Sports

Fernandinho has officially retired from professional football at the age of 40, bringing an end to a trophy-laden career spanning two decades. The former Manchester City and Brazil midfielder confirmed his decision after a farewell charity match at Arena da Baixada, returning

The race for the final spots at the 2026 World Cup intensified after Wednesday’s draw set out the European play-off paths, while FIFA also confirmed the intercontinental play-off routes that will decide the tournament’s last two qualifiers. In Europe, Wales will host

Nigeria’s rugby authorities have rolled out a 42-man preliminary squad for the upcoming Heritage Cup clash against Ghana, confirming that an all-local Stallions XV will take the field when both sides lock horns in Accra on November 29. The showdown, set for

Nigerian striker Rafiu Durosinmi is attracting serious attention as the January transfer period approaches, with Hull City and Derby County both positioning themselves for a potential move. The two Championship sides have been keeping tabs on the 22-year-old as they prepare to

Former Super Eagles shot-stopper Ike Shorunmu has called on football authorities to stop dwelling on Nigeria’s World Cup setback and quickly pivot toward building a stronger foundation ahead of next year’s AFCON. Nigeria’s absence from yet another World Cup became official after

Nigeria have moved up three places to 38th in the newest FIFA men’s world ranking, released on Wednesday after a month that featured two competitive fixtures for the Super Eagles. The rise follows their 4–1 win over Gabon and a 1–1 draw

Bayer Leverkusen winger Nathan Tella is back in full team training after several weeks out with a persistent knee issue, offering a welcome lift ahead of a demanding run of fixtures. German outlet Bild described his involvement in Tuesday’s session as “good

Achraf Hakimi has been named the 2025 African Footballer of the Year, capping a triumphant evening for Morocco at the CAF Awards in Rabat. The PSG full-back beat Mohamed Salah and Victor Osimhen to the prize after a standout season that included

Liverpool have been handed a major boost as Alisson Becker is set to return to training this week ahead of Saturday’s meeting with Nottingham Forest at Anfield. The champions sit a disappointing eighth in the Premier League and resume their campaign under

Kieran Tierney and Kenny McLean delivered two unforgettable stoppage-time goals as Scotland beat Denmark 4-2 at Hampden Park to seal their first World Cup qualification in 27 years. The dramatic finish capped a night of nerves, emotion and historic relief, with Denmark

Spain booked their place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after a tense 2-2 draw with Turkey in Seville, a result that also extended their unbeaten competitive run to 31 matches, matching Italy’s record. It was far from the smooth qualification finale

Curacao became the smallest nation ever to reach a FIFA World Cup after a tense 0-0 draw away to Jamaica sealed an extraordinary qualification triumph. The island of just 156,000 people topped Group B with 12 points, surviving a late Jamaican siege

Belgium booked their place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a commanding 7-0 win over Liechtenstein in Liege, securing top spot in Group J. After being held by Kazakhstan at the weekend, the Red Devils still needed a result, but any

Germany booked their place at the 2026 World Cup with a commanding 6-0 win over Slovakia in Leipzig, a performance captain Joshua Kimmich said was meant to “send a message”. The result ensured Julian Nagelsmann’s side finished top of Group A and

Anthony Joshua will return to the ring next month in Miami, where he will face YouTube star Jake Paul in an eight-round professional contest. Matchroom Boxing confirmed the bout on Monday, with the fighters set to split a stunning $184m purse. Joshua,