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Confirmed deal values club as a whole at £5.5bnAmit Bhatia will become club’s new vice-chairmanLiverpool’s owner, Fenway Sports Group, has confirmed it has agreed the sale of 30% of the club to a consortium including Amit Bhatia, the Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and the Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin. The deal is understood to be worth £1.65bn, valuing Liverpool at £5.5bn, and will see Bhatia become the club’s new vice-chair on an expanded board.Bhatia, the son-in-law of Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal, initiated and led talks with FSG on behalf of the 1892 Holdings consortium, a reference to Liverpool’s founding year. The former co-owner of Queens Park Rangers has received financial backing from the Mittal Family Trust, the K5 Sports fund, of which Bezos is the lead investor, and EE Capital, the family office of Elaine and Eduardo Saverin.Elaine Saverin, wife of Eduardo, and Bryan Baum, co-founder and managing partner of K5 Global, will also join the Liverpool board. Bezos is considered a passive investor and will not have a seat on the board.Despite the involvement of Bezos, the third richest man in the world with $272bn (£201bn), Eduardo Saverin, worth an estimated $33bn and the Mittal family, worth around $17bn, FSG will remain in operational control of Liverpool as well as majority owners. 1892 Holdings’ investment remains subject to regulatory approval, which could take up to 90 days, and will have no impact on Liverpool’s transfer budget or strategy for this summer. There is also no change to the leadership or day-to-day running of Liverpool.FSG insist the deal is not part of an exit strategy from a club they acquired in 2010 for £300m after the near-ruinous ownership of Tom Hicks and George Gillett. The transaction does not compel FSG to sell more of the club to 1892 at a future date, or include obligations for 1892 to increase their stake, but it does give Bhatia’s consortium options to purchase more of Liverpool should the majority owners eventually decide to sell.It is the makeup of Bhatia’s consortium, rather than any financial need, that FSG claim attracted them to the British-Indian businessman’s proposal. The FSG leadership team of principal owner John W Henry, chair Tom Werner and president Mike Gordon have spent almost a year getting to know Bhatia and believe the deal will create further opportunities for Liverpool in global business, technology and investment, including in the important markets of India and Asia.Gordon, who has resumed a more hands-on role at Liverpool following the departure of Michael Edwards as chief executive of football at FSG, said: “Liverpool has always been built by thinking beyond one season and making decisions with the club’s long-term interests in mind. That approach continues to attract interest from respected investors and business leaders around the world.“As we considered this opportunity, it became clear that Amit and the consortium shared our long-term philosophy and appreciation for what makes Liverpool special. Their experience and perspective will complement the strong foundation already in place, and we look forward to working together.”With Premier League and Uefa financial regulations linking a club’s spending to turnover, the new investment will not have an immediate benefit for head coach Andoni Iraola and his Liverpool team. However, the commercial opportunities presented by the involvement of Bezos, Bhatia and Saverin will enable the Anfield club to grow their annual revenue significantly. Liverpool’s annual revenue increased to a record £703m in the year ending May 2025.Speaking on behalf of 1892 Holdings, Bhatia said: “We are incredibly proud to be investing in Liverpool Football Club and to be doing so alongside FSG. We have the utmost respect and admiration for FSG as owners and for everything they have achieved at Anfield.“To be welcomed as a partner in a club of this stature is a huge privilege. We are making this investment because we believe deeply in Liverpool and its leadership, and we look forward to supporting the club’s continued success for years to come.”Bhatia was involved in QPR for almost 19 years and took on numerous roles, from chair of the club to chair of the club’s community trust, until transferring his shareholding in July. He is likely to have a more visible presence at Anfield than fellow members of his consortium or FSG.

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Sports editorPublished14 minutes ago37 CommentsLiverpool's owners have agreed to sell around a third of the club to a consortium including billionaire Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.In a statement, Fenway Sports Group (FSG) confirmed it had entered into a "definitive agreement" for the sale of a "strategic minority investment" to 1892 Holdings.The group is led by British-Indian millionaire businessman Amit Bhatia and also includes billionaire Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin.Bhatia is set to become Liverpool's vice-chairman, and will join an expanded board pending regulatory approval.The son-in-law of Indian billionaire businessman Lakshmi Mittal, he had been a director and co-owner of Queens Park Rangers for 18 years before relinquishing his stake in the club last month.American businessman Bezos, founder of e-commerce giant Amazon, is the fourth-richest person in the world, with an estimated net worth of $256bn (£192bn). This marks his first foray into sports ownership, although he will not join Liverpool's board.However, Bryan Baum, founder of venture capital firm K5 Sports - through which Bezos is investing - will join the Anfield board, alongside Saverin's wife Elaine.BBC Sport has been told that the transaction will have no impact on the club's approach to the transfer window, and that there is no new or separate transfer budget associated with the investment.The deal is said to value the club between £5bn and £6bn.FSG says the deal "supports Liverpool's long-term growth ambitions by bringing together experts from across global business, technology, and investment"."The consortium partners will work with FSG and the club's leadership team to evaluate opportunities that enhance the club's objectives on and off the pitch," it added."FSG continues to retain majority ownership and operational control of Liverpool."FSG, which bought Liverpool in a £300m deal in 2010, previously sold a minority stake in the Anfield side to global sports investment firm Dynasty Equity.Mike Gordon, FSG president, said: "Liverpool has always been built by thinking beyond one season and making decisions with the club's long-term interests in mind. That approach continues to attract interest from respected investors and business leaders around the world."As we considered this opportunity, it became clear that Amit and the consortium shared our long-term philosophy and appreciation for what makes Liverpool special."Their experience and perspective will complement the strong foundation already in place, and we look forward to working together."Bhatia said the consortium was "proud to be investing in Liverpool"."We have the utmost respect and admiration for FSG as owners and for everything they have achieved at Anfield," he