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Tag: Soccer

  • Salah steers Egypt toward Africa Cup knockout stages after VAR denies South Africa late penalty

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    RABAT, Morocco — Mohamed Salah scored again on Friday as Egypt’s 10 men held on to beat South Africa 1-0 to all but reach the knockout stages of the Africa Cup of Nations.

    Salah, who secured the Pharaohs’ opening win with a stoppage-time strike against Zimbabwe on Monday, did it again in Agadir and his penalty before the break is almost certain to secure progression from Group B.

    But South Africa should arguably have been given a penalty in stoppage time when Yasser Ibrahim blocked a shot with his arm. After a long delay, the referee decided against awarding the spot kick after consulting video replays and Ibrahim sank to the ground in relief.

    Salah converted his penalty after he was struck in the face by the hand of the retreating South Africa forward Lyle Foster. Salah showed no ill effects from the blow and sent his shot straight down the middle while goalkeeper Ronwen Williams dived to his right.

    There was still time before the break for Egypt defender Mohamed Hany to get sent off, after receiving a second yellow card for a foul on Teboho Mokoena.

    Goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy was Egypt’s key player in the second half.

    Earlier, Angola and Zimbabwe drew 1-1 in the other group game, a result that suited neither side after opening losses.

    Egypt leads with 6 points from two games followed by South Africa on 3. Angola and Zimbabwe have a point each. The top two progress from each group, along with the best third-place finishers.

    Host nation Morocco will look for a win over Mali in Rabat later, after Zambia plays Comoros in Group A.

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    AP at the Africa Cup: https://apnews.com/hub/africa-cup-of-nations

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    Scorecard: Australia vs England, fourth Ashes Test, Melbourne

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  • Proud dad Zinedine Zidane watches as Algeria starts Africa Cup with 3-0 win over Sudan

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    RABAT, Morocco — France great Zinedine Zidane watched his goalkeeper son’s safe hands as Algeria started its Africa Cup of Nations campaign with a 3-0 win over 10-man Sudan on Wednesday.

    Riyad Mahrez scored twice and the 20-year-old Ibrahim Maza scored his first international goal for Algeria, one of the tournament favorites, to move top of Group E.

    “The most important thing was to start with a win,” Mahrez said. “The last two AFCONs, we didn’t start good. Today, we really wanted to make it happen and we did.”

    Zidane, who was at the sweet-smelling Moulay El Hassan Stadium in Rabat to see his son Luca Zidane playing in the Algeria goal, was feted by the crowd every time he was shown on the big screens.

    Luca Zidane opted to represent his grandfather’s country after getting the Fennec Foxes’ invitation and he’s been given his chance to shine because of an injury to Alexandre Oukidja, who might have been expected to start otherwise.

    Algeria wasted little time Wednesday with Mahrez sweeping in the opener in the second minute after unselfish play from Hicham Boudaoui to set him up.

    Zidane was called into action shortly afterward to deny Yaser Awad on a break.

    Sudan had to play all its qualification games away from home because of the near 1,000-day old civil war ravaging the country.

    Though the Algerians looked confident and played with intensity, the big chances fell at the other end, with Zidane saving again from Awad before Abdel Raouf fired over.

    Salah Adil was sent off just as the rain began to fall shortly before the break with his second yellow card for a foul on Rayan Aït-Nouri, who would have been through otherwise.

    But the Algerian fans, who were in a majority, needed to be patient.

    Mohammed Amoura produced a brilliant cross with the outside of his boot for Mahrez to score in the 61st, and Baghdad Bounedjah headed the ball into Maza’s path for the substitute to complete the scoring in the 85th.

    Edmond Tapsoba completed a remarkable turnaround as Burkina Faso scored two goals in stoppage time to beat 10-man Equatorial Guinea 2-1 in the early Group E game.

    Tapsoba’s team had pushed hard for the opening goal after Basilio Ndong was sent off early in the second half for a bad challenge on Bertrand Traoré’s ankle.

    Marvin Anieboh then stunned the Stallions when he launched himself at Carlos Akapo’s cross to score with a looping header in the 85th minute.

    Georgi Minoungou equalized in the fifth minute of stoppage time and Tapsoba headed the winner three minutes after that.

    Later Wednesday in Group F, defending champion Ivory Coast began its title defense against Mozambique in Marrakech and five-time champion Cameroon opened against Gabon in the coastal city of Agadir.

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    AP at the Africa Cup: https://apnews.com/hub/africa-cup-of-nations

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  • Proud Dad Zinedine Zidane Watches as Algeria Opens Africa Cup With 3-0 Win Over Sudan

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    RABAT, Morocco (AP) — France great Zinedine Zidane watched his goalkeeper son’s safe hands as Algeria started its Africa Cup of Nations campaign with a 3-0 win over 10-man Sudan on Wednesday.

    Riyad Mahrez scored twice and the 20-year-old Ibrahim Maza scored his first international goal for Algeria, one of the tournament favorites, to move top of Group E.

