GFA Communications Director Henry Asante Twum said the Executive Council had assessed the 73-year-old Portuguese coach and agreed that he should remain in charge of the national team.

Queiroz was appointed on a four-month contract to replace Otto Addo and took charge of Ghana ahead of the World Cup.

His future has, however, remained uncertain in recent weeks, with reports suggesting that outstanding payments could affect negotiations over a new contract.

However, Asante Twum told Graphic Sports that the GFA’s Executive Council had unanimously decided to recommend Queiroz for a longer-term role.

“The council, which is the highest decision-making body, after assessing the performance of Coach Carlos Queiroz, have agreed that the coach is made to stay,” he said.

Asante Twum said he could not confirm whether the government still owed Queiroz, explaining that he was not involved in the coach’s financial arrangements.

He stressed that the GFA’s recommendation does not automatically guarantee Queiroz’s continuation as Black Stars coach.

Any new contract must be approved by the Ministry of Sports and Recreation, which is expected to finance the coach’s salary.

“The final decision does not rest on the FA. It must go to the ministry for them to look at the contract and approve because they will pay the salary of the coach,” Asante Twum said.

The GFA Communications Director added that Queiroz had been informed of the Executive Council’s decision, although he was unable to confirm the coach’s response.

He also said he was unaware of the details of the GFA’s proposed contract or whether Queiroz had submitted a counteroffer.

“I don’t know what the offer from the FA is to the coach and the counteroffer he is also proposing,” Asante Twum added.

The recommendation is expected to lead to further discussions between the GFA, the Ministry of Sports and Recreation and Queiroz over the Portuguese coach’s proposed long-term contract.

Financial and contractual issues will have to be resolved before his future with the Black Stars can be confirmed.

Meanwhile, former Ghana Under-20 coach Desmond Ofei has been widely tipped to take charge of the team for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, which begin in September.

The Australian submitted a sample during the Mallorca Open on 22 June that was later found to contain benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine.

Former world number 13 Kyrgios has been provisionally suspended since 4 August.

The International Tennis Integrity Agency said Kyrgios could appeal against the provisional suspension “but has not done so to date”.

In a post on Instagram, Kyrgios said he made “a huge mistake” and takes “full responsibility” for it.

Under the suspension, Kyrgios cannot play, coach at or attend Grand Slams or any events sanctioned by the men’s and women’s tennis tours pending the outcome of a tribunal.

Kyrgios could be banned for up to four years – but if he can prove he took the drug outside of a competition, the maximum ban he would face is three months.

The 31-year-old has played just four singles matches this season, having struggled with knee and wrist injuries in recent years.

He last played in the men’s doubles at Wimbledon, where he and partner Alexander Bublik lost in the first round.

In a lengthy statement on Instagram, Kyrgios said the last few years of injuries had taken “a huge toll on me, both mentally and physically”.

“My body hasn’t been able to do what my mind expects it to do,” he wrote.

“Coming to terms with being near the end of my career has been harder than I ever imagined.

“None of that excuses what I did.”

Kyrgios said he would be stepping away from social media and public life for the next 28 days to “focus on getting myself right”.

Cocaine is classified as a stimulant and substance of abuse on the World Anti-Doping Agency’s prohibited list.

Reduced sanctions apply for athletes who test positive for the substance out of competition.

However, Kyrgios’ sample was submitted during a tournament in which he played singles, ultimately losing in the first round to Adam Walton.

“I’m sorry to my fans, my family, my sponsors and everyone close to me,” Kyrgios added.

“Above all, I’m sorry to the kids who follow me. I know the example this sets and I’m deeply disappointed in myself.”

Kyrgios has long been a controversial figure in tennis.

His behaviour on court has been widely criticised and he has been given numerous large fines for smashing racquets, making audible obscenities and arguing with the umpire.

In 2023, he admitted assaulting an ex-girlfriend two years earlier. He avoided a criminal conviction.

He was criticised further for making a series of comments which have been considered misogynistic.

In 2024 he shared a post from controversial influencer Andrew Tate. He later said he had gone “to all lengths” to distance himself from the self-proclaimed misogynist.

Kyrgios was also critical of the handling of two high-profile anti-doping cases involving top players Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek, calling them “disgusting” for tennis.

Kyrgios has won seven ATP Tour singles titles and reached the Wimbledon final in 2022, losing in four sets to Novak Djokovic.

He and compatriot Thanasi Kokkinakis won the Australian Open men’s doubles title together in 2022.

Kyrgios has also spoken about his struggles with mental health, saying he “genuinely contemplated” suicide and spent time in a psychiatric hospital in London after losing at Wimbledon in 2019.

