Z-PRO MEDIA

  English Football League (EFL) Chief Executive Trevor Birch will leave his role at the end of ‌the 2026-27 season, the EFL said on Thursday. Birch, 68, has been in the position since 2021, having previously been an executive at ⁠several clubs including Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea and Leeds United. "Trevor has led the EFL with clarity and commitment during an important period for the League," chairman Rick Parry said in a statement. "The Board is thankful for his ‌contribution ⁠and fully supports the approach being taken to ensure an orderly handover and continued stability in the 12 months ⁠ahead." Birch has overseen the recent expansion from four to six teams in the Championship ⁠promotion playoffs, which comes into effect next season, and was a ⁠critic of the decision in 2024 to scrap FA Cup replays.

  Former Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola will take over as ‌Liverpool’s manager on a two-year deal, the Premier League club said on Thursday. “You don’t need ⁠a lot of things to get attracted by Liverpool. Liverpool is Liverpool," Iraola said in a statement. “But obviously the atmosphere, the supporters, the ‌club, ⁠the players, the chance for me to coach top-level players, the chance ⁠to fight for titles. I think it cannot be ⁠more attractive than this. It’s difficult to ⁠find it. So, really excited to start."

  Jose Mourinho has filed a complaint at the European Court of Human Rights over disciplinary sanctions he received while coaching Turkish club Fenerbahce. The Strasbourg-based court has accepted the application from the Portuguese coach, says a notice on ‌its website on June 1, and has requested observations from the Turkish government. Mourinho is challenging a 600,000 Turkish lira ($13,074.74) fine plus a one-match ban from the dressing room and bench area imposed by the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) after a 3-2 Super Lig win at Trabzonspor on November 3, 2024. The federation penalised Mourinho for unsportsmanlike conduct towards ⁠rival fans during the match, and for subsequent press comments criticising refereeing standards. Trabzonspor were awarded two penalties in the second half after VAR interventions and, with the score at 2-2, Mourinho was incensed when a challenge on one of his players went unpunished. Mourinho suggested VAR official Atilla Karaoglan had missed the i...

  Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak has revealed Pep Guardiola "quit 100 times" during a decade at the club before leaving at the end of the season, drawing a line under one of the most successful managerial reigns in English football. In a wide-ranging interview with City's in-house media, Al Mubarak said Guardiola repeatedly half-heartedly flirted with leaving over the years, only ‌to be persuaded to continue -- until the moment he knew the decision was final. "Inevitably over these last 10 years we've had a lot of ups and some downs. And in the downs, he must have quit 100 times," Al Mubarak said. "There's the story as you all know, 'The Boy Who Cried Wolf.' In the case of Pep, when he says I quit, it doesn't mean he's quitting. You don't take it that seriously, you have to manage him. "I always had a very clear understanding with Pep, because of that analogy of the 'Boy Who Cried ⁠Wolf': whenever he qu...

  Bayer Leverkusen have appointed Spaniard Carles Martinez Novell as their new manager on a two-year deal after ‌sacking Kasper Hjulmand, the Bundesliga club announced on Thursday. The former Toulouse coach, who is set to leave the French club after three years at the ⁠end of the month, takes over from Hjulmand, who leaves Leverkusen after one season in charge. "Bayer 04 Leverkusen has appointed Carles Martinez Novell as their new head coach," the club said in a statement. "He will take over ... on July 1, 2026, ‌and ⁠signed a contract valid until June 30, 2028. In Leverkusen, Martinez, whose contract in Toulouse expires at the end of the month, ⁠succeeds Kasper Hjulmand, who is leaving the club after one season." In his first senior coaching ⁠job, the 42-year-old Martinez has led Toulouse to three successive mid-table finishes in ⁠the French top flight. Leverkusen finished sixth in the Bundesliga last season.

