FIFA President Gianni Infantino says the governing body will examine the possibility of expanding the men's FIFA World Cup to 64 teams after the 2026 tournament. Following the jump from 32 to 48 teams, the proposal, first raised by CONMEBOL for the 2030 centenary edition, could further reshape international football, with Infantino saying every nation should have the opportunity to dream of reaching the World Cup.

FIFA World Cup 2026: FIFA to discuss expanding men's World Cup to 64 teams

Next up, we have a special economic Segment called pitch & portfolio,
A series where we analyze the beautiful game of football through the lens of global markets. As we come down to the business end of the tournament, the analysis goes deeper, but to see who wins the economic match. As Norway and England prepare to face off, this is a closely watched contest on the field and in the portfolio.

World cup of economies: Norway vs England

Germany's World Cup campaign has suffered a major setback after Ecuador came from behind to claim a dramatic 2-1 victory and secure a place in the knockout stage.

FIFA World Cup 2026: Ecuador Knocks Germany Out of the World Cup in New Jersey

The World Cup 2026 Golden Boot race is heating up as Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland battle for scoring supremacy. With goals flowing and records at stake, the fight for football's most coveted individual prize is only getting more intense. The question now is who can keep delivering when the pressure peaks.

FIFA World Cup 2026: Race For Golden Boot at the FIFA World Cup Heats Up 

Erling Haaland scored twice as Norway beat Senegal 3-2 to secure a place in the World Cup 2026 knockout stage. The Manchester City striker continued his red-hot form, breaking Norway records and putting his side through with a game to spare.

FIFA World Cup 2026: Haaland Fires Norway Into World Cup Last 32

World Cup fever is taking over Los Angeles as a local bakery has gone viral after creating World Cup-themed conchas shaped like jerseys, trophies and footballs, drawing crowds that spill onto the sidewalk. As fans line up for edible tributes to their favorite teams, the bakery's creations have become a unique symbol of football mania spreading far beyond the stadium.

 FIFA World Cup 2026: Why Fans Are Lining Up for this Bread

Hundreds of football fans gathered in Georgia to attempt a massive soccer juggling world record. Participants showcased impressive ball control and coordination as crowds cheered during the high-energy event. The record attempt has drawn global attention from football lovers and world record enthusiasts alike.


Georgia Fans Attempt Massive Soccer Juggling World Record 

Tragedy strikes in Guinea as almost 56 people are killed in a stampede during a football match.

Guinea Stampede: Over 50 Killed In Stampede Due To Clashes At Soccer Match

Israel played their first match outside the neutral venue of Hungary for the first-time amid the Israel-Palestine war. The match took place in Udine, Italy amid high security and had snipers on the roof of the stadium for protection. Italy won the match 4-1 and are on the cusp of booking a quarter-final berth in the UEFA Nations League. It was a memorable night for the Maldini family. Daniel Maldini became the third generation of his family to play for Italy after Paolo and Cesare.

Israel-Hamas War: Italy Rout Israel In A High-Security Clash

Canada advanced to the knockout stages of the Paris Olympics against all the odds following a 1-0 victory over Colombia in Marseille. The defending Olympic champions had won both their group matches, but were docked six points after being found guilty of using a drone to spy on New Zealand's training session ahead of their opening match of the Games.

Paris Olympics 2024: Canada reaches Q/F despite point deduction

A Korea Football Association (KFA) advisory committee recommended sacking head coach Juergen Klinsmann on Thursday after their semi-final exit at the Asian Cup and amid criticism of his leadership, KFA Technical Director Hwangbo Kwan said. The National Team Committee does not make administrative decisions, leaving it up to the KFA's Executive Board whether to act on its recommendation to fire Klinsmann, whose contract runs through the 2026 World Cup.

South Korea, 23rd in the FIFA rankings, were beaten by 87th-ranked Jordan 2-0 in the Asian Cup semi-finals earlier this month, prompting fans and some politicians to call for the 59-year-old's dismissal. The German's popularity in Korea plummeted during the tournament, with many criticising his demeanour, smiling even when things were not going his team's way on the field.

Off the field, Klinsmann also repeatedly faced criticism for often working in Los Angeles, where he currently lives, despite saying he would spend much of his time in South Korea. He took part in Thursday's meeting via video call, the KFA said. "For various reasons, there was a conclusion that coach Klinsmann can no longer exercise leadership as the national team's coach and needs to be replaced," Hwangbo told reporters after the meeting.

Some saw Klinsmann's attitude towards his job including a lack of time spent in South Korea as "disrespectful" towards the public, Hwangbo added. Ex-South Korean international Hong Myung-bo is reportedly among the names being considered to temporarily lead the team for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Thailand if Klinsmann is dismissed, according to Yonhap News TV.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/manchester-uniteds-2022-2023-squad-the-most-expensive-ever-assembled-in-europe-uefa-report-690504">Manchester United's 2022-2023 squad the most expensive ever assembled in Europe: UEFA report</a>

Klinsmann, who won the World Cup in 1990 as a player, has previously managed the German and U.S. national teams, as well as Bundesliga side Bayern Munich. He took charge of South Korea last year after Paulo Bento stepped down following their defeat to Brazil in the last 16 of the World Cup in 2022.

The German's tenure got off to a rocky start, with South Korea failing to win any of his first five games in charge, losing to Uruguay and Peru and drawing with Colombia, El Salvador and Wales.

South Korea's form improved in the build-up to the Asian Cup with a run of six straight wins, and despite being far from their best in Qatar, the Asian heavyweights improved on their quarter-final exit at the 2019 edition by reaching the last four. In their semi-final defeat to Jordan, they were unable to register a single shot on target, falling short in their bid to end a 64-year wait for a third title.

A Korea Football Association (KFA) advisory committee recommended sacking head coach Juergen Klinsmann on Thursday after their semi-final exit at the Asian Cup and amid criticism of his leadership, KFA Technical Director Hwangbo Kwan said.

A Korea Football Association (KFA) advisory committee recommended sacking head coach Juergen Klinsmann on Thursday after their semi-final exit at the Asian Cup and amid criticism of his leadership, KFA Technical Director Hwangbo Kwan said. The National Team Committee does not make administrative decisions, leaving it up to the KFA's Executive Board whether to act on its recommendation to fire Klinsmann, whose contract runs through the 2026 World Cup. South Korea, 23rd in the FIFA rankings, were beaten by 87th-ranked Jordan 2-0 in the Asian Cup semi-finals earlier this month, prompting fans and some politicians to call for the 59-year-old's dismissal. The German's popularity in Korea plummeted during the tournament, with many criticising his demeanour, smiling even when things were not going his team's way on the field. Off the field, Klinsmann also repeatedly faced criticism for often working in Los Angeles, where he currently lives, despite saying he would spend much of his time in South Korea. He took part in Thursday's meeting via video call, the KFA said. "For various reasons, there was a conclusion that coach Klinsmann can no longer exercise leadership as the national team's coach and needs to be replaced," Hwangbo told reporters after the meeting. Some saw Klinsmann's attitude towards his job including a lack of time spent in South Korea as "disrespectful" towards the public, Hwangbo added. Ex-South Korean international Hong Myung-bo is reportedly among the names being considered to temporarily lead the team for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Thailand if Klinsmann is dismissed, according to Yonhap News TV. Also read: Manchester United's 2022-2023 squad the most expensive ever assembled in Europe: UEFA report Klinsmann, who won the World Cup in 1990 as a player, has previously managed the German and U.S. national teams, as well as Bundesliga side Bayern Munich. He took charge of South Korea last year after Paulo Bento stepped down following their defeat to Brazil in the last 16 of the World Cup in 2022. The German's tenure got off to a rocky start, with South Korea failing to win any of his first five games in charge, losing to Uruguay and Peru and drawing with Colombia, El Salvador and Wales. South Korea's form improved in the build-up to the Asian Cup with a run of six straight wins, and despite being far from their best in Qatar, the Asian heavyweights improved on their quarter-final exit at the 2019 edition by reaching the last four. In their semi-final defeat to Jordan, they were unable to register a single shot on target, falling short in their bid to end a 64-year wait for a third title.

Korean FA advisory body recommends sacking head coach Juergen Klinsmann

Russia's national soccer team held a full training session near Moscow on Tuesday (Oct&nbsp;10) ahead of friendly match against Cameroon scheduled for Thursday (Oct&nbsp;12). Barred from the international competitions following Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine, the team held their training session as news came through of UEFA's decision to recall the admission of the Russian junior teams to international tournaments.

"The agenda point was withdrawn as no technical solution to allow Russian teams to play could be found," UEFA said of the plan, which had been fiercely opposed by Ukraine and other soccer federations.

Valery Karpin, the head coach of Russia's national soccer team told reporters on Tuesday he didn't expect UEFA's ban against its soccer teams to be lifted.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reutersconnect.com/discover/sports?id=tag%3Areuters.com%2C2023%3Anewsml_WD880410102023RP1%3A5&amp;search=all%3Asoccer">&nbsp;</a><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/adelaide-strikers-win-second-consecutive-womens-big-bash-league-title-after-defeating-brisbane-heat-665461">Adelaide Strikers win second consecutive Women's Big Bash League title after defeating Brisbane Heat</a>

"To be honest, I didn’t expect them to allow us (to competitions), and I didn’t expect (the decision) to be recalled."