    Zidane, who was at the sweet-smelling Moulay El Hassan Stadium in Rabat to see his son Luca Zidane playing in the Algeria goal, was feted by the crowd every time he was shown on the big screens.

    Luca Zidane opted to represent his grandfather’s country after getting the Fennec Foxes’ invitation and he’s been given his chance to shine because of an injury to Alexandre Oukidja, who might have been expected to start otherwise.

    Algeria wasted little time Wednesday with Mahrez sweeping in the opener in the second minute after unselfish play from Hicham Boudaoui to set him up.

    Zidane was called into action shortly afterward to deny Yaser Awad on a break.

    Though the Algerians looked confident and played with intensity, the big chances fell at the other end, with Zidane saving again from Awad before Abdel Raouf fired over.

    Salah Adil was sent off just as the rain began to fall shortly before the break with his second yellow card for a foul on Rayan Aït-Nouri, who would have been through otherwise.

    But the Algerian fans, who were in a majority, needed to be patient.

    Mohammed Amoura produced a brilliant cross with the outside of his boot for Mahrez to score in the 61st, and Baghdad Bounedjah headed the ball into Maza’s path for the substitute to complete the scoring in the 85th.

    Edmond Tapsoba completed a remarkable turnaround as Burkina Faso scored two goals in stoppage time to beat 10-man Equatorial Guinea 2-1 in the early Group E game.

    Tapsoba’s team had pushed hard for the opening goal after Basilio Ndong was sent off early in the second half for a bad challenge on Bertrand Traoré’s ankle.

    Marvin Anieboh then stunned the Stallions when he launched himself at Carlos Akapo’s cross to score with a looping header in the 85th minute.

    Georgi Minoungou equalized in the fifth minute of stoppage time and Tapsoba headed the winner three minutes after that.

    Later Wednesday in Group F, defending champion Ivory Coast began its title defense against Mozambique in Marrakech and five-time champion Cameroon opened against Gabon in the coastal city of Agadir.

    Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

    Photos You Should See – December 2025

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  • Soccer-Martha Stewart Joins Snoop Dogg as Swansea Minority Co-Owner

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    Dec 24 (Reuters) – American ‌businesswoman ​and television personality ‌Martha Stewart has joined Swansea ​City as a co-owner, the Welsh ‍soccer club announced ​on Tuesday.

    Lifestyle expert Stewart, ​the ⁠first female self-made billionaire in the United States, was in attendance as a guest for Swansea’s 2-1 Championship ‌win over Wrexham last Friday.

    “We are very ​excited ‌to welcome Martha ‍on ⁠board,” the club said in a statement.

    “We know experiencing Friday night’s game in-person has only increased her own enthusiasm and anticipation for being part ​of Swansea City.”

    Stewart is the latest celebrity to become a minority co-owner of the club, with U.S. rapper Snoop Dogg coming on board in July.

    Luka Modric is also a minority co-owner, the Ballon d’Or winner joining in ​April.

    Swansea are 19th in the Championship and face leaders Coventry City later on Friday.

    (Reporting by Karan ​Prashant Saxena in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford)

    Copyright 2025 Thomson Reuters.

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  • Denver will fund land for a women’s soccer stadium on the old Gates Rubber Factory lot

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    The future home of Denver’s National Womens Soccer League stadium, between Santa Fe Drive and Broadway in Baker’s southern reaches. April 24, 2025.

    Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite

    A turbulent debate over a proposed professional women’s soccer stadium has largely come to a close at Denver City Council. 

    Members voted Monday night to approve five items that will allow the owners of the Denver Summit FC to build a future 14,500-seat stadium at the site of the old Gates Rubber Factory, at South Broadway and I-25. 

    “This is a monumental day for South Broadway, for women’s soccer and for women’s sports, and for Denver as a whole,” said Mayor Mike Johnston, in a statement. 

    The city will release $50 million for the purchase and improvement of the land for the Denver Summit FC’s future private stadium and another $20 million for improvements to the neighborhood. 

    Earlier this month, the city broke down how the $50 million would be spent. A bulk of the funding — $35 million — will be used to purchase the land itself, which will be lent to the team. Should the team ever leave the site, the city will be able to retain ownership of the land. 

    Some council members raised concerns about that arrangement. 

    “We’re letting them build this private stadium on land that will be owned by a public entity, which means they will not have to pay property taxes ever on that land,” said Councilmember Sarah Parady.  

    The city was able to carve out $70 million for the project by moving several projects out from the capital improvement fund. Those projects will be funded by interest dollars collected from a 2017 bond package.

    Another $15 million in funding would be allocated to improvements like excavation and utilities.

    The city projected that onsite work will exceed initial estimates, but the team’s ownership will be responsible for any cent more than the $50 million the city has dedicated.

    City officials also said they hope to pay for a new pedestrian bridge to serve the stadium with money from state and federal grants and other sources.

