FIFA President Gianni Infantino gestures during his visit to the new Concentration Hotel of the Colombian Football Federation in Barranquilla, Colombia, on February 24, 2026. The Mexican city of Guadalajara is trying to reassure football fans ahead of the World Cup, which begins in 100 days, after being shaken by the violence sparked on February 22 by the death of powerful cartel boss Nemesio "El Mencho" Oseguera. (Photo by David SALAZAR / AFP via Getty Images)
Gianni Infantino has built his presidency on an ability to push through ambitious —and often controversial — changes despite widespread resistance. His abrupt decision to abandon plans to sell a stake in FIFA's commercial rights to private equity marks a rare and significant political defeat, exposing the limits of his authority and raising new questions about his future leadership.
The plan itself was unprecedented. By placing FIFA's most valuable commercial ****** ets — including the World Cups — into a $20 billion company with outside investors holding a 20% stake, Infantino was attempting to fundamentally reshape how the planet's most lucrative and popular sporting event is financed and managed.
Infantino had argued that private capital would have accelerated investment and unlock long-term revenue. Critics, however, saw something much more sinister: The commercialization of soccer's crown jewel.
What ultimately doomed the plan was not simply opposition, but the breadth and speed of that opposition. Within days, UEFA, European soccer's governing body, voted to boycott FIFA competitions, an extraordinary escalation from an organization that has frequently clashed with Infantino but rarely challenged his authority.

#infantino #gianni #World #days

The sale of the unwanted cement sculptures from Alan Carr's castle in the Scottish Borders meant more to Clare Stephens than most.
Some of her fondest memories are of visiting the creations at their original home in Branxton in Northumberland.
That is because her grandfather, James "Pim" Beveridge, helped his boss John Fairnington to make them for his disabled son Edwin.
And, although she was unable to secure any of them at auction, Clare said her family had been proud of the level of interest they attracted when they were sold earlier this summer.
Family photos capture Beveridge with some of the creatures he helped to create [James and Christina Beveridge]

#clare #helped #scottish #branxton

Barnsley have signed defender Sam Gale from Gillingham for an undisclosed fee.
Gale, 21, has signed a three-year deal with the League One club, who have the option to extend the contract by a further year.
Centre-back Gale made his senior debut for Gillingham in 2021 aged 17 and made 67 appearances in all for the Kent side, including 44 last season.
Barnsley boss Daniel Stendel told the club website: "He is a young defender with excellent potential, but also someone who has already shown he can perform consistently in senior football.
"He has a strong mentality, is comfortable on the ball and has the physical attributes we look for in a centre-back.

#barnsley #centre #signed #year

Port Vale have continued their recruitment drive before the start of the new season with the signings of defenders Aaron McGowan and Lewis Montsma on one-year deals.
McGowan, 30, has been on trial at Vale Park following the end of his contract with Tranmere Rovers this summer.
He played under Vale boss Jon Brady at Northampton Town and helped the Cobblers win promotion to League One in the 2022-23 season.
Dutchman Montsma joins Vale following the expiration of his contract with Dundee this summer.
The 28-year-old started his senior career with Dordrecht in the Netherlands and moved to Lincoln City in July 2020.

#vale #following

Motherwell have signed Canada defender Jamie Knight-Lebel on loan from Bristol City.
The 21-year-old has spent the past two seasons on temporary deals with Crewe Alexandra and then Swindon Town.
"I want to welcome Jamie to the club," Motherwell boss Alfred Johansson said.
"He is a talented young player who has two very strong seasons out on loan playing regularly. A physical and strong defender, he will provide competition in the defensive positions and bring international experience.
"Bristol City rate him highly, and this loan move will provide him with the opportunity to play in a style suited to his game. We look forward to introducing Jamie to the squad, and I'm excited to be working with him."

#defender #seasons

Newport County have appointed Fulham Under-21 boss Hayden Mullins as their new manager.
The Exiles have been without a permanent boss since the shock departure of Christian Fuchs in late June.
Following the exit of Fuchs - a 2015-16 Premier League ***** le-winner with Leicester City - Newport appointed Chris Todd as their interim manager.
But the League Two club have now named ex-Crystal Palace, West Ham United and Portsmouth player Mullins as their new permanent boss.
Newport ***** istant manager Mark Smith has departed the club.