Okraku, who was first elected GFA president in 2019, is currently serving his second term after being re-elected in 2023, unopposed after Afriyie was disqualified.

His potential bid for a third term became possible after the GFA Congress approved an amendment extending the presidential term limit from two four-year terms to three.

Afriyie, a former chairman of the Black Stars Management Committee, has strongly opposed the move and says he wants a new person to lead the association.

“Kurt Okraku’s third term as GFA President will never happen,” Afriyie told Sporty FM.

“I want to see a new FA President, and some of us are willing to petition the president of the land [John Mahama].”

Afriyie also questioned the decision to change the term limit, arguing that Ghana’s national Constitution restricts the President of the Republic to two terms.

“Even our constitution governing our country allows the president to only run for two terms, and there was a reason why the Normalisation Committee kept the GFA presidential term at two terms of four,” he added.

The GFA’s Ordinary Congress approved the constitutional amendment extending the term limit to three four-year terms.

At the meeting, 114 of the 124 delegates present voted in favour of the proposal, while six voted against it and three abstained. The proposal therefore received 91.9 per cent approval.

Under the new arrangement, the GFA President and members of the Executive Council can serve a maximum of three four-year terms, allowing them to remain in office for up to 12 years.

Congress also approved a change to the composition of the Executive Council, elevating the Women’s Football Representative to the position of Second Vice-President.

Afriyie, who narrowly lost the 2019 GFA presidential election to Okraku, has previously expressed his interest in influencing the direction of Ghanaian football.

The Yellow and Mauve secured the domestic title in the 2025/26 campaign and will represent Ghana in Africa’s premier club competition.

Medeama have been handed a difficult opening assignment, with five-time African champions TP Mazembe of DR Congo standing in their way of progressing to the next stage.

Despite the challenging draw, Tanko insists Medeama are entering the competition with serious ambitions and are not simply looking to participate.

“We are going there as one of the teams to compete, and so winning the CAF Champions League is our objective,” Tanko told Asempa FM’s Ultimate Sports Show.

Medeama will host TP Mazembe in the first leg at the TNA Park on September 5, with the return leg scheduled for DR Congo on September 13.

Both matches are scheduled to kick off at 15:00 GMT.

Tanko, a former Black Stars assistant coach, will be hoping to guide the Ghanaian champions beyond the preliminary rounds as they seek to build on their domestic success and make a strong impact on the continental stage.

Medeama must first overcome Mazembe before progressing further in their bid to establish themselves among Africa’s leading clubs.

The South African was speaking after Kotoko secured a 1-0 victory over Heart of Lions in a pre-season friendly at the University of Ghana Stadium on Tuesday.

Tinkler, who has previously managed clubs including SuperSport United and Orlando Pirates, said his immediate priority is to ensure Kotoko perform at the highest level throughout the league campaign.

While he has identified a top-two finish as an important target, the 54-year-old believes the Porcupine Warriors have the quality required to compete for the title.

“We have another game on Sunday. A very important game, and then we face Hearts of Oak, and that will be our last preparatory game,” Tinkler said.

“It’s a cup match, but I see it as a preparatory game because the league is the most important aspect for us as a club.

“We want to perform at the highest level in the league. We have the materials to compete for the league, and that’s the most important thing.”

Kotoko are using their remaining pre-season fixtures to fine-tune their squad ahead of the new campaign.

Their final major test will come against rivals Hearts of Oak in the 2026 Democracy Cup, which Tinkler sees as another opportunity to prepare his players for the demands of the league.

The Porcupine Warriors will begin their 2026-27 Ghana Premier League campaign away to newly promoted Debibi United.

The South African coach made the comments after Kotoko defeated Heart of Lions 1-0 in a pre-season friendly at the University of Ghana Sports Stadium on Tuesday.

Tinkler, who has previously managed South African clubs including Orlando Pirates and SuperSport United, said the conditions in Ghana were significantly different from what he was accustomed to in his home country.

“It hasn’t been easy obviously; conditions are very different from what you find in South Africa,” Tinkler told the media.

“As you are well aware, the standard of the pitches are not great, which obviously makes it much harder for the players.”

The 55-year-old explained that the condition of the playing surfaces was particularly challenging for a team seeking to build its game around possession and passing.

“We want to try and play a possession-based game and on pitches like this, it becomes very, very difficult.”

However, Tinkler insisted that his players could not use the poor pitches as an excuse and would instead have to adapt to the conditions they encounter.

