Lionel Messi is being sued by a Miami-based event promoter who says the soccer icon violated terms of a $7 million contract by missing an exhibition match last year.
Vid Music Group filed the lawsuit for fraud and breach of contract against Messi and the Argentine Football Association in Miami-Dade circuit court last month, according to court records.
Messi and the AFA didn’t immediately respond to messages seeking comment.
Considered one of the greatest soccer players ever, Messi appears with both his Major League Soccer club Inter Miami and Argentina’s national team, and fans routinely pay much higher prices for the chance to see him play.
According to the lawsuit, Vid signed a deal with the AFA last summer for exclusive rights to organize and promote Argentina’s friendlies last October against Venezuela and Puerto Rico in exchange for ticket, broadcast and sponsorship revenue. Vid claims that Messi was supposed to play for at least 30 minutes in each match, unless he was injured.
The 38-year-old Messi watched Argentina’s 1-0 win against Venezuela on Oct. 10 from a suite at South Florida’s Hard Rock Stadium, according to the lawsuit.
The next day, Messi scored two goals in Inter Miami’s 4-0 MLS win over Atlanta. That match was important to Inter Miami, since it gave them home-field advantage for Round 1 of the playoffs.
Then, on Oct. 14, Messi played in Argentina’s 6-0 win over Puerto Rico. That game was originally supposed to take place in Chicago, but low ticket sales in the city where Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were making more than 1,000 arrests led organizers to move the game to Florida. AFA blamed the immigration crackdowns when the smaller venue in Fort Lauderdale didn’t sell out, even after ticket prices were reduced to $25 each.
Vid hasn’t specified damages they’re seeking in the lawsuit, but they claim they lost millions between Messi failing to appear in one game and low ticket sales at the other. (JapanToday)
The head of Italy’s football federation resigned on Thursday, falling on his sword after the men’s national team failed to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup.
Gabriele Gravina revealed he would step down as the country’s top football official following a meeting held at the FIGC’s headquarters in Rome on Thursday.
Italy fell at the play-offs again on Tuesday, this time after a penalty shoot-out against Bosnia and Herzegovina and will miss this summer’s finals in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The shock waves of the latest humiliation for one of the world’s most important football nations forced Gravina, 72, to go back on his initial plans to wait until a FIGC board meeting next week to announce a decision on his future.
The FIGC said in a statement a vote for a new president will be held on June 22, with Giovanni Malago, the former long-time head of the Italian Olympic Committee, who was president of the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics organisation committee, among the names in the hat.
Gravina’s resignation also means Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso could resign, as it was Gravina who asked the 2006 World Cup winner to stay on beyond the end of his current contract, which expires in the summer.
He was elected FIGC president in October 2018, becoming the permanent replacement for Carlo Tavecchio, who stepped down following Italy’s first World Cup play-off defeat to Sweden the previous year.
The highlight of his reign was Italy’s thrilling triumph at Euro 2020, when an Azzurri team that under Roberto Mancini went unbeaten for 37 matches beat England at Wembley to be crowned kings of the continent.
But two World Cup qualification failures and a dismal defence of the European title left Gravina with little choice but to resign as Italy shines in other sports while being left behind in football.
Gravina also caused anger on Tuesday by referring to other sports as “amateur” and “state sports” compared to football due to the large number of athletes, particularly Olympians, who are nominally employed by different arms of Italy’s armed forces and police.
Italy claimed a record 30 medals at the recent Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, including 10 golds, and left the 2024 Summer Games in Paris with 40 medals.
The Mediterranean nation also has top performers in a wide variety of other sports, with tennis star Jannik Sinner, a four-time Grand Slam winner, the most obvious example. (Punch)
Iranian football had a good week on its troubled path to playing World Cup games in the United States in June.
A first face-to-face meeting with FIFA President Gianni Infantino since the US and Israel started a war against Iran on February 28 made genuine progress in football diplomacy at the end of a fraught month.
The Iranian football federation’s upbeat readout of the meeting in Turkiye made no mention of moving World Cup games to Mexico — a subject Infantino has repeatedly shut down for the past two weeks.
