Tag: football

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UK unveils record-breaking bid for 2035 Women’s World Cup

UK football chiefs on Friday unveiled details of their unopposed joint bid to host the Women’s World Cup in 2035, with 22 proposed stadiums listed in the official submission.

The bid team said the 48-nation finals would be the biggest single-sport event ever staged in the UK.

It would be the first World Cup played on British soil since the men’s finals in 1966, which were solely hosted by England.

“With 63 million people living within two hours of a proposed venue, it would be the most accessible tournament ever,” the bid team said in a statement.

Sixteen of the stadiums on the shortlist are in England, including Manchester United’s proposed new 100,000-seater arena, with three in Wales, two in Scotland, and one in Northern Ireland, across 15 cities.

The final number of stadiums is expected to be whittled down to around 16.

A measure of the size of the event is that at the Qatar men’s World Cup in 2022, just eight stadiums were used.

FIFA confirmed later on Friday that the UK bid would be formally ratified at next year’s congress in Vancouver.

The April gathering of football’s global governing body is also set to approve the joint candidature of the United States, Mexico, Costa Rica, and Jamaica to stage the 2031 women’s World Cup.

“Hosting the FIFA Women’s World Cup would be a huge privilege for our four home nations,” the chief executives of the UK football associations  said on Friday.

“If we are successful, the 2035 tournament will be the biggest single-sport event held on UK soil with 4.5 million tickets available for fans.

“We are proud of the growth that we’ve driven in recent years across the women’s and girls’ game, but there is still so much more growth to come, and this event will play a key role in helping us deliver that.”

Manchester United’s existing Old Trafford stadium has been included, but the bid team intend to put the club’s proposed new ground forward for consideration by FIFA once plans are confirmed.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that the bid showed the UK’s passion for football.

“The (England) Lionesses’ success has inspired girls across our country, and we’ll build on that momentum by welcoming millions of football fans from around the world to a tournament that will benefit communities and businesses in host cities up and down the UK,” he said.

England’s women’s team have won the past two European Championships and reached the final of the 2023 World Cup.

From 2031, the Women’s World Cup will be contested between 48 teams, up from 32.The next Women’s World Cup will take place in Brazil in 2027. (Guardian)

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Arise, Sir David – Beckham receives knighthood

Former England captain Sir David Beckham has been formally knighted for his services to football and British society.

The 50-year-old, who was named on King Charles’ Birthday Honours list earlier this year, was knighted by the King during a ceremony in Berkshire on Tuesday.

“I couldn’t be prouder,” said Beckham. “People know how patriotic I am – I love my country.

“I’ve always said how important the monarchy is to my family.

“I’m lucky enough to have travelled around the world and all people want to talk to me about is our monarchy. It makes me proud.”

Beckham was joined by his wife Victoria and his parents Sandra and David at Windsor Castle.

Victoria, who received an OBE in 2017 for services to the fashion industry, designed and made the suit that her husband wore at the castle.

“[King Charles] was quite impressed with my suit,” said Beckham.

“He’s the most elegantly dressed man that I know, so he inspired quite a few of my looks over the years and he definitely inspired this look.

“It was something that my wife made me.

“I looked at old pictures of him when he was quite young in morning suits and I was like ‘OK, that’s what I want to wear’ – so I gave it to my wife and she did it.”

Beckham played 115 times for his country and captained the Three Lions for six years between 2000 and 2006.

The former Manchester United and Real Madrid midfielder featured in three World Cups for England, as well as two European Championships.

Beckham emerged from United’s academy in 1992 and spent 11 years in the first team before joining Real in 2003 in a £25m deal.

He played for four years in the Spanish capital before joining Major League Soccer team LA Galaxy. He had two loan spells at AC Milan during his time in Los Angeles, before finishing his career at Paris St-Germain in 2013.

But Beckham’s impact extends far beyond the pitch.

Born in east London, he played a role in securing the 2012 Olympics for London.

He has worked with humanitarian aid organisation Unicef since 2005 and had a fund named in his honour in 2015 to mark a decade-long partnership between the two.

Beckham, who was awarded an OBE by Elizabeth II in 2003, queued for more than 12 hours to see the Queen lying in state following her death in 2022.

“It’s special to be here, to celebrate and to hear the different stories that people have,” Beckham said afterwards.

Beckham became an ambassador for the King’s Foundation in 2024, supporting King Charles’ education programme and efforts to ensure young people have a greater understanding of nature.

He part-owns League Two side Salford City alongside former United and England team-mate Gary Neville, and is also co-owner of MLS side Inter Miami. (BBC)

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Ballon d’Or 2025: Ousmane Dembele and Aitana Bonmati win top prizes as Sarina Wiegman lands award for best coach

Ousmane Dembele and Aitana Bonmati were crowned the best men’s and women’s player in the world at the 2025 Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris.

Dembele, the Paris Saint-Germain and France forward, took the men’s prize after leading his club to a treble-winning season and their first Champions League success. Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal,18, was runner-up after being voted the best young player.

A tearful Dembele collected the prize in Paris in front of a partisan crowd that chanted his name. If not for injury, he would have been playing for PSG in Marseille in a rearranged league fixture.

Barcelona and Spain midfielder Bonmati becomes the first woman to win the Ballon d’Or for three consecutive years. Lionel Messi and Michel Platini are the only men to have achieved that feat.

“It’s incredible this feeling. I never thought when I was a kid that I could achieve this because I didn’t think women’s football can exist,” Bonmati said.

“I had idols like Andres Iniesta and Xavi and when I was a kid I only saw them on TV. It’s incredible to be here and make history.