said."To be welcomed as a partner in a club of this stature is a huge privilege. We are making this investment because we believe deeply in Liverpool and its leadership, and we look forward to supporting the club's continued success for years to come."In January, Liverpool became the top-earning Premier League club for the first time, according to analysis from financial firm Deloitte.The following month the club announced record revenues of £703m for the 2024-25 financial year.BBC Sport has been told that while FSG was not seeking investment out of financial need, its leadership was attracted by the consortium's reach across global business, technology and investment, including in India, and across Asia.On top of the purchase price, FSG have since facilitated intra-group loans of about £218m, meaning a total outlay of about £518m.Sixteen years later, the proposed sale of 30% would mean FSG receive in excess of £1.5bn, five times what it was worth in 2010 when the group bought it from American businessmen Tom Hicks and George Gillett."It's a great deal for FSG," football finance expert Kieran Maguire told BBC Sport."They generate more than £1bn from the deal and still keep control - this represents the best of both worlds."Such a huge increase in Liverpool's value has required investment off the pitch as well as success on it, including building a new training ground and redeveloping the stadium.A 30-year title drought was ended in 2019-20, another Premier League was won in 2024-25 and a sixth Champions League was claimed in 2019.Bezos stepped down as CEO of Amazon five years ago but remains one of the company's biggest shareholders.He also owns aerospace company Blue Origin, venture capital firm Nash Holdings and the Washington Post. More recently he created Prometheus, an artificial intelligence company which last month invested £330m in a British AI start-up.As if to underline the scale of his financial resources, only last week he filed to sell 15 million of his remaining Amazon shares with a market value of about £3.1bn - double the value of the consortium's offer for a stake in Liverpool.Bezos has been linked with sports investment for some time, but usually American sports franchises which are either more expensive or not open to offers.He was reportedly interested in the Seattle Seahawks, who were sold for £7.3bn, external recently. The Washington Commanders, another NFL franchise said to be of interest, were sold for £4.6bn in 2023.Buying a stake in Liverpool gives the 62-year-old a slice of one of the most iconic global sports brands for a small fraction of his fortune.Facebook co-founder Saverin, who is reported to be worth $32bn (£23.7bn), is also involved in the consortium.Liverpool fans consider the club to have a specific set of values, centred around working-class roots.When FSG attempted to raise season-ticket prices last season, fans' group Spirit of Shankly (SOS) launched a campaign called 'Not a Pound in the Ground'.It urged fans to buy food and drink from local businesses in the Anfield area rather than inside the stadium. It worked, forcing the club to cut the size of their planned price rise.Earlier this week SOS raised some concerns about the proposed investment."We would like to know what the buying consortium will get in return for their 30% stake," an SOS spokesperson told BBC Sport."Does this potential consortium have the best interests of the club at the forefront or is it a 'trophy' buy?"Gareth Roberts, Liverpool season-ticket holder and host of the Late Challenge LFC podcast, told BBC Sport earlier this week he was worried by Amazon's approach, given criticisms of the way the company has treated its workers.A Trades Union Congress report, external on Amazon issued in 2020 highlighted "long, gruelling shifts with unreasonable productivity targets and unfair shift patterns" and "unacceptable working conditions".In 2024, more than 200 workers took part in two days of strike action at the Amazon site in Birmingham as part of a long-running dispute over pay and union rights. Amazon said it regularly reviews its pay to ensure it offers competitive wages."How Amazon have treated unions and workers isn't particularly palatable," Roberts said. "Is he simply going to ramp up the name of Liverpool in order to make as much money as possible?"The Bezos factor - unpicking puzzle of Liverpool's potential investorsPre-match, post-match and topical Reds contentListen on SoundsSubscribe and listen for everything you love about LiverpoolLatest Liverpool news, analysis and fan viewsAsk about Liverpool - what do you want to know?

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Celtic manager Martin O'Neill says he is disappointed to be losing Arne Engels to West Ham, but accepts it is a move he has to make.The Hoops rejected a £25m bid from Nottingham Forest for the Belgium international in the winter transfer window and Engels was keen for a move to English football.Speaking at a media conference ahead of Saturday's Scottish League Cup second-round tie against Dundee United, O'Neill said: "West Ham wanted him to be available for the opening day of the season. Naturally disappointed, really, that he's leaving the football club, he's done very well for us."And it's hard to dissuade him of that. If it hadn't come up, I think he'd have been happy. Even though the offer came in very late from Nottingham Forest in January, he never moaned about it at all."So it's an opportunity for him and it's really hard for him to turn it down."Engels moves ahead of Celtic's Champions League play-off first leg against LASK next Wednesday but O'Neill understood why Engels was keen to complete the transfer, especially after Alistair Johnston suffered a leg muscle injury amid interest from Everton."Ideally, I'd love him to have stayed and maybe completed after the two games," said the 74-year-old, who is fully back to work after a medical procedure last week."It probably wasn't going to happen. You've got a concern, I suppose, with the fact that Alistair played for us when there was an offer on the table, hurt himself, maybe things like that there may disappear."I suppose Arne was probably worried the same sort of thing might happen. From a playing viewpoint, I probably can understand that."Canada right-back Johnston went off at half-time in Celtic's 5-1 win at Kilmarnock on Sunday."He'll be out for a few weeks," O'Neill said. "By the time he's fit, he'll be past the transfer deadline. He's been very stoic about it, really."It's a shame for him but it's not long-term. It's something that he'll get over and he'll be back."Celtic signed Egypt winger Haissem Hassan and Germany Under-21 midfielder Mika Baur this week and O'Neill expects further arrivals.One could be Chelsea left-back Landon Emenalo as a loan back-up to Kieran Tierney after the 18-year-old was given a tour of Celtic's Lennoxtown training centre this week."I think he's a really fine young player," O'Neill said. "Obviously we need that position covered. Kieran did exceptionally well last season, having been plagued with injuries at Arsenal. He came roaring back, which was great."And this young man has definitely got talent. He's got a bit of an injury at the moment. We're hoping that that will clear up shortly. And if it does, and I think it will, I'd love to have him."

