Author: Associated Press
Costa Rica’s most successful football club, Alajuelense, is demanding a spot in next summer’s Club World Cup and has warned FIFA it will pursue legal action if its request is denied. The club, which boasts 30 league titles, is urging FIFA to enforce its rule barring clubs with shared ownership from competing in the tournament. “The claim is based on the eligibility principles set out in the tournament’s rules,” Alajuelense said in a statement. Spokesman Marco Vazquez pointed out that Mexican clubs Leon and Pachuca, both owned by Jesús Martínez of Grupo Pachuca, are in violation of this rule. “FIFA’s…
There’s never been a more dramatic 180-degree turn than Max Verstappen’s shift in opinion a year ago at the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix. The Dutch driver initially voiced disdain for the event, even before setting foot in the city. Local residents shared their outrage for different reasons, while Verstappen criticized what he saw as a shift from a sporting event to a spectacle. The massive, glowing Sphere on the Strip flashed driver images, while everything – from tickets to hotel rooms – came with a hefty price tag. Liberty Media, it’s believed, spent nearly $1 billion promoting its first…
FIFA announced on Wednesday that it has paid $125 million to football clubs worldwide, clearing outstanding transfer fees for former players through its finance house in Paris. An additional $200 million remains in backlog, while $31.7 million has been agreed upon but not yet disbursed. The payments, managed by the FIFA Clearing House, are being distributed to over 5,000 grassroots and professional clubs. This update marks two years of the clearing house’s efforts, which began in November 2022, aimed at bringing more transparency to the often opaque multi-billion-dollar transfer market. The initiative also ensures that smaller clubs receive the compensation…
UEFA ruled Wednesday that Kosovo must forfeit a Nations League match against Romania after its players refused to continue during stoppage time due to pro-Serbia chants. The game in Bucharest last Friday was tied 0-0 before the incident. Romania was awarded a 3-0 victory by default but faced its own sanctions. UEFA ordered Romania to play its first home game of next year’s World Cup qualifiers in an empty stadium, citing “racist” chants by Romanian fans targeting neighboring Hungary. The default result and Romania’s award of three points did not affect the final standings in the teams’ third-tier Nations League…
UEFA ruled Wednesday that Kosovo must forfeit a Nations League match against Romania after its players refused to continue during stoppage time due to pro-Serbia chants. The game in Bucharest last Friday was tied 0-0 before the incident. Romania was awarded a 3-0 victory by default but faced its own sanctions. UEFA ordered Romania to play its first home game of next year’s World Cup qualifiers in an empty stadium, citing “racist” chants by Romanian fans targeting neighboring Hungary. The default result and Romania’s award of three points did not affect the final standings in the teams’ third-tier Nations League…
UEFA ruled Wednesday that Kosovo must forfeit a Nations League match against Romania after its players refused to continue during stoppage time due to pro-Serbia chants. The game in Bucharest last Friday was tied 0-0 before the incident. Romania was awarded a 3-0 victory by default but faced its own sanctions. UEFA ordered Romania to play its first home game of next year’s World Cup qualifiers in an empty stadium, citing “racist” chants by Romanian fans targeting neighboring Hungary. The default result and Romania’s award of three points did not affect the final standings in the teams’ third-tier Nations League…
Luka Doncic returned to the lineup with a game-high 26 points, Klay Thompson added 19, and Kyrie Irving chipped in 18 as the Dallas Mavericks cruised past the short-handed New Orleans Pelicans 132-91 in an NBA Cup game on Tuesday night. Doncic, who missed his first game of the season in Dallas’ victory at Oklahoma City on Sunday due to a knee injury, shot 10-of-16 from the field and 3-of-8 from beyond the arc. He drilled two step-back 3-pointers midway through the fourth quarter, extending Dallas’ lead to 111-75. Trey Murphy III, playing in just his fourth game this season…
Rafael Nadal’s lower lip quivered, his reddened eyes brimming with tears, as he stood shoulder to shoulder with his Davis Cup teammates, singing Spain’s national anthem. It was a poignant moment, laden with the weight of what everyone suspected – this might be the final chapter of his legendary career. Hours later, that suspicion became reality. After falling 6-4, 6-4 to the Netherlands’ Botic van de Zandschulp, the 22-time Grand Slam champion bid an emotional farewell to professional tennis. Spain’s hopes ended just after midnight as the Dutch sealed their quarterfinal victory, marking the end of an era. During an…
Rafael Nadal’s farewell to competitive tennis is fast approaching, with this week’s Davis Cup Final 8 marking his final appearance before retirement. As he exited a Q&A session Monday at a resort on Spain’s southern coast, he felt a hand on his shoulder. It was Carlos Alcaraz, his 21-year-old Spanish teammate and successor, eager to share a quiet word. The pair could share the court one last time Tuesday when Spain faces the Netherlands in the quarterfinals at the Palacio de Deportes in Malaga. However, the question of whether Nadal will play remains unresolved. Neither he nor Spain’s captain, David…
Rafael Nadal is prepared to sit out singles matches at the Davis Cup Finals in Malaga if he feels he’s not fit to contribute to Spain’s success in what will be his farewell tournament. The 22-time Grand Slam champion, burdened by years of injuries, will retire after the Davis Cup, bringing an end to his illustrious 20-year career on tour. “I’ll try to prepare as best as possible so I can be available to play, but I want to help in any way I can, playing or not playing,” the 38-year-old Nadal said Saturday from Malaga in an interview published…