“What we can’t do is to use it as an excuse; it’s our reality, and we have to adapt,” he added.

Tinkler was appointed Kotoko head coach earlier in the off-season following a disappointing 2025/26 campaign in which the Porcupine Warriors finished eighth in the Ghana Premier League.

The former Orlando Pirates coach has been tasked with rebuilding the Kumasi-based club and improving its fortunes ahead of the new campaign.

Kotoko will open their 2026/27 Ghana Premier League campaign away against newly promoted Debibi United.

Before the league begins, however, the Porcupine Warriors will face arch-rivals Hearts of Oak in the 2026 Democracy Cup as part of their preparations for the new season.

In a statement dated August 18, 2026, the Accra-based club said it had received official confirmation from FIFA that the matter had been concluded and that the registration restrictions imposed on the club had been lifted.

The restrictions were linked to an outstanding payment owed to Hiddink, which Hearts of Oak said had now been paid in full and duly confirmed by the former coach.

“Hearts of Oak Sporting Club wishes to inform its cherished supporters, stakeholders, partners, and the general public that FIFA has officially communicated to the Club the closure of the matter involving Rene Hiddink,” the club said.

“The closure follows the full settlement of the amount due to Mr Hiddink, which has been duly confirmed by him. Consequently, FIFA has formally lifted all registration restrictions previously imposed on the Club in connection with the matter.”

Hearts of Oak welcomed the resolution, expressing satisfaction that the dispute had been brought to an end.

The club also said it had acted in good faith throughout the process and urged its supporters and other stakeholders to remain calm following the resolution.

The lifting of the FIFA restrictions comes as Hearts of Oak prepare for the 2026-27 Ghana Premier League season under new head coach Nebojša Kapor.

The Phobians will begin their campaign at home against Berekum Chelsea as they look to make a strong start to the new season.

The South African coach, who took charge of the Porcupine Warriors during the off-season, says he wants to bring success to the club and believes the squad has enough quality to compete at the highest level.

“The target is to finish in the top two; that’s the target. I didn’t come here just to earn a salary; I came here to win things, to achieve things. I have achieved things in my coaching career, and I want to continue achieving things,” Tinkler said.

Tinkler arrives at Kotoko with the task of rebuilding a side that endured an inconsistent 2025/26 campaign and finished eighth in the league.

The club has since made significant changes to its squad, with several players leaving and new recruits, including foreign-based players, joining the team to strengthen the squad.

The coach believes the changes have laid the foundation for Kotoko to challenge near the top of the table, although he acknowledges that building a competitive side will require time and consistency.

“I think we have the materials to compete for the league.”

As part of their preparations for the 2026/27 football season, Asante Kotoko will face arch-rivals Hearts of Oak in the 2026 Democracy Cup.

The fixture will form part of Kotoko’s pre-season preparations as Tinkler continues to build fitness, assess his squad and develop his preferred style of play ahead of the new campaign.

The Porcupine Warriors will begin their league campaign against debutants Debibi United on September 5.

Carlos Queiroz led Ghana to the knockout stage for the first time since 2010, with the Black Stars producing a disciplined defensive display that included a goalless draw against England.

However, Ghana’s campaign ended in the Round of 32 after a narrow 1-0 defeat to Colombia.

With Queiroz’s future uncertain following reports that his four-month contract, signed in April, could end after the tournament, Afriyie has criticised the tactical philosophy adopted by the team.

Speaking on Sporty FM, he said the defensive approach witnessed at the World Cup was consistent with the Portuguese coach’s reputation and questioned why the GFA’s technical leadership did not ensure that his philosophy aligned with Ghana’s footballing tradition.

“And exactly what they label the coach is what we witnessed at the World Cup. But you see, this is where a technical director comes in. If you are a Ghana Football Association technical director, who is well-versed with the style of Ghanaian football, a defensive-minded coach doesn’t fit up here,” he said.

Afriyie also rejected the argument that playing with a lone striker automatically makes a team defensive, noting that Ghana has previously deployed one striker while maintaining an attacking approach.

“Look, people will say that Milo came to play one-top. No, playing one-top doesn’t necessarily mean that you are playing defensive,” he added.

According to him, Ghana can still play attacking football with one recognised striker, provided the midfield and wide players are given the freedom to create and support the attack.

He cited combinations involving former Black Stars stars such as Asamoah Gyan, Sulley Muntari, Kwadwo Asamoah and Stephen Appiah as examples of how a one-striker system could still produce an attacking team.

“A certain Asamoah Gyan with Sulley Muntari, Kwadwo Asamoah, or even Stephen is different. It’s a more attacking approach.”