    The funding and other related items passed on a 10-3 vote, with council members Stacie Gilmore, Shontel Lewis and Parady opposing them. 

    The team recently committed to a community benefit agreement with surrounding neighborhoods. 

    Last week, the team signed a legally binding document with several neighborhoods that surround the team’s planned new stadium.

    A major part of the agreement is the creation of a community investment fund, which will take money from the team and direct it toward local needs, like scholarships, equipment donations, help with housing stability and more.

    The initial investment in the fund from the team will be $400,000. Annually, the team will contribute $300,000.

    The team also committed to an art fund, partnerships with schools and community groups, and leasing space to local businesses. 

    Several community leaders told the city council that the neighborhoods unanimously supported the project and the benefits they would receive. 

    Denver’s family homelessness crisis entered the soccer stadium debate.

    For weeks, unhoused families, largely Venezuelan immigrants, have been coming to city council meetings begging council members for help. 

    On Monday, they spoke again, alongside advocates from the Housekeys Action Network Denver, who blasted the council for spending tens of millions on a new stadium when families were living in cars and tents. 

    Multiple council members addressed the criticism. 

    Parady declined to support the new stadium, arguing the money would be better used from both an economic and humanitarian perspective in building affordable housing. 

    An aerial view of the stadium rendering.
    A rendering of the planned National Women’s Soccer League Stadium in Denver’s Baker neighborhood.
    Courtesy of Populous and Denver NWSL

    Councilmember Kevin Flynn pointed out that the city has spent hundreds of millions addressing homelessness. Perhaps it’s time to reassess how that money is being used, he said. 

    “Maybe we’re spending it in the wrong way, if children are still on the street,” he said. 

    Councilmember Flor Alvidrez, who has shepherded the stadium project, raised her voice at the unhoused families, telling them every member of the city council cares about their struggle. She described conversations in her own family about their fears if federal immigration police come tomorrow. 

    “We are not your enemy,” she said.

    Alvidrez described her council district as welcoming and talked about some of the shelters inside it.

    “This idea that we want to just hand out money to billionaires and not care about people experiencing homelessness is insane,” she told the families. “It’s absolutely insane.”

    What’s next? 

    The Summit FC will play its inaugural season at a stadium in Centennial while construction on the Denver site is underway. 

    The goal is for the team to begin playing in Denver in 2028. 

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  • Spain ends year as top team in FIFA men’s soccer rankings

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    From left; former NFL player Tom Brady, former NBA player Shaquille O’Neal, broadcaster Samantha Johnson, former England soccer captain Rio Ferdinand, New York Yankees’ Aaron Judge and former NHL player Wayne Gretzky participate in the draw for the 2026 soccer World Cup at the Kennedy Center in Washington, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

    The Associated Press

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  • D.C. United pick NC State’s Nikola Markovic No. 1 in 2026 MLS draft

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    (Photo credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images)

    D.C. United made North Carolina State defender Nikola Markovic the No. 1 overall selection of the 2026 MLS SuperDraft on Thursday.

    The full three-round, 90-pick draft was conducted Thursday, just three days after Washington beat Markovic’s Wolfpack 3-2 in overtime to win the College Cup men’s national championship.

    Markovic, a 6-foot-4 native of Quebec whose parents came from Serbia, played two seasons of college soccer at NC State and started 22 matches in 2025. He helped the Wolfpack lead the nation with 15 shutouts; they yielded just 13 goals all season.

    ‘It’s a dream come true,’ Markovic said after going No. 1, according to the league website. ‘I’ve been wanting to play pro all my life, and even though this is a dream come true, I think this is just the start because I want to accomplish a lot more.’

    Markovic tallied one goal and one assist in each of his two seasons at NC State, but his value for rebuilding D.C. United is clearly at the defensive end, along with his leadership.

    ‘What Nikola brought to the table was not just that he was on the leader on the pitch, which we observed in detail, but he’s also a great leader off the pitch,’ D.C. United managing director of soccer operations Erkut Sogut said.

    ‘… He was a (College Cup) attendant, so we watched the games. We were live there, so we really went deep in making this decision, and it was very important to bring into this culture of D.C. United, a player with that winning mentality.’

    D.C. United picked first overall for the first time since choosing 14-year-old wunderkind Freddy Adu in 2004.

    FC Dallas held the second and third overall picks thanks to a pair of trades with Atlanta United and CF Montreal. Dallas selected Georgia Southern forward Ricky Louis at No. 2 and Virginia forward Nicholas Simmonds at No. 3.

    Dallas also owned the No. 16 pick and took the first goalkeeper off the board, Vermont’s Niklas Herceg.

    ‘We were aggressive (in the draft) for a couple reasons,’ FC Dallas president Dan Hunt said, per the team website. ‘We have some open roster spots on our supplemental roster, which makes sense to fill with good college draft picks, especially when you can get top talent. This is a really talented group of players, and we listened to the staff talk about them over the last couple of weeks so I think we filled a lot of needs here.’