In the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, which Moscow calls a 'special military operation', UEFA decided that all Russian teams - national or club sides - would be suspended from participation in its competitions.

But European soccer's governing body said last month that "children should not be punished for actions whose responsibility lies exclusively with adults," and that Russia's U-17 sides would be readmitted to UEFA competitions "in the course of this season."

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Russia's national soccer team held a full training session near Moscow on Tuesday (Oct 10) ahead of friendly match against Cameroon scheduled for Thursday (Oct 12).

Russia's national soccer team held a full training session near Moscow on Tuesday (Oct 10) ahead of friendly match against Cameroon scheduled for Thursday (Oct 12). Barred from the international competitions following Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine, the team held their training session as news came through of UEFA's decision to recall the admission of the Russian junior teams to international tournaments. "The agenda point was withdrawn as no technical solution to allow Russian teams to play could be found," UEFA said of the plan, which had been fiercely opposed by Ukraine and other soccer federations. Valery Karpin, the head coach of Russia's national soccer team told reporters on Tuesday he didn't expect UEFA's ban against its soccer teams to be lifted. Also Read: Adelaide Strikers win second consecutive Women's Big Bash League title after defeating Brisbane Heat "To be honest, I didn’t expect them to allow us (to competitions), and I didn’t expect (the decision) to be recalled." In the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, which Moscow calls a 'special military operation', UEFA decided that all Russian teams - national or club sides - would be suspended from participation in its competitions. But European soccer's governing body said last month that "children should not be punished for actions whose responsibility lies exclusively with adults," and that Russia's U-17 sides would be readmitted to UEFA competitions "in the course of this season." WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Russia national football team trains ahead of friendly against Cameroon

United States Women's National Team (USWNT) soccer player Trinity Rodman almost got embarrassed when retired tennis star Serena Williams asked for her jersey after the 3-0 win against China in friendly on Saturday (Dec. 2). After the game, Williams met the players and asked Rodman's jersey but she had already given to a fan after the game.

“I walked over there, and she was like, ‘Can I have your jersey?’ I was like, ‘Oh my god, no!” Rodman said after the game at Inter Miami’s DRV PNK Stadium as reported by the USAToday. “So, I dug in the dirty bag from beginning of the half to find mine, and I got it to her.”&nbsp;

Also Watch:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/nba/news-watch--dallas-mavericks-go-30-0-vs-oklahoma-city-thunder-to-create-history-still-end-up-losing-665679">Dallas Mavericks go 30-0 vs Oklahoma City Thunder to create history; still end up losing&nbsp;</a>

“She was very sweet, very humble, which was refreshing and amazing,” Rodman added. “And obviously, we all look up to her, one of the greatest female athletes in the world. To meet her in person and see how she was, was incredible.”

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Just us and the GOAT 🐐 <a href="https://t.co/Imi8eVlyCD">pic.twitter.com/Imi8eVlyCD</a>
— U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) <a href="https://twitter.com/USWNT/status/1731090499350512097?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 2, 2023</a></blockquote>
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USWNT interim coach Twila Kilgore also met the tennis legend who met and collected jerseys of several players.

“I sure did,” Kilgore said about meeting Williams. “I made sure I got in there.”

Talking about the game, Sophia Smith scored in the eighth minute before skipper Lindsey Horan scored in 58th minute before Rodman added in the 77th minute.

The win completed USWNT's week-long stay in Fort Lauderdale. They'll again take on China next week at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas to end the year.

“My eyes are immediately on the next game, but I think one thing today is just we’re happy that we’re playing in such a way that’s given us these repeated moments that we’ve identified as a team that are predictable for us and not for the opponent,” Kilgore said after the game.

Kilgore currently is heading the USWNT till the time six-time Super League winner with Chelsea Emma Hayes takes over in May next year.

United States Women's National Team (USWNT) soccer player Trinity Rodman almost got embarrassed when retired tennis star Serena Williams asked for her jersey after the 3-0 win against China in friendly on Saturday (Dec.

United States Women's National Team (USWNT) soccer player Trinity Rodman almost got embarrassed when retired tennis star Serena Williams asked for her jersey after the 3-0 win against China in friendly on Saturday (Dec. 2). After the game, Williams met the players and asked Rodman's jersey but she had already given to a fan after the game. “I walked over there, and she was like, ‘Can I have your jersey?’ I was like, ‘Oh my god, no!” Rodman said after the game at Inter Miami’s DRV PNK Stadium as reported by the USAToday. “So, I dug in the dirty bag from beginning of the half to find mine, and I got it to her.” Also Watch: Dallas Mavericks go 30-0 vs Oklahoma City Thunder to create history; still end up losing “She was very sweet, very humble, which was refreshing and amazing,” Rodman added. “And obviously, we all look up to her, one of the greatest female athletes in the world. To meet her in person and see how she was, was incredible.” Just us and the GOAT 🐐 pic.twitter.com/Imi8eVlyCD — U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) December 2, 2023 × USWNT interim coach Twila Kilgore also met the tennis legend who met and collected jerseys of several players. “I sure did,” Kilgore said about meeting Williams. “I made sure I got in there.” Talking about the game, Sophia Smith scored in the eighth minute before skipper Lindsey Horan scored in 58th minute before Rodman added in the 77th minute. The win completed USWNT's week-long stay in Fort Lauderdale. They'll again take on China next week at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas to end the year. “My eyes are immediately on the next game, but I think one thing today is just we’re happy that we’re playing in such a way that’s given us these repeated moments that we’ve identified as a team that are predictable for us and not for the opponent,” Kilgore said after the game. Kilgore currently is heading the USWNT till the time six-time Super League winner with Chelsea Emma Hayes takes over in May next year.

USWNT star Trinity Rodman meets Serena Williams after win against China. Almost gets embarrassed | Read Why

Cristiano Ronaldo won hearts with his gesture during his side Al Nassr's clash versus&nbsp;Iranian side Persepolis in the AFC Champions League clash. The star striker went down in the second minute of the clash under a challenge from Persepolis defender Soroush Rafiei. He soon wagged his finger after being awarded a penalty kick and came in talks with the referee to try and overturn his decision.

Ronaldo and the Chinese referee Ma Ning had a quick chat. He was seen telling the referee that it was not a spot-kick and was heard saying 'no pen' (no penalty). Soon, the VAR check followed and the decision was ultimately overturned. His gesture was appreciated by his opposition players as many came towards him to laud his act.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/nfl/news-lamar-jacksons-savage-response-to-wide-receiver-zay-flowers%E2%80%99s-touchdown-celebration-goes-viral---watch-663361">Lamar Jackson's SAVAGE response to wide receiver Zay Flowers’s touchdown celebration goes viral - Watch</a>

Here is the video, on X (formerly Twitter) of Ronaldo asking referee to overturn penalty call:

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Ronaldo is very funny ngl, why all the stress when the VAR will still intervene and overturn the initial penalty given. Blud is now playing the “humble card” chat right there 🤣🤣 <a href="https://t.co/tV7iUOZavN">pic.twitter.com/tV7iUOZavN</a>
— Yamal_Ball ⛹🏻‍♂️ (@LYamal_Ball) <a href="https://twitter.com/LYamal_Ball/status/1729244246643745106?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 27, 2023</a></blockquote>
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While many did not read much into Ronaldo's act,&nbsp;as VAR would have eventually ruled out the penalty call, a section of fans has hailed the 38-year-old for his honesty on the social media platform X.&nbsp;

Talking about the match, Al Nassr&nbsp;were already into the knockouts, and Persepolis played out a goalless draw. The Saudi Arabian side played the majority of the game with 10 players. In the 17th minute,&nbsp;Ali Lajami was given a straight red card for a shin-raking challenge whereas Ronaldo also walked out with a neck injury during the fag moments of the encounter. The veteran doesn't have much time to recover as his side will be up against Al Hilal on Friday in a top-of-the-table league face-off.&nbsp;

Meanwhile,&nbsp;Saudi Arabian champions Al Ittihad are two points clear at the top of Group C following an impressive&nbsp;2-1 win at Uzbekistan’s AGMK FC.

Cristiano Ronaldo won hearts with his gesture during his side Al Nassr's clash versus Iranian side Persepolis in the AFC Champions League clash. The star striker went down in the second minute of the clash under a challenge from Persepolis defender Soroush Rafiei.

Cristiano Ronaldo won hearts with his gesture during his side Al Nassr's clash versus Iranian side Persepolis in the AFC Champions League clash. The star striker went down in the second minute of the clash under a challenge from Persepolis defender Soroush Rafiei. He soon wagged his finger after being awarded a penalty kick and came in talks with the referee to try and overturn his decision. Ronaldo and the Chinese referee Ma Ning had a quick chat. He was seen telling the referee that it was not a spot-kick and was heard saying 'no pen' (no penalty). Soon, the VAR check followed and the decision was ultimately overturned. His gesture was appreciated by his opposition players as many came towards him to laud his act. Also read: Lamar Jackson's SAVAGE response to wide receiver Zay Flowers’s touchdown celebration goes viral - Watch Here is the video, on X (formerly Twitter) of Ronaldo asking referee to overturn penalty call: Ronaldo is very funny ngl, why all the stress when the VAR will still intervene and overturn the initial penalty given. Blud is now playing the “humble card” chat right there 🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/tV7iUOZavN — Yamal_Ball ⛹🏻‍♂️ (@LYamal_Ball) November 27, 2023 × While many did not read much into Ronaldo's act, as VAR would have eventually ruled out the penalty call, a section of fans has hailed the 38-year-old for his honesty on the social media platform X. Talking about the match, Al Nassr were already into the knockouts, and Persepolis played out a goalless draw. The Saudi Arabian side played the majority of the game with 10 players. In the 17th minute, Ali Lajami was given a straight red card for a shin-raking challenge whereas Ronaldo also walked out with a neck injury during the fag moments of the encounter. The veteran doesn't have much time to recover as his side will be up against Al Hilal on Friday in a top-of-the-table league face-off. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabian champions Al Ittihad are two points clear at the top of Group C following an impressive 2-1 win at Uzbekistan’s AGMK FC.

