Author: Agence France-Presse - AFP

China sentenced two more former top football officials to prison for bribery on Wednesday, as part of an ongoing crackdown on corruption in the domestic game. Liu Yi, former secretary general of the Chinese Football Association (CFA), received an 11-year sentence and a fine of 3.6 million yuan ($497,000) for accepting bribes, according to a court in central Hubei province. Tan Hai, the former head of the CFA’s referees management office, was sentenced to six and a half years in prison and fined 200,000 yuan, another court in the same province reported. “The property he obtained will be clawed back…

FIFA will confirm the hosts of the 2030 and 2034 World Cups on Wednesday, with a joint bid led by Morocco, Spain and Portugal set to secure the 2030 tournament, while Saudi Arabia is poised to land 2034. The selection, which will be determined by a virtual vote at the FIFA Congress, is all but decided. Neither bid faces competition, making this one of the most straightforward decisions in FIFA’s recent history. Centenary celebration The 2030 World Cup will mark a century since the inaugural tournament in Uruguay, making it a unique and symbolic event. This bid involves three continents…

As the 2030 FIFA World Cup draws near, anticipation grows over its unprecedented scale, with football teams and throngs of fans set to travel across three continents. The global journey, however, has raised alarms over the environmental costs of such a vast event. With an announcement regarding the 2030 and 2034 World Cups expected Wednesday, experts are bracing for a significant expansion in both geography and greenhouse gas emissions. Skyrocketing carbon footprint The 2030 tournament promises to be one of the most ambitious in history. Morocco, Spain, and Portugal have teamed up to host, with Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay each…

Paris Saint-Germain have long been one of Europe’s most glamorous clubs, but despite their Qatari owners’ ambitions, they have never claimed the coveted Champions League title. Now, without their usual superstars, PSG find themselves dangerously flirting with mediocrity and facing the prospect of an early, unthinkable exit from the competition. On Tuesday, the French giants travel to Austria to face Red Bull Salzburg in a must-win clash to keep their hopes alive in the revamped Champions League. With only four points and three goals after five matches, PSG are currently 25th in the standings, one spot outside the top 24…

Manchester United confirmed the shock departure of sporting director Dan Ashworth on Sunday, just five months after he took up the role at Old Trafford. Ashworth’s exit was reportedly agreed after Saturday’s disappointing 3-2 home defeat to Nottingham Forest. His appointment was seen as a major coup among sweeping changes to the Red Devils’ sporting structure made since Jim Ratcliffe bought a minority share in the English giants in December 2023. Ashworth, 53, officially joined the club on July 1 after spending five months on gardening leave at Newcastle as Manchester United pursued their interest. However, the Athletic reported tensions…

Manchester United confirmed the shock departure of sporting director Dan Ashworth on Sunday, just five months after he took up the role at Old Trafford. Ashworth’s exit was reportedly agreed after Saturday’s disappointing 3-2 home defeat to Nottingham Forest. His appointment was seen as a major coup among sweeping changes to the Red Devils’ sporting structure made since Jim Ratcliffe bought a minority share in the English giants in December 2023. Ashworth, 53, officially joined the club on July 1 after spending five months on gardening leave at Newcastle as Manchester United pursued their interest. However, the Athletic reported tensions…

Manchester United confirmed the shock departure of sporting director Dan Ashworth on Sunday, just five months after he took up the role at Old Trafford. Ashworth’s exit was reportedly agreed after Saturday’s disappointing 3-2 home defeat to Nottingham Forest. His appointment was seen as a major coup among sweeping changes to the Red Devils’ sporting structure made since Jim Ratcliffe bought a minority share in the English giants in December 2023. Ashworth, 53, officially joined the club on July 1 after spending five months on gardening leave at Newcastle as Manchester United pursued their interest. However, the Athletic reported tensions…

The Washington Wizards ended their 16-game NBA losing streak on Saturday with a 122-113 victory over the Denver Nuggets, despite Nikola Jokic’s 56-point performance. Jokic, who won his third NBA Most Valuable Player award last season, posted a career scoring high – surpassing a 53-point performance in game four of the 2023 Western Conference semifinals against Phoenix and a 50-point regular-season best against Sacramento in 2021. The Serbian big man added 16 rebounds and eight assists but it was all to no avail as Washington, buoyed by 39 points from Jordan Poole, won for the first time since Oct. 30.…

The Washington Wizards ended their 16-game NBA losing streak on Saturday with a 122-113 victory over the Denver Nuggets, despite Nikola Jokic’s 56-point performance. Jokic, who won his third NBA Most Valuable Player award last season, posted a career scoring high – surpassing a 53-point performance in game four of the 2023 Western Conference semifinals against Phoenix and a 50-point regular-season best against Sacramento in 2021. The Serbian big man added 16 rebounds and eight assists but it was all to no avail as Washington, buoyed by 39 points from Jordan Poole, won for the first time since Oct. 30.…

The Washington Wizards ended their 16-game NBA losing streak on Saturday with a 122-113 victory over the Denver Nuggets, despite Nikola Jokic’s 56-point performance. Jokic, who won his third NBA Most Valuable Player award last season, posted a career scoring high – surpassing a 53-point performance in game four of the 2023 Western Conference semifinals against Phoenix and a 50-point regular-season best against Sacramento in 2021. The Serbian big man added 16 rebounds and eight assists but it was all to no avail as Washington, buoyed by 39 points from Jordan Poole, won for the first time since Oct. 30.…