    Sporting Kansas City took Clemson midfielder Kwaku Agyabeng fourth overall, and Orlando City picked the first American native at No. 5, Wake Forest midfielder Harvey Sarajian.

    The Colorado Rapids opted to pick one of their own academy players, Rapids 2 forward Mamadou Billo Diop, with the sixth selection.

    Rounding out the top 10, St. Louis City grabbed UC Davis defender Zack Lillington, D.C. United added Washington forward Richie Aman, Orlando selected Michigan defender Nolan Miller and the Rapids drafted Georgetown forward Mitchell Baker.

    Inter Miami picked 30th overall after winning the MLS Cup on Dec. 6. Lionel Messi’s team drafted Bryant defender Abdel Talabi.

    –Field Level Media

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  • Cherki pulls out Haaland celebrations after wonder goal in Man City’s win in the English League Cup

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    Rayan Cherki recreated teammate Erling Haaland’s goal celebrations after curling an exquisite shot into the top corner in Manchester City’s 2-0 win over Brentford in the English League Cup quarterfinals on Wednesday.

    The France playmaker pulled out some robot moves and then sat down cross-legged in a yoga pose after giving a much-changed City team a 32nd-minute lead.

    With his tricks, skills and wonderful technique, Cherki is already proving a fans’ favorite in his first season in Manchester after moving from Lyon. In a win over Sunderland this month, he produced a “rabona” cross that was headed in by Phil Foden but left City manager Pep Guardiola urging Cherki to play with “simplicity” like Lionel Messi.

    The goal against Brentford was one Messi would have been proud of. Collecting a headed clearance at the edge of the box, Cherki deceived an opponent by switching the ball to his right foot and then whipped a shot into the top corner.

    Savinho added a second goal for City in the 67th minute with a shot that was aided by a huge deflection that looped over Brentford goalkeeper Hákon Valdimarsson.

    Haaland was named as a substitute for the game, didn’t come on, and was seen shaking the hand of Cherki when the midfielder was replaced in the second half.

    City joined Chelsea, which beat third-tier Cardiff City 3-1 on Tuesday, in the semifinals.

    Defending champion Newcastle was playing Fulham in a later kickoff on Wednesday. The quarterfinals are wrapped up next week when Arsenal hosts Crystal Palace.

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    Steve Douglas is at https://twitter.com/sdouglas80

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    AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

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  • World Cup winner to get $50M from richer prize pool, half of Chelsea’s payday at Club World Cup

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    MANCHESTER, England — The winner of the 2026 World Cup will receive $50 million from a $655 million prize pool, FIFA said Wednesday in announcing record financial rewards for teams in a tournament with ticket prices that have sparked outcries.

    The champion’s figure is up from $42 million won by Argentina in 2022 and $38 million gained by France in 2018 but less than half of what Chelsea earned for winning the much less-hyped Club World Cup this year.

    The total prize fund for the World Cup, staged in the United States, Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19, is up 48.9% from the $440 million for the 2022 tournament in Qatar.

    The 2026 total will be nearly six times the $110 million in prize money for the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. FIFA president Gianni Infantino in 2023 set a target of equal prize money for men and women at their next World Cups — the next women’s tournament is scheduled for 2027 in Brazil.

    The Club World Cup, controversially expanded from seven teams to 32 and shoehorned into the soccer calendar last summer, had a total prize fund of $1 billion. Chelsea won the top prize of up to $125 million for a tournament that faced fierce resistance from players and leagues and drew sparse crowds for some matches.

    FIFA has a different distribution model for the national team and club tournaments, with the disparity in prize money reflecting factors such as clubs with higher wage costs than national teams.

    Beyond prize money, further funds are put toward development of soccer globally.

    Infantino said the World Cup will be “groundbreaking in terms of its financial contribution to the global football community.”

    World soccer’s governing body approved the prize money at a meeting of its council in Doha. FIFA in March projected revenue for its current four-year cycle through 2026 at $13 billion, up from $7.5 billion for 2019-22.

    Each of the 48 national federations at the expanded 2026 World Cup will receive $1.5 million for preparation costs and $9 million for participating in the group stage, the same as for the 2022 tournament.

    Teams advancing to the new round of 32 get $11 million and those reaching the round of 16 receive $15 million. Nations reaching the quarterfinals are paid $19 million, the fourth-place team $27 million, the third-place team $29 million and the final loser $33 million.

    Including participation fees, FIFA will distribute $727 million to the 48 federations.

    Each federation decides what to pay its players. The French sports daily L’Equipe reported France players were in line for a bonus of $586,000 by their federation if they won the trophy in 2022. France was ultimately beaten by Argentina in the final.

    The U.S. Soccer Federation’s 2022 collective bargaining agreements with the unions for its men’s and women’s national teams call for prize money for men in 2026 and women in 2027 to be pooled together, and 80% of the money to be distributed among the players.

