President Donald Trump's controversial immigration policies could hurt an expected U.S. bid to host the 2026 World Cup although plenty of time remains for concerns to ease before the decision by world soccer's governing body FIFA.
AIFF president Praful Patel was elected uncontested as Asian Football Confederation's Vice President of the SAFF Region at the AFC Congress held in Bahrain.
Diego Maradona, one of soccer's most gifted players, said he was "enjoying" the spectacle of several of the world governing body's top officials charged with corruption after US and Swiss authorities announced investigations on Wednesday.
Belgium soccer player Romelu Lukaku, who is close to joining English Premier League club Manchester United, was arrested in southern California and issued a citation after failing to heed noise warnings, Beverly Hills police said on Saturday.
Twelve of Europe's leading soccer clubs from England, Italy and Spain announced a breakaway league on Sunday but after 48 hours of massive pressure from fans, politicians and even British royals the six English clubs backed out
An ambitious project to awaken a sleeping giant of Asian soccer looks like confirming Nobel laureate Amartya Sen's famous remark that India pricks up its ears only when comparisons with China are made. With China embarked on a multi-billion dollar mission to become a soccer superpower by 2050, India looks set to follow suit with its own plan to raise its status in the game to match its burgeoning economic power. Come October, India, most famously described as soccer's sleeping giant by former FIFA president Sepp Blatter, will launch a programme to engage more than 11 million children in soccer-related activities.
Hundreds of Argentines protested in the pouring rain on Saturday, demanding that soccer star Lionel Messi return to Argentina's national team after he unexpectedly quit following a loss in the regional Copa America final.
FIFA must be kept on its toes and needs new blood, Asian soccer chief Mohamed Bin Hammam said on Sunday as he took his campaign for the presidency of soccer's governing body to South America.
Everton's Romelu Lukaku has described himself as one of the most gifted strikers in world football after scoring 25 goals in all competitions for his Premier League club last season. Despite his form in front of goal Everton finished 11th and sacked manager Roberto Martinez, although Lukaku still rates the season as his finest in terms of individual achievement. "I'm among the best. That's good. Personally I am happy," Lukaku said in an interview with the June edition of World Soccer magazine. "I did expect to produce a season of this calibre." The 23-year-old is part of Belgium's squad for this month's European Championship in France, where his team play Italy, Ireland and Sweden in Group E.
FIFA chief Sepp Blatter, who is standing for re-election as FIFA president on Friday, added that the investigations will help to reinforce measures world soccer's governing body has already taken.
Future FIFA presidents should serve an initial term of eight years and a maximum of 12 years overall, European football associations suggested on Thursday.
Qatar plans to use a cruise ship for accommodation when it hosts the soccer World Cup in 2022 but will need more short-term alternatives to avoid adding to an already oversupplied hotel market, analysts said.
FIFA president Sepp Blatter dropped a hint he plans to stand again for another four year term as the head of world soccer's governing body during a speech to AFC delegates in Malaysia on Friday.
'Football Leaks' documents, showing the two clubs had inflated sponsorship revenues to meet the requirements, were obtained by the German publication Der Spiegel.
Soccer's five-times World Player of the Year Lionel Messi should be acquitted on tax evasion charges against him, Spain's public prosecutors' office said on Friday as the trial drew to a close. Neither Messi nor his father Jorge Horacio Messi attended the hearing in a Barcelona court where closing arguments were given. Both are accused by the Spanish tax office of defrauding the government of 4.2 million euros ($4.8 million) between 2007 and 2009 but have denied any wrongdoing. Speaking on whether or not Lionel Messi was aware of the alleged fraud, state prosecutor Raquel Amado said: "There is no evidence that anyone explained it to him ... the prosecutor sustains that Lionel Andres Messi should be acquitted."
Sunil Chhetri on Friday became the first Indian footballer to join the United States Major League Soccer after he signed a formal contract with MLS side Kansas City Wizards at the club headquarters.
Banned UEFA president Michel Platini could face further investigation from FIFA's Ethics Committee after attending an awards ceremony and conference in Dubai despite being barred from "all football activity".
European soccer's governing body has so far resisted implementation of the VAR system, which allows key incidents to be reviewed with the use of video replays and was used at the World Cup in Russia this year.
AC Milan's Zlatan Ibrahimovic shed a few tears of pride as he returned to Sweden's national team after a four-year absence for their World Cup qualifiers and recounted how his son did not want him to leave home to join up with Janne Andersson's squad.
Stephen Constantine has first hand knowledge of how difficult it is to wake up India from its soccer slumber but the Englishman insists he can make a difference at his second attempt or he would not have accepted the offer.
America's chances of hosting the 2026 World Cup are not likely to be hurt by a US led corruption investigation that has ensnared key figures in FIFA, world soccer's governing body, analysts said on Thursday.
German police arrested a man on Friday who is suspected of planting explosives targeting the bus of soccer team Borussia Dortmund last week, the office of the German federal chief prosecutor said.
Campaigners call for Kofi Annan to take charge of FIFA reform.
UEFA chief Michel Platini says he will not support FIFA president Sepp Blatter if he stands for another term. The Frenchman added that world soccer's governing body needs a breath of fresh air.
Embattled FIFA President Sepp Blatter said on Thursday the corruption scandal surrounding the world soccer body had brought shame and humiliation to football.
Banned UEFA president Michel Platini will be allowed to attend matches at the European soccer Championship providing he does not do it in any official role, the European governing body's acting general secretary said on Wednesday.
Barcelona have emerged as favourites to be crowned champions after one defeat in their last 22 Liga games.
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Friday
Launching his bid in Paris, Chung told a news conference "Michel Platini was a great football player, and he is my friend. His problem is he does not seem to appreciate the seriousness of the corruption crisis at FIFA."
Manchester United's $1 billion initial public offering in Singapore will use a two-tier share structure to minimise the influence of its new shareholders, a source familiar with the transaction said.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Setien's complaint piled yet more pressure on president Josep Maria Bartomeu less than an hour after a group seeking his removal announced they had gathered enough signatures to force a vote of no-confidence against him.
News that transpired on and off the football field.
Match-fixing has become increasingly pervasive in recent years across a number of sports.
Eriksen's agent said the player is undergoing detailed examinations after the Denmark international collapsed with a cardiac arrest during his side's Euro 2020 opening match against Finland on Saturday.
In an indictment released by the Department of Justice on Wednesday, Hawilla was one of four convicted defendants who helped US investigators build their case against 14 top global soccer officials and sports marketing executives accused of orchestrating more than $150 million in bribes and kickbacks.
The 33-year-old midfielder has no experience of Italian football and it is not easy to see how he would fit into AC Milan's plans with famous Brazilians Kaka and Ronaldinho already with the Rossoneri.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field.
'I know he wants to quit, and he will do it'
Many female footballers are at risk of losing their livelihoods due to the global soccer shutdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Otherwise, it said, the women's game could be facing an existential threat.