Afriyie further argued that attacking football has historically been central to Ghana’s identity and questioned the decision to adopt a cautious approach despite the attacking talent available to the Black Stars.

He pointed to the composition of Ghana’s 26-man squad, which included several wingers and creative players capable of playing an expressive style of football.

“And that is what we are noted for. You went to the World Cup with a lot of wingers who like to express themselves.”

“Look at the list of the 26-man squad. It shows that we even went with a minimum defensive-style kind of approach. But that’s your coach,” he concluded.

The Black Stars managed just two goals in four matches at the World Cup, despite having several attacking options in the squad.

Ghana will now turn its attention to the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers as the Black Stars seek to secure qualification for the 2027 tournament, which will be hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.

United attempted to sign the Cameroon international near deadline day last summer but were put off by Brighton’s valuation, which was in excess of £100m.

However, the price has reduced significantly and after failing in their pursuit of Matheus Fernandes earlier this summer, United have decided to revisit Baleba.

Their initial £60m offer is below Brighton’s valuation, but talks are continuing.

The Red Devils have already signed midfielders Andrey Santos from Chelsea for £48m and Youri Tielemans, who joined from Aston Villa in July for £35m.

Mason Mount did excel alongside Santos in the first three games of pre-season, but he has been struggling to overcome a foot problem he suffered against Paris St-Germain in Gothenburg on 8 August.

Baleba is expected to be out for another two to three weeks after suffering an ankle injury during a pre-season training camp in Austria.

Fabian Hurzeler’s Brighton squad fly to Norway on Wednesday for Thursday’s Uefa Conference League play-off first-leg match with Tromso.

Baleba made 35 appearances for Brighton last season, picking up seven yellow cards as a defensive midfielder.

The England international is set to have a medical before completing his move to Emirates Stadium.

BBC Sport revealed last week that Arsenal had reopened talks with Villa over a deal for Konsa but still fell short of reaching an agreement.

The Gunners then appeared to pivot to Bayer Leverkusen’s Jarell Quansah.

However, Arsenal refocused their efforts on Konsa and have now struck a deal for the player with Villa.

The 28-year-old, who joined the Villans in July 2019, has made 286 appearances over the past seven seasons.

Konsa featured 48 times last term in all competitions, scoring two goals and contributing one assist, as Unai Emery’s side lifted the Europa League and finished fourth in the Premier League to secure Champions League football for 2026-27.

Konsa has not featured at all during Aston Villa’s pre‑season, including the 2‑1 defeat to Paris St‑Germain in the Uefa Super Cup, after Emery gave him four weeks off following the World Cup.

He played in every game of England’s World Cup run as the Three Lions finished third.

Speaking after the final warm‑up match against Borussia Monchengladbach, Emery explained the absence of Konsa, Emiliano Martinez and Ollie Watkins, saying: “They are joining us after this match.”

Carlos Queiroz, who took charge of Ghana on a short-term contract following the dismissal of Otto Addo in March, is expected to leave the role after the expiration of his four-month deal signed in April.

The Portuguese coach guided Ghana to the knockout stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America, where the Black Stars reached the last 32.

With Ghana preparing for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers, Ofei, who is currently with the Black Meteors preparing for the Olympic Games qualifiers, has emerged as one of the leading candidates to take charge of the senior national team.

However, Afriyie, a former chairman of the Black Stars Management Committee, has expressed reservations about the prospect of handing the job to the former Ghana Under-20 coach.

“If today we are looking for a coach for the Black Stars and Desmond Ofei is the answer, then we have a problem,” he said.

Afriyie also criticised Queiroz’s tactical approach despite the Portuguese coach helping Ghana reach the knockout phase of the World Cup.

“As for Carlos Queiroz, I don’t like his defensive approach. It’s old-fashioned,” he added.

The Ghana Football Association is expected to decide on Queiroz’s future as the Black Stars prepare to begin their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign.

Ghana will reassemble in September for the qualifiers, with the team aiming to return to the continental tournament after failing to qualify for the 2025 edition.

Mr Afriyie believes perceptions that matches and results can be manipulated have undermined confidence in the league and discouraged companies from investing.

“The struggle to attract sponsorship for the Ghana Premier League is because many people see the competition as being manipulated,” Mr Afriyie told Sporty FM.

“When a league lacks credibility, which company would want to invest in it?” he added.

His comments come ahead of the start of the 2026/27 Ghana Premier League season, scheduled to begin on September 5.

The league is one of Ghana’s biggest sporting competitions, but concerns over its commercial appeal and financial sustainability have persisted in recent years.

