world cup sports update

Roberto De Zerbi 's position has come under scrutiny in recent weeks, following a winless start to the Premier League season for Tottenham Hotspur , the Italian likely to be the next managerial casualty in north London if things don't improve. from Football FanCast https://ift.tt/jP82wbV via IFTTT

Jurgen Klopp says his focus remains on "bringing German football back to where we all want it to be" as he continues his search for a first win in charge. Klopp's side have made a winless start to their Nations League campaign, drawing 1-1 with the Netherlands before they suffered a surprise 1-0 defeat to Greece. No Germany head coach has ever failed to win each of their first three matches in charge. Next up for Germany is a clash with Serbia, and Klopp will get the chance to see his second squad of players across the last two games of this international break. "We will build a team that can cause problems for all teams," Klopp said. "We're just getting started in this process. We are all interested in bringing German football back to where we all want it to be." While Germany sit third in Group A2 with one point, Serbia prop up the table having lost their opening two matches against Greece and the Netherlands by 2-1 scorelines. ...

Real Madrid defender Raul Asencio is set to have surgery on a stress fracture in his right tibia. Asencio has been struggling with the injury since the start of the season and was not included in any of Madrid's first five matchday squads this term. Even following his return, he has not played a single minute for Madrid so far and seemingly aggravated the issue in training on Wednesday. As such, he will undergo surgery on Thursday, with Spanish media reports suggesting he is set for two to four months on the sidelines. Asencio's medical report. https://t.co/qXG6jqmqwY — Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadriden) September 30, 2026 Asencio made 34 appearances for Madrid in all competitions last term but lost his starting place in the latter stages of the season. Jose Mourinho has been using Ibrahima Konate and Dean Huijsen as his regular centre-back pairing since his arrival. However, the Portuguese head coach could soon be able to call on Eder Militao, who has returned to...

Arsenal have now been gifted the chance to sign a defender, with manager Mikel Arteta known to be a keen admirer. from Football FanCast https://ift.tt/tm3vq8Y via IFTTT

England boss Sarina Wiegman insisted her focus is on qualifying for next year's Women's World Cup and not on her expiring contract. The Lionesses face Greece in a two-legged play-off semi-final, with the winner facing either Slovakia or Ukraine for a spot in next summer's competition. Wiegman has led England to back-to-back European Championship titles so far during her tenure, while also reaching the World Cup final in 2023. She is the first-ever men's or women's manager to reach five consecutive major international tournament finals, after also reaching the showpiece in both competitions during her time with the Netherlands. Despite her contract with the Lionesses ending after the World Cup, Wiegman's full focus is on qualifying for the tournament. "We had conversations before," said Wiegman when asked if talks had taken place about a possible extension. The #Lionesses are BACK  Sarina Wiegman has named her squad for our upcoming #...

Manchester City have been found guilty of all charges related to serious breaches of Premier League financial rules between 2009-10 and 2017-18 by an independent Commission, the league has said. In a statement on Tuesday, the Premier League said City had been found guilty of all charges that related to serious breaches of the financial rules and the majority of charges which were "in relation to its failure to co-operate with the League's investigation". Following widespread reports surrounding the verdicts last Friday, City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak insisted he was still confident of proving the club's innocence. City have until October 2 to exercise their right to appeal, and the club suggested that they plan to do so as part of a robust statement published after the verdict. It read: "Manchester City FC is both disappointed and surprised by the opinion of the Premier League Commission that has been published. "The club is innocent ...

Following the impressive summer transfer window, many Leeds United supporters were optimistic that the 2026/27 campaign would be one to remember under Daniel Farke . from Football FanCast https://ift.tt/C4KIGns via IFTTT

Spain will play in front of their home supporters for the first time since lifting the 2026 World Cup when they welcome Croatia to Seville for a UEFA Nations League encounter on Tuesday night. La Roja began their latest campaign with a thrilling victory over England, while Croatia also opened with three points after overcoming the Czech Republic, setting up an intriguing early showdown between two of Europe’s most experienced international sides. Verdict: Total home goals over 2.5 Best odds: 13/15 Bookmaker: BetUS Spain Spain continue to set the standard in international football after adding the World Cup trophy to their European Championship triumph this summer. Luis de la Fuente’s side returned to action against England on Saturday and demonstrated once again why they are regarded as the team to beat. Despite falling behind after an explosive start, Spain showed remarkable composure to recover and secure a 3-2 victory at Wembley. Lamine Yamal struck inside two minutes t...