AFC CL: Ronaldo convinces referee to overturn penalty he won during Al Nassr-Persepolis tie - Watch

Qatar's Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, met UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan on Thursday in Abu Dhabi.

Qatari emir, UAE president hold talks in Abu Dhabi

The downtown area of Srinagar is changing, earlier known for stone pelting and law and order incidents, it is now becoming an example of peace. The Downtown Heroes Football Club which was formed a few years ago has not only remained but become a mission, and is helping the youngsters to stay away from drugs and give a new shape to their future.

The old city of Srinagar was known for producing top-class footballers&nbsp;who even went on to represent Jammu and&nbsp;Kashmir and India at the national and international level. The downtown area of Srinagar was known as the hub of football in Kashmir, but with the beginning of insurgency, the downtown lost touch with the most popular sport in Kashmir.

Downtown Heroes FC was started with an aim to revive the lost glory of football in the old city. It was launched in 2020 and the club has already made a name for itself. The club is not only changing the image of the downtown, but it also has helped in curbing the drug menace in the Srinagar city. Not only are they including addicts in the club to play but also running campaigns for a drug-free Kashmir.

''See we started this club in 2020. We started this for a reason that was that downtown earlier was known for good things but over the period of time it lost its glory. It was now known for bad things, the aim to start this club was to show the world that we are not bad people and if given a chance we can excel anywhere. One of the biggest challenges Kashmir is facing now is drug addiction because we lack basic avenues of entertainment, so we want to give this alternative to people to&nbsp;come and&nbsp;play football and shun violence and drugs. We are successful till now. We have people who have left drugs and are playing with us. The target is to get youth away from this all,'' said Hanan Bashir, co founder, Downtown Heroes FC.

In its inaugural season, Downtown Heroes FC went to play in the Premier League, Real Kashmir Cup and also went on to win the Doon Knockout football tournament title. This year Downtown Heroes FC played the Durand Cup which is the oldest football competition in India and Asia.

''In 2020, we created this Downtown Club. It took us three years to become successful in our goal. This year we went for the Durand Cup, which is the oldest tournament in Asia. The top teams of India played there and this year Downtown Club was also one of those teams, which is a big success for us. Many of our boys are playing in foreign clubs and are constantly getting offers,'' said Mushtaq Bashir, co-founder, Downtown Heroes FC.

The club includes youth in the age group of 15 years to 25 years. The club began playing at the Islamia College ground in Downtown and quickly rose to prominence on the domestic football map of the country. The Downtown Heroes have been promoted to the 2022–23 I-League Division 2. Downtown Heroes Football Club is showing a new direction to the youth of Valley.

The more private clubs come to our Kashmir, the better it is. The future is being made. In recent times, drug addiction has been on the rise and if the youth go into the sports, they will save themselves from these bad habits. The change is coming slowly, the downtown club has a lot of local youngsters playing in it and we have got a great platform like the Durand Cup to play in,'' said Salah Shafi, a player.

Downtown Football Club has also now joined the J&amp;K Sports Council's campaign to bring more youth into the sports field. Next week the club will be selecting football players at sub-junior, junior levels. This is part of the club's expansion plan to involve more youth in sports and keep them away from drugs and violence.

''This has provided us with great help. There is a huge drug addiction here and when they saw us footballers on TV&nbsp;to play football for the club, they got inspired. The people from our area are extremely proud and inspired when they see us playing on TV. Football has played a big role in downtown to save youngsters from addiction.

The bigger the platform you get, the better your profile becomes,'' said Momin Khalid, another player.

More than 200 youngsters are right now associated with the Downtown Heroes FC.

&nbsp;

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The downtown area of Srinagar is changing, earlier known for stone pelting and law and order incidents, it is now becoming an example of peace. The Downtown Heroes Football Club which was formed a few years ago has not only remained but become a mission, and is helping the youngsters to stay away from drugs and give a new shape to their future.

The downtown area of Srinagar is changing, earlier known for stone pelting and law and order incidents, it is now becoming an example of peace. The Downtown Heroes Football Club which was formed a few years ago has not only remained but become a mission, and is helping the youngsters to stay away from drugs and give a new shape to their future. The old city of Srinagar was known for producing top-class footballers who even went on to represent Jammu and Kashmir and India at the national and international level. The downtown area of Srinagar was known as the hub of football in Kashmir, but with the beginning of insurgency, the downtown lost touch with the most popular sport in Kashmir. Downtown Heroes FC was started with an aim to revive the lost glory of football in the old city. It was launched in 2020 and the club has already made a name for itself. The club is not only changing the image of the downtown, but it also has helped in curbing the drug menace in the Srinagar city. Not only are they including addicts in the club to play but also running campaigns for a drug-free Kashmir. ''See we started this club in 2020. We started this for a reason that was that downtown earlier was known for good things but over the period of time it lost its glory. It was now known for bad things, the aim to start this club was to show the world that we are not bad people and if given a chance we can excel anywhere. One of the biggest challenges Kashmir is facing now is drug addiction because we lack basic avenues of entertainment, so we want to give this alternative to people to come and play football and shun violence and drugs. We are successful till now. We have people who have left drugs and are playing with us. The target is to get youth away from this all,'' said Hanan Bashir, co founder, Downtown Heroes FC. In its inaugural season, Downtown Heroes FC went to play in the Premier League, Real Kashmir Cup and also went on to win the Doon Knockout football tournament title. This year Downtown Heroes FC played the Durand Cup which is the oldest football competition in India and Asia. ''In 2020, we created this Downtown Club. It took us three years to become successful in our goal. This year we went for the Durand Cup, which is the oldest tournament in Asia. The top teams of India played there and this year Downtown Club was also one of those teams, which is a big success for us. Many of our boys are playing in foreign clubs and are constantly getting offers,'' said Mushtaq Bashir, co-founder, Downtown Heroes FC. The club includes youth in the age group of 15 years to 25 years. The club began playing at the Islamia College ground in Downtown and quickly rose to prominence on the domestic football map of the country. The Downtown Heroes have been promoted to the 2022–23 I-League Division 2. Downtown Heroes Football Club is showing a new direction to the youth of Valley. The more private clubs come to our Kashmir, the better it is. The future is being made. In recent times, drug addiction has been on the rise and if the youth go into the sports, they will save themselves from these bad habits. The change is coming slowly, the downtown club has a lot of local youngsters playing in it and we have got a great platform like the Durand Cup to play in,'' said Salah Shafi, a player. Downtown Football Club has also now joined the J&K Sports Council's campaign to bring more youth into the sports field. Next week the club will be selecting football players at sub-junior, junior levels. This is part of the club's expansion plan to involve more youth in sports and keep them away from drugs and violence. ''This has provided us with great help. There is a huge drug addiction here and when they saw us footballers on TV to play football for the club, they got inspired. The people from our area are extremely proud and inspired when they see us playing on TV. Football has played a big role in downtown to save youngsters from addiction. The bigger the platform you get, the better your profile becomes,'' said Momin Khalid, another player. More than 200 youngsters are right now associated with the Downtown Heroes FC. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

India: This football club is changing the image of Srinagar's downtown. Here's how

Hermoso contradicted Rubiales' version in two statements, one issued through her FUTRPO players union and a second published on social media. She said that she did not consent to the kiss or try to pick up the president and that there was no conversation like the one described by Rubiales.

Spanish federation threatens legal action over Hermoso 'lies'

League matches in the Netherlands will be stopped next season if fans repeatedly engage in homophobic chants, the Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB) said on Monday. From the start of the 2023/24 domestic campaign, stadium announcers will warn offending fans on two occasions to refrain from the offensive chants, after which the match will be temporarily halted if they continue.

Individuals found guilty of offensive behaviour face an 18-month stadium ban. The decision was made at a meeting of all the professional clubs, where delegates were unanimous in voting for the measures.

"Football is for everyone. Together we have drawn a line. We will evaluate the steps we are taking now (at the end of the 2023/24 season) to see if they produce the desired result," said Marianne van Leeuwen, KNVB director of professional football. In April, fans of amateur side SV Spakenburg aimed homophobic chants at PSV Eindhoven’s Xavi Simons in a Dutch Cup game, while a section of fans chanted "all Germans are gay" during an international clash between the Netherlands and Germany in Amsterdam last year.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/brad-pitt-respects-f1-and-thrills-drivers-at-silverstone-613740">Brad Pitt respects F1 and thrills drivers at Silverstone</a>

The English Football Association announced in January that it was adding homophobic slurs to its list of punishable offences for fans, while last month an international between the United States and Mexico was briefly stopped after fans of the latter directed slurs at U.S. goalkeeper Matt Turner.

