MADRID — Spanish regional soccer chiefs demanded federation boss Luis Rubiales resign for grabbing and kissing World Cup winner Jenni Hermoso, as the country's caretaker government promised on Tuesday to ensure women play a bigger role in running sports.
JOHANNESBURG - South Africa's Women's World Cup preparations were plunged into chaos on Sunday when a shadow national team including a 13-year-old took on Botswana in a friendly as the squad selected for the finals were locked in a dispute with the national association.
The match was supposed to be a send-off for the squad going to the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand before they continue their preparations outside the country.
New Zealand Football (NZF) said it will contact FIFA about protecting players from racism after the men's national team abandoned a friendly against Qatar at halftime in protest at an alleged racist slur against one of their players.
New Zealand said a Qatari opponent directed a "significant racist slur" at All Whites defender Michael Boxall, who has Samoan heritage, shortly before the interval.
MLS Matchweek 7 proved severely dichotomous to the league’s image. Fans were treated to the best that MLS offers with individual brilliance, age-defying heroes, local rivalries and close games. However, it was an alleged incident that occurred between San Jose and New York that left an extremely sour taste in fans' mouths.
KIGALI - Prize money for the 2023 Women's World Cup will be $150 million, 10 times what it was in 2015 and three times the amount of 2019, FIFA president Gianni Infantino announced in his closing remarks to the 73rd FIFA Congress on Thursday.
The figure, however, is still considerably lower than the $440 million total prize money awarded at the men's World Cup in Qatar last year.
In what would be a first for women, Infantino wants some of the prize money to go to the players.
PARIS - France women's national soccer team coach Corinne Diacre has been sacked on the recommendation of the Executive Committee, the French soccer federation (FFF) said on Thursday.
Former France captain Wendie Renard said last month she would not play at this year's World Cup and French multimedia outlet RMC Sport reported that Renard said she would not represent the national side as long as Diacre is in charge.
Two goals from Mallory Swanson saw the United States women’s national team defeat Canada 2-0 in the SheBelieves Cup Thursday night in Orlando, Florida.
The USWNT came out swinging with Swanson getting a look at goal less than 30 seconds into the game. It was practically a shooting gallery on Canada’s goal in the opening minutes with Kailen Sheridan making a fantastic save to deny Ashley Sanchez in the third minute.
Czech Republic international Jakub Jankto announced on Monday that he is gay, saying he wants to live his life “in freedom.”
Jankto, who plays for Sparta Prague on loan from LaLiga side Getafe, made his international debut in 2017.
The 27-year-old, who has 45 caps, is the highest profile current male footballer to publicly come out as gay.
MELBOURNE - Former New Zealand international Maia Jackman said Saudi sponsorship of the Women's World Cup would be in "complete opposition" to female empowerment and set back her work as an ambassador for the tournament.
Australia and New Zealand, co-hosts of this year's World Cup, wrote to global soccer governing body FIFA on Wednesday seeking urgent clarification after The Guardian reported Visit Saudi will be named as a major sponsor of the tournament.
After filing a federal lawsuit against Virginia Tech women's soccer coach Charles "Chugger" Adair back in 2021 for an alleged benching stemming from a refusal to kneel in support of the Black Lives Matter movement before a match the previous year, former Hokies player Kiersten Hening received a $100,000 payout from the school to drop the suit.