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Malawi have been the surprise package of the 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon), but the source of the goals which have fired the tournament debutants into Sunday's final against Cameroon (19:00 GMT) has been less of a shock.Sisters Tabitha and Temwa Chawinga are the undoubted stars of the show, scoring nine of Malawi's 12 goals - with Temwa leading the golden boot race with fives strikes alongside Zambia's Barbra Banda.And while the Scorchers are the lowest-ranked side at the finals in Morocco, at 153rd in the world, the siblings have already won silverware for some of football's biggest clubs.Born on 22 May 1996 in the northern district of Rumphi, Tabitha is the older sister.The 30-year-old began playing football as a child with boys in her village, with a ball made out of plastic or paper."Growing up, I never saw myself as different from boys," she told the BBC. "Whatever they did I believed I could.""My mum beat me because she was embarrassed," Chawinga told Africa Daily in 2023."People would provoke my mum: 'Look at your daughter - maybe she will not be married in the future. Your daughter, she doesn't want to go to school.'"Even my friends said: 'No women can play football in this world'."Tabitha persisted and her journey to international stardom began when she moved to join DD Sunshine in the capital Lilongwe.Tabitha draws strongly on her Christian faith, paying tribute to God during many of her media engagements.A switch to Europe came in 2014 after an American working for a non-governmental organisation had a spell at DD Sunshine before relocating to Sweden.The NGO worker joined third-tier side Krokom Dvarsatts, and DD Sunshine owner David Dube then suggested the Swedes try out Tabitha as well."When Krokom Dvarsatts hesitated, Mr Dube offered to pay visa and flight costs for me to travel to Sweden for trials," said Tabitha."I joined the team and they were immediately impressed with my strength, dribbling, shooting from far and scoring skills."She had to wait until after her 18th birthday to make her debut, then became the first Malawian woman to play in Europe and scored 39 times in 14 games.Tabitha continued her exploits at second-tier Kvarnsveden, netting 43 goals to help them win promotion, and was then leading scorer in the Swedish top flight in 2017.A six-year spell in China followed, which saw her win three league titles, three golden boots and two player of the season awards.A successful loan with Inter Milan in 2022-23 also saw her win the Serie A golden boot."My goal is to achieve for African people," she said after that feat."I need to play for the girls in Africa. They need to see there are women in this world that can play football like men."It was Paris St-Germain next for the striker, and another landmark as the first woman from Malawi to play and score in the Uefa Champions League in 2023.France's most decorated female side, Lyon, came calling and Tabitha has helped them to back-to-back domestic titles.She played in last season's Champions League final defeat by Barcelona.Born on 20 September 1998, Temwa - whose name means 'love' in her native Tumbuka language - followed the path trodden by her elder sister.She acknowledges that Tabitha has been "instrumental" in her career, with the two playing together for both DD Sunshine and Kvarnsveden after Tabitha recommended that the Swedes sign her younger sister."She made connections for me to leave Malawi to play abroad, but most importantly has always advised me to fight hard, to know what I want and to pursue it without listening to distracting people," Temwa told BBC Sport Africa.The 27-year-old impressed in Sweden, scoring 35 league goals in 2019.With agents in China asking Tabitha how to find a well-rounded player like her, the response was once again to recommend Temwa.Wuhan Jianghan pounced and the forward helped the club win four consecutive league titles - including the 2021 edition alongside her sister.In 2023 she was the world's top goalscorer of the calendar year, outscoring the likes of Erling Haaland, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi with 51 strikes for her Chinese club and 12 for Malawi."When I found out I was so happy. I didn't believe it, but it was so amazing," she said.Kansas City Current of America's National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) swooped and Temwa was the division's top scorer in her debut season in 2024 with 20 goals.She bagged another 15 last year as the Current ended the regular campaign with the best record in the NWSL before being beaten in the play-offs.She was named league MVP in both campaigns.Despite their roll of achievements, neither sister has yet been named as African Women's Footballer of the Year.Both have been prolific at international level since making their Malawi debuts in 2011 and 2016 respectively.Tabitha usually captains the Scorchers, but it was Temwa who skippered the side to their first piece of silverware, the regional Council of Southern Africa Football Associations Women's Championship title in 2023."I was waiting to qualify for the [Women's] Africa Cup of Nations [for] a long time," Tabitha said before this tournament began."I've been playing big games in Europe, but I tell the girls 'Don't be shy, don't be scared'."Those words proved invaluable as Malawi upset 10-time champions Nigeria in their Wafcon opener and also finished above 2022 semi-finalists Zambia in Group C.The Scorchers came from behind to beat Ghana 2-1 in the quarter-finals - sealing qualification for next year's Fifa Women's World Cup - before both sisters scored in the semi-final win over Algeria."I'm so happy because a lot of people didn't give us a chance at this level, but we showed the world that we have a good team," Temwa said.Malawi FA boss Fleetwood Haiya says funds received from world governing body Fifa have helped stoke the success of the women's side, but both sisters have called for more investment."If we can put money in Malawi to support girls' football I think there can be so many like me and Tabitha," Temwa said.Should Malawi become just the fourth side to win the Wafcon title, after Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea and South Africa, they will be indebted to two sisters from humble beginnings.