#league #permanent #club

Colchester United have signed young forward Leon Chiwome on a season-long loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The 20-year-old made three Premier League appearances for Wolves during the 2023-24 campaign, playing 84 minutes on his debut in the 2-0 defeat by Aston Villa in March 2024.
Since then he has been playing for Wolves' Under-21 team and has represented England at under-17 and under-18 level.
Chiwome is Colchester boss Danny Cowley's fifth signing of the summer window.
All the latest Colchester United news

#united

MK Dons have signed winger Sam Silvera on a free transfer after he was released by Middlesbrough at the end of last season.
The 25-year-old was a first-choice player under former Boro boss Rob Edwards at the beginning of the 2025-26 season but was unable to retain a regular place in the side after suffering a foot injury in February.
He is an Australian international, earning eight caps, but was not part of the Socceroos' 26-man World Cup squad this summer.
Silvera made 65 appearances for Middlesbrough across three seasons, scoring eight goals.
He becomes MK Dons' sixth signing of the summer transfer window as they prepare for life back in League One, their first season in the third tier since the 2022-23 campaign.

#dons #middlesbrough #first #eight

UFC CEO Dana White on Friday responded to the recent arrest and allegations against one of his former ******* le challengers with an interesting take.
Former middleweight ******* le challenger Anthony Smith was arrested earlier this week in Nebraska after an alleged altercation with his wife at a bar in Gretna, Neb. Smith, 38, was charged with three felonies: first-degree domestic ******* ault, terroristic threats and first-degree false imprisonment. He was released on a $500,000 bond, ordered to stay away from his wife, and is scheduled to return to court Aug. 17.
The charges against him, according to the Sarpy County Attorney's Office, include some frightening details. Smith, it is alleged, threatened to kill his wife if she did not leave with him. Then, the charges say he forced her into the vehicle. Additionally, investigators determined Smith tried multiple times to hit his wife with the vehicle after she escaped while he was driving, but was unsuccessful. Smith turned himself in, officials said, after a warrant was issued for his arrest.
Smith, to no surprise, has not commented publicly about the arrest or charges. He regularly works the UFC's broadcast desk as an ******* yst on Paramount+ for pre- and post-fight UFC shows.
His former boss, White, on Friday told The Mac Life the allegations were a surprise to him, but also compared it to his own recent time in the headlines when he was caught on camera slapping his wife in Mexico.

#former #arrest

Eddie Howe confirmed on Friday he had stepped down as Newcastle manager to "recharge and take a break" following a turbulent end to his five-year spell at St James' Park.
Howe revitalised a club that had struggled for decades, securing a first major trophy in 56 years by winning the League Cup in 2025.
The former Bournemouth boss also led Newcastle to Champions League qualification in 2023 and 2025.
But the Magpies struggled to a 12th-place finish in the Premier League last season and have endured a difficult summer transfer window.
Howe oversaw Wednesday's 4-1 pre-season friendly defeat at Bristol City and it emerged hours later that he was set to leave.

#struggled #eddie #park #bournemouth

CBS Sports placed Tony Romo on leave Friday morning, "until further notice," in its first public statement since his OWI arrest in Milwaukee last week
"Tony Romo is on leave from his role at CBS Sports until further notice," the network said in a statement.
Awful Announcing has learned that JJ Watt will join Jim Nantz and Tracy Wolfson as the network's lead NFL broadcast team during Romo's absence, with CBS set to release the rest of its NFL on CBS roster at a later date.
Boomer Esiason told his radio audience barely a day earlier that he didn't expect CBS to comment on the situation at all, a read that lined up with how the network had handled things all week. The Daily Mail had reported days earlier that CBS executives had already closed ranks around Romo, with one source telling the outlet, "I don't want to act like it's not a big deal, because it is. But it's not going to get him fired." A second characterized the arrest as a "lapse in judgment" rather than anything approaching a fireable offense, noting Romo had reached out to his bosses almost the moment it happened.
Romo was pulled over on Interstate 43 in Milwaukee County on the night of July 23, hours after competing in the Wisconsin Amateur Championship, and taken into custody after performing poorly on standardized field sobriety tests. Body camera footage of the stop later surfaced on TMZ, including Romo's own reaction to the test results.

#further #arrest

[Getty Images]
We asked for your views on Matthias Jaissle's expected appointment as Newcastle United boss, following Thursday's news of Eddie Howe being set to depart.
Here are some of your comments:
Matthew: Jaissle seems a very competent, up and coming manager but we need a proven Premier League manager who can continue what Eddie was doing. The board need to be speaking to Mauricio Pochettino.
Rob: Absolutely not the right choice. I'm still in shock that Eddie Howe left but for our replacement to be a manager who has worked in the Danish, Saudi and Austrian leagues doesn't exactly fill me with hope. I would have preferred more of an experienced manager but, to be honest, I don't blame Eddie for leaving. We lost our three best players and got humbled by Bristol. Good luck.