Infantino also offered tangible help for the squad to prepare for the World Cup in the next two months. Most Iran players are with clubs in the national league, which has shut down during the war.
Iran’s World Cup hosts in Arizona in the US said this week that they were pressing on with training-camp upgrades plus local and federal security plans – echoing the “stick to the schedule” mantra that FIFA has used.
Infantino stayed on in the Turkish coastal resort of Antalya to watch Iran rout Costa Rica 5-0 in a warm-up.
Clearly, the next two months are full of uncertainty for Iran’s team and for the nation itself amid mixed messages about US intentions for the war.
Still, talk of Iran boycotting football’s biggest event or seeking to move its games from Los Angeles and Seattle to Mexico has faded.
The Iranian delegation is due at its Tucson, Arizona training camp no later than June 10 for the June 11-July 19 tournament.
The war immediately cast doubt on Iran’s ability and willingness to fulfil a World Cup entry that it secured in March 2025 as one of the best teams in Asia.
In the first half of March, government officials variously suggested that the team could not play at the World Cup, that it could not travel to the US, and that FIFA should move Iran’s games to cohost Mexico.
A spokesman for the Iran Football Association did not respond on Thursday to a request for comment. Iran has not withdrawn its entry with FIFA.
Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum appeared to suggest hosting Iran games was possible, without advocating for an unprecedented late change to the World Cup schedule.
US President Donald Trump added to the confusion with mixed messaging. He said, “I really don’t care” if Iran comes to the World Cup, then said that players were not safe, seeming to mean they were at risk from regime reprisals at home. He then went on to promise that the players would be treated like stars.
FIFA has been the most consistent commentator, and Infantino the only top soccer official openly talking about the delicate diplomacy: That Iran will come to the US, that the schedule will not change, and that no formal negotiations about Mexico had or would take place.
Iran, therefore, is on track to come to Arizona and start preparing for a first game on June 15 against New Zealand at the Los Angeles Rams’ SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (AlJazeera)
President Bola Tinubu has extended his condolences to the family of Henry Onyemanze Nwosu, a legendary Super Eagles midfielder who passed away on Saturday at the age of 62.
In a statement by his spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu joined the Nigerian football community in mourning the exceptionally skilled Nwosu, whose football artistry remains the stuff of legends.
The President recalled Nwosu’s brilliance on the field of play as a 17-year-old in the then-Green Eagles squad that won the 1980 Africa Cup of Nations.
President Tinubu acknowledged Nwosu’s over a decade of service to the nation as a member of the national football team, his role in subsequent AFCON tournaments in 1982, 1984, and 1988, and his contributions to sports development in the country.
The President stated that Nigerians will always remember the late playmaker for the pride and joy he brought to the nation and for inspiring many compatriots to greater accomplishments.
President Tinubu prayed for the repose of Nwosu’s soul and comfort for his family. (Leadership)
Nigeria’s football community has been hit with yet another bout of grief following the death of former Super Eagles midfielder, Henry Nwosu, who passed away early Saturday morning at the age of 62.
The news of Nwosu’s passing was announced by Nigerian football legend Segun Odegbami through his social media platforms on Saturday.
According to Odegbami, Nwosu died at about 4:00 a.m. at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital in Idi-Araba, where he had been receiving intensive medical care since Wednesday, March 11.
“Henry Nwosu passes on! After five days in hospital battling for his life, the one I call ‘Youngest Millionaire’ passed on at 4:00 a.m. this morning at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja, Lagos, where he had been in intensive care since Wednesday,” Odegbami wrote.
“It is with deep pain in my heart that I have to be the conveyor of the news of the death of Henry Nwosu MON. May he rest peacefully with our Creator in Heaven.”
Born in Imo State, Nwosu rose to prominence as a gifted midfielder known for his vision, creativity, and technical skill. He was the youngest member of Nigeria’s victorious squad at the 1980 Africa Cup of Nations, where the then Green Eagles secured the country’s first continental title on home soil.