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Belgium midfielder Arne Engels is having a medical pending a transfer to West Ham United, Celtic manager Martin O'Neill has confirmed.The Scottish champions rejected a multi-million pound offer from Nottingham Forest for the 22-year-old in the winter transfer window and Engels was keen for a move to English football.O'Neill had hoped to retain Engels until after their Champions League play-off against LASK, with the first leg next Wednesday.But the Celtic manager said: "West Ham wanted him to be available for the opening day of the season.Hassan outlines Champions League ambition"And it's hard to dissuade him of that. If it hadn't come up, I think he'd have been happy. Even though the offer came in very late from Nottingham Forest in January, he never moaned about it at all."So it's an opportunity for him and it's really hard for him to turn it down."O'Neill understood why Engels was keen to complete the transfer, especially after Canada right-back Alistair Johnston - who had attracted interest from Everton - suffered a leg muscle injury."Ideally, I'd love him to have stayed and maybe completed after the two games," the 74-year-old, who is fully back to work after a medical procedure last week, said."It probably wasn't going to happen. You've got a concern, I suppose, with the fact that Alistair played for us when there was an offer on the table, hurt himself, maybe things like that there may disappear."I suppose Arne was probably worried the same sort of thing might happen. From a playing viewpoint, I probably can understand that."Johnston went off at half-time in Celtic's 5-1 win at Kilmarnock on Sunday."He'll be out for a few weeks," O'Neill said. "By the time he's fit, he'll be past the transfer deadline. He's been very stoic about it, really."It's a shame for him, but it's not long-term. It's something that he'll get over and he'll be back."Celtic signed Egypt winger Haissem Hassan and Germany Under-21 midfielder Mika Baur this week and O'Neill expects further arrivals.One could be Chelsea left-back Landon Emenalo as a loan back-up to Kieran Tierney after the 18-year-old was given a tour of Celtic's Lennoxtown training centre this week."I think he's a really fine young player," O'Neill added. "Obviously we need that position covered. Kieran did exceptionally well last season, having been plagued with injuries at Arsenal. He came roaring back, which was great."And this young man has definitely got talent. He's got a bit of an injury at the moment. We're hoping that that will clear up shortly. And, if it does, and I think it will, I'd love to have him."Visit our Celtic page for all the latest news, analysis and fan views

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All new managers want to hit the ground running. But landing with a dull thud has never been a barrier to future glory, certainly not at Ibrox. Take Graeme Souness, whose start as Rangers’ player-manager put the ‘pish’ in ‘inauspicious’. On his league debut, away to Hibs, he was sent off in the first half after a revenge attack on the wrong mullet. Rangers lost 2-1 and were beaten in the third game as well. Graeme out! Rangers won the League Cup and finished the season as champions for the first time in nine years.Dick Advocaat had a similarly awkward start in 1998. In his first game, played at Tranmere’s Prenton Park, Rangers went 3-0 down to Shelbourne in the first leg of their Big Vase tie. They went through comfortably in the end but lost the first league game a few days later. Dic-Advocaat out! Rangers had to settle for a domestic treble that season. Different times, when toys were played with for more than a few seconds before being launched from the pram with maximum force, followed a few seconds later by a handful of freshly sourced excreta. In 2026, alas, hot air and horse pucky are an acceptable substitute for reasonable discourse. And so, after failing to win any of his first four games as Rangers manager, Derek McInnes is “out of his depth” and a “dead man walking”.Que Sera, Sera? Eff that! Turns out the future is ours to see after four games, two of them in a competition Rangers had no chance of winning anyway. Football Daily hasn’t a clue if McInnes is up to the Brobdingnagian challenge of managing Rangers, one that most tea-timely newsletters don’t really understand. But we do know that a culture of self-fulfilling poppycock, where ostentatious negativity is football’s version of the fatberg and many people would rather be right than happy, is a stain on our daily bread.That said, what a roflcopter of a start! Given the events of last season, it was never going to be an equanimity-cultivating experience for a new Rangers manager to see Russell Martin’s start and lower it. Rangers have one point from two league games and are out of Bigger Vase after the most costly 1-1 draw against Polish opposition on British soil since Brian Clough called somebody a clown. Paradoxically, the aggregate defeat to Jagiellonia Bialystok – and subsequent drop into Tin Pot – has increased Rangers’ chances of winning a trophy under McInnes. Time will tell whether those chances have increased from 0.0000001% to 0.0000002%, from 9% to 9.4% or from some other figure to some other figure. Right now, the supercomputers know, and the bairns in the prams certainly don’t.Join Dominic Booth at 8pm BST for live updates on Wolves 2-0 Blackburn in the Championship opener.