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League matches in the Netherlands will be stopped next season if fans repeatedly engage in homophobic chants, the Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB) said on Monday.

League matches in the Netherlands will be stopped next season if fans repeatedly engage in homophobic chants, the Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB) said on Monday. From the start of the 2023/24 domestic campaign, stadium announcers will warn offending fans on two occasions to refrain from the offensive chants, after which the match will be temporarily halted if they continue. Individuals found guilty of offensive behaviour face an 18-month stadium ban. The decision was made at a meeting of all the professional clubs, where delegates were unanimous in voting for the measures. "Football is for everyone. Together we have drawn a line. We will evaluate the steps we are taking now (at the end of the 2023/24 season) to see if they produce the desired result," said Marianne van Leeuwen, KNVB director of professional football. In April, fans of amateur side SV Spakenburg aimed homophobic chants at PSV Eindhoven’s Xavi Simons in a Dutch Cup game, while a section of fans chanted "all Germans are gay" during an international clash between the Netherlands and Germany in Amsterdam last year. Also Read: Brad Pitt respects F1 and thrills drivers at Silverstone The English Football Association announced in January that it was adding homophobic slurs to its list of punishable offences for fans, while last month an international between the United States and Mexico was briefly stopped after fans of the latter directed slurs at U.S. goalkeeper Matt Turner. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Football: Officials to crack down on homophobic abuses in Dutch league

A prosecutor in Brazil fined soccer star Neymar 16 million reais ($3.3 million) for building a lake at his mansion on the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro without an environmental license, authorities said Monday.&nbsp;

The town council in Mangaratiba issued four fines for "environmental violations in the construction of an artificial lake at the player's mansion," the council secretariat said in a statement.&nbsp;

"The sanctions add up to more than 16 million reais," the statement said, a sum set out by the prosecutor's office in Mangaratiba, a tourist area around 130 kilometers (80 miles) from Rio where the Paris Saint-Germain star has his mansion.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/liverpool-signs-rb-leipzig-midfielder-dominik-szoboszlai-for-70-million-euros-611377">Liverpool signs RB Leipzig midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai for 70 million Euros</a>

Among "dozens of infractions" detected, the authorities listed "carrying out work subject to environmental control without authorization," capture and diversion of river water without authorization, and "removal of land and suppression of vegetation without authorization."

Neymar has 20 days to appeal the penalty, the amount of which had initially been set at five million reais, close to one million dollars.&nbsp;

On June 22, after complaints based on social media posts, authorities found several environmental violations at the luxury property, where workers were building an artificial lake and beach.

Authorities cordoned off the site and ordered all activity to cease, but Brazilian media reported that Neymar threw a party there and bathed in the lake.

Neymar's press office in Brazil did not respond to an AFP request for comment.&nbsp;

Neymar, 31, is currently recovering from surgery on his right ankle, which he underwent in Doha in March.&nbsp;

The striker has not played since February and doubts have arisen about his staying at PSG.&nbsp;

Neymar bought the Mangaratiba mansion in 2016. According to Brazilian media, it sits on 10,000 square meters (107,000 square feet) of land and features a heliport, spa and gym.

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A prosecutor in Brazil fined soccer star Neymar 16 million reais ($3.3 million) for building a lake at his mansion on the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro without an environmental license, authorities said Monday.

A prosecutor in Brazil fined soccer star Neymar 16 million reais ($3.3 million) for building a lake at his mansion on the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro without an environmental license, authorities said Monday. The town council in Mangaratiba issued four fines for "environmental violations in the construction of an artificial lake at the player's mansion," the council secretariat said in a statement. "The sanctions add up to more than 16 million reais," the statement said, a sum set out by the prosecutor's office in Mangaratiba, a tourist area around 130 kilometers (80 miles) from Rio where the Paris Saint-Germain star has his mansion. Also Read: Liverpool signs RB Leipzig midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai for 70 million Euros Among "dozens of infractions" detected, the authorities listed "carrying out work subject to environmental control without authorization," capture and diversion of river water without authorization, and "removal of land and suppression of vegetation without authorization." Neymar has 20 days to appeal the penalty, the amount of which had initially been set at five million reais, close to one million dollars. On June 22, after complaints based on social media posts, authorities found several environmental violations at the luxury property, where workers were building an artificial lake and beach. Authorities cordoned off the site and ordered all activity to cease, but Brazilian media reported that Neymar threw a party there and bathed in the lake. Neymar's press office in Brazil did not respond to an AFP request for comment. Neymar, 31, is currently recovering from surgery on his right ankle, which he underwent in Doha in March. The striker has not played since February and doubts have arisen about his staying at PSG. Neymar bought the Mangaratiba mansion in 2016. According to Brazilian media, it sits on 10,000 square meters (107,000 square feet) of land and features a heliport, spa and gym. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Football: Neymar fined $3.3 million for building lake at his new mansion

Bournemouth&nbsp;have appointed Spaniard Andoni Iraola as head coach on a two-year contract, hours after&nbsp;sacking&nbsp;Gary&nbsp;O'Neil, the&nbsp;Premier&nbsp;League&nbsp;club&nbsp;said in a statement on Monday. O'Neil&nbsp;helped&nbsp;Bournemouth&nbsp;secure their top-flight survival last season, steering them to a 15th-placed finish in the&nbsp;league&nbsp;after taking over from Scott Parker, but their form trailed off towards the end of the campaign.

Iraola joins&nbsp;Bournemouth&nbsp;after guiding Rayo Vallecano to an 11th-placed finish in LaLiga last season, following a successful three-year spell at the Spanish&nbsp;club.

We're so excited to welcome Andoni to the&nbsp;club,"&nbsp;Bournemouth&nbsp;owner Bill Foley said. "With his contract in Spain coming to an end this summer we wanted to act quickly. "We have identified a number of targets in the transfer market, which along with our January additions will supplement our strong playing squad to give Andoni the best chance to consolidate our&nbsp;Premier&nbsp;League&nbsp;status and keep progressing."

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bhavani-devi-wins-indias-first-ever-medal-at-asian-fencing-championships-606207">Bhavani Devi wins India's first ever medal at Asian Fencing Championships</a>

American businessman Foley, who took over&nbsp;Bournemouth&nbsp;in December, said in an earlier statement that the change in&nbsp;manager&nbsp;would help the&nbsp;club&nbsp;better execute their strategy in the coming months.

"Gary's achievement last season is one I will always be grateful for. This has been a difficult decision, but it has been made with great consideration to best position ourselves ahead of the coming season," he said.

"As a&nbsp;club, we have put plans in place for long-term success with improvements being made to infrastructure, most notably the development of a new state-of-the-art training facility and the ongoing discussions around upgrades to our stadium. "We... believe this change in direction will provide us with the best platform from which to build."

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Bournemouth have appointed Spaniard Andoni Iraola as head coach on a two-year contract, hours after sacking Gary O'Neil, the Premier League club said in a statement on Monday.

Bournemouth have appointed Spaniard Andoni Iraola as head coach on a two-year contract, hours after sacking Gary O'Neil, the Premier League club said in a statement on Monday. O'Neil helped Bournemouth secure their top-flight survival last season, steering them to a 15th-placed finish in the league after taking over from Scott Parker, but their form trailed off towards the end of the campaign. Iraola joins Bournemouth after guiding Rayo Vallecano to an 11th-placed finish in LaLiga last season, following a successful three-year spell at the Spanish club. We're so excited to welcome Andoni to the club," Bournemouth owner Bill Foley said. "With his contract in Spain coming to an end this summer we wanted to act quickly. "We have identified a number of targets in the transfer market, which along with our January additions will supplement our strong playing squad to give Andoni the best chance to consolidate our Premier League status and keep progressing." Also Read: Bhavani Devi wins India's first ever medal at Asian Fencing Championships American businessman Foley, who took over Bournemouth in December, said in an earlier statement that the change in manager would help the club better execute their strategy in the coming months. "Gary's achievement last season is one I will always be grateful for. This has been a difficult decision, but it has been made with great consideration to best position ourselves ahead of the coming season," he said. "As a club, we have put plans in place for long-term success with improvements being made to infrastructure, most notably the development of a new state-of-the-art training facility and the ongoing discussions around upgrades to our stadium. "We... believe this change in direction will provide us with the best platform from which to build." WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Bournemouth appoint Spaniard Andoni Iraola as manager after sacking Gary O'Neil

Despite talk of potentially taking over the Ligue 1 club from Christophe Galtier in the 2023-24 season, Mourinho reaffirmed his loyalty to Roma, where he is currently under contract until 2024.

Is Mourinho's time at Roma over?

CONMEBOL&nbsp;has fined Argentine team Racing Club and Uruguay's Nacional for racist behaviour by their fans during Copa Libertadores matches against Brazilian sides Flamengo and Internacional. Racing were fined $100,000 by&nbsp;CONMEBOL&nbsp;after their fans made racist gestures towards fans of the opposing team during a 1-1 draw with Flamengo on May 4.