The end of last season didn't end with a trophy for Manchester United , but a third-place finish felt as good as that. from Football FanCast https://ift.tt/iTEP6du via IFTTT

With Julian Ward now back at Liverpool , the hope is that better squad building is on the horizon. from Football FanCast https://ift.tt/c9IvgdZ via IFTTT

Zinedine Zidane is confident Ousmane Dembele can step up and be France's captain after Kylian Mbappe withdrew from the squad due to injury.  Dembele took the armband during France's 1-0 win over Turkiye in their Nations League opener, with Mbappe forced off after scoring the only goal in the 54th minute.  It has since been confirmed that the Real Madrid star suffered a hyperextension in his left knee, though the severity of the issue has not been disclosed at this time.  Mbappe will prove to be a big miss, not only for his leadership, but also for his quality on the pitch. He netted his 12th goal for France in 2026 last time out, equalling the highest total for a French player in a calendar year in the 21st century, set by himself in 2022.  Dembele also played his part at Turka Arac Muayene Kocaeli Stadyumu, finishing with team-high totals for chances created (four) and touches in the opposition box (seven).  "He is already doing it...

Manchester United would only consider sacking Michael Carrick if one of their top two managerial targets became available, Football FanCast sources understand. from Football FanCast https://ift.tt/mRO0Lqc via IFTTT

Lionel Scaloni revealed he did everything in his power to ensure Lionel Messi would return to the Argentina national team one more time for a farewell match.  Messi announced his retirement from international football following Argentina's 1-0 defeat to Spain in the World Cup final, bringing an end to a glittering career with his country.  He retires as Argentina's all-time leading appearance-maker (207) and scorer (125), while also captaining his country to the World Cup in 2022 and two Copa America crowns.  The 39-year-old has played more games (34), registered more goal involvements (33) and laid on more assists (12) than any other player in World Cup history, while only Kylian Mbappe (22) has bettered his 21 goals at FIFA's flagship tournament. The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner also leads the all-time World Cup charts for shots (140), shots on target (64), chances created (99) and dribbles (250).  However, Messi was called up to...

Few clubs in world football take as much pride in their academy as Manchester United . From the Busby Babes to the Class of '92, and more recently stars like Marcus Rashford and Kobbie Mainoo, bringing through homegrown talent has long been part of the club's identity. from Football FanCast https://ift.tt/yuzhajB via IFTTT

Even the most pessimistic Tottenham Hotspur fan could not have predicted their start to the 2026/27 season. from Football FanCast https://ift.tt/57RDVcH via IFTTT

Rangers have been told one of English football's brightest young talents could be tempted to join Derek McInnes at Ibrox. from Football FanCast https://ift.tt/BkQtb28 via IFTTT

Serbia and Greece begin their UEFA Nations League journeys on Thursday night when they meet at Stadion Rajko Mitic in Belgrade. Drawn alongside Germany and the Netherlands in League A Group 2, both nations know that a strong start could prove vital if they are to challenge for a top-two finish and a place in the quarter-finals. The fixture also presents an opportunity for two countries still hurting from their failure to qualify for the 2026 World Cup. Verdict: Away win Best odds: 33/20 Bookmaker: 1xBet Serbia Serbia enter the Nations League looking to move on from a disappointing World Cup qualification campaign. Having appeared at the last two World Cups, the Eagles were unable to secure a place at the 2026 tournament after finishing third in their qualifying group, narrowly missing out on a playoff spot. Since then, results have done little to ease frustrations, with Serbia winning only one of their four friendly matches in 2026. Losses to Spain, Cape Verde and Mexico expose...

Newcastle United have been resilient at the start of the Matthias Jaissle era. Imperfect, sure, but showing enough promise to convince supporters that they may return to European competition and title contention sooner rather than later. from Football FanCast https://ift.tt/IJaEeG4 via IFTTT

Juventus has opened preliminary contract talks with Pierre Kalulu, Francisco Conceição and Nicolás González, according to Mirko Di Natale . The reporter’s September 9 update identifies the three players as renewal priorities, with initial discussions underway over their futures in Turin. The existing contracts give Juventus room to work. Kalulu is tied to the club until June 2029, while Conceição signed through June 2030 when his transfer from Porto became permanent. Neither player is approaching the final season of his deal. Juventus completed Kalulu’s permanent signing in June 2025 after his loan from AC Milan. The French defender had made 39 appearances in his first campaign, establishing himself in the starting lineup and scoring away to Atalanta. His ability to play centrally or at right-back gives the defense useful flexibility. Conceição’s permanent contract followed in July 2025 . Across his debut campaign and the Club World Cup, the Portuguese winger made ...