“If Gianni Infantino doesn’t get re-elected unanimously, then whoever voted against him needs to get their head examined” – Andrew Giuliani, the chief suit of the White House Task Force for the Geopolitics World Cup, emerges from Donald Trump’s fundament to give his view on the Fifa crisis. Alas, Giuliani’s interview with the Athletic didn’t take place at Four Seasons Total Landscaping.double quotation markWhen I reflect on the lack of support for my very reasonable case from 1,057 people (Football Daily letters passim), I find consolation in the fact that I won letter o’the day, and none of them did. The Football Daily merch, when it arrives, will have pride of place in the trophy room at Cushion Towers” – Bob Cushion.double quotation markSo Arsenal are looking to spend €30m on Ezri Konsa as defensive cover. Meanwhile, the club I support, Exeter City, don’t have two brass farthings to rub together (ask your dad). Something wrong here” – Dave Hill.double quotation markI will admit to the occasional snigger, but today was the first time in a long time that I’ve actually laughed out loud at a joke in the Fiver – the one about Portugal and Euro 2028. It was a joke, wasn’t it?” – Bill Muskett.double quotation markThat 6ft 4in striker Brian Madjo has a very high ceiling is the most common sense, practical thing about modern football I’ve read in a long time” – Peter Oh.If you have any, please send letters to the.boss@theguardian.com. Today’s letter o’ the day winner is … Peter Oh, who gets some Football Weekly merch. Terms and conditions for our competitions can be viewed here.Herne Bay FC were full of the joys when they smashed Broadfields United 6-1 in their FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round replay on Tuesday. Six was the magic number – until some social media funsters pointed out that Herne Bay had also used six subs rather than the permitted five. Small print is small print and the FA has ruled that the match will be replayed next Tuesday. There might be another bit of small print at play. It’s been suggested that Herne Bay thought they had made a concussion substitution earlier in the match, which theoretically permitted them a sixth change. But concussion substitutions are only permitted in later rounds of the FA Cup, because apparently it’s not a medical issue when a non-league player goes all wobbly.“For clarity,” said the official Herne Bay website, “the substitution in question [Joe Tyrie for Joe Taylor] occurred in the 88th minute when Herne Bay were leading 5–0, and the match was effectively decided at that point.” Their opposition were equally frustrated by the FA’s intransigence. “The game was deemed not to have been played in accordance with the competition rules,” said an official statement. “Broadfields United has no choice but to respect and comply with the FA’s decision on the matter.” But they haven’t ruled out making six substitutions in the first minute of the replay. Think of the Fifa Fair Play Award!Jimmy Rimmer, the outstanding goalkeeper who played every minute of all 42 games when Aston Villa won the title in 1980-81, has died aged 78. Rimmer also picked up two European Cup winner’s medals, one each with Manchester United and Villa, despite playing only nine minutes across both finals.The Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) has declared its support for Gianni Infantino, but New Zealand has broken ranks to call him out.Mikel Arteta wants to address Arsenal’s embarrassing shortage of centre-backs who can also play full-back by signing Jarell Quansah from Bayer Leverkusen.Enzo Maresca doesn’t do 5pm Friday deadlines, not even when they involve the potential signing of Enzo Fernández.And Diego Gómez has squiggled his name on a new five-year contract with Brighton.In the latest of our Premier League previews, Andy Hunter gives Everton a full MOT and John Brewin inserts his thermometer into Fulham.Will Unwin talks to Chris Cohen and Tom Shaw, the joint head coaches who have been promoted from within to manage Lincoln City in the Championship.Hate Siri, love Sirius. They’re the Swedish side who are chasing a shock Allsvenskan title despite losing the “best player in the league”. Will Magee reports.This gallery contains several spectacular pictures of the UK’s parched sporting pitches.How much do you know about the Football League? Take this quiz to find out.And Harry Paterson assesses whether newly promoted Coventry, Ipswich and Hull City can repeat the success of Sunderland and Leeds last season.10 January 1958: England stars Tommy Banks, Wilf McGuinness, Billy Wright and Bobby Charlton at a practice session at Bolton’s Burnden Park before the 1958 international against the USSR. To tie up some loose ends: Charlton scored in a 5-0 win and everyone bar Banks would have been unused to wearing Bolton kit, and the building that once housed the Pack Horse is now student digs.

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Senior football correspondentPublished3 minutes agoFree agent Jadon Sancho is believed to prefer a move abroad despite receiving offers from Premier League clubs.The 26-year-old winger is assessing his options six weeks after his Manchester United contract expired.Borussia Dortmund, who Sancho has made 158 appearances for over two spells, are believed to be one of the clubs interested.Sancho, who cost United £73m when he joined from Dortmund in 2021, is said to favour a move away from England but remains open to all options.He spent last season on loan at Aston Villa, making 39 appearances as Unai Emery's team achieved Champions League qualification and Europa League success - coming on as a late substitute in the victory over Freiburg, his third European final in three seasons.The England attacker spent the 2024-25 season on loan at Chelsea, making 41 appearances.That deal included an obligation to buy, but the west London club paid a £5m penalty to send him back to Manchester United.Sancho has been training at non-league Flixton to maintain fitness before the new season.'Jadon was not on trial with the club' - Flixton dismiss Sancho talkRashford, Mainoo & transfers - Carrick calls for more signings

