Sports

A journalistic investigation has revealed a suspected network providing coaching qualifications within 10 days for about 100,000 Brazilian reals, with Thiago Silva and Felipe Melo named in the case and allegations involving Alejandro Mancuso. The Argentine Coaches Association denied that he held any official position and rejected responsibility for money or documents linked to the case.

UEFA plans to seek the views of its member associations on the 16-day international break, ahead of considering a proposal to FIFA, after clubs and coaches criticised it over injuries and the loss of season momentum, despite the system bringing four matches together in one window being fixed until 2030.

Arsenal winger Max Dowman received three Guinness World Records certificates before turning 17 after becoming the youngest player to appear in the Champions League, the youngest goalscorer in the Premier League and the youngest player to win the title, for achievements reached during last season.

FIFA said 812 of the 1,606 players, coaches and officials monitored during the 2026 World Cup received at least one abusive message. The protection service analysed 17.1 million posts and comments, with manual review confirming abuse in around 240,000 of them.

The Moroccan Football Federation has ended Spanish coach Jorge Vilda’s tenure after nearly three years in charge of the women’s national team and appointed Frenchman Éric Blahic to lead the side in two friendlies against Uzbekistan. The change comes after Morocco qualified for the next Women’s World Cup in Brazil and finished fourth in the latest edition of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.

Lionel Messi confirmed his decision to end his international career after 21 years, a day after leading Argentina to a 3–0 win over Benin in Buenos Aires. The 39-year-old player thanked his family, team-mates, coaches and clubs, and remembered Diego Maradona, saying he had already begun to miss wearing the national shirt.

Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu’s ethical decision not to face Israel has revived a series of cases in which players, clubs and national teams put their convictions before sporting gains, from opposing racism and supporting workers to boycotting tournaments and matches in protest against political and humanitarian abuses.

Lionel Messi ended his Argentina career by leading the team to a 3-0 win over Benin at the Monumental, scoring his 126th international goal and creating the other two. His 208th international appearance featured a farewell ceremony involving his family, team-mates and supporters, after more than 21 years in the national shirt.

Harry Kane won his 125th cap, equalling Peter Shilton's record for appearances for the England men's team, during a 3-0 Nations League win over Czechia. The captain scored twice and contributed to the other goal, taking his international tally to 91.

Saudi Arabia won the Arabian Gulf Cup for the fourth time in its history after beating the UAE 2-0 in the final of the 27th edition in Jeddah. Hamam Al-Hamami and Firas Al-Buraikan scored the two goals within the first 13 minutes, while Saudi Arabia completed the tournament without conceding a goal.

Daniil Medvedev left the China Open semi-final disqualified after a ball he hit towards the stands injured a spectator in the eye. The Russian accepted the decision and apologised, while Novak Djokovic advanced to face Alex de Minaur in the final.

Coco Gauff said she had received a large volume of racist comments and messages on social media after defeating China’s Sun Xinyuan in Beijing. The reaction began after a decisive point was replayed because of a flashing advertising board, while the American player said she had followed the rules and had not tried to cheat.

Désiré Doué, Rayan Cherki and Michael Olise scored four goals in the closing minutes to turn France’s deficit against Belgium into a 4-1 win in Saint-Denis. France remained top of their Nations League group and secured their first home victory under Zinedine Zidane.

France strengthened their position at the top of League A Group 1 in the UEFA Nations League after coming from a goal down to beat Belgium 4-1, while Italy defeated Türkiye 3-1 to move to seven points in second place after the fourth round.

Data analysis and specialist planning have increased the value of corners, free-kicks and long throw-ins, which account for between 25% and 32% of goals in the English and Spanish leagues. Arsenal, Brentford and Manchester City have pioneered precise attacking routines, while clubs have developed counter-defensive systems to protect their goal and manage second balls.

Portugal secured a place in the Nations League quarter-finals at League A level with their fourth consecutive win, beating Norway 2-1. In Group B, the Netherlands moved clear at the top after defeating Serbia, while Germany’s task became more difficult after a goalless draw with Greece.

Saudi Arabia is moving to cancel plans to build the Neom stadium designated for the 2034 World Cup, with an expected cost of 2.5 billion US dollars, according to two sources. MEED has listed the project among those on hold, as the kingdom faces pressure amid the Iran war.

Morocco will host Mali at the Grand Stade de Tanger on Sunday 4 October/October 2026 in a preparatory friendly, kicking off at 19:00 Morocco time. Moroccan sports channel Al Riyadiya will broadcast the match live, with digital streaming available through the SNRT Live platform.

Egypt and South Africa will meet in a friendly on Sunday evening, 4 October 2026, at Cairo International Stadium during the international break. The match will be broadcast on On Sport 1, with tickets available from 20 Egyptian pounds, in another test for both teams after the start of their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaigns.

The Dominican Republic has banned Haiti from playing its matches in the country after crowd incidents preceded a CONCACAF Nations League match between the two teams. The decision came amid a dispute over a comment by player Wilson Isidore, against a backdrop of ongoing tensions between the two countries over migration and border security.

Belgium beat Turkey 3-0 in the third round of the Nations League, thanks to a brace from Kevin De Bruyne and a goal by Romelu Lukaku. In League B, Hungary, Northern Ireland and Poland recorded wins, while Sweden drew with Bosnia and Herzegovina to retain top spot in their group.

Manchester City has lodged a comprehensive appeal against an independent panel’s ruling that found it guilty of financial breaches over nine seasons, saying the decision contains errors of law and fact and that it has evidence supporting its innocence. Penalties remain to be considered at a separate hearing, while the case moves to an independent appeal board.

Italy’s mixed start in the UEFA Nations League has exposed the scale of Roberto Mancini’s challenge in building a new generation, as players ineligible to represent the national team accounted for 67.9% of league minutes, while the share of Italian players under 21 fell to just 1.9%.