpiece should be played in Spain.
BBC11 SeptMorocco's prime minister tells the head of the country's football federation to stop making promises about the 2030 World Cup final, while the head of the Spanish federation says the showpiece should be played in Spain.
BBC11 Sept
France international and World Cup record holder Kylian Mbappe speaks out over memes using his image.
Al Jazeera11 Sept
Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch slams his country's football chief after claim Morocco will host 2030 World Cup final.
Al Jazeera11 Sept
Morocco to co-host 2030 tournament with Spain and Portugal, but FIFA denies final will be in North Africa.
Al Jazeera11 Sept
The US manager’s relationship with the international job has changed with a full World Cup cycle beginning I hope, in this lifetime, you find someone who loves you the way Mauricio Pochettino loves Tottenham Hotspur. The grip Spurs have on his heart seems the stuff of a literary classic: his imperfect partner who called things off at the first sign of trouble must merely check in on him occasionally to rekindle hopes of a reunion. Perhaps a bit extreme, but this week’s revelation – that he’d return to Tottenham even if they were relegated and chalking his absence up to imperfect timing, not the part about handing the club a decade-old title – has implicity laid out the terms of his return as United States manager. Others may always have interest in his services, and a certain North London suitor will never get the door slammed in their face outright. Continue reading...
The Guardian•Jeff Rueter11 Sept
‘Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry’ will culminate on US soil on Saturday, a staging post on the road to America hosting the World Cup in 2031 When New Zealand and South Africa kick off at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore on Saturday, there will be more at stake than victory in “Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry”, the four-Test series the Springboks lead 2-1 . For World Rugby CEO Alan Gilpin, the game is a key staging post on the road to the 2031 World Cup, which the US will host – a journey that could include Six Nations games on American soil . “We’ve been in a long process with venues and cities, over the last two years,” Gilpin said, of the build to World Cup kick-off. “We’ve still got 25-plus cities involved in that process, which is fantastic in terms of engagement and enthusiasm. Continue reading...
The Guardian•Martin Pengelly11 Sept
Debuting at TIFF, the feature from Rebeca Huntt ('Beba') sees the two-time World Cup champion reflecting on her life and career in the wake of her retirement as a player in 2023.
The Hollywood Reporter•Angie Han11 Sept
Nicolas Jackson is ready to impress, Spurs are scrambled and the 199th Manchester derby takes place at Old Trafford Premier League top scorers 2026-27: who is leading race for the golden boot? With 10 top-flight goal contributions between them across three games already this season, the Chelsea trio of Morgan Rogers, João Pedro and Cole Palmer are the early pace-setters for the Premier League’s most prolific, fluid and high octane attacking unit. But on the occasion of his 100th Premier League appearance, a scruffier and more ungainly unit will be hoping to steal their thunder, as high-flying Hull try to register a top-flight win against Chelsea for the very first time. Yet to score this season but with a couple of near-misses to his name, what Oli McBurnie has thus far lacked in goal contributions he has more than made up for with selfless graft and off-the-ball grunt work, making a total mockery of Steve Clarke’s decision not to include him in Scotland’s World Cup squad. The Hull striker ought to prove a real handful for a decidedly porous home defence, and a goal would be a fitting way to mark a century of Premier League appearances. Chelsea have not won any of their past four league matches against promoted opposition and given Hull’s blistering start to the season, victory on Saturday seems anything but a foregone conclusion. Barry Glendenning Chelsea v Hull, Saturday 3pm (all times BST) Liverpool v Fulham, Saturday 3pm Crystal Palace v Ipswich, Saturday 3pm Continue reading...
The Guardian•Guardian sport10 SeptNicolas Jackson is ready to impress, Spurs are scrambled and the 199th Manchester derby takes place at Old Trafford Premier League top scorers 2026-27: who is leading race for the golden boot? With 10 top-flight goal contributions between them across three games already this season, the Chelsea trio of Morgan Rogers, João Pedro and Cole Palmer are the early pace-setters for the Premier League’s most prolific, fluid and high octane attacking unit. But on the occasion of his 100th Premier League appearance, a scruffier and more ungainly unit will be hoping to steal their thunder, as high-flying Hull try to register a top-flight win against Chelsea for the very first time. Yet to score this season but with a couple of near-misses to his name, what Oli McBurnie has thus far lacked in goal contributions he has more than made up for with selfless graft and off-the-ball grunt work, making a total mockery of Steve Clarke’s decision not to include him in Scotland’s World Cup squad. The Hull striker ought to prove a real handful for a decidedly porous home defence, and a goal would be a fitting way to mark a century of Premier League appearances. Chelsea have not won any of their past four league matches against promoted opposition and given Hull’s blistering start to the season, victory on Saturday seems anything but a foregone conclusion. Barry Glendenning Chelsea v Hull, Saturday 3pm (all times BST) Liverpool v Fulham, Saturday 3pm Crystal Palace v Ipswich, Saturday 3pm Continue reading...