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    AP Sports Writer Ronald Blum in New York contributed to this report.

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    James Robson is at https://x.com/jamesalanrobson

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    AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

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  • FIFA offers pool of lower-priced World Cup tickets following backlash

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    Football Australia will be able to issue $90 tickets to the Socceroos’ most loyal fans after FIFA agreed to slash the price of some World Cup tickets following a global backlash.

    Some fans will even get $US60 ($90) seats for the final instead of being asked to pay $US4,185 ($6,300).

    However, they are likely to only equate to around 500 tickets a match that Australia plays.

    FIFA said that the cheaper tickets would be made available for every game at the tournament, going to the national federations whose teams are playing. Those federations will decide how to distribute them to fans who have attended previous games at home and on the road.

    The cheaper tickets, labelled “Supporter Entry Tier”, will be 10 per cent of the federation’s allocation — which itself will vary depending on stadium size.

    The “participant member association” allocation is 8 per cent of stadium capacity per country per match.

    Australia’s group games are in Vancouver (54,000 capacity), Seattle (69,000) and Santa Clara (71,000), meaning it will respectively receive 432, 552, and 568 $90 tickets for its matches against a UEFA play-off winner (Turkey, Romania, Slovakia or Kosovo), USA and Paraguay.

    So will its opponents. The next cheapest tickets are priced at around $400.

    FIFA’s climbdown follows meetings between senior officials in Doha this week, where federations are understood to have pushed back at the pricing model.

    Fans worldwide reacted with shock and anger last week on seeing FIFA’s ticketing plans that gave participating teams no tickets in the lowest-priced category.

    The co-hosts had pledged eight years ago — when they were bidding for the tournament — that hundreds of thousands of $US21 ($32) tickets would be made available.

    FIFA has also faced fierce criticism for a ticket pricing strategy that includes dynamic pricing, in which prices can increase due to demand, and acting as its own resale platform, taking a cut in the process.

    When the original pricing was announced Football Supporters Association Australia chairman Patrick Clancy said the prices were high but he thought many Socceroos’ fans would still buy them.

    “These are historically high prices — even the minimums,” he said.

    “I’m sure there will be some people who choose not (to go), and that’s absolutely fine, but I suspect the large majority will not be put off.”

    AAP/AP/PA

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    Ball-by-ball updates: England face Australia in must-win Ashes Test

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  • Los Angeles 2028 organizers promise affordable Olympic tickets amid World Cup controversy

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    (CNN) — Organizers of the Los Angeles 2028 (LA28) Summer Olympics have promised that there will be affordable tickets for the Games that start in less than three years time.

    On Monday, LA28 announced fans would be able to register for tickets from January 14, 2026 and that at least one million would be priced at $28, according to Reuters.

    “Every sport starts at $28 and that’s not just lip service to a couple tickets in the corner of some venue, but a meaningful number of tickets,” said Allison Katz-Mayfield, LA28’s senior vice president of Games delivery revenue, per Reuters.

    “We’re looking at at least a million tickets at $28 and we’ve got about a third of our tickets under $100.”

    After fans register on January 14, they will enter into a random ticket draw and hope to receive a time slot in which to purchase tickets later in 2026.

    FIFA World Cup criticism

    LA28’s decision comes amid widespread criticism of soaring ticket prices for next year’s FIFA World Cup.

    Global soccer governing body FIFA launched its third phase of ticket sales last week, with fans discovering the cheapest seat for the final would cost them more than $4,000.

    Amid the backlash, FIFA said five million ticket requests were made in the first 24 hours of the third phase being launched and confirmed it would reinvest the revenue it generates “to fuel the growth of football.”

    FIFA, though, had also promised it would be an affordable World Cup for fans, so many Olympic enthusiasts might wait to see a confirmed list of prices for LA28 before getting too excited.

    CNN Sports has reached out to LA28 for comment about when a confirmed list of prices will be made available but has not yet received a reply.

    Los Angeles has already hosted two Olympics, in 1932 and 1984, with venues for the latest edition laid out across the sprawling city.

    The next Summer Olympics will begin on July 14, 2028 with the opening ceremony and will run until July 30, 2028. The Paralympic Games will begin on August 15, 2028 and close on August 27, 2028.

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  • Poggi Tells Michigan Signees and Parents to Expect a New Coach by End of Month, AP Source Says

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    ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Michigan interim football coach Biff Poggi had a Zoom call with the program’s signees and their parents just hours after Sherrone Moore was fired last week, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press on Monday.

    Poggi told the players and their parents that athletic director Warde Manuel hoped to have a new coach hired by the end of the month, said the person, who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to share details from the call.

    Moore’s firing left the No. 18 Wolverines scrambling to retain recruits and give current players reasons to stay out of the transfer portal.

    That’s going to be quite a challenge.

    Michigan has begun practicing for their bowl game with Poggi and assistants, none of whom know if they will be a part of the team’s staff in 2026.