Brazilian media reported that Nacional fans waved bananas at Internacional players and imitated monkeys during the 2-2 draw in the Brazilian city of Porto Alegre. CONMEBOL&nbsp;said in its disciplinary report that objects thrown by Nacional fans during the match hit five supporters of the home team.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/laliga-rodrygos-late-winner-helps-vinicius-less-real-madrid-beat-rayo-vallecano-2-1-596200">LaLiga: Rodrygo's late-winner helps Vinicius-less Real Madrid beat Rayo Vallecano 2-1</a>

The governing body issued the same fine of $100,000 to Nacional for racist slurs and $10,000 for object-throwing. The issue of racism in soccer surfaced in Spain on Sunday when Real Madrid's Brazilian striker Vinicius Jr. reported racist slurs against him by fans during a La Liga game against Valencia.

CONMEBOL has fined Argentine team Racing Club and Uruguay's Nacional for racist behaviour by their fans during Copa Libertadores matches against Brazilian sides Flamengo and Internacional.

CONMEBOL has fined Argentine team Racing Club and Uruguay's Nacional for racist behaviour by their fans during Copa Libertadores matches against Brazilian sides Flamengo and Internacional. Racing were fined $100,000 by CONMEBOL after their fans made racist gestures towards fans of the opposing team during a 1-1 draw with Flamengo on May 4. Brazilian media reported that Nacional fans waved bananas at Internacional players and imitated monkeys during the 2-2 draw in the Brazilian city of Porto Alegre. CONMEBOL said in its disciplinary report that objects thrown by Nacional fans during the match hit five supporters of the home team. Also Read: LaLiga: Rodrygo's late-winner helps Vinicius-less Real Madrid beat Rayo Vallecano 2-1 The governing body issued the same fine of $100,000 to Nacional for racist slurs and $10,000 for object-throwing. The issue of racism in soccer surfaced in Spain on Sunday when Real Madrid's Brazilian striker Vinicius Jr. reported racist slurs against him by fans during a La Liga game against Valencia.

CONMEBOL fines Argentina's Racing and Uruguay's Nacional due to racist insults

Former Mexico goalkeeper Antonio Carbajal, the first footballer to play in five World Cups, has died at the age of 93, local media announced on Tuesday.

'Tota', as Carbajal was known, appeared in goal for Mexico at the World Cups in Brazil 1950, Switzerland 1954, Sweden 1958, Chile 1962 and England 1966, in which he made 11 caps for his country.

Carbajal held the record of playing in five World Cups for 32 years until 1998 when German midfielder Lothar Matthaus reached the mark.

Carbajal's compatriots Rafael Marquez and Andres Guardado, along with Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have also since equalled his record.

Although Carbajal said he was scouted by Real Madrid between 1950 and 1954, the Mexican never left his domestic league and played most of his career in his hometown with Club Leon. 
 
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Former Mexico goalkeeper Antonio Carbajal, the first footballer to play in five World Cups, has died at the age of 93, local media announced on Tuesday. 'Tota', as Carbajal was known, appeared in goal for Mexico at the World Cups in Brazil 1950, Switzerland 1954, Sweden 1958, Chile 1962 and England 1966, in which he made 11 caps for his country.

Former Mexico goalkeeper Antonio Carbajal, the first footballer to play in five World Cups, has died at the age of 93, local media announced on Tuesday. 'Tota', as Carbajal was known, appeared in goal for Mexico at the World Cups in Brazil 1950, Switzerland 1954, Sweden 1958, Chile 1962 and England 1966, in which he made 11 caps for his country. Carbajal held the record of playing in five World Cups for 32 years until 1998 when German midfielder Lothar Matthaus reached the mark. Carbajal's compatriots Rafael Marquez and Andres Guardado, along with Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have also since equalled his record. Although Carbajal said he was scouted by Real Madrid between 1950 and 1954, the Mexican never left his domestic league and played most of his career in his hometown with Club Leon. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Record-breaking World Cup goalkeeper Carbajal dies aged 93

Kevin De Bruyne's brilliant drive earned Manchester City a 1-1 draw at Real Madrid in a gripping Champions League semi-final first leg battle on Tuesday.

The Belgian slammed Pep Guardiola's visitors level after Vinicius Junior opened the scoring for the reigning champions from distance in similarly spectacular fashion.

Madrid managed to completely shackle lethal striker Erling Haaland but De Bruyne's powerful effort left the tie on a knife edge ahead of the second leg in Manchester next week.

The record 14-time winners knocked City out at the same stage last season despite being outplayed in both games, and took the lead at the Santiago Bernabeu against the run of play.

However when Madrid found their stride in the second half, City -- still chasing their first ever Champions League trophy -- hit back through De Bruyne.

"I don't think anyone will feel stronger, it's an open result, we knew it wasn't going to end here, and the tie is 50-50," Madrid midfielder Luka Modric told Movistar.

"When they had the ball, we were strong, we held our ground, after the goal we improved in pressing and on the ball, it's a pity about their goal."

Guardiola selected Kyle Walker at right-back to combat the pacy threat of Real Madrid winger Vinicius, while Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti opted for Toni Kroos at the base of midfield.

Rodrygo, who struck two late goals as a substitute last season against Manchester City to pave Madrid's passage into the final, started after his Copa del Rey heroics on Saturday.

The visitors controlled much of the first half, with nearly 70 percent possession, but went in trailing at the break.

Thibaut Courtois fielded an early barrage of shots from De Bruyne, Rodri and Haaland, as City dominated and Madrid sat back, soaking up the pressure.&nbsp;

Guardiola's side were issued a warning when Vinicius won the ball high up the pitch and crossed for Karim Benzema but Ruben Dias made a superb interception.

It was Madrid's only attack of note after half an hour and even though City were&nbsp;peppering Courtois, it was the closest either side came, until Vinicius struck.

Madrid took the lead through a lethal counter-attack, with Eduardo Camavinga, playing at left-back, surging past Bernardo Silva, tearing into space and feeding Vinicius.

The Brazilian arrowed a strike into the top left corner from almost 25 yards, past Ederson's helpless dive. It was Madrid's only shot in the first half, but the game's most effective one.

- Haaland shackled - 
 
City were upset with some of Madrid's defensive aggression, particularly Dani Carvajal's attempts at shackling Jack Grealish, including slamming him into the advertising hoardings without punishment.

David Alaba thwarted Haaland with a fine block early in the second half, as Madrid kept the Norwegian goal machine under lock and key on his first appearance against them.

Madrid did not allow him a clear sight of goal, ensuring he could not add to his 51 goals from 46 games this season across all competitions.

Madrid's pressing was greatly improved after the break and they pinned City back at&nbsp;

times, showing far more initiative than they offered at the start.

However with Los Blancos ascendent, City sucker-punched them, just as Madrid did to the Premier League leaders in the first half.

De Bruyne slammed the visitors level with a shot from the same range as Vinicius's opener, at the same end, hammered low past Courtois.

"He's a massive player for us, he's always been great and he helped us in the moment we most needed it," Rodri told BT Sport.

"With this goal he gives us the confidence to keep pushing."

Ederson palmed away a Benzema header and a vicious Aurelien Tchouameni effort in the final stages but, as Guardiola predicted before the game, the tie will be decided in Manchester.

The second leg takes place on May 17, with the winner facing Inter Milan or AC Milan in the final. 
 
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Kevin De Bruyne's brilliant drive earned Manchester City a 1-1 draw at Real Madrid in a gripping Champions League semi-final first leg battle on Tuesday. The Belgian slammed Pep Guardiola's visitors level after Vinicius Junior opened the scoring for the reigning champions from distance in similarly spectacular fashion.

Kevin De Bruyne's brilliant drive earned Manchester City a 1-1 draw at Real Madrid in a gripping Champions League semi-final first leg battle on Tuesday. The Belgian slammed Pep Guardiola's visitors level after Vinicius Junior opened the scoring for the reigning champions from distance in similarly spectacular fashion. Madrid managed to completely shackle lethal striker Erling Haaland but De Bruyne's powerful effort left the tie on a knife edge ahead of the second leg in Manchester next week. The record 14-time winners knocked City out at the same stage last season despite being outplayed in both games, and took the lead at the Santiago Bernabeu against the run of play. However when Madrid found their stride in the second half, City -- still chasing their first ever Champions League trophy -- hit back through De Bruyne. "I don't think anyone will feel stronger, it's an open result, we knew it wasn't going to end here, and the tie is 50-50," Madrid midfielder Luka Modric told Movistar. "When they had the ball, we were strong, we held our ground, after the goal we improved in pressing and on the ball, it's a pity about their goal." Guardiola selected Kyle Walker at right-back to combat the pacy threat of Real Madrid winger Vinicius, while Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti opted for Toni Kroos at the base of midfield. Rodrygo, who struck two late goals as a substitute last season against Manchester City to pave Madrid's passage into the final, started after his Copa del Rey heroics on Saturday. The visitors controlled much of the first half, with nearly 70 percent possession, but went in trailing at the break. Thibaut Courtois fielded an early barrage of shots from De Bruyne, Rodri and Haaland, as City dominated and Madrid sat back, soaking up the pressure. Guardiola's side were issued a warning when Vinicius won the ball high up the pitch and crossed for Karim Benzema but Ruben Dias made a superb interception. It was Madrid's only attack of note after half an hour and even though City were peppering Courtois, it was the closest either side came, until Vinicius struck. Madrid took the lead through a lethal counter-attack, with Eduardo Camavinga, playing at left-back, surging past Bernardo Silva, tearing into space and feeding Vinicius. The Brazilian arrowed a strike into the top left corner from almost 25 yards, past Ederson's helpless dive. It was Madrid's only shot in the first half, but the game's most effective one. - Haaland shackled - City were upset with some of Madrid's defensive aggression, particularly Dani Carvajal's attempts at shackling Jack Grealish, including slamming him into the advertising hoardings without punishment. David Alaba thwarted Haaland with a fine block early in the second half, as Madrid kept the Norwegian goal machine under lock and key on his first appearance against them. Madrid did not allow him a clear sight of goal, ensuring he could not add to his 51 goals from 46 games this season across all competitions. Madrid's pressing was greatly improved after the break and they pinned City back at times, showing far more initiative than they offered at the start. However with Los Blancos ascendent, City sucker-punched them, just as Madrid did to the Premier League leaders in the first half. De Bruyne slammed the visitors level with a shot from the same range as Vinicius's opener, at the same end, hammered low past Courtois. "He's a massive player for us, he's always been great and he helped us in the moment we most needed it," Rodri told BT Sport. "With this goal he gives us the confidence to keep pushing." Ederson palmed away a Benzema header and a vicious Aurelien Tchouameni effort in the final stages but, as Guardiola predicted before the game, the tie will be decided in Manchester. The second leg takes place on May 17, with the winner facing Inter Milan or AC Milan in the final. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