#manager #newcastle #here

[Getty Images]
Al-Ahli boss Matthias Jaissle is the surprise favourite to succeed Eddie Howe - who is expected to leave his role with immediate effect - as Newcastle head coach - and he would arrive with a strong recent record of success.
Former Red Bull Salzburg boss Jaissle took his first coaching steps as ******* istant manager of Danish club Brondby between 2017 and 2019. He then took over Salzburg's under-18 academy team before becoming a head coach for the first time at Liefering in Austria's second tier.
He guided them to a second-placed finish, the club's joint-best position, and that achievement helped him become Salzburg manager in 2021, replacing Jesse Marsch, who would later manage Leeds United in the Premier League and then Canada at the 2026 World Cup.
In two seasons with Salzburg, Jaissle won the Austrian Bundesliga twice and also the Austrian Cup.

#jaissle

Nottingham Forest boss Oliver Glasner has been speaking to BBC East Midlands' Charlie Slater as the Reds wrap up their 12-day training camp in Portugal.
Here are the key lines from their chat:
Their pre-season camp has been "very positive", with most of the players expected to get 90-minute runouts against either Portimonense or Sporting on Friday.
Glasner added: "We have trained really hard, the players have shown great work ethic and everybody has enjoyed the sunny weather. I wanted us to work really hard on the pitch but also to enjoy the time together."
When asked what he enjoys most about training sessions, Glasner replied: "I like being on the pitch with the players, showing them solutions, supporting them and explaining the way we want to play. I know many other things are part of being a manager, but for me this is the best one."

#glasner #forest

Newport County have appointed Fulham Under-21 boss Hayden Mullins as their new manager.
The Exiles have been without a permanent boss since the shock departure of Christian Fuchs in late June.
Following the exit of Fuchs - a 2015-16 Premier League **** le-winner with Leicester City - Newport appointed Chris Todd as their interim manager.
But the League Two club have now named ex-Crystal Palace, West Ham United and Portsmouth player Mullins as their new permanent boss.
Newport **** istant manager Mark Smith has departed the club.

#manager

Liverpool boss Andoni Iraola has been speaking to media in Chicago in his latest media conference during the Reds' pre-season tour of the USA.
A 4-2 win over Sunderland in Nashville last week was followed by a 1-0 victory over Wrexham in New York in the early hours of Thursday.
Liverpool face Leeds United in Chicago on Sunday (21:00 BST kick-off) before concluding their pre-season back on Merseyside.
Here are the key lines from the Reds head coach:
Iraola clarified where he sees Floran Wirtz's best position: "We know what he can give us. I think he's also suited to our game model. I see him more probably in that position behind the striker. We know that he has played with Germany more on the left sometimes, but I think we're going to start working with him in that position behind the striker. He's quite complete as a player."

#season #know

CHICAGO — Ten years ago Scott Harris was the 29-year-old director of baseball operations for the Chicago Cubs, doing whatever it took to win a championship.
That involved eating copious amounts of cake in the front-office suites at Wrigley Field, at the direction of his boss, then-Cubs President Theo Epstein.
As ESPN's Wright Thompson wrote: "Their world up there has its own set of rules and superstitions, and central to the canon is this: If the team needs offense, Theo makes Scott Harris, the director of baseball operations, take out a loaf of plain bread and start eating. When Harris eats carbs, the Cubs score. One game, when the White Sox were no-hitting them, Theo got an entire chocolate cake from the passing dessert cart on the suite level. Harris ate more than half of it and the Cubs won.
" 'Harris,' Theo says, taking a bag of bread and throwing it to Scott, knowing that the Cubs always need hot bats against the Cardinals. 'Just start eating.' "
Harris had his cake and ate it too.

#Baseball #operations

Derek McInnes will officially begin his reign as Rangers boss with a trip to Tannadice Park on Friday night. Despite snapping up seven new names, the Scotsman is expected to be backed with further additions before the window is slammed shut next month. But the focus must be on the upcoming clash with Dundee United, as a victory on the road should boost the Gers ahead of their crucial Europa League qualifier against Jagiellonia Białystok.
Although their most recent encounter finished 4-2 in favour of Rangers, a last-gasp spot-kick from Nedim Bajrami saw them escape defeat when they clashed heads in Dundee back in December. It won't be a stroll in the park for the Glasgow giants, and it remains to be seen whether McInnes replicates last season's tactical mastery while in charge of Hearts.
The Light Blues have replaced Jack Butland with Ivor Pandur, as the former Hull City goalkeeper has been roped in as the new 'number 1'. Veteran Liam Kelly would continue as the understudy to the Croatian following his contract renewal earlier this summer.
GLASGOW, SCOTLAND – JULY 26: Ben Godfrey of Rangers with a headed clearance during a pre-season friendly match between Rangers and West Ham at Ibrox Stadium on July 26, 2026 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by WM Sport Media/Getty Images)
James Tavernier's departure has left a massive void down the right-hand side. Ross McCrorie has returned to his boyhood club, but the gaffer should rely on Dujon Sterling, who has impressed as a fullback in their pre-season outings. Ben Godfrey, snapped up on a season-long loan from Atalanta, is expected to feature alongside Emmanuel Fernandez in the heart of the backline. Tuur Rommens has been a revelation since his January arrival, and his presence on the left would offer a perfect balance between defence and attack.