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The summer transfer window opened on June 15 and closes at 11pm UK time on September 1. Find out who is on the move across the Premier League.Check below for a comprehensive list of all the Premier League ins and outs from the 2026 summer transfer window, as clubs confirm released lists and look to make reinforcements around the 2026 World Cup.Keep track of all the latest developments with our Transfer Centre blog.Piero Hincapie - Bayer Leverkusen, £34.5mSamuel Chapman - Georgia Southern Eagles, freeLouie Barry - Sheffield Wednesday, undisclosedYeimar Mosquera - Vitoria SC, undisclosedSil Swinkels - Sheffield Wednesday, undisclosedJannik Schuster - Red Bull Salzburg, £16.5mJoseph Wheeler-Henry - Chelsea, undisclosedEthan Brierley - Huddersfield, undisclosedJeremy Sarmiento - Middlesbrough, undisclosedEmmanuel Emegha - Strasbourg, undisclosedJoseph Wheeler-Henry - Brentford, undisclosedHarrison Murray-Campbell - Kortrijk, loanAurele Amenda - Eintracht Frankfurt, £17.2mJahnoah Markelo - Shabab Al-Ahli Dubai, undisclosedLucas Herrington - Colorado Rapids, undisclosedNobel Mendy - Rayo Vallecano, undisclosedKonstantinos Tzolakis - Olympiacos, undisclosedMason Burstow - Sheffield Wednesday, loanKjell Scherpen - Union Saint-Gilloise, £11mLuca Fletcher - Manchester City, undisclosedChristopher Atherton - Chelsea, undisclosedJack Harrison - New England Revolution, undisclosedIfeanyi Ndukwe - Austria Wien, undisclosedCarter Pinnington - West Brom, undisclosedElliot Anderson - Nottingham Forest, £116mPierce Charles - Sheffield Wednesday - £3mMatty Warhurst - Northampton, undisclosedJahmai Simpson-Pusey - Cologne, undisclosedEthan Williams - Peterborough, undisclosedTyler Fredricson - Lausanne-Sport, undisclosedOusmande Diomande - Nottingham Forest, £34.3mHarrison Jones - Peterborough, undisclosedNazariy Rusyn - Karpaty Lviv, undisclosed

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Enzo Maresca has revealed part of his intention in his first season as Manchester City boss is to "close the gap to Arsenal", after finishing seven points shy of the Premier League champions last term.A first glimpse of how realistic that ambition is will be gleaned in the Community Shield on Sunday.The Gunners have historically won all three of their Community Shield matches against City, with this weekend's heavyweight bout in Cardiff destined to be a precursor to the start of an intriguing new rivalry between Mikel Arteta and Maresca.The fixture also signals the final countdown to the start of the Premier League proper, with Arsenal opening their campaign against Coventry five days later and City beginning two days after that vs Bournemouth - both live on Sky Sports.According to Sky Sports' predictor, Arsenal are favourites to retain their crown, some four points clear of Man City. But there is renewed hunger from a different challenger to Pep Guardiola to disrupt those odds. Neither manager is likely to treat this introductory meeting, with silverware on the line, as cordial."For me personally, it's a trophy," Maresca said. "When trophies are there in a final you are there to win the game, no friendly game at all. We want to try our best to win the first trophy."Arsenal have shown over the last few years, they have always been there. They're a fantastic team. Well managed, well coached from Mikel, and last year they win the Premier League."But we are City, we want to close the gap."Pre-season has been good. Now we need to compete, win games, win titles. I want to see high spirit and the right mentality."When asked if Erling Haaland is fit to feature, Maresca added: "He is ok. He had a small thing behind the heel. But he's ok. Everyone is fit, but we know some of them have just arrived [after their summer break] two days ago."Meanwhile, Arsenal manager Arteta revealed Maresca is "just as good" as his predecessor Guardiola - while also agreeing the Community Shield is a valid trophy - that can set the marker for the season ahead."The best version of Arsenal has to be on Sunday. That's the intention," said Arteta. "The best performance, the best way to start the season by lifting the first trophy. That's the way we've prepared the season."Asked about facing City without Guardiola, Arteta replied: "Now it's Enzo - who is as good as [Guardiola], because I know him well. He will provide something different to the club."Arteta confirmed that bar the injured Jurrien Timber and William Saliba, Arsenal have a clean bill of health - which includes Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi who are yet to play in pre-season yet."It's a trophy, one that we can have because we earned last year it from winning the Premier League," added Arteta. "You can tell how hungry the players are, which is a good sign."I love the way the players have come back, most of them earlier as expected. Really fit, we've done all the testing. They all seem in a great condition."The moment they started to look at each other, I said: 'look at the squad that we have and what we're building'. There's a lot of excitement."Man City's final pre-season friendly was played on August 9, a 3-1 win over Atletico Madrid, and I expect Sunday's XI to be similar. Assuming Rayan Ait Nouri is in good enough condition, he should start at left-back. And with all the speculation around Tijjani Reijnders, it is unlikely he plays on Sunday - or ever again for City.Maresca's central-midfield options are therefore Nico Gonzalez or Rico Lewis. England duo Nico O'Reilly and Elliot Anderson are the obvious contenders to take up that position when the Premier League kickstarts but neither have had a pre-season because of the World Cup.Omar Marmoush scored twice, both assisted by Antoine Semenyo, in that Atletico win and is likely to play through the middle as Haaland eases back into action. Phil Foden's comeback trail will also begin after a summer absent of international obligations. He has got a chance to make the No 10 shirt his.Arteta confirmed Rice, Saka and Zubimendi are available to play - but during the pre-season friendlies, the vast majority of Arsenal players were given 30 minutes in their first outings.It would be wise to predict that the trio are set to start on the bench, but play the final half an hour.That means a midfield spot for Bruno Guimaraes - who made his debut against Como - is likely in Cardiff. A first real chance to see the Brazilian in the climate Arsenal brought him in for. It could also mean Myles Lewis-Skelly starts despite all the speculation about his future, with Arteta not confirming the teenager is set to stay this summer.Another summer signing in Christos Tzolis is expected to get a run-out on the left wing - a first real microscope test for him as well - while Max Dowman's full pre-season means he could start over Noni Madueke.Arteta has a left-back dilemma in who to pick out of Riccardo Calafiori and Piero Hincapie - the more-defensive latter may get the nod - while a more energised Martin Odegaard has a chance to lay down a marker after a stop-start campaign last term.