  France defender Ibrahima Konate said on Wednesday he battled depression following the deaths of Liverpool teammate Diogo Jota and his father while continuing to fulfil his football duties. Portugal forward Jota and his brother Andre Silva died in a car crash last ‌July, while Konate's father, Hamady, passed away in January after a long illness. "There are low points, there's depression. You can suffer from depression in football too; there's no need to be ashamed to say so," Konate told France Inter radio. "It's true that I've often heard players say they were suffering from depression and that fans or people on the outside ⁠didn't understand because they were earning a lot of money. But that's rubbish and you shouldn't say that." The 27-year-old, who confirmed earlier this week he will leave Liverpool this summer, said Jota's death had taken a heavy toll on him. "It devastated me. I didn't have any interest in anything...

  Jose Mourinho will return to manage Real Madrid if Florentino Perez wins the club's presidential election on Sunday, the sitting president confirmed on Wednesday as he campaigns for another term at the ‌helm of the LaLiga club. Perez, facing renewable energy entrepreneur Enrique Riquelme in the club's first contested election for 20 years, delivered the campaign announcement through his social media channels with a short video featuring Mourinho saying simply: "Yes!" The clip followed the slogan "So MOUch history to be made", a not-so-subtle nod to the Portuguese ⁠coach who guided Real to a record LaLiga points tally in 2012 but last lifted a league title with Chelsea in 2015. The move for Mourinho follows a disappointing domestic campaign in which Barcelona secured back-to-back league titles. Real, 15-time Champions League winners, have also exited Europe's top club competition at the quarter-final stage in the last two seasons, with the absence of ma...

Some Glazer family members have been debating whether ‌to sell their stake in Manchester United FC (MANU.N), opens new tab after more than two decades ⁠of ownership, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter. Several stakeholders in the Glazer family have been studying ‌the ⁠possibility of divesting part or all of their holdings in the English ⁠Premier League football club, according to the report. — Reuters 

  Inter Miami interim head coach Guillermo Hoyos will remain with the team following the World Cup break, ‌ESPN reported Tuesday. Hoyos, 62, has been coaching the team since Javier Mascherano stepped down for personal reasons on April 14. He previously served as ⁠the club's sporting director. Inter Miami is 6-1-1 since Hoyos took over, securing 19 of a possible 24 points while scoring 26 goals in eight matches. The reigning MLS Cup champions are 9-2-4 overall and in second place in the Eastern ‌Conference, ⁠two points behind Nashville SC in the Supporters' Shield race. The Herons return to action on July 22 against the visiting Chicago ⁠Fire. Various reports have linked the coaching vacancy to former Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, who ⁠previously coached Inter Miami superstar Lionel Messi with FC Barcelona from 2008-12. Hoyos ⁠previously managed multiple teams from 2006-23 in his native Argentina as well as Greece, Bolivia and Chile. --Field Level Media

  The Norwegian Football Federation (NFF) has formally backed an official complaint ‌against FIFA President Gianni Infantino over a breach of political neutrality rules, president Lise Klaveness said on Tuesday. Speaking at a press conference ahead of the national team's departure for the World Cup, Klaveness stated that the NFF's letter of support had been officially submitted. She acknowledged that the move has triggered political friction within football's ⁠world governing body. Klaveness had earlier called on FIFA to scrap the award to protect its political neutrality. FIFA faced intense scrutiny after presenting the inaugural peace prize to U.S. President Donald Trump during the 2026 World Cup draw in December. The complaint, lodged by human rights organisation FairSquare with FIFA’s ethics committee, objects to Infantino presenting a "peace prize" to Donald Trump. The NFF has asked the committee to assess whether the FIFA president violated the governing bod...

 Bologna have appointed Domenico Tedesco as manager until June 2028 with ‌an option for a further year, the Serie A club announced on Tuesday. The 40-year-old succeeds Vincenzo Italiano, who mutually parted ways with the club last week ⁠after a two-year spell. Tedesco was sacked by Fenerbahce in April after taking over last September on a two-year deal following Jose Mourinho’s departure. "Bologna FC 1909 can confirm the appointment of Domenico Tedesco as the head coach of our men’s First Team. Tedesco has signed a ‌contract ⁠until 30 June 2028, with an option for a one-year extension," the club statement read. Tedesco began his senior coaching career in 2017 at ⁠German club Erzgebirge Aue and has since managed Schalke 04, Spartak Moscow and RB Leipzig. He also served ⁠as Belgium's head coach for two years from 2023-25, taking over from current ⁠Portugal manager Roberto Martinez following the 2022 World Cup in Qata..