    The Wolverines announced less than two weeks ago that 27 prospects signed commitments to play football for the maize and blue and the class was ranked No. 11 by 247Sports.

    Two of those players, however, asked for and were granted their release by the school.

    Matt Ludwig, a four-star tight end from Montana, has already switched his commitment to Texas Tech and Bear McWhorter, an offensive lineman from Georgia, opened up his recruitment last week.

    “In light of recent events, I’ve made the very difficult decision to withdraw,” McWhorter posted Friday on Instagram.

    Moore was fired Wednesday after the school said an investigation uncovered evidence of his inappropriate relationship with a staffer. He was later jailed for two nights and charged with three crimes.

    While a search firm helps Michigan quickly look for a new coach, other colleges are taking advantage of the opportunity to make offers to the Wolverines’ signees because they’re in a 30-day window to potentially get released.

    “Every day that a new coach isn’t in place, there’s a risk in more players asking for their release and current players planning to go in the portal,” Allen Trieu, 247Sports national recruiting analyst, said in a telephone interview. “Time is of essence, if the primary goal is to keep the recruiting class in place.

    “Those families are waiting with bated breath — as many are who are invested in Michigan football — to see who the next coach is going to be.”

    Current players, including starting quarterback Bryce Underwood, will have a chance to enter the transfer portal between Jan. 2-16 if they don’t like the direction of the program or how they fit with the new coach.

    “It’s a very unique time,” Trieu said. “You have a coaching staff, not knowing if they’ll be back, preparing for a game while trying to hold onto signees and current players — and everybody is inpatient.”

    Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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  • Hearts sweep aside Falkirk to move six points clear

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    Claudio Braga and Stephen Kingsley were on target as resurgent Hearts won 2-0 away to misfiring Falkirk to move six points clear at the top of the William Hill Premiership.

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  • Egypt and Iran complain about planned World Cup ‘Pride’ match in Seattle

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    DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Egypt and Iran, two Middle East nations that target gays and lesbians, have complained to FIFA over a World Cup soccer match in Seattle that is planned to celebrate LGBTQ+ Pride.

    Leaders in the nation’s soccer federations publicly rebuked the idea of playing the match June 26 at Seattle Stadium, which local organizers say will include a “once-in-a-lifetime moment to showcase and celebrate LGBTQIA+ communities in Washington.”

    In Egypt, the soccer federation issued a statement late Tuesday saying it sent a letter to FIFA “categorically rejecting any activities related to supporting homosexuality during the match.”

    Seattle PrideFest has been organized in the city since 2007 by a nonprofit which designated the June 26 game for celebration before FIFA made the World Cup draw Friday.

    FIFA chose Saturday to allocate the Egypt-Iran game to Seattle instead of Vancouver, where the teams’ group rivals Belgium and New Zealand will play at the same time.

    Already, organizers in Seattle have promoted an art contest for the game, including one entry of a rainbow-flagged sun rising over Mount Rainier as a crab goalie goes for a soccer ball while holding a cup of coffee in its pinchers.

    “With matches on Juneteenth and pride, we get to show the world that in Seattle, everyone is welcome,” Seattle’s Mayor-elect Kate Wilson wrote on social media. “What an incredible honor!”

    FIFA controls only stadiums and official fan zones in World Cup host cities and should have no formal authority over community events like Seattle PrideFest.

    FIFA declined comment Tuesday to the Associated Press, and did not address a question if it would consider switching the Belgium-New Zealand game to Seattle.

    Angry response in Iran, Egypt

    In Iran, where gays and lesbians can face the death penalty, the president of Iran’s Football Federation Mehdi Taj criticized scheduling the match during an interview aired on state television late Monday.

    Taj said Iran would bring up the issue during a FIFA Council meeting in Qatar next week. The longest-serving member of the 37-person council chaired by FIFA President Gianni Infantino is Egypt’s Hany Abo Rida.

    “Both Egypt and we have objected, because this is an unreasonable and illogical move that essentially signals support for a particular group, and we must definitely address this point,” Taj said. State TV on Tuesday confirmed a complaint would be sent to FIFA.

    The Egypt soccer federation led by Ado Rida said of the pride celebration it “completely rejects such activities, which directly contradict the cultural, religious and social values in the region, especially in Arab and Islamic societies.”

    It urged FIFA to stop the celebration to “avoid activities that may trigger cultural and religious sensitivity between the presented spectators of both countries, Egypt and Iran, especially as such activities contradict the cultures and religions of the two countries.”

    Iran had threatened to boycott the World Cup draw in Washington, D.C. over complaints about five of its nine-person delegation, including Taj, not getting visas to enter the United States.

    Iranians are subject to a travel ban imposed by President Donald Trump’s administration and the U.S. in the past has denied visas for those with ties to Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, like Taj. Iran ended up sending a smaller delegation including the team’s coach.