Arsenal suffered their first defeat of the season on Saturday, beaten 3-0 away at Brighton, and the mood around the club has been further rocked by news that one of Mikel Arteta's marquee signings is now pushing to leave. from Football FanCast https://ift.tt/cUCrZ81 via IFTTT

There are awkward goodbyes and then there is the goodbye that Everton had to bid Folarin Balogun on transfer deadline day earlier this month. from Football FanCast https://ift.tt/Ut2xufy via IFTTT

Celtic manager Martin O'Neill has thrown his own future into doubt after his side lost for the third successive match in all competitions on Sunday afternoon. from Football FanCast https://ift.tt/KQiIW3h via IFTTT

It says it all that after a first defeat in ten Premier League matches, Arsenal supporters have hit the panic button. from Football FanCast https://ift.tt/uTC3YXn via IFTTT

Liverpool have opened talks to sign AS Monaco star Lamine Camara, and the timeline for a potential deal has now been revealed. from Football FanCast https://ift.tt/MuJyGhf via IFTTT

Fabian Hurzeler has advised his Brighton players to "stay humble" after their "special win" over Arsenal in the Premier League. The Seagulls defeated the reigning champions 3-0 on Saturday, with a towering header from Chema Andres on his first league start following stunning strikes from Pascal Gross and Charalampos Kostoulas. Brighton have now won at home against the reigning Premier League champions in each of the last three seasons, also beating Manchester City in 2024-25 and Liverpool in 2025-26. Hurzeler's side are the highest goalscorers in the Premier League this season, with their 16 goals the most by a side in their first five games since City in 2022-23 (19). And it was a dominant display from the Seagulls, who won possession in the final third nine times in this match, the most by a team against Arsenal in a Premier League game since December 2023 (Liverpool, nine). Hurzeler expressed his joy after a stunning display from his team, but knows they...

David Moyes has praised Everton's "tight-knit" squad following their 1-0 win over Ipswich Town, believing the Toffees can use it to their advantage.  Thierno Barry scored the only goal at Hill Dickinson Stadium in unusual fashion, as James Tarkowski's long-range effort deflected off the Frenchman and into the net in the 11th minute.  Barry thought he had netted his second as he nodded home just before the hour mark, but the goal was contentiously disallowed following a VAR review, with Brennan Johnson deemed to be impeding Ipswich's goalkeeper Christian Walton from an offside position.  Ipswich's comeback hopes were hampered when Abdul Fatawu was shown his second yellow card for simulation, reducing the visitors to 10 men in the 67th minute.  The Toffees spurned some late chances, though it did not prove costly and they were able to seal three points, extending their unbeaten start to the season to seven games in all competitions. I...

Following Newcastle United's win over Hull City on Saturday, Matthias Jaissle took pride in his squad's "incredible reaction" amid what he called a "huge transition period" at the club.  The Magpies ended Hull City's unbeaten Premier League start with a 2-1 win at St. James' Park, with two quickfire early goals sealing all three points.  Joe Willock and Lewis Hall struck within the opening seven minutes, immediately easing concerns that mounted quickly after Newcastle's disappointing 4-1 loss to Leeds United on Monday.  Mohamed-Ali Cho pulled a goal back in the 67th minute as the Tigers showcased their trademark resilience, but they could not find a leveller in the end.  "Overall, I'm really satisfied," Jaissle told BBC Match of the Day. "You see a couple of challenges already from the outside, and you also know there is a huge transition period at the moment in the club.   "And in t...

Gian Piero Gasperini is excited to see his Roma side test themselves against Inter, who he views as the "benchmark" in Serie A, as both teams defend perfect records. Roma and Inter are first and second, respectively, after four straight wins in the Italian top flight, with the Giallorossi ahead on goal difference. Saturday's clash at the Stadio Olimpico will be the first instance of Serie A's top two facing one another while boasting 100% records at least four matchdays into a season since October 2014, when Juventus beat Roma 3-2. Roma are aiming to start a Serie A season with five straight wins for just the third time in their history, after 2013-14 and 2014-15, while Inter could do so for a fifth time, after 1966-67, 2015-16, 2019-20 and 2023-24. While Nerazzurri boss Cristian Chivu did not give a pre-match press conference on Friday, Gasperini used his to pinpoint Inter as the true test of his side's level. "I believe Inter are the benchmark team i...

Zinedine Zidane said an influx of young players can help France "evolve" under his watch, after N'Golo Kane was among the big-name omissions from his first Bleus squad. Zidane will take charge of his country for the first time in the upcoming international break, after Didier Deschamps spent 14 successful years at the helm. France will visit Turkiye in Zidane's first game at the helm on September 25, with further Nations League fixtures against Belgium (who they face home and away) and Italy to follow. Zidane revealed his 23-man squad for those games on Friday, with 35-year-old Kante, who has 69 senior caps and helped his nation win the 2018 World Cup, among those left out. Kante was part of Deschamps' 2026 World Cup squad, but he did not play a single minute at the tournament as France lost to eventual winners Spain in the semi-finals. Fellow midfielder Aurelian Tchouameni is also missing, though Zidane said that choice was made in order to aid his recover...

