Egyptian Premier League tops ranking of most penalties awarded; English refs wait before they whistle
April 21 – Egyptian referees leading a ranking of leagues worldwide of the highest frequency of penalties awarded.
US and Mexico join bid race for 2027 Women’s World Cup hosting
April 20 – The US and Mexico have thrown their hat into the ring with a joint bid for the 2027 Women’s World Cup. They will rival bids by Brazil and South Africa as well as the European triumvirate of Belgium, Netherlands and Germany.
Juve wait for appeal decision in ‘false accounting’ case
April 20 – Juventus are expected to find out later today whether their appeal against a 15-point penalty for false accounting in transfer dealings has been successful.
Cayman Islands jails two former Jeff Webb associates for defrauding Concacaf
April 20 – Two former associates of disgraced former Concacaf president and FIFA vice president Jeffrey Webb have been jailed in the Cayman Islands for fraud and money laundering.
Man City set up semi-final blockbuster with Real Madrid. AC and Inter guarantee Milan finalist
April 20 – Manchester City’s dream of finally landing the Champions League trophy edged closer on Wednesday when Erling Haaland scored his 48th goal for the club in all competitions in a 1-1 draw at Bayern Munich.
USA and Mexico tied in Continental Clasico. Next stop Vegas for Nations League finals
April 20 – Mexico and the USA shared the honours in a 1-1 draw in Glendale, Arizona in the inaugural Continental Clasico.
Sampaoli gets Flamengo back on track for Copa Libertadores defense with Nublense win
April 20 – Jorge Sampaoli (pictured) kickstarted his Flamengo reign with a 2-0 victory against Chile’s Nublense to get the club’s Copa Libertadores campaign back on track.
MLS and Adidas celebrate Earth Day with team kits made from recycled plastic
April 20 – All MLS teams will wear shirts made from recycled plastic this weekend in celebration of Earth Day.
Zingarevich says Bulgaria’s Botev Plovdiv is not for sale
April 20 – Anton Zingarevich, owner of Bulgaria’s Botev Plovdiv, has said the club is absolutely not for sale and has threatened to sue anyone who spreads “false” information about the club’s ownership.
England suffer World Cup injury scare as Williamson limps out of Arsenal vs Man Utd clash
April 20 – England’s women have been handed a major injury scare just months before the World Cup this summer after captain Leah Williamson limped out of Arsenal’s 1-0 defeat at WSL title rivals Manchester United on Wednesday.
Russia keeps talks with UEFA open as it bids to keep both feet in Europe
April 19 – Russia says it is still talking to UEFA about lifting the ban from European competition despite UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin recently saying no ground would be given as long as the war in Ukraine continues.
AEK vs PAOK Greek Cup final becomes an invitation-only event
April 19 – Fearing a repetition of fan violence that has plagued Greek football for years, the country’s cup final next month will be held partially behind closed doors after the national federation failed to find a venue overseas.
Maradona’s medical team to stand trial for homicide
April 19 – An Argentine appeals court has confirmed that eight medical professionals accused of responsibility in the death of football legend Diego Maradona will stand trial.
Mexican fans under scrutiny at Intercontinental Clasico ahead of a busy US summer
April 19 – The USA and Mexico face each other in a friendly tonight in Glendale, Arizona, dubbed the Allstate Intercontinental Clasico. It will be a match that could end up focussing on the performance of the Mexican fans as much as the teams.
Brazilian police conduct raids in 16 cities in match-fixing probe
April 19 – In a nationwide probe named ‘Operação Penalidade Máxima’, a number of top flight matches are under investigation for cases of suspected match-fixing in Brazil, prosecutors said on Tuesday.