Head coach Marco Silva will leave Fulham in ‌the close season after guiding the club back to the Premier League and establishing them as a stable top-flight side over his five years in charge. "Fulham and Marco were an excellent fit for five seasons, but change is inevitable in this game, and we've accordingly prepared for this moment," club owner Shahid Khan said in a statement. The Portuguese coach has been ⁠heavily linked with a move to Benfica, where he is viewed as a leading candidate to succeed Jose Mourinho , when he makes his expected return to Real Madrid. Silva arrived in west London in 2021 and made an immediate impact, guiding Fulham to the Championship title in his first season, their first league title in 21 years. He then stabilised the club in the Premier League, overseeing finishes of 10th, 13th, 11th and 11th in his four seasons in England's top flight. The 48-year-old Silva thanked the fans for their backing. "I asked you, from day one, to alwa...

  The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on Tuesday upheld FIFA fines imposed on the Mexican Football Federation (FMF) over the use of a homophobic chant by supporters but overturned a partial stadium closure ordered in one of the disciplinary cases. CAS said the FMF must pay ‌separate fines of 60,000 Swiss francs ($76,287) and 80,000 Swiss francs after appeals against FIFA sanctions stemming from incidents during four international friendlies in 2024. FIFA's anti-discrimination monitoring system reported the chant during friendlies against Bolivia, Uruguay and Brazil in the summer of 2024, with two of those matches temporarily suspended. FIFA's disciplinary committee subsequently fined the FMF 60,000 Swiss francs and ordered a 15% closure of ⁠the stadium for Mexico's next FIFA match. A separate case stemming from an October 2024 friendly against the United States resulted in an additional fine of 80,000 Swiss francs. The FMF appealed both decisions to CAS, arguing it had...

  Spaniard Michel will become Ajax Amsterdam coach when he signs a two-year deal later this week, Dutch media said on ‌Tuesday. The 50-year-old will move from Girona, who he led to Champions League qualification in 2024 but was unable to save from La Liga relegation this season. The signing of Michel, whose full name ⁠is Miguel Angel Sanchez Munoz, had been predicted after Ajax’s new technical director Jordi Cruyff said he preferred a Spanish coach and identified the Girona manager as his top candidate. Last month, Ajax finished fifth in the Dutch league and secured a place in the Conference League through the playoffs after a disappointing ‌season. As ⁠a result, the club will begin their European campaign in the second qualifying round on July 23, with pre-season preparations scheduled to start on June 22. Michel, whose appointment ⁠has not been officially confirmed, will take over from compatriot Oscar Garcia, who was Ajax interim coach in the closing ⁠stages of the season. The c...

Son Heung-min answered questions about his form in convincing fashion on Saturday, netting twice as South Korea thrashed Trinidad and Tobago 5-0 in a World Cup warm-up friendly. The 33-year-old has been under some scrutiny ‌ahead of the World Cup, with the forward yet to score for Los Angeles FC in Major League Soccer this season. Son opened the scoring for South Korea with a close-range finish in the 40th minute, before doubling their lead from the penalty spot three minutes later. Hwang Hee-chan netted once ⁠and substitute Cho Gue-sung scored two more in the second half to complete South Korea's rout of their much lower-ranked opponents in Provo, Utah. "I think our confidence may have been low after losing twice in March (to Ivory Coast and Austria), and we will try to build on this and keep the momentum going," Son told reporters after the win. "Regardless of opponents, it's not easy to win 5-0. So I hope people don't take this for granted. The players des...