De Bruyne rocket leaves Man City and Madrid level

In a tragic turn of events, a 26-year-old lost his life in the early hours of Friday morning after being wounded in the wild celebrations in Naples after its soccer team became Serie A champions for the first time in 33 years, as per local officials.

According to the police, the man died in Cardarelli Hospital in Naples.

UK media outlets linked the death of the individual to celebratory gunshots, whereas, Reuters, citing Naples Prefect Claudio Palomba, said the incident had “nothing to do with the celebrations” and linked it to score-settling within the local Camorra mafia.

On Thursday evening, thousands of Napoli supporters took to the streets to celebrate the club's win. After the Napoli team secured the "Scudetto" title with a 1-1 draw away at Udinese in northeast Italy, mass street partying, followed by fireworks, flares, horns and firecrackers, began.

"Even those who don't follow football took to the streets to celebrate. I am not a supporter, but I took to the streets for a sense of belonging to this wonderful city, which has so much to offer," a Naples resident, who gave her name only as Federica, told Reuters.

According to Naples health authorities, at least 203 people accessed emergency services overnight, including 22 with "red-level" critical injuries and 75 with "yellow-level" serious but not life-threatening conditions.

<h2>Scuffles between Napoli and Udinese fans after match</h2>

As per Italy's news agency, on Thursday, post-match brawls broke out in Udine as Napoli fans ran onto the stadium pitch to celebrate with players.

The reports further added that the fans then encountered aggressive home supporters armed with belts and batons.

According to RAI public television reports, anti-riot police interceded to break up the fights, and reportedly six fans sustained non-serious injuries.

<h2>Napoli's historic triumph</h2>

Napoli finally ended their long wait to win Italy's Serie A on Thursday after a 1-1 draw at Udinese secured their third league title with a record-equalling five games to play.

Victor Osimhen scored the decisive goal in the second half as Napoli's current stars came back from behind to Sandi Lovric's opener at half-time and emulated the teams led by Diego Maradona which won the league in 1987 and 1990.

Spalletti and his squad will receive an emotional welcome when they return to Naples, where the partying is set to continue until at least their next home fixture against Fiorentina on Sunday evening.

"Seeing Neapolitans happy is enough to give you a sense of that joy they are feeling," Spalletti told DAZN on the verge of tears.

"These people will look to this moment when life gets hard, they have every right to celebrate like this. You feel a bit more relaxed knowing that you've given them this moment of happiness."

(With inputs from agencies) 
 
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In a tragic turn of events, a 26-year-old lost his life in the early hours of Friday morning after being wounded in the wild celebrations in Naples after its soccer team became Serie A champions for the first time in 33 years, as per local officials.

In a tragic turn of events, a 26-year-old lost his life in the early hours of Friday morning after being wounded in the wild celebrations in Naples after its soccer team became Serie A champions for the first time in 33 years, as per local officials. According to the police, the man died in Cardarelli Hospital in Naples. UK media outlets linked the death of the individual to celebratory gunshots, whereas, Reuters, citing Naples Prefect Claudio Palomba, said the incident had “nothing to do with the celebrations” and linked it to score-settling within the local Camorra mafia. On Thursday evening, thousands of Napoli supporters took to the streets to celebrate the club's win. After the Napoli team secured the "Scudetto" title with a 1-1 draw away at Udinese in northeast Italy, mass street partying, followed by fireworks, flares, horns and firecrackers, began. "Even those who don't follow football took to the streets to celebrate. I am not a supporter, but I took to the streets for a sense of belonging to this wonderful city, which has so much to offer," a Naples resident, who gave her name only as Federica, told Reuters. According to Naples health authorities, at least 203 people accessed emergency services overnight, including 22 with "red-level" critical injuries and 75 with "yellow-level" serious but not life-threatening conditions. Scuffles between Napoli and Udinese fans after match As per Italy's news agency, on Thursday, post-match brawls broke out in Udine as Napoli fans ran onto the stadium pitch to celebrate with players. The reports further added that the fans then encountered aggressive home supporters armed with belts and batons. According to RAI public television reports, anti-riot police interceded to break up the fights, and reportedly six fans sustained non-serious injuries. Napoli's historic triumph Napoli finally ended their long wait to win Italy's Serie A on Thursday after a 1-1 draw at Udinese secured their third league title with a record-equalling five games to play. Victor Osimhen scored the decisive goal in the second half as Napoli's current stars came back from behind to Sandi Lovric's opener at half-time and emulated the teams led by Diego Maradona which won the league in 1987 and 1990. Spalletti and his squad will receive an emotional welcome when they return to Naples, where the partying is set to continue until at least their next home fixture against Fiorentina on Sunday evening. "Seeing Neapolitans happy is enough to give you a sense of that joy they are feeling," Spalletti told DAZN on the verge of tears. "These people will look to this moment when life gets hard, they have every right to celebrate like this. You feel a bit more relaxed knowing that you've given them this moment of happiness." (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Mafia revenge killing? Napoli fan dies after sustaining wounds from celebratory gunshots

Kazakhstan scored twice late on as they came back from two goals down to stun Denmark in their Euro 2024 qualifier. Rasmus Hojlund, who scored a hat-trick against Finland on Thursday, scored twice in the first half to put the Danes in control.

Kazakhstan pulls off historic comeback to stun Denmark

Kylian Mbappe marked his first game as France captain on Friday with two goals and an assist as the World Cup finalists romped to a 4-0 win against a depleted Netherlands side in a Euro 2024 qualifier in Paris.

Mbappe has succeeded long-standing France skipper Hugo Lloris and the new era got off to a flying start as the Paris Saint-Germain superstar set up the pink-haired Antoine Griezmann to score inside two minutes.

Dayot Upamecano bundled in the second goal in the eighth minute and Mbappe got his name on the scoresheet to make it 3-0 before the midway point in the first half.

Mbappe wrapped up the victory in emphatic fashion with two minutes remaining, before the Netherlands' Memphis Depay had a stoppage-time penalty saved by goalkeeper Mike Maignan.&nbsp;

It was a display of ruthless efficiency from Didier Deschamps' side against a Dutch team missing several key players after a virus swept through their squad.

They can at least console themselves in the knowledge that their toughest assignment in qualifying Group B is out of the way and their next game is at home to Gibraltar on Monday.

The French now head to Dublin to play the Republic of Ireland but it is going to take something remarkable for them to fail to qualify for next year's Euro given the top two teams in each group go through.

This was France's first game since their World Cup final defeat on penalties by Argentina just over three months ago.

There were four changes to Deschamps' team from that game, with Lloris and centre-back Raphael Varane having retired -– they were honoured on the Stade de France pitch before kick-off -– while Ousmane Dembele is injured and Olivier Giroud started on the bench.

In came AC Milan's Maignan in goal and Liverpool's Ibrahima Konate in central defence, while there were starts for Kingsley Coman and Randal Kolo Muani, two players who came off the bench in the Doha final.

The Netherlands, with Ronald Koeman back for a second spell as coach, were without Cody Gakpo, Matthijs de Ligt, Sven Botman, Denzel Dumfries and Frenkie de Jong for a variety of reasons.

Ruthless efficiency&nbsp;

France simply blew them away in an astonishing start.

Mbappe has promised to play a unifying role for his country after taking over the armband, although he also admitted that Griezmann was disappointed at being overlooked for the captaincy by Deschamps.

Usually when Mbappe gets the ball on the left side of the box he shapes to shoot towards the far corner.

That he didn't in the second minute was telling, as he instead chose to play a square pass for the arriving Griezmann to finish first-time.

Griezmann, reprising the midfield role he operated so remarkably at the World Cup, then set up the second.

His whipped free-kick from the right was not properly dealt with by Dutch goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen, and Bayern Munich defender Upamecano was left with an easy finish.

There was a touch of real class about the third goal as Kolo Muani's decision not to touch Aurelien Tchouameni's through ball completely did for the Netherlands defence and left Mbappe through to beat the goalkeeper.