Clubs depend on sponsorships and other commercial partnerships to supplement income from gate receipts, broadcast rights and other sources.

Questions surrounding match officiating, governance and the integrity of the competition have also generated debate among supporters and football stakeholders.

Mr Afriyie argues that improving the league’s commercial prospects will require more than simply promoting the competition to potential sponsors.

He believes restoring confidence and trust in the Premier League is essential if Ghanaian football is to attract significant long-term investment.

The 2026/27 season will see clubs compete for the league title as well as places in continental competitions, with the campaign set to get underway on September 5.

Japan international Suzuki makes the move to Villa Park from Italian side Parma for a fee in the region of £30m.

Italian full-back Ruggeri joins Villa in a deal worth £17m from La Liga side Atletico Madrid.

Suzuki, 23, joins despite Emi Martinez’s move to Juventus collapsing over the weekend, with the two clubs unable to agree a fee.

Martinez, who helped Villa win the Europa League in May and was victorious in the 2022 World Cup with Argentina, faces an uncertain future after his failed move to Juve.

Villa view 23-year-old Suzuki as their long-term number one, potentially for the next decade.

He had been at Parma for two years, making 59 appearances for the Serie A side and helping them finish 13th last season.

Ruggeri, 24, who is yet to be capped at senior level for Italy, comes in to replace Lucas Digne – who signed for European champions Paris St-Germain on 9 August.

A Europa League winner with Atalanta in 2024, Ruggeri made over 100 appearances for the Serie A side before completing a transfer to Atletico last summer.

Both could make their debuts in Sunday’s Premier League opener at Brighton.

• ‘You have never seen a goalkeeper like that’

Suzuki’s former coach at Sint-Truiden in Belgium, Dennis Rudel, conjures up an intriguing image of Villa’s new goalkeeper.

“We played in Anderlecht and after the game we went out to the bus, and there was a fight with hooligans,” he tells BBC Sport.

“The head coach called for Zion: ‘Come here, get out of the bus and clear the situation.’

“It was a joke, but you have a picture of Asterix and Obelix, and everything is flying away. You have never seen a goalkeeper or a player like that.”

The comparison with Asterix, the cartoon character who gains immense strength after taking a magic potion, is telling, and Rudel believes Villa have signed a unique player.

“I saw his power immediately. To show your strength in the game, you have to let the tiger out on the pitch, let the beast out. He is so powerful, I have never seen a goalkeeper like it,” said Rudel, who worked with Suzuki when he was on loan at Sint-Truiden in 2023-24.

“He has such big hands and is powerful – when he can reach the ball, it will be 90-95% a save; maybe other keepers touch the ball, but it goes in. With him, it is something really special.

“After the first two weeks of working with him, I said to him, ‘ You don’t need your apartment; you live in the gym.”

Rudel also praised Suzuki’s distribution, with both his arms and feet, and believes his former player can become one of the world’s best.

“It’s possible because if he stays healthy and with his physical strength there is no one better in the world, in terms of dynamic, jumping power, throws, kicking the ball,” said the former Union Berlin coach.

“When I watched him at the World Cup, his biggest strength is that he is mentally clear – the focus on the game or the training sessions is so good. He is always prepared, really disciplined.

“When I see how he always adapts so quickly over the last four years, I’m convinced he can play at that [Premier League] level.

“There are big footsteps from Martinez [to follow]; you get measured and compared to Martinez. It would be the same at Bayern Munich with the new Manuel Neuer – Jonas Urbig, who is starting to replace him – you get compared to the former player.

“He’s aiming to show he can be one of the best. He was immediately one of the top four or five goalkeepers in Serie A.

“As a person and a player, he is a role model and how you should behave. I don’t see any weakness in him.”

Rudel was key in bringing Suzuki to Europe, having travelled to Japan in 2020 for coaching clinics and met Suzuki’s coach at Urawa Red Diamonds, with the goalkeeper being flagged to him.

Sint-Truiden, who have also had Liverpool’s Wataru Endo and Crystal Palace duo Takehiro Tomiyasu and Daichi Kamada on their books, are owned by Japanese electronics and internet company DMM.com.

That helped pave Suzuki’s route to Belgium, and a year later he joined Parma for £8m.

“[In 2023] we were looking for a new goalkeeper and had a couple of on the list, but all of a sudden the club said we had an option to get Zion. I said to the sporting director, ‘forget the list – if we can get him, get him’,” added Rudel.

“His level went up really quickly; he is very ambitious, he wanted to learn a lot, he asked a lot. We did a lot of video analysis, and I