#july

West Ham United and Northern Ireland striker Callum Marshall has joined League One club Luton Town for an undisclosed fee.
Luton said the 21-year-old has agreed a "long-term" contract.
Marshall made three first-team appearances for West Ham after signing from Linfield in January 2022 and was part of the squad that won the FA Youth Cup in 2023.
He spent the 2024-25 season playing in League One for Huddersfield Town, scoring 10 goals during a loan spell, and ended last season in Germany on loan at Bochum.
Luton boss Jack Wilshere told the club website: "From the first moment I met Callum, I knew how hungry he was for success.

#loan

By Brad Heath, Kristina Cooke, M.B. Pell and Benjamin Lesser
July 30 - Christian Garcia admits that he threw a water bottle toward officers guarding a federal building near Los Angeles during an immigration protest last summer.
The plastic bottle was empty, he said, and hit no one but Garcia himself – the wind blew it back at him. Yet Garcia, a 32-year-old amateur photographer, was arrested by agents, jailed for three days and charged with a crime that could have kept him in prison for up to a year. He said he lost both of his jobs, as a security ‌guard and an undercover shopper, after his bosses told him they had been called by investigators.
Then, with no public explanation, prosecutors dropped the case.
The Trump administration has brought criminal charges against at least 851 people accused of attacking or impeding federal officers, only to abandon them at an unusually high rate. A ‌Reuters review of federal court records found that 31% of these cases that have been completed so far have ended in dismissal. That compares to 8% of all federal criminal cases that typically end in dismissal, according to records compiled by the Federal Judicial Center.

#garcia

Newcastle manager Eddie Howe is reportedly set to make a shock exit from St James' Park, with Al-Ahli boss Matthias Jaissle lined up to take charge of the Premier League club.
Howe's stunning departure comes less than a month before the start of the new Premier League season and Newcastle have moved quickly to line up German coach Jaissle as his replacement.
Howe is believed to have become disillusioned with Newcastle's transfer policy, while his position was already under scrutiny from the club's Saudi owners after a disappointing campaign last season.
The 48-year-old is said to have told Newcastle's hierarchy that he wanted to quit earlier in July to take a break from football, but he was persuaded to stay on while they identified his successor.
Jaissle would be a surprise choice to replace Howe given his lack of experience at the highest level.

#newcastle #premier #james

Newport County are still on the hunt for a new permanent manager following the departure of Christian Fuchs in late June.
Interim boss Chris Todd has said he would "love" the chance to become the permanent manager, but who do you think should take over?
And though there have been several new signings, Todd feels Newport still "need more" before the window closes in September.
Newport face AFC Wimbledon on Saturday, 8 August in the EFL Cup, just over two weeks away.
So what needs to happen at Rodney Parade between now and then?

#newport #todd #county

The Championship season is on the horizon, and while Cardiff City are yet to make any new additions to their squad, boss Brian Barry-Murphy has committed his future to the club.
Barry-Murphy, 44, signed an extended contract until 2029 this week ahead of leading the Bluebirds back into the second tier following promotion as League One runners-up.
The Irishman said after Cardiff's pre-season opener against FC Midtjylland that he had "never felt anything other than support" from owner Vincent Tan.
He added that they were looking to strengthen every aspect of their squad - but where do you feel Cardiff need reinforcements?
So far, the Bluebirds have only added goalkeeper Nathan Trott, signing him permanently from Danish club FC Copenhagen after his key role last campaign.

#cardiff #barry #added

Matthias Jaissle is the surprise favourite to take over as Newcastle head coach as Eddie Howe's replacement - and would arrive with a strong recent record of success.
Howe, 48, is set to leave St James' Park after nearly five years. He had been in charge since November 2021 when he replaced Steve Bruce and took the Magpies to their first domestic trophy in 70 years by winning the Carabao Cup in 2025.
Former RB Salzburg boss Jaissle, currently in charge of Saudi Arabian side Al-Ahli, is noe expected to come in.
The 38-year-old German was a centre-half, progressing through the Stuttgart youth system before playing senior football for Hoffenheim from 2007 to 2014.
He represented Germany at Under-21 level, but was forced to retire through injury at the age of 25.