Tottenham welcome Aston Villa to north London on Saturday knowing that something has to give between two clubs enduring miserable starts to the Premier League season. from Football FanCast https://ift.tt/FTwXmlI via IFTTT

Vincent Kompany insists Bayern Munich are prepared for any changes Union Berlin might make ahead of their clash in the Bundesliga on Friday.  In what will be their last match before the international break, Bayern will be hoping to improve on their display against Elversberg in their last league match.  Bayern ran out 2-1 winners atURSAPHARM-Arena an der Kaiserlinde, with Harry Kane's 72nd-minute winner coming after an equaliser from Maurice Krattenmacher.  Kompany's side are third in the Bundesliga with seven points, with Freiburg and Borussia Dortmund the only teams to win their first three games. Union, on the other hand, have had a nightmare beginning to their campaign. They have taken just one point, a draw against Eintracht Frankfurt, from their first three matches.  However, ahead of their meeting at Allianz Arena, Kompany acknowledged Union are a team in transition, something he believes could make them a thre...

Manchester City have made a statement start to their Women's Super League title defence with a perfect two wins from two, but Chelsea got their first victory of 2026-27 with a thumping win last time out. They thrashed Manchester United 5-0 away from home, taking them into second, and leaving Eva Olid's team propping up the table. And things do not get any easier for United this weekend with another headline fixture, this time against Arsenal, who are also unbeaten in their opening two matches. City are looking to continue their form against Liverpool, while Chelsea host Birmingham City, who are still seeking their first win since promotion. But who will come out on top in the WSL this weekend? We have a look at the Opta supercomputer's predictions. Coming up next in the #BarclaysWSL and #BarclaysWSL2   pic.twitter.com/jQ27lFVjPE — Barclays Women's Super League (@BarclaysWSL) September 17, 2026 MANCHESTER CITY V LIVERPOOL City have beaten Birming...

Borussia Dortmund will look to preserve their flawless start to the Bundesliga season when they travel to Stuttgart on Saturday afternoon. While BVB have collected maximum points from their opening three league fixtures, their hosts have endured a mixed start to the campaign and are already looking to climb away from the lower half of the table. Verdict: Away win Best odds: 19/10 Bookmaker: 22bet Stuttgart Results have not always reflected Stuttgart’s performances during the opening weeks of the season. Sebastian Hoeness’s side suffered a disappointing 2-1 defeat to Hoffenheim in their most recent Bundesliga outing, despite creating a number of excellent chances in front of goal. Wasteful finishing ultimately proved costly, continuing a frustrating trend in a campaign that has already featured several highs and lows. Going forward, Stuttgart remain a dangerous team. They have scored three or more goals on three occasions across all competitions this season and contin...

It's easy to forget now that Liverpool managing to win the race for Florian Wirtz was seen as such a coup at the time, the German genius looking all but certain to end up at Bayern Munich instead. from Football FanCast https://ift.tt/sY7ueQI via IFTTT

Ange Postecoglou came to the defence of Cristiano Ronaldo after Al-Nassr's heavy defeat in the Asian Champions League Elite. Al-Nassr were thrashed 4-0 by Al-Ain in the first game of their campaign, marking Postecoglou's second defeat as manager since taking charge in the summer. Ronaldo recorded the most shots for his side (five) and was responsible for 0.4 of Al-Nassr's 1.19 expected goals (xG), the most of any player. The 41-year-old has scored three goals in six Saudi Pro League games this season, with Al-Nassr third after dropping points in two of their last three games. One reporter claimed Ronaldo did "nothing" in the defeat to Al-Ain, prompting a strong response from Postecoglou. "You're watching a different game to me," said the former Tottenham and Celtic boss. Full time. pic.twitter.com/sjeHfnGfgy — AlNassr FC (@AlNassrFC_EN) September 15, 2026 "Cristiano has scored three goals already. He had limited preparatio...

Controversial decisions are part of football. Referees miss things. Assistant referees miss things. Players and managers complain about them every weekend. VAR was supposed to reduce those moments. Instead, on Sunday at Old Trafford, VAR became the story. Manchester City’s 1-0 victory away to Manchester United was decided by a goal that the Premier League’s own refereeing body later admitted should not have been allowed to stand. That distinction matters. This was not a subjective post-match debate between rival fanbases. This was a case where officials reviewed the incident, made a decision, and then later acknowledged that the decision was wrong. And it was hardly the first time something like that happened, too. For a league that promotes itself as the best in the world, that is deeply problematic. What Actually Happened? The decisive moment arrived in the 60th minute. With the match scoreless and Manchester City already reduced to ten men following Phil ...