Page 4 - Football

Southampton facing possible playoff ban after Middlesbrough spying claims

Middlesbrough wants Southampton expelled from the Championship playoff final as the English Football League prepares to hold a hearing into allegations of spying. Southampton beat Middlesbrough in the playoff semifinals after it was accused of unauthorized filming of semifinal opponent Middlesbrough's training for the game. The league has warned fans there could be "changes" to the playoff final on May 23. That leaves Hull, which won the other semifinal, uncertain of which opponent it will face for a lucrative spot in the Premier League. "The conduct at issue, namely the observation and recording of our training session ahead of a fixture of such significance, goes to the heart of sporting integrity and fair competition," Middlesbrough said. "In these circumstances, the only appropriate response is a sporting sanction which would prevent Southampton FC from participating in the EFL Championship playoff final." Middlesbrough added it "regrets" the disciplinary commission's decisio

FIFA WC 2026: Check France's full schedule, squad and team preview here

Missing out from their 2nd consecutive world title last time on penalties against Lionel Messi's Argentina, Les Blues are coming into this edition with another power-packed squad with them.

Football WC 2026: Arizona's Tuscan ready to host Iran amid West Asia War

Iran, also known as Team Melli, is scheduled to stay in Tucson ahead of the World Cup next month, even as uncertainty remains around the broader political and security situation involving the country.

Sergio Ramos set for return to boyhood club Sevilla as owner in €400m deal

According to reports from Spain, Ramos is the leading public figure in a consortium backed by investment firm Five Eleven Capital.

Paris Saint Germain launch retro-style home kit ahead of 2026-27 campaign

The launch was accompanied by a campaign titled "belief builds, aura takes over", highlighting the connection between the players and supporters inside the Parc des Princes.

World Cup out of focus: Broadcast uncertainty grows over FIFA rights

As FIFA's steep broadcasting demands threaten World Cup telecast in India, memories return of Doordarshan's role in shaping the country's football fandom

What caused Real Madrid training bust-up between Valverde and Tchouameni?

The incident reportedly escalated to the point where Valverde required hospital treatment after suffering a head injury at the club's Valdebebas training facility.

After Waka Waka, Shakira now drops first teaser for FIFA WC 2026 song

This marks another iconic World Cup collaboration for Shakira, who famously delivered Waka Waka (This Time for Africa) during the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.

FIFA world cup, stock market crash, economic woes: What does history say?

A FIFA-WTO study estimates the 2026 World Cup could generate $80.1 billion in global output, add $40.9 billion to global GDP, and support around 824,000 jobs

UEFA Champions League final schedule, teams, venue, live time and streaming

Arsenal have made it to their first European final in 8 years, first Champions League in more than 20 years with the Gunners last featuring in 2006.

'Mujhe hara doge?' Watch PM Modi play football with youngsters in Sikkim

'Mujhe hara doge?' Watch PM Modi play football with youngsters in Sikkim.

Manchester United vs Liverpool live streaming: Where to watch PL match?

United enter the contest sitting third in the table and are within touching distance of securing a UEFA Champions League spot.

Biggest players who are ruled out from FIFA World Cup 2026 this year

2022 WC finalists France will still boast elite attacking options like Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele, but they will be without Hugo Ekitike.

Yamal ruled out for remaining La Liga games, optimistic for WC return

The 18-year-old picked up the injury during Barcelona's 1-0 victory over Celta Vigo at Spotify Camp Nou.

Explained: Why Iran's FIFA WC spot is under scrutiny amid Trump remarks

At the heart of the issue is Iran national football team's refusal to play matches in the United States, where all their group fixtures are scheduled.

Threads brings Live Chats for real-time group discussions: How it works

Threads has introduced Live Chats, letting users join public conversations during live events like sports and music releases, enabling real-time interaction instead of post-event reactions

UCL 2026 semifinals: Teams qualified, date, time, venue, live streaming

Defending champions Paris Saint-Germain will take on six-time champions FC Bayern Munich in the semifinals of the UCL 2026

Prasar Bharati emerges as option for FIFA World Cup 2026 rights in India

A senior government official confirmed that exploratory talks have taken place to understand the pricing structure and feasibility of acquiring the rights.

UEFA Champions League: Arsenal edge past Sporting to book semis berth

Arteta had urged his team to play with intensity and fearlessness, but Arsenal started brightly only to fade quickly, allowing Sporting to grow into the game.

Lionel Messi sued over $7M contract breach for missing friendly match

Lionel Messi is being sued by a Miami-based event promoter who says the soccer icon violated terms of a $7 million contract by missing an exhibition match last year. Vid Music Group filed the lawsuit for fraud and breach of contract against Messi and the Argentine Football Association in Miami-Dade circuit court last month, according to court records. Messi and the AFA didn't immediately respond to messages seeking comment. Considered one of the greatest soccer players ever, Messi appears with both his Major League Soccer club Inter Miami and Argentina's national team, and fans routinely pay much higher prices for the chance to see him play. According to the lawsuit, Vid signed a deal with the AFA last summer for exclusive rights to organize and promote Argentina's friendlies last October against Venezuela and Puerto Rico in exchange for ticket, broadcast and sponsorship revenue. Vid claims that Messi was supposed to play for at least 30 minutes in each match, unless he was ...