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Shakhtar have been unable to use their Donbas Arena since the 2014 Russia-backed annexation of Donetsk, playing domestic matches in Kyiv and Lviv, and European home games in Germany, Slovenia and Poland.Negotiations are ongoing according to Ukrainian sources, with Chelsea providing the preferred option because of the chance to play at the Blues' 40,000-capacity stadium.Sources have stressed the move is not commercially motivated, with the clubs having built a strong relationship since Chelsea signed Mykhailo Mudryk in 2023 and through their involvement in the charity match Game4Ukraine.'We lost our home, not our identity' - Shakhtar eye European gloryHowever, both have smaller capacities than Stamford Bridge and the proposition of playing Europe's biggest clubs or even English rivals in London has officials believing they can sell out a larger arena.The move is intended to connect with some of the 32,000 Ukraine-born residents in the capital, according to the latest Office for National Statistics figures, with about 100,000 people of Ukrainian heritage living in the UK.The availability of Chelsea's stadium follows the club's 10th-place Premier League finish last season, which left them without European football.That means there should be no significant scheduling clashes, though Hammersmith and Fulham Council, and Uefa, would need to approve additional fixtures.Latest Chelsea news, analysis and fan viewsAsk about Chelsea - what do you want to know?

World Cup News

141 CommentsThe World Cup is football's biggest stage, filled with goals, drama and unforgettable moments - but it can also prove to be the ultimate shop window.World Cup heroics have transformed players' lives in the past, and Vozinha's recent move to Chilean side Colo-Colo after an impressive tournament with Cape Verde is the latest reminder that the competition still has the power to change careers.At the age of 40, the goalkeeper's journey from the Portuguese second division to Chile's biggest club may be unique, but he is not the first to get a big move after starring on the global stage.Here are some of the players whose standout performances at the World Cup earned them a big move.Similar to Vozinha, Marc-Vivien Foe was an unknown name before the 1994 World Cup.Despite Cameroon's disappointing World Cup campaign in the USA, compared to their historic run in 1990, Foe emerged as one of the team's best performers during his debut tournament.A standout game against Brazil caught attention, which then led to a free transfer from Cameroon's Canon Yaounde to French side Lens.Foe spent four years at Lens and helped them achieve their first league title in the 1997-98 season.He also played for West Ham United, Manchester City and Lyon, where he won the French League Cup and Lyon's first Ligue 1 title in 2002.Foe tragically passed away in June 2003 after he collapsed during a Confederations Cup semi-final against Colombia.Gilberto Silva's first appearance at a World Cup came in 2002, when the tournament was hosted in South Korea and Japan.The 25-year-old, who played in Brazil's top division for Atletico Miniero, returned home as a World Cup winner who played every minute of every game for Luiz Felipe Scolari's team.Silva was only brought into the starting XI because Brazil captain Emerson was ruled out by injury.But, after playing a key role in Brazil's triumph, the midfielder earned a move to Premier League champions Arsenal.Nicknamed 'The Invisible Wall', the defensive midfielder joined the Gunners from Atletico Mineiro for about £4.5m.During his six years in north London, Silva won two FA Cups and played a key role in the famous 2003-04 Invincibles side that went unbeaten to claim the Premier League title.At the age of 22, Javier Mascherano announced himself on the global stage at the 2006 World Cup, where he helped Argentina reach the quarter-finals.His performances for both his club back in Brazil and at the World Cup drew the attention of European clubs.Mascherano initially expressed his desire to remain at Corinthians and help the club in their relegation battle.However, he soon made the move to West Ham United in the summer of 2006 alongside his Argentina team-mate Carlos Tevez, who also impressed at the World Cup in Germany.Mascherano had a brief spell with the Hammers until the beginning of 2007, leaving to join Liverpool where he featured in their 2007 Champions League final defeat by AC Milan.Mascherano then played for Barcelona from 2010, winning the Champions League twice and being part of squads that won La Liga on five occasions.At the age of just 21, Mesut Ozil emerged as one of the world's most exciting young players after he helped Germany finish third at the 2010 World Cup.After registering four goals and four assists in seven games, Ozil was able to show off his quality and prove he was a standout performer.Big clubs took note, and by August 2010, Ozil switched Werder Bremen for Real Madrid, for a fee of about 15m euros (£12.4m).Copa del Rey, La Liga and Spanish Super Cup titles were to follow during his three year stay in Madrid, before becoming Arsenal's record signing for £42.4m in 2013.James Rodriguez became one of the stars of the 2014 World Cup, scoring six goals for Colombia and winning the Golden Boot after a memorable run to the quarter-finals.His excellent performances, including his famous volley against Uruguay, earned him a spot in Fifa's team of the tournament.The volley against Uruguay was later voted as the best goal in the tournament by more than four million people on Fifa's website and won the Fifa Puskas Award for the best goal of the year.Real Madrid decided to sign Rodriguez from Monaco for about 75m euros (£71m) after the tournament - a move that led to him winning multiple trophies with Los Blancos, including two Champions Leagues.Vozinha became a cult hero when Cape Verde claimed their first World Cup point against Spain in the group stage and his social media fame has exploded from 50,000 Instagram followers to nearly 30 million.After helping his team reach the knockout stages, taking finalists Argentina to extra time in the last 32, Vozinha was named in Fifa's team of the tournament and even had a newly discovered species of sea slug named after him.Vozinha's career has taken him to Slovakia, Angola, Moldova, Cyprus and, until recently, Portuguese second division side Chaves, but he has always believed himself to be a "big club player".Joining Colo Colo, the most successful team in the Primera Division (34 titles) and Copa Chile (14), is his career "highlight".Gheorghe Hagi - Brescia to Barcelona (1994)Dejan Stankovic - Red Star Belgrade to Lazio (1998)Carlos Salcido - Guadalajara to PSV Eindhoven (2006)Nicolas Otamendi - Velez Sarsfield to Porto (2010)Edinson Cavani - Palermo to Napoli (2010)Sami Khedira - Stuttgart to Real Madrid (2010)Keylor Navas - Levante to Real Madrid (2014)Enner Valencia - Pachuca to West Ham United (2014)Enzo Fernandez - Benfica to Chelsea (2022)Vozinha to join Chilean club after World Cup heroicsVozinha granted shirt name exemption by Chile FA

World Cup News

