Bhutia addresses a press conference in Kolkata on Friday. | Photo Credit: ANI Former India captain Bhaichung Bhutia blamed All India Football Federation president Kalyan Chaubey for Indian football’s current predicament saying that the latter is using his post for political gain. “For first time we have a president of the football federation using his … Read more
Porto’s Fabio Vieira hugs Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi during the Club World Cup group A soccer match between Inter Miami and FC Porto in Atlanta, on June 19, 2025. | Photo Credit: AP Lionel Messi scored his first goal of the expanded Club World Cup on an exquisite free kick, lifting Inter Miami to a … Read more
France’s Kylian Mbappe’s absence is a blow to the Club World Cup, which FIFA president Gianni Infantino hopes will be one of the elite events in soccer and rival competitions like the Champions League and Premier League in popularity and value. File | Photo Credit: AP Kylian Mbappe was discharged from the hospital on Thursday (June … Read more
Arsenal’s goalkeeper David Raya, center, makes a save during the English Premier League match between Manchester United and Arsenal at Old Trafford stadium in Manchester. File | Photo Credit: AP The new season begins with the one fixture on August 15 and concludes on May 24, 2026. Liverpool will begin their Premier League title defence … Read more
Trent Alexander-Arnold of Real Madrid is challenged by Salem Aldawsari of Al Hilal during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 group H match at Hard Rock Stadium on June 18, 2025 in Miami Gardens, Florida. | Photo Credit: Getty Images via AFP With Kylian Mbappe ruled out, it was the 21-year-old Gonzalo Garcia who led … Read more
A draw leaves both teams with a battle to advance from Group A, with tougher tests likely to come against Brazilian giant Palmeiras and Porto from Portugal. The top two advance to the round of 16. | Photo Credit: Reuters Inter Miami was held to a scoreless draw against Egypt’s Al Ahly in the opening … Read more
In the end, not even Saudi Arabia or Gianni Infantino could engineer a way to get Cristiano Ronaldo to the Club World Cup. FIFA president Infantino certainly tried — last month making a public appeal ahead of the tournament. “If any club is watching and is interested in hiring Ronaldo for the Club World Cup…,” … Read more
The Club World Cup will take Inter Miami from start-up to the global stage. Just five years after its MLS debut, the team co-owned by David Beckham and starring Lionel Messi will have the eyes of the world on it as it kicks off soccer’s newest competition with the chance to be crowned world champion. … Read more
Exploring options: Chaubey says the AIFF is looking at the possibility of OCI players turning out for the country. | Photo Credit: ANI It isn’t for the first time that Indian football is embroiled in a state of crisis. The latest has been triggered by the national men’s team’s 0-1 defeat to Hong Kong, situated … Read more
New Real Madrid player Trent Alexander-Arnold during the press conference on June 12, 2025 in Madrid, Spain. | Photo Credit: Reuters Former Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold described his move to Real Madrid as “a dream come true” in a speech he delivered in Spanish at his official presentation at the LaLiga club on Thursday. Liverpool-born Alexander-Arnold … Read more
Belgium’s Kevin De Bruyne celebrates after scoring his side’s fourth goal during the World Cup 2026 group J qualifying soccer match against Wales at King Baudouin stadium in Brussels, on June 9, 2025. | Photo Credit: AP Two-time Premier League player of the season Kevin De Bruyne signed as a free agent with Serie A … Read more
Just weeks after winning the Champions League for the first time in its history, Paris Saint-Germain’s eyes are now fixed on FIFA’s shiny new Club World Cup. The newly-crowned European champion can add the world title to a trophy haul that also included a French league and cup double this season. “We want to finish … Read more
An areal view of the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City, on June 11, 2025.. A hybrid field, updated locker rooms, elevators and hospitality zones are among the new added features of the stadium in preparation for the 2026 World Cup. | Photo Credit: AP A hybrid field, updated locker rooms, elevators and hospitality zones are … Read more
Bayer Leverkusen sporting director Simon Rolfes, left, sits with French defender Axel Tape after the club signed the player on a free transfer from Paris Saint-Germain, in Leverkusen, Germany, on June 11, 2025. | Photo Credit: AP Bayer Leverkusen signed France youth international Axel Tape on a free transfer from Paris Saint-Germain’s under-19 team on … Read more
India coach Manolo Marquez speaking after India’s 0-1 defeat to Hong Kong. Photo: the-aiff.com “The dressing room is like a funeral (site),” said Indian football head coach Manolo Marquez as he struggled to explain the 0-1 loss to Hong Kong here even though he remained optimistic about the team’s chances of qualifying for the 2027 … Read more