#howe

Roberto De Zerbi says he is hopeful of another "bomba" signing at Spurs this summer.
The club have already been active in the transfer market, splashing the cash to bring in Sandro Tonali, Jan Paul van Hecke and Mateus Fernandes, along with the free transfer signings of Andy Robertson and Marcos Senesi.
But the Tottenham boss says he is only "60% done" in the transfer market.
"In the transfer market when I want one player I become like a shark," De Zerbi joked. "No chance to say no.
"The transfer market, it's not finished for sure, but we completed 60 per cent of our project in the transfer market. Now we have another bomba."

#transfer

Eddie Howe is set to step down as Newcastle United boss after almost five years in charge, the Press ******* ociation understands.
The 48-year-old arrived on Tyneside in November 2021 and ended the club's 70-year wait for domestic silverware with League Cup glory in 2025.
His time in charge also saw the Magpies twice qualify for the Champions League.
However, last season was a disappointment as Newcastle limped to 12th place in the Premier League.
The Magpies have also endured a difficult summer transfer window with the departure of stars Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali, while speculation continues over the future of captain Bruno Guimaraes.

#league #newcastle #united

Eddie Howe was described as "detached from reality" by one Newcastle United fan, with another unsure "what game he was watching" after giving his final interview before leaving his role as Magpies boss.
Newcastle were thrashed 4-1 by Championship side Bristol City in a pre-season friendly on Wednesday evening and Howe was interviewed by the club's official website in the aftermath.
He appeared surprisingly upbeat despite the heavy loss yet, on Thursday morning, news emerged that he would be leaving his job just weeks before the start of the new Premier League season.
The Englishman guided Newcastle to their first domestic trophy in 70 years when they won the Carabao Cup in 2025 but last season was a disappointment as they finished 12th and failed to secure European football, meaning Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali have been sold this summer, while captain Bruno Guimaraes has been linked with ***** nal.
Eddie Howe has now left Newcastle (PA)

#championship #bristol #city

Eddie Howe is set to step down as Newcastle United head coach according to reports.
The Magpies first appointed former Bournemouth boss Howe midway through the 2021/22 season as a replacement for Steve Bruce and the new manager quickly oversaw an improvement in form.
Newcastle then went on to reach the League Cup final in 2023 and lost to Manchester United before then finally ending a barren trophy run in the same competition two years later with a 2-1 win over Liverpool.
Reports suggest that Howe's decision to leave came after discussions with the club's hierarchy with the club having a difficult summer that he seen key players leave. Meanwhile, on the pitch Newcastle recently lost 4-1 in a pre-season friendly to Championship side Bristol City.
Newcastle are now expected to turn to current Al-Ahli and former RB Salzburg head coach Matthias Jaissle. The Premier League side are said to be in advanced talks with the German.

#howe #head #lost

Eddie Howe is leaving his role as Newcastle United head coach.
The 48-year-old has spent five years in charge of the club and ended their wait 70-year wait for a major trophy by winning the Carabao Cup in 2025.
He also led the Magpies to Champions League qualification in 2023 and 2025.
But Howe had come under pressure after a disappointing last season which saw Newcastle finish 12th and has now chosen to depart.
Al Ahli boss Matthias Jaissle is the favourite to take over from Howe.

#howe #eddie #magpies #champions

According to a report from Matteo Moretto (as captured by Sport journalist Jordi Carné), former Bayern Munich midfielder Leon Goretzka might be trying to capitalize on the recent injury to Frenkie de Jong and has offered himself to his old boss, Hansi Flick, and FC Barcelona:
In recent hours, for example, FC Barcelona has received an offer worth considering. According to Matteo Moretto on "La Pizarra de Quintana," Leon Goretzka, a free agent after his contract with Bayern Munich expired, has made himself available to the Blaugrana club. The midfielder's entourage—he played a supporting role for the German national team at the World Cup—has expressed openness to joining the Blaugrana project following De Jong's tear of the medial collateral ligament in his right knee.
This isn't the first time Goretzka has offered his services to Barça in recent months.
Do not expect Goretzka to land in Catalonia, though. Carné says that FC Barcelona is not looking to add anything to the central midfield, so Goretzka will have to continue his search elsewhere.
As for where he might land, Goretzka's future could be determined by injuries that occur this summer. As of now, the midfielder is rumored to be focusing on European teams, but could eventually accept a fate that includes MLS.

#carn #bayern