France were 3-0 up with barely 30 per cent possession, and Koeman made a substitution before half-time, replacing Ajax midfielder Kenneth Taylor with Manchester United target man Wout Weghorst.

Only a fine Cillessen save from a Konate header stopped France from scoring again before the break, and substitute Moussa Diaby then had a goal disallowed late on.

However, Mbappe sealed the win two minutes from time, pouncing on a loose ball before firing a shot through the legs of Jurrien Timber and into the bottom corner.

The evening concluded with Maignan stopping Depay's penalty, which had been awarded for an Upamecano handball.

Kylian Mbappe marked his first game as France captain on Friday with two goals and an assist as the World Cup finalists romped to a 4-0 win against a depleted Netherlands side in a Euro 2024 qualifier in Paris.

Kylian Mbappe marked his first game as France captain on Friday with two goals and an assist as the World Cup finalists romped to a 4-0 win against a depleted Netherlands side in a Euro 2024 qualifier in Paris. Mbappe has succeeded long-standing France skipper Hugo Lloris and the new era got off to a flying start as the Paris Saint-Germain superstar set up the pink-haired Antoine Griezmann to score inside two minutes. Dayot Upamecano bundled in the second goal in the eighth minute and Mbappe got his name on the scoresheet to make it 3-0 before the midway point in the first half. Mbappe wrapped up the victory in emphatic fashion with two minutes remaining, before the Netherlands' Memphis Depay had a stoppage-time penalty saved by goalkeeper Mike Maignan. It was a display of ruthless efficiency from Didier Deschamps' side against a Dutch team missing several key players after a virus swept through their squad. They can at least console themselves in the knowledge that their toughest assignment in qualifying Group B is out of the way and their next game is at home to Gibraltar on Monday. The French now head to Dublin to play the Republic of Ireland but it is going to take something remarkable for them to fail to qualify for next year's Euro given the top two teams in each group go through. This was France's first game since their World Cup final defeat on penalties by Argentina just over three months ago. There were four changes to Deschamps' team from that game, with Lloris and centre-back Raphael Varane having retired -– they were honoured on the Stade de France pitch before kick-off -– while Ousmane Dembele is injured and Olivier Giroud started on the bench. In came AC Milan's Maignan in goal and Liverpool's Ibrahima Konate in central defence, while there were starts for Kingsley Coman and Randal Kolo Muani, two players who came off the bench in the Doha final. The Netherlands, with Ronald Koeman back for a second spell as coach, were without Cody Gakpo, Matthijs de Ligt, Sven Botman, Denzel Dumfries and Frenkie de Jong for a variety of reasons. Ruthless efficiency France simply blew them away in an astonishing start. Mbappe has promised to play a unifying role for his country after taking over the armband, although he also admitted that Griezmann was disappointed at being overlooked for the captaincy by Deschamps. Usually when Mbappe gets the ball on the left side of the box he shapes to shoot towards the far corner. That he didn't in the second minute was telling, as he instead chose to play a square pass for the arriving Griezmann to finish first-time. Griezmann, reprising the midfield role he operated so remarkably at the World Cup, then set up the second. His whipped free-kick from the right was not properly dealt with by Dutch goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen, and Bayern Munich defender Upamecano was left with an easy finish. There was a touch of real class about the third goal as Kolo Muani's decision not to touch Aurelien Tchouameni's through ball completely did for the Netherlands defence and left Mbappe through to beat the goalkeeper. France were 3-0 up with barely 30 per cent possession, and Koeman made a substitution before half-time, replacing Ajax midfielder Kenneth Taylor with Manchester United target man Wout Weghorst. Only a fine Cillessen save from a Konate header stopped France from scoring again before the break, and substitute Moussa Diaby then had a goal disallowed late on. However, Mbappe sealed the win two minutes from time, pouncing on a loose ball before firing a shot through the legs of Jurrien Timber and into the bottom corner. The evening concluded with Maignan stopping Depay's penalty, which had been awarded for an Upamecano handball.

Euro 2024 qualifier: France thrash Netherlands, Mbappe gets off to winning start as captain

Harry Kane became England's record international goalscorer as his side began their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign by defeating reigning champions Italy 2-1 in Group C on Thursday.

England's skipper struck a penalty past Italy keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma shortly before halftime to make it 2-0 and take his tally to 54, one more than Wayne Rooney.

Midfielder Declan Rice had opened the scoring after 13 minutes as Gareth Southgate's side dominated the first half.

Debutant striker Mateo Retegui halved the deficit in the 56th minute as Italy responded in impressive fashion but England weathered a storm to secure a first win over Italy on Italian soil for 62 years despite having Luke Shaw sent off.

Although there will be a concern at how England lost their way in the second half, it proved the perfect response after the heartache of losing to France in the World Cup quarter-finals in December when Kane missed a crucial penalty.

This time he made no mistake after Giovanni Di Lorenzo was harshly penalised for a handball in the 42nd minute, finding the corner to claim another scoring record.

Kane was also involved in England's opener as his blocked shot fell for Rice to convert to silence the majority of fans inside the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.

Italy, who beat England on penalties to win Euro 2020 at Wembley Stadium but failed to qualify for the World Cup, were far more dangerous in the second half after Argentina-born Retegui smashed a low shot past Jordan Pickford.

England sank deeper and deeper as they appeared to run out of legs but Italy struggled to create clear chances and suffered its first Euro qualifying defeat in 41 games.

It was England's first competitive victory over Italy since 1977 and meant Gareth Southgate has racked up 50 wins as the national coach since taking the job in 2016.

Kane's night

But the night belonged to Kane.

"This means everything," Kane said. "So excited to get back out there and put the England shirt back on. And it had to be a penalty of course. Once it hit the back of the net there was so much emotion. Just huge thanks to the players, staff and fans."

Rooney, whose goals came in 120 games compared with the 81 it has taken Kane to move ahead of him, was quick to congratulate his former international team mate.

"I knew it wouldn't take long but that was quick. Great man, unbelievable goalscorer and an England legend. Congrats Harry!" Rooney said on Twitter.

It was the first time Naples had hosted the Azzurri for a decade but it all went flat for Roberto Mancini's team as they were outplayed in the first half.

Young midfielder Jude Bellingham ran the show in the early stages for England and he forced a superb save from Donnarumma when he let fly with a ferocious shot from distance.

From the resulting corner, the ball fell to Kane and when his shot was blocked by Leonardo Spinazzola it fell kindly for Rice to shoot past Donnarumma.

England looked dangerous every time they crossed the halfway line and Kane flashed a low ball across the face of the goal.

Kalvin Phillips, surprisingly given a start despite hardly any minutes for Manchester City this season, went close with a low show as Kane screamed for a pass.

Kane's history-making moment was a touch harsh on Italy as referee Srdjan Jovanovic decided after checking a monitor that Di Lorenzo had used his arm as a cross came into the box.

Kane dispatched the penalty to put England in cruise control and Jack Grealish missed a glorious chance to make it 3-0 on the stroke of halftime.

Italy were a different proposition after the break and Retegui marked his debut with a clinical finish.

Mancini sent on Wilfrid Gnonto midway through the half and he caused all sorts of problems as Italy piled forward.

Shaw was booked for time wasting and a minute later received another yellow for a mistimed tackle and a flagging England had to dig deep to get over the line. 
&nbsp;

Although there will be a concern at how England lost their way in the second half, it proved the perfect response after the heartache of losing to France in the World Cup quarter-finals in December when Kane missed a crucial penalty.

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Harry Kane became England's record international goalscorer as his side began their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign by defeating reigning champions Italy 2-1 in Group C on Thursday.