Brazil’s Vinicius Junior, center, scores his side’s opening goal against Paraguay during a World Cup 2026 qualifying soccer match at Neo Quimica Arena in Sao Paulo, Tuesday, June 10, 2025. | Photo Credit: AP A goal by Vinicius Júnior secured Brazil a place in the 2026 World Cup, quite a momentous home debut for Carlo … Read more
Borussia Dortmund’s Jobe Bellingham during training. | Photo Credit: Reuters The Bellingham name is back at Borussia Dortmund. Jobe Bellingham signed a five-year-deal on Tuesday with the German club where his older brother developed into one of the world’s best midfielders before joining Real Madrid in 2023. The younger Bellingham, 19, then took part in … Read more
France’s Rayan Cherki (left) in action against Germany during the third Play Off match of the Nations League on June 8, 2025. | Photo Credit: Reuters Manchester City kickstarted the post-Kevin De Bruyne era by signing maverick France playmaker Rayan Cherki from Lyon for €36 million ($41 million) on Tuesday, in time to play in … Read more
Juventus’ head coach Igor Tudor. File | Photo Credit: AP Juventus coach Igor Tudor is to stay in charge next season and French forward Randal Kolo Muani will play at the Club World Cup, the club’s new general manager Damien Comolli said on Tuesday. Comolli, who took over at Juventus only this month, said talks … Read more
Belgium’s Kevin De Bruyne celebrates after scoring his side’s fourth goal during the World Cup 2026 group J qualifying soccer match against Wales at King Baudouin stadium in Brussels, on June 9, 2025. | Photo Credit: AP There was relief for Belgium after scraping through a dramatic World Cup qualifier against Wales on Monday but … Read more
Wales’ fans during the World Cup 2026 group J qualifying soccer match between Belgium and Wales at King Baudouin stadium in Brussels, on June 9, 2025. | Photo Credit: AP A soccer fan who fell from the upper tier of King Baudouin Stadium during a World Cup qualifier between Belgium and Wales was taken to … Read more
There was no stopping Indian football’s decline as the senior men’s team, lacking in spunk, finishing skill and the will to fight, suffered a calamitous 0-1 defeat to lower-ranked Hong Kong in a crucial 2027 AFC Asian Cup Qualifier match here on Tuesday. Hosts Hong Kong emerged victorious after an injury-time goal by Stefan Pereira. … Read more
Premier League referee Uriah Rennie. | Photo Credit: AP Uriah Rennie, the first Black referee in the Premier League, has died aged 65, the Sheffield and Hallamshire County Football Association said on Sunday. Jamaican-born Rennie, who grew up in Sheffield, made history in 1997 when he refereed a Premier League match between Derby County and … Read more
Chelsea signed a top young player from its sister club by bringing in French teenage defender Mamadou Sarr from Strasbourg on Monday. Strasbourg, which plays in France’s top league, is owned by the consortium led by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital that bought Chelsea in 2022. The 19-year-old Sarr is a France under-20 international who … Read more
Spain’s players react during the penalty shootout during the Nations League soccer championship at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany, on June 8, 2025. | Photo Credit: AP As Cristiano Ronaldo lifted the Nations League trophy and his Portugal teammates celebrated behind him, Spain’s players watched in clear disappointment. There was no major letdown after … Read more
Ruben Neves scored the decisive spot kick after Alvaro Morata missed as Portugal beat Spain 5-3 on penalties following a 2-2 draw in Munich on Sunday (June 8, 2025) to claim their second Nations League title. Portugal twice went behind in regulation time but twice fought back to level the scores. “Our fighting spirit and … Read more
Seeking its first win in the tournament, the Indian football team will face another acid test when it takes on Hong Kong in a crucial AFC Asian Cup 2027 round three qualifier match here on Tuesday. As per reports in the local media, all 50,000 tickets for the match have been sold out, setting a … Read more
Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo holds the trophy after winning the Nations League soccer championship at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany, on June 8, 2025. | Photo Credit: AP Another trophy for Cristiano Ronaldo. More records, more adulation .The Portugal star shed tears after helping his team win the Nations League on Sunday. Ronaldo scored to … Read more
Brazil forward Neymar has been sidelined after testing positive for COVID-19. File | Photo Credit: Getty Images Brazil forward Neymar has been sidelined after testing positive for COVID-19, his club Santos said in a statement as quoted by Brazilian media. The 33-year-old began showing symptoms on Thursday (June 5, 2025) and was immediately removed from … Read more
England’s Harry Kane scores the winning goal against Andorra during the World Cup qualifying round match on June 7, 2025. | Photo Credit: Reuters England needed a second-half goal from Harry Kane to secure a 1-0 win over lowly Andorra and maintain a perfect record under Thomas Tuchel after three World Cup qualifiers. England was … Read more