    Tensions remain high between Tehran and Washington over Iran’s nuclear program, particularly after American warplanes bombed atomic sites in the country during Israel’s 12-day war with the Islamic Republic in June. Unlike the 2022 World Cup, however, Iran is not scheduled to play the United States in the World Cup’s opening matches.

    Seattle’s response

    Asked about the complaint Wednesday, Seattle’s organizing committee said it was “moving forward as planned with our community programming outside the stadium during Pride weekend and throughout the tournament.”

    “The Pacific Northwest is home to one of the nation’s largest Iranian-American communities, a thriving Egyptian diaspora and rich communities representing all nations we’re hosting in Seattle,” spokesperson Hana Tadesse said in a statement. “We’re committed to ensuring all residents and visitors experience the warmth, respect and dignity that defines our region.”

    Iran, Egypt target LGBTQ+ community

    For years, Egyptian police have targeted gays and lesbians, sparking warnings even from the app Grindr in the past. Though Egypt technically does not outlaw homosexuality, authorities frequently prosecute members of the LGBTQ+ community on the grounds of “debauchery,” or “violating public decency.”

    Iran also has targeted the LGBTQ community and its theocracy is believed to have executed thousands of people for their sexuality since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Hard-line former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad once famously went as far as to claim during a 2007 visit to the United States: “We don’t have homosexuals like in your country.” A crowd at Columbia University responded by laughing and heckling the leader.

    FIFA dilemma

    FIFA risks being accused of a double standard if it sides with World Cup teams’ federations over the city of Seattle.

    At the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, FIFA fiercely defended the right of the host nation’s cultural norms to be respected in full by visiting teams.

    A group of European federations wanted their team captains to wear a “One Love” armband with some rainbow colors that symbolized human rights and diversity, which FIFA and Qatari officials viewed in part as criticism of the emirate criminalizing same-sex relations. Some Wales fans had rainbow hats removed before entering the stadium.

    Qatar also will play in Seattle at the World Cup, on June 24 against a European opponent which could be Italy or Wales.

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    AP Sports Writer Graham Dunbar in Geneva contributed to this report

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  • US to play Senegal on May 31 in pre-World Cup friendly in North Carolina

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    The United States will play Senegal in a friendly on May 31 at Charlotte, North Carolina, in the Americans’ next-to-last game before their World Cup opener

    FAYETTEVILLE, Ga. — The United States will play Senegal in a friendly on May 31 at Charlotte, North Carolina, in the Americans’ next-to-last game before their World Cup opener.

    The U.S. has four games remaining before co-hosting the World Cup with Mexico and Canada. The 14th-ranked Americans play No. 8 Belgium on March 28 and sixth-ranked Portugal three days later, both at Atlanta. After meeting 19th-ranked Senegal, the U.S. faces No. 9 Germany on June 6 at Chicago.

    This will be the first meeting between the Americans and Senegal. The U.S. Soccer Federation announced the Senegal match on Thursday.

    At the World Cup, the U.S. opens Group D against No. 39 Paraguay on June 12 at Inglewood, California, faces 26th-ranked Australia seven days later at Seattle and closes the group stage back in Inglewood on June 25 against the winner of playoffs among Turkey (No. 25), Slovakia (45), Romania (47) and Kosovo (80).

    Senegal starts Group I against No. 3 France on June 16 and 29th-ranked Norway six days later, both in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Lions of Teranga finish the first round on June 26 in Toronto against Bolivia (76), Iraq (58) or Suriname (123).

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  • Soccer peace prize for Trump triggers complaints about Infantino to FIFA ethics investigators

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    GENEVA (AP) — FIFA president Gianni Infantino’s public support for Donald Trump and a peace prize awarded to the U.S. president are the subjects of formal complaints to the global soccer body’s ethics investigators.

    FairSquare, a London-based human rights nonprofit, said Tuesday it filed requests for investigations into Infantino’s alleged breaches of FIFA’s statutory duty to be politically neutral.

    FIFA said its ethics committee does not comment on potential ongoing cases, and could not confirm receiving the complaint.

    FIFA’s ethics code calls for a ban from soccer of up to two years for violating the duty of neutrality, though it is unclear if the case will be taken up. The FIFA-appointed current ethics investigators and judges are seen by some observers to operate with less independence than their predecessors a decade ago when then-president Sepp Blatter was removed from office.

    Infantino has expressed views this year backing Trump and his policies, including suggesting the U.S. president deserved to get the Nobel Peace Prize which he did not win.

    The FIFA leader also has closely aligned soccer with the United States government ahead of the men’s 2026 World Cup being co-hosted with Canada and Mexico. The tournament should earn more than $10 billion for FIFA.

    Political leaders of all three co-hosts joined Infantino on stage to begin the World Cup tournament draw last Friday in Washington, D.C., after Trump got the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize.

    “The award of a prize of this nature to a sitting political leader is in and of itself a clear breach of FIFA’s duty of neutrality,” FairSquare said in an eight-page complaint.