“But all of these trophies are because of collective work. We had a difficult season because we won some trophies, but we also lost some to amazing footballers.”

Arsenal and England’s Alessia Russo got the better of Bonmati in the Champions League and Euros finals, but finished third in the women’s rankings. Her club-mate, Mariona Caldentey of Spain, came second.

Lionesses head coach Sarina Wiegman was named best women’s coach after England’s triumph over Spain in Switzerland, while PSG boss Luis Enrique picked up the men’s Johan Cruyff award.

England and Chelsea’s Hannah Hampton won the inaugural award for best women’s goalkeeper, with Man City’s Gianluigi Donnarumma picking up the seventh edition of the men’s prize for his season with PSG.

Former Lionesses keeper Mary Earps was on stage presenting the award to Hampton, who took her spot as England’s No 1 ahead of the Euros, prompting her to retire from international football five weeks before the tournament.

Arsenal and PSG won the awards for women’s and men’s club of the year after their Champions League successes.

Viktor Gyokeres’ 63 goals for Sporting and Sweden last season earned him the men’s Gerd Muller Trophy. Barcelona and Poland’s Ewa Pajor, scorer of 48 goals, scooped the women’s award. (SkySports)

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Rasheedat Ajibade signs for Paris Saint-Germain until 2027

Paris Saint-Germain have strengthened their forward line with the signing of Nigerian international Rasheedat Ajibade.

Announcing the signing in its blog post on Tuesday, PSG said Ajibade’s contract will run until 30 June 2027.

The Club said, “Paris Saint-Germain is delighted to announce the arrival of Nigerian striker Rasheedat Busayo Ajibade, who has joined the club on a deal that runs until 30th June 2027.”

The 25-year-old, born on 8 December 1999 in the Mushin district of Lagos, arrives from Atlético de Madrid, where she has played since 2021 after a two-year spell in Norway with Avaldsnes IL.

In the 2024–25 season, Ajibade made 25 appearances, scoring eight goals and supplying three assists.

She was crowned as Nigeria’s NFF Young Player of the Year in 2018 after emerging from FC Robo Queens.

As captain of Nigeria, Ajibade has twice led the Super Falcons to continental glory at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, having done so in 2018 and in 2024.

The forward also featured as a regular starter for her side at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup and at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, and, with over 30 caps under her belt already, now represents a central figure in Nigerian football.

Commenting on the deal, Ajibade said, “I’m deeply honoured to be joining Paris Saint-Germain, a top-drawer club in Europe.

“This is a major step for me, and I’m committed to giving my all to help PSG win titles and to inspire young footballers, be they in Nigeria or elsewhere.” (Punch)

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Ex-Eagles keeper trainer Agu salutes Rufai

Former Super Eagles goalkeeper trainer Alloy Agu has hailed the late Peter Rufai as one of the best he has ever seen in the colours of Nigeria, following the death of the Nigerian goalkeeping legend last week, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

Rufai died at the age of 61 last Thursday following a brief illness and tributes have been pouring from different corners of the world and even outside the football community.

Agu competed for the number one jersey with Rufai during their heydays in the national team and the ex-Eagles keeper trainer says he won’t shy away from regarding the late keeper as number one.

“It’s an international loss. He was a little bit ahead of us, and honestly, he was number one. Peter is somebody whose confidence and command of the goalpost is one of the best I have ever seen,” Agu told The PUNCH.

“Working with him enabled me to see how hardworking he was and how thorough he was about his game.

The 57-year-old Agu was the preferred choice for some of the qualifying matches for the USA 1994 World Cup but he was displaced by Rufai towards the end of the series and for the mundial.

Despite losing his place, Agu noted their rivalry was healthy during an interview with Premium Times.

“I think everyone has a role to play and then, I told myself, he is Nigerian too. And there was a time he was on the bench watching while I was Nigeria’s No.1. I had to support Rufai when the coach picked him ahead of me.

“I had no hard feelings because we are one happy family and Nigeria is bigger than anyone. I came into the picture again when we played against the Asian team and was adjudged as the man of the match. No man is an island!”

The late Rufai made over 60 caps for Nigeria and he famously scored a goal – a penalty which was the last goal in the 6-0 drubbing of Ethiopia during a 1994 AFCON qualifier.

He later led Nigeria to a second continental title in Tunisia in 1994. His penalty saves in the semi-final against holders Ivory Coast and three crucial saves in the final against Zambia remain etched in Nigerian football folklore. (Punch)

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Troost-Ekong targets 2025 AFCON glory, 2026 World Cup qualification

The captain of Nigeria’s Super Eagles, William Troost-Ekong, has declared the team’s unwavering commitment to clinching the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title and earning a spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Speaking during an interview with the Saudi Pro League in Ar Rass, the Nigerian defender shared his pride in leading the national side and highlighted their ambitious goals.

“It’s an incredible honour to captain Nigeria,” Troost-Ekong stated. “This role carries significant responsibility, as Nigeria is a football powerhouse with an abundance of talent. However, despite our potential, we’ve often fallen short of expectations over the years, given the calibre of players we produce.”

The former Watford centre-back praised the current generation of Super Eagles players and expressed confidence in the team’s future.

“I’m really enjoying the experience and trying to contribute the best I can. With the group of players we have now—who are extremely talented—our focus is clear: to win the next AFCON and qualify for the 2026 World Cup.

“We came very close at the last AFCON, and that’s something we’ve all learned from. Now, as captain, the mission feels even more meaningful,” he said. (Punch)