Infantino said it had become clear the project had "created divisions" that are "no longer in the interest" of its original objective.The Swiss official added: "As a result, this proposal will not proceed."Infantino had offered Fifa's 211 member associations $40m (£30m) if they backed a proposal for private investment in its tournaments, including the men's and women's World Cups.However, Uefa - which governs European football - responded by voting to boycott World Cups if the plans went ahead, and other governing bodies also voiced their opposition.Infantino on the brink? Who might replace him if he goes?Carlos Cordeiro - Infantino's senior adviser on global strategy and governance - resigned over the matter, saying the proposal was "a bad deal for football" and would "mortgage football's future".That came after two other major confederations spoke out against the plans.Concacaf, which governs football in North, Central America and the Caribbean - and hosted this summer's World Cup - said its members "rejected" the proposal, with sources saying the vast majority of associations from the region are losing, or have lost, faith in Infantino.The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) said it stood in "solidarity" with Uefa and Concacaf, while UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham said Infantino was "the wrong man" to lead Fifa.It means Infantino is now under immense pressure as he seeks re-election for a fourth term as president at the Fifa Congress in March."Our purpose has always been - and will always be - to unite and improve," the 56-year-old added in a statement."Moving forward, my intent is to bring all interested parties back together in the coming days and weeks in the spirit of shared interest in our game."AFC president Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa welcomed the withdrawal of the plan."The future of global football must always be shaped through proper consultation, collective dialogue and respect for the established governance structures of our game," he said.Despite rejections from Uefa and Concacaf, Fifa initially vowed to continue with its proposals on Friday, saying "nobody is selling football".However, Infantino would have needed the backing of a majority of member associations to pass the plans - meaning 106 of its 211 members needed to vote in favour.That became unlikely when the AFC joined Uefa and Concacaf in opposing the plans.If all member associations backed the stance of their governing body, that would have meant 136 nations voting against Infantino's plan.Governing bodies in Africa (CAF) and Oceania (OFC) had said they would discuss Fifa's plan in August.Conmebol - South American football's governing body - said it had asked Fifa for "additional information and clarifications" regarding the "scope, structure, governance and possible effects" of the proposals.It said it would "invite third parties to make minority, non-controlling investments" in a new subsidiary - Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE).Infantino set a deadline of 19 September for football federations to accept his plans if they wanted to access an initial $20m (£15m).A 25-page document created by investment bank JP Morgan laid out how Fifa's tournaments would expand to hit an estimated increased payout of 24m euros (£20.5m) per member association in the 2035-2039 cycle.It mentioned "new business initiatives" and "attracting top talent with incentive-driven compensation".The World Cup is described in it as the "most widely viewed" sporting event but Fifa, by contrast, is said to be "under-monetised".There was no mention in the document of the women's game.Thrive is an American venture capital firm founded by Joshua Kushner - the brother of US President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared.Trump - addressing the proposals for the first time on Friday - said he had not spoken to Infantino about the plans.The two have developed a close relationship since Trump assumed office for a second time in 2025.Infantino became Fifa president in 2016 when he beat AFC president Sheikh Salman by 115 votes to 88.Fifa's next president will be confirmed at the organisation's 77th Congress in Morocco next March. Candidates have until 18 November to put their names forward.Prior to this week, it had been anticipated Infantino would be re-elected unopposed. Associations around the world, including some in Europe, had already confirmed their intention to vote for him.It remains to be seen if the events of this week will result in a mass withdrawal of their support.In his statement, Infantino reiterated his plan was designed to strengthen member associations, "especially in countries where support is most needed" - but the proposal clearly created division within Fifa itself.Cordeiro, who represented Fifa on the White House taskforce for the 2026 World Cup, is the first senior figure at the governing body to resign over the plans.In a lengthy statement, Cordeiro said he "unequivocally" opposed the plans and "did not accept the proposition" Fifa needed outside investors to "unlock greater value". He added he had no involvement in the proposal.It is understood Infantino even left some of Fifa's eight vice-presidents in the dark about his plan, which it is claimed could have raised $10bn (£7.5bn).Lamour called it "the project of one person" and said "a president must bring people together, unite them, and inspire them" but this was "the opposite"."If that means I lose my job, then so be it," he added. "I will understand and respect that decision. At least I'll sleep well tonight."Chief football news reporterAs reports first emerged on Tuesday about Fifa's plans, a senior figure in English football told me the story would be as big, if not bigger, than the European Super League.I do not think he felt it would unravel in quite the same way - but the idea only took two days longer than Super League to be scrapped.There have been no fan protests on the streets, but animosity towards the plans was evident from the moment the likely implications dawned on the game.Infantino is an astute politician. He knew the numbers were against him and has decided to cut his losses now rather than risk further personal damage.It is a humiliating moment - but for Infantino, the real work starts now. He has some significant bridge building to do.In their statement - which, in its own way, was just as damning as Uefa's threatened boycott - the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) pointed to a much wider issue."The AFC considers this issue extends far beyond a single proposal," it read. "Rather, it has exposed fundamental weaknesses in Fifa's consultation and decision-making processes that must now be addressed."Infantino cannot just walk away from the past few days as though nothing has happened.There are a lot of angry people in football who feel he has been acting beyond his power - just as the organisation's chief operating officer suggested on Friday.The immediate crisis has passed. Over the short to medium term, it will be fascinating to see whether Infantino can restore his reputation.Listen to the latest Football Daily podcastSoundsGet football news sent straight to your phone