    FIFA has not specified how Infantino created the peace prize last month though people familiar with the process in private conversations said they learned about it through media reports.

    “If Mr. Infantino acted unilaterally and without any statutory authority this should be considered an egregious abuse of power,” FairSquare said.

    FairSquare has previously challenged FIFA over the human rights record of Saudi Arabia, the 2034 World Cup host; the influence of the kingdom’s oil company Aramco which is a highest-tier World Cup sponsor; FIFA governance standards; and FIFA’s slow-moving investigation into possible statutes breaches relating to teams from Israeli settlements playing in the national soccer league.

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  • Messi’s Inter Miami Advances to MLS Cup Final With 5-1 Win Over NYCFC in East Final

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    FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Lionel Messi will play for another trophy. Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets clearly aren’t ready to begin their retirements, either.

    Tadeo Allande scored three goals — Alba and Busquets, a pair of longtime Messi teammates who will retire when this season ends, had the assists on his first two — and Inter Miami topped New York City FC 5-1 on Saturday night for the Eastern Conference title and a berth in the MLS Cup final.

    Mateo Silvetti scored in the 67th minute for Inter Miami, with Messi setting up that goal — the 405th assist of his career for club and country, which is generally believed to be the most in soccer history. Telasco Segovia scored off a heel pass from Alba in the 83rd minute to turn it into a runaway, and Allande finishing off the hat trick in the 89th minute was the final play.

    Inter Miami — the No. 3 seed in the East — will play host to either San Diego or Vancouver for the league title on Dec. 6 at 2:30 p.m. Eastern. San Diego and Vancouver play for the Western Conference title later Saturday night.

    It’ll be the first MLS final appearance for Inter Miami, which had never made it past the opening postseason round in any of its first five seasons. Messi’s club went 0-2 against Vancouver this season, losing both legs of a semifinal meeting in the CONCACAF Champions Cup by a 5-1 aggregate.

    Justin Haak scored in the 37th minute for NYCFC, which went 0-2-1 against Inter Miami this season.

    The win moves Inter Miami one step closer to another trophy, after winning the Leagues Cup in 2023 and the Supporters’ Shield as MLS’ top regular-season team last year. Messi, a World Cup champion for Argentina and now eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, joined the team midway through the 2023 season when it was at the bottom of the MLS standings and in an 11-match winless streak.

    Stars flock to see this team because of Messi; tennis great Carlos Alcaraz was there Saturday night, as were some members of the U.S. women’s national team.

    “Everyone in the world knows who Lionel Messi is. … I think everyone thought he would come in here and do exactly what he’s done,” said U.S. women’s forward Lindsay Horan — whose Messi fandom goes back many years.

    Messi got struck along the left side of his head in the ninth minute and was briefly shaken up, remaining down near the center circle for a few seconds before eventually getting to his feet. He got tripped with Inter Miami on the attack about two minutes later, then took a direct kick from about 30 yards out — playing it into the box, but Silvetti’s header was easily caught by NYCFC goalie Matt Freese.

    Inter Miami’s next chance came a minute later. This one was cashed in — a long pass from Busquets was controlled by Allende, who easily beat Freese from about 12 yards out for a 1-0 lead.

    Allende struck again on a header off a long pass from Alba in the 23rd minute, making it 2-0. And after Messi set Silvetti up for the 3-1 lead, what essentially was a 25-minute or so countdown to a celebration was underway.

    Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

    Photos You Should See – Nov. 2025

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  • Minnesota United topped by expansion side San Diego FC 1-0 in Western Conference semifinal

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    Anders Dreyer scored in the second half and Pablo Sisniega made three saves to lead expansion side San Diego FC to a 1-0 victory over Minnesota United on Monday night in a Western Conference semifinal at a sold-out Snapdragon Stadium.

    San Diego will host the second-seeded Vancouver Whitecaps on Saturday with a chance to play for the MLS Cup on the line. No. 5 seed New York City FC travels to play third-seeded Miami for the Eastern Conference title, in Saturday’s first match.

    Dreyer, the Newcomer of the Year and Best XI honoree, used assists from Corey Baird and Jeppe Tverskov to find the net in the 72nd minute. The 27-year-old midfielder from Denmark had 19 goals and 19 assists during the regular season to help San Diego earn the top seed. He has four goals and two assists in his first four playoff appearances.

    It was Tverskov’s first postseason goal contribution in his fourth appearance. Baird’s first three postseason assists have come this season. He had one goal in 10 prior playoff appearances with three different clubs.

    Sisniega, who made only four regular-season starts for San Diego, earned his second clean sheet in his second postseason start. He made a dazzling save in the 64th minute to keep it scoreless.

    Dayne St. Clair did not have a save in his 11th career playoff start for No. 4 seed Minnesota United, which made a second straight exit in the conference semis in its sixth trip to the postseason since joining the league in 2017.

    Coach Mikey Varas’ San Diego squad set MLS records for an expansion team with 19 victories and 63 points on the way to a first-place finish.

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