Harry Kane became England's record international goalscorer as his side began their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign by defeating reigning champions Italy 2-1 in Group C on Thursday. England's skipper struck a penalty past Italy keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma shortly before halftime to make it 2-0 and take his tally to 54, one more than Wayne Rooney. Midfielder Declan Rice had opened the scoring after 13 minutes as Gareth Southgate's side dominated the first half. Debutant striker Mateo Retegui halved the deficit in the 56th minute as Italy responded in impressive fashion but England weathered a storm to secure a first win over Italy on Italian soil for 62 years despite having Luke Shaw sent off. Although there will be a concern at how England lost their way in the second half, it proved the perfect response after the heartache of losing to France in the World Cup quarter-finals in December when Kane missed a crucial penalty. This time he made no mistake after Giovanni Di Lorenzo was harshly penalised for a handball in the 42nd minute, finding the corner to claim another scoring record. Kane was also involved in England's opener as his blocked shot fell for Rice to convert to silence the majority of fans inside the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. Italy, who beat England on penalties to win Euro 2020 at Wembley Stadium but failed to qualify for the World Cup, were far more dangerous in the second half after Argentina-born Retegui smashed a low shot past Jordan Pickford. England sank deeper and deeper as they appeared to run out of legs but Italy struggled to create clear chances and suffered its first Euro qualifying defeat in 41 games. It was England's first competitive victory over Italy since 1977 and meant Gareth Southgate has racked up 50 wins as the national coach since taking the job in 2016. Kane's night But the night belonged to Kane. "This means everything," Kane said. "So excited to get back out there and put the England shirt back on. And it had to be a penalty of course. Once it hit the back of the net there was so much emotion. Just huge thanks to the players, staff and fans." Rooney, whose goals came in 120 games compared with the 81 it has taken Kane to move ahead of him, was quick to congratulate his former international team mate. "I knew it wouldn't take long but that was quick. Great man, unbelievable goalscorer and an England legend. Congrats Harry!" Rooney said on Twitter. It was the first time Naples had hosted the Azzurri for a decade but it all went flat for Roberto Mancini's team as they were outplayed in the first half. Young midfielder Jude Bellingham ran the show in the early stages for England and he forced a superb save from Donnarumma when he let fly with a ferocious shot from distance. From the resulting corner, the ball fell to Kane and when his shot was blocked by Leonardo Spinazzola it fell kindly for Rice to shoot past Donnarumma. England looked dangerous every time they crossed the halfway line and Kane flashed a low ball across the face of the goal. Kalvin Phillips, surprisingly given a start despite hardly any minutes for Manchester City this season, went close with a low show as Kane screamed for a pass. Kane's history-making moment was a touch harsh on Italy as referee Srdjan Jovanovic decided after checking a monitor that Di Lorenzo had used his arm as a cross came into the box. Kane dispatched the penalty to put England in cruise control and Jack Grealish missed a glorious chance to make it 3-0 on the stroke of halftime. Italy were a different proposition after the break and Retegui marked his debut with a clinical finish. Mancini sent on Wilfrid Gnonto midway through the half and he caused all sorts of problems as Italy piled forward. Shaw was booked for time wasting and a minute later received another yellow for a mistimed tackle and a flagging England had to dig deep to get over the line. Although there will be a concern at how England lost their way in the second half, it proved the perfect response after the heartache of losing to France in the World Cup quarter-finals in December when Kane missed a crucial penalty. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Euro 2024 | Harry Kane breaks record as England enjoys rare win over Italy

It is transition time in international football. Three major European heavyweights have named new captains for the new international football cycle. 2022 Qatar World Cup Golden Boot winner Kylian Mbappe has been chosen as the captain of France by Didier Deschamps, making him the youngest captain in the history of Les Bleus. Kevin De Bruyne has replaced Eden Hazard as the new Belgian captain. However, the biggest surprise came from the Spanish camp, which picked Alvaro Morata as its new leader.

Can Mbappe, Morata & De Bruyne be successful Captains?

An&nbsp;Indonesian court on Thursday&nbsp;jailed&nbsp;a&nbsp;policeman&nbsp;but cleared two other officers of negligence&nbsp;over&nbsp;crowd control measures at a local soccer match that led to one of the world's deadliest&nbsp;stadium&nbsp;stampedes. The October 2022 derby in Malang, East Java, between Arema FC and Persebaya Surabaya ended in chaos with 135 spectators killed, many&nbsp;crushed as they fled for exits after police fired tear gas into the crowd.

Last week, two Arema FC match officials were also&nbsp;jailed&nbsp;for negligence, in the first verdicts&nbsp;over&nbsp;the stampede. One of the policemen, Hasdarmawan, was on Thursday sentenced to one and a half years in prison. Authorities had earlier said Hasdarmawan had ordered police to fire tear gas, which soccer's world governing body FIFA has banned as a crowd control measure.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-ugly-scenes-eintracht-frankfurt-fans-throw-chairs-at-police-in-naples-ahead-of-ucl-tie-572544">WATCH: UGLY SCENES! Eintracht Frankfurt fans throw chairs at police in Naples ahead of UCL tie</a>

Two other officers, Bambang Sidik Achmadi and Wahyu Setyo Pranoto were cleared of wrongdoing and freed by the judge. Their lawyer could not immediately be reached for comment. An investigation by&nbsp;Indonesia's human rights commission found the main cause of the stampede was police firing into the crowd 45 rounds of tear gas.

Investigators also said the&nbsp;stadium&nbsp;was filled beyond capacity. Indonesia's top soccer league suspended matches for several months following the incident but most games have since resumed, with some fixtures played behind closed doors due to security concerns. Indonesia&nbsp;is due to hold the FIFA Under-20 World Cup in May.

An Indonesian court on Thursday jailed a policeman but cleared two other officers of negligence over crowd control measures at a local soccer match that led to one of the world's deadliest stadium stampedes.

An Indonesian court on Thursday jailed a policeman but cleared two other officers of negligence over crowd control measures at a local soccer match that led to one of the world's deadliest stadium stampedes. The October 2022 derby in Malang, East Java, between Arema FC and Persebaya Surabaya ended in chaos with 135 spectators killed, many crushed as they fled for exits after police fired tear gas into the crowd. Last week, two Arema FC match officials were also jailed for negligence, in the first verdicts over the stampede. One of the policemen, Hasdarmawan, was on Thursday sentenced to one and a half years in prison. Authorities had earlier said Hasdarmawan had ordered police to fire tear gas, which soccer's world governing body FIFA has banned as a crowd control measure. Also read: WATCH: UGLY SCENES! Eintracht Frankfurt fans throw chairs at police in Naples ahead of UCL tie Two other officers, Bambang Sidik Achmadi and Wahyu Setyo Pranoto were cleared of wrongdoing and freed by the judge. Their lawyer could not immediately be reached for comment. An investigation by Indonesia's human rights commission found the main cause of the stampede was police firing into the crowd 45 rounds of tear gas. Investigators also said the stadium was filled beyond capacity. Indonesia's top soccer league suspended matches for several months following the incident but most games have since resumed, with some fixtures played behind closed doors due to security concerns. Indonesia is due to hold the FIFA Under-20 World Cup in May.

Indonesia court jails policeman over deadly soccer stampede in October 2022, clears 2 officers

Canada Soccer say their pay proposals for their men's and women's national teams will ensure equality and make the women's team the second-best paid in the world. The governing body, which faced a strike threat from their women's team last month, said their plan was awaiting agreement from players unions. The plan features a pooling of prize money from the men's and women's World Cups with the income divided out equally between the two teams.

The statement from Canada Soccer was issued shortly before a hearing to parliament's Heritage Committee where women players will testify. "If accepted by the Player Associations, the collective bargaining agreements will pay both National Teams the same amount for playing a 90-minute match and both National Teams will share equally in competition prize money," the organisation said. "Additionally, Canada Soccer’s Women’s National Team will become the second-highest paid women’s national team among FIFA’s 211 Member Associations," they added.

Last week the body announced an interim funding agreement for the women's team to cover their run-up to the Women's World Cup which is being held in New Zealand and Australia in July. Canada won gold in the Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2021 and are among the contenders to challenge defending World Cup champions, the United States.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ex-nba-star-shawn-kemp-freed-from-jail-after-lawyers-claim-he-fired-in-self-defence-570440">Ex-NBA star Shawn Kemp freed from jail after lawyer claims he fired in ‘self-defence’</a>

Canada Soccer said they had agreed to all nine demands made by women's team players last month covering flights, hotels as well as transparency over finances. Former Olympic athlete Charmaine Crooks was named acting president of Canada Soccer after former president Nick Bontis quit after the row with the women's players.

Canada Soccer General Secretary Earl Cochrane said he hoped the players would sign up to the proposals. "The deal in front of our players today is unprecedented in Canadian sport and will make us a leader among FIFA Member Associations," he said. "We have appreciated the conversations with the two Players’ Associations and we believe serious progress has been made. With fresh leadership, now is the time to conclude those discussions and finalize a deal. Together, we can get this done.” added&nbsp;Cochrane.

Canada Soccer say their pay proposals for their men's and women's national teams will ensure equality and make the women's team the second-best paid in the world.

Canada Soccer say their pay proposals for their men's and women's national teams will ensure equality and make the women's team the second-best paid in the world. The governing body, which faced a strike threat from their women's team last month, said their plan was awaiting agreement from players unions. The plan features a pooling of prize money from the men's and women's World Cups with the income divided out equally between the two teams. The statement from Canada Soccer was issued shortly before a hearing to parliament's Heritage Committee where women players will testify. "If accepted by the Player Associations, the collective bargaining agreements will pay both National Teams the same amount for playing a 90-minute match and both National Teams will share equally in competition prize money," the organisation said. "Additionally, Canada Soccer’s Women’s National Team will become the second-highest paid women’s national team among FIFA’s 211 Member Associations," they added. Last week the body announced an interim funding agreement for the women's team to cover their run-up to the Women's World Cup which is being held in New Zealand and Australia in July. Canada won gold in the Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2021 and are among the contenders to challenge defending World Cup champions, the United States. Also read: Ex-NBA star Shawn Kemp freed from jail after lawyer claims he fired in ‘self-defence’ Canada Soccer said they had agreed to all nine demands made by women's team players last month covering flights, hotels as well as transparency over finances. Former Olympic athlete Charmaine Crooks was named acting president of Canada Soccer after former president Nick Bontis quit after the row with the women's players. Canada Soccer General Secretary Earl Cochrane said he hoped the players would sign up to the proposals. "The deal in front of our players today is unprecedented in Canadian sport and will make us a leader among FIFA Member Associations," he said. "We have appreciated the conversations with the two Players’ Associations and we believe serious progress has been made. With fresh leadership, now is the time to conclude those discussions and finalize a deal. Together, we can get this done.” added Cochrane.

Canada Soccer claim women's team will become second-highest paid after proposing equal pay deal

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