By Maxwell Kumoye  Liverpool have parted ways with manager Arne Slot after a disappointing second season that saw the Reds slip from Premier League champions to a fifth-place finish, ending the Dutchman's two-year spell at Anfield. The decision was announced on Saturday, with the club admitting that "change is necessary" despite Slot's historic achievement of guiding Liverpool to the league title in his debut campaign. Slot arrived at Anfield in 2024 from Dutch side Feyenoord as the successor to the legendary Jurgen Klopp.  Expectations were high, but the Dutchman exceeded them in his first season, steering Liverpool to the Premier League crown behind the brilliance of Mohamed Salah, who contributed 29 goals and 18 assists. However, the title-winning momentum quickly evaporated. Liverpool's attempt to defend their crown turned into a battle to secure Champions League qualification as the Reds endured a turbulent campaign marked by inconsistent performances, dressi...

  Lyle Foster missed a penalty as World Cup-bound South Africa were held to a disappointing ‌0-0 draw by lowly Nicaragua in their friendly international in Johannesburg on Friday. Foster struck the post from the spot late in the ⁠first half as coach Hugo Broos rested several of his regulars in a final match before they head to their team base in Pachuca, Mexico. South Africa dominated possession but created very little against a visiting side ‌who ⁠barely managed to get out of their own half and offered nothing in attack. South Africa take on co-hosts Mexico ⁠in the World Cup opener in Mexico City on June 11, before a clash ⁠with the Czech Republic in Atlanta on June 18 and a ⁠final Group A fixture against South Korea six days later in Monterrey.

AFC Bournemouth have signed a five-year kit deal with sportswear manufacturer Hummel from the 2026/27 season, in what the club call a record agreement after a competitive supplier tender. The deal brings Hummel back into the Premier League. The competitive process behind the partnership tells its own story. Mid-table Premier League clubs with stable ownership and consistent on-pitch performance are now serious commercial properties in their own right, well beyond the traditional top six. Both parties will develop expanded matchday, training, and lifestyle product lines aimed at core supporters and wider consumer segments. Bournemouth’s superstore is also being refurbished, with completion scheduled after the 2026/27 season, signalling that the club intend to drive revenue per supporter through both product range and retail infrastructure. Jim Frevola, President of Business Operations at AFC Bournemouth, said, “This is a hugely significant partnership, reflecting the progres...

...As fans eye ₦1m cash bonanza Oluwatobiloba Zeal-Adepetu Kumoye      Popular Afrobeats sensation Portable will headline the closing ceremony of the 2026 Nigeria National League (NNL) Super Four as organisers prepare a grand finale at the Remo Stars Stadium. The Ogun State-born entertainer, whose real name is Habeeb Olalomi, is expected to thrill fans with his energetic stage performance, viral dance routines and chart-topping hits as the curtain falls on the tournament that will determine the champions of the 2025/2026 NNL season. Organisers also announced a series of cash rewards aimed at boosting fan participation and creating a carnival atmosphere around the competition.  Two lucky spectators will win ₦500,000 each in a live raffle draw to be conducted by Portable, while the first 200 fans to enter the stadium on finals day will receive ₦5,000 each. According to officials of Toptier Sports Management, the initiative is designed to celebrate supporter...

...Eyes big comeback with the Dutch side BY Raymond Nwaduba and Mishael Emmanuel      Eredivisie side Excelsior Rotterdam have snapped up Nigerian right wing back Hamdi Akujobi on a one-and-a-half-year deal, giving the 26-year-old a chance to bounce back from a long injury layoff. Akujobi, who has been sidelined since last April with a cruciate ligament injury sustained during Almere City’s 2-1 loss to Heerenveen, joins Rotterdam as a free agent just in time despite the winter transfer window already closing.  The deal was possible because he was out of contract before the window shut. The former Almere City star is reportedly 90% fit and will complete his rehabilitation with the Kralingers, readying himself for a return to top-flight action. Known for his attacking runs and defensive grit, Akujobi remains on the radar of Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle, keeping the door open for international recognition. Excelsior has confirmed the deal is flexible, allo...