The Guardian•Guardian sport10 Sept
‘Image and unity’ of game affected, FFF president says It will consult sacked former Fifa official Kevin Lamour The French Football Federation’s president, Philippe Diallo, said Gianni Infantino had “seriously damaged the image and the unity of football” as he announced the end of France’s support for the Fifa president’s re-election. The FFF’s executive committee unanimously voted on Thursday to withdraw its backing, which had been formalised at the end of June. Diallo referred to “events during the World Cup” which had “flagrantly gone against the way we believe our sport should be run” and to Infantino’s World Cup sell-off plan, which was revealed in July and scrapped after a widespread backlash. Continue reading...
The Guardian•Raphaël Jucobin in Paris10 Sept‘Image and unity’ of game affected, FFF president says It will consult sacked former Fifa official Kevin Lamour The French Football Federation’s president, Philippe Diallo, said Gianni Infantino had “seriously damaged the image and the unity of football” as he announced the end of France’s support for the Fifa president’s re-election. The FFF’s executive committee unanimously voted on Thursday to withdraw its backing, which had been formalised at the end of June. Diallo referred to “events during the World Cup” which had “flagrantly gone against the way we believe our sport should be run” and to Infantino’s World Cup sell-off plan, which was revealed in July and scrapped after a widespread backlash. Continue reading...
The Guardian•Raphaël Jucobin in Paris10 Sept
Manager is excited by new US deal but might have returned to Spurs if the stars had aligned and does not rule out taking England job one day If things had worked out differently, Mauricio Pochettino would have gone back to his beloved Tottenham over the summer. They had put in the call and it stirred him. Nothing was going to put him off – not even the possibility of the club being in the Championship. Seriously, Mauricio? After a World Cup campaign with the United States and top jobs with Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain before that, he would have been willing to start a new chapter in the second tier of English football? “Yes, of course,” Pochettino says. “Tottenham … it’s the only club that always I am open to help. In whatever division.” Continue reading...
The Guardian•David Hytner10 SeptManager is excited by new US deal but might have returned to Spurs if the stars had aligned and does not rule out taking England job one day If things had worked out differently, Mauricio Pochettino would have gone back to his beloved Tottenham over the summer. They had put in the call and it stirred him. Nothing was going to put him off – not even the possibility of the club being in the Championship. Seriously, Mauricio? After a World Cup campaign with the United States and top jobs with Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain before that, he would have been willing to start a new chapter in the second tier of English football? “Yes, of course,” Pochettino says. “Tottenham … it’s the only club that always I am open to help. In whatever division.” Continue reading...
The Guardian•David Hytner10 Sept
It was the time and place for Alexis Mac Allister to do his talking on the pitch and the disgruntled Liverpool midfielder delivered on cue. “Very sad” over Liverpool’s refusal to offer him a new contract, while Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch were getting theirs, Mac Allister made Anfield very happy with a match-winning display against Atlético Madrid. The Argentina international, one of five World Cup finalists involved in an absorbing, delicately-poised contest, vented his frustrations in the best possible and most professional way – from behind an immaculate 20-yard strike into Jan Oblak’s goal rather than a microphone. Mac Allister believes he is playing for a new deal this season and promised to give “100% to my last day” at the pre-match press conference. He was true to his word to extend Atlético’s winless sequence against English opposition in the Champions League league phase to 11 matches. Continue reading...
The Guardian•Andy Hunter at Anfield9 Sept
The decline in No. 9 goals at the 2026 World Cup highlights a shift in football tactics, emphasizing versatile forwards over traditional strikers.
CryptoBriefing•Editorial Team9 Sept
One of Barcelona’s eight World Cup winners reflects on how Spain’s triumph is inspiring them in the Champions League Dani Olmo nods towards his right arm. “Look: goosebumps,” he says. The Spain midfielder is sitting in a back room at Barcelona’s Joan Gamper training ground trying to pinpoint the moment he knew he was a world champion. “There’s an image in my mind with Ferran [Torres]’s mum: hugging her, the two of us in tears,” he says. “‘What your son just did … what we all did … this is historic.’ And that’s when you start to feel it. In those final minutes of the game it’s impossible, impossible , but when the referee blows, the thought enters your head: ‘Have we done it?’ ‘Are we …?’ There, you feel it a little bit. When you lift the cup, a little bit more. And then when you see the families, when I see the reaction from my brother, my partner, my dad. I’m not one to cry, but …” But then Olmo knew, felt it: Spain were world champions. It was 19 July in New Jersey and it was real: Spain had beaten Argentina and nothing would be the same again . Continue reading...
The Guardian•Sid Lowe9 Sept
The trial has caused heated debate in women’s rugby, with England’s Zoe Harrison calling it the ‘worst decision ever’, but others more open to it “We won a World Cup with a size five so it can’t have been that bad,” the England full-back Ellie Kildunne says of World Rugby’s trial with smaller balls in the upcoming WXV Global Series. The top 12 nations in the world rankings will be playing home and away matches from Saturday with the WXV competition revamped from the one contested over the past few years. There will be no trophy at the end of it and the ball trial that has produced no little debate is in place. Players will compete with a size 4.5 ball instead ofthe aforementioned size five, which is used across rugby union; the new ball weighs the same but is 3% smaller. The reasoning is to see if a smaller ball will improve skillsets because of women’s physiology, despite statistics such as a 87.8% lineout success rate at the 2025 Women’s Six Nations and kicking success at goal reaching 61% at the World Cup last year with the old ball. Continue reading...
The Guardian•Sarah Rendell8 Sept