UEFA has backed the recommendation of a FIFA task force to schedule the 2022 Qatar World Cup for November and December.
The recommendation of a FIFA task force to move the 2022 Qatar World Cup to November and December has been backed by UEFA.
The announcement was made on Tuesday following a six-month consultation process, which came after fears had been raised over the risks of playing the tournament in the country s summer months, when temperatures reach around 40 degrees centigrade.
A switch of dates is likely to cause considerable disruption to domestic competitions across Europe, but UEFA is in full support of the decision.
UEFA supports the recommendation made by the FIFA task force for the International Match Calendar 2018-24 to stage the 2022 FI…
Atlanta United must “think like champions” if they are to correct their form, says striker Giorgos Giakoumakis.
The Five Stripes face the Chicago Fire this weekend, as they look to return to winning ways after three games without a victory.
Indeed, they lost to FC Cincinnati last time out, and Giakoumakis believes Atlanta must correct a mentality issue.
“One simple thing I can tell you is that we have to stay concentrated,” said Giakoumakis.
“Think like champions, because you cannot drop this amount of points when you are leading a game.”
Atlanta are seventh in the Eastern Conference, six places and two points better off than the Fire, who have lost two of their last four games.
“Number one, there are no easy matches in MLS,�…
Steve Cooper insisted that keeping veteran striker Jamie Vardy fit throughout the season would be vital in confirming their Premier League status for another year.
Vardy netted the Foxes equaliser in their 1-1 draw with Tottenham Hotspur on Monday night, scoring his ninth goal against Spurs and his 137th in the competition.
While their talisman is coming to the end of his Leicester career and is the oldest player in the squad by five years, Cooper said his influence on the side is crucial.
Jamie doesn’t need any special words from me on his capabilities and impact he can have and the talent he has around the box, Cooper said.
Keeping him fresh for games is going to be important. He is an older player now at his age. As they get older, they underst…
Sonia Bompastor has been appointed as Chelsea Women s new head coach, replacing Emma Hayes at Stamford Bridge.
Hayes oversaw a fifth straight Women s Super League title for the Blues this season but departed to take up a role with the United States Women s national side.
Bompastor was expected to come in as the replacement for Hayes, with the announcement confirmed on Wednesday as Chelsea managed to strike a compensation deal with Lyon Women.
The 43-year-old, who has signed a four-year deal with Chelsea, leaves the French side after a successful three years in charge, winning three league titles and the Women s Champions League in 2022.
The sporting directors and I conducted a thorough and considered recruitment process to identify Emma’s successor, Ch…
Atletico Madrid have confirmed that Saul Niguez has agreed terms on a new contract at the Vicente Calderon until 2021.
Wednesday s announcement means Saul, who came through the ranks at Atletico, has extended his previous deal by a further 12 months.
Saul made his debut for the club in a Europa League clash with Besiktas in March 2012, before going on loan to Rayo Vallecano for the 2013-14 campaign.
Since returning to Atletico, Saul has become an established member of the first team and his wonderful solo effort against Bayern Munich helped the club into the Champions League final, where they will face city rivals Real Madrid.
I am very happy to continue to defend this shirt, Saul said after signing the deal.
Atletico sporting director Jose Luis …
Austria on Monday reimposed frontier controls as part of a major security operation for the European football championships which start this week.
About 2,000 Austrian police and 143 foreign police were to carry out border checks until July 1, Interior Minister Gunther Platter said.
Austria is part of the Schengen zone in Europe which allows passport free travel between European Union members of the scheme. But the rules allow for restrictions to be reimposed for special events.
We want checks to be as fluid as possible, while stopping troublemakers, said the minister who added that authorities would also seek to prevent clandestine migrants creeping through.
Austria expects up to one million visitors for the tournament which starts June 7. Euro 2008…
Serge Gnabry has joined Hoffenheim on a one-year loan deal from Bayern Munich, the Bundesliga champions have confirmed.
The former Arsenal winger, who turned 22 on Friday, joined Bayern from Werder Bremen last month for a fee believed to be in the region of €8million.
However, he will spend the first season of a three-year deal on loan at Hoffenheim, who are set to make their Champions League debut this term.
Gnabry impressed as part of Germany s victorious team at the European Under-21 Championship and his arrival offsets Hoffenheim s loss of Niklas Sule and Sebastian Rudy, both of whom begin their Bayern careers this season after securing moves back in January.
It was the explicit request from Serge to be loaned out for a year so he could get more ex…
Ilkay Gundogan said helping Barcelona financially made his departure from the club easier to swallow after he sealed a return to Manchester City on Friday.
Gundogan joined Barca last year after enjoying seven trophy-laden campaigns with City, winning 14 pieces of silverware during his time at the Etihad Stadium, including captaining the side to a Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup treble in 2022-23.
The midfielder made 51 appearances in his single season with the Catalan giants – more than any of his team-mates, scoring five goals and adding 14 assists in all competitions.
He also created more than twice as many chances (132) as any other Barcelona player, with Raphinha a distant second by that metric with 53.
Ninety-seven of those chances were…
He may refuse to believe in them, but Turkey coach Fatih Terim s team almost pulled off another miracle as the Euro 2008 come-back kings finally made their exit on Wednesday.
Turkey s 3-2 defeat was only sealed by Germany defender s Philipp Lahm s 90th minute striker as Terim s team threatened a fourth consecutive last-grasp win.
After Semih Senturk had forced an equaliser just four minutes from time to make it 2-2 it looked like Turkey were going to give Germany the same treatment they had handed out to Switzerland, the Czech Republic and Croatia.
But it was not to be and the 2002 World Cup semi-finalists took their Euro 2008 bow.
Whatever he may believe, Terim has worked miracles with his side.
A former captain of his country, the 54-year-…
The Australian top flight is nearing its Grand Final as the Newcastle Jets and Melbourne Victory get ready to settle the season in a highly-anticipated match this Saturday night at McDonald Joes Stadium.
In the meantime, the league’s TV has decided to give a rearview of the campaign and handpicked the best goals of the year 2017/18.
You should not be surprised to see plenty of great goals in it.
Enjoy.
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