His performances during the tournament and in subsequent international appearances established him as one of the most exciting midfielders of his generation.
Beyond his international career, Nwosu was also a prominent figure in Nigerian domestic football, where he earned admiration for his intelligence on the ball and leadership on the field.
After retiring from active football, the former international remained deeply involved in the game, working as a coach and mentor to younger players while contributing to grassroots development.
Nwosu’s death comes just days after the passing of former NFF technical director and Super Eagles coach Adegboye Onigbinde, who led Nigeria to the 2002 FIFA World Cup and died at the age of 88. (Channels)
Soccer fans have accused FIFA of a “monumental betrayal” after latest prices for World Cup tickets began to circulate on Thursday.
The governing body allocates 8% of tickets to national associations for games involving their team to sell to the most loyal fans.
And a list published by the German soccer federation revealed prices ranged from $180-$700 for varying group stage games. The lowest price for the final was $4,185 and the highest was $8,680.
Those group-stage prices are very different from FIFA’s claims of $60 tickets being available, while the target from United States soccer officials when bidding for the tournament seven years ago was to offer hundreds of thousands of $21 seats across the opening phase of games.
Fan organization Football Supporters Europe (FSE) described the current prices as “extortionate.”
“This is a monumental betrayal of the tradition of the World Cup, ignoring the contribution of supporters to the spectacle it is,” it said in a statement.
The English Football Association shared pricing information with the England Supporters Travel Club (ESTC) on Thursday evening, which showed that if a fan bought a ticket for every game through to the final it would cost just over $7,000.
FIFA said in September that tickets released through its website would initially range from $60 for group-stage matches to $6,730 for the final. But those prices are subject to change as it adopts dynamic pricing for the first time at the World Cup.
FIFA tickets are available in four categories, with the best seats in Category 1.
In the price list published by the German federation, there were only three categories.
The lowest priced ticket was $180 for Germany’s opening group game against Curacao in Houston. The lowest price for the semifinal was $920 rising to $1,125.
The FSE called on FIFA to immediately halt ticket sales via national associations “until a solution that respects the tradition, universality, and cultural significance of the World Cup is found.”
The Associated Press approached FIFA for comment.
FIFA launched its third phase of widespread ticket sales Thursday, with fans now able to apply for specific matches for the first time through its “Random Selection Draw.”
Following last week’s draw for the 2026 tournament, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, an updated schedule has been published.
That means fans know when and where the likes of Lionel Messi and Argentina will play. Previous ticket ballots were blind as the qualification period had not even been completed and the draw was yet to take place.
Now participating nations have been placed in groups, with their paths through the tournament determined. For instance, Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo could go on to meet in the quarterfinals in Kansas City if both Argentina and Portugal top their respective groups.
Not that fans are guaranteed to get tickets to the games they apply for.
The draw opened Dec 11 at 11 a.m. ET (1600 GMT) and closes Jan 13, 2026.
FIFA says ticket applications can be made at any point during this window and the timing of entry will not impact the chances of success. Fans can apply via FIFA’s website for a maximum of four tickets per household per match and a maximum of 40 tickets throughout the tournament.
Fans will need a FIFA ID to apply for tickets and can pick which matches and which pricing category they want to apply for.
Successful applicants will be notified by email in February and charged automatically.
The last time the U.S. hosted the World Cup in 1994 prices ranged from $25 to $475. In Qatar in 2022 prices ranged from around $70 to $1,600 when ticket details were announced.
Tickets for the final at MetLife Stadium on July 19 are already going for in excess of $11,000 on secondary resale sites.
For this tournament FIFA has also set up its own resale platform where it charges a 15% fee based on the total resale price.
FIFA said that closer to the tournament any remaining tickets will go on general sale on a first-come, first-served basis.
It did not reveal a time frame for the release of those remaining tickets. (JapanToday)
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)
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)
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 Wiegmanwas 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 Hamptonwon 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’sEwa Pajor, scorer of 48 goals, scooped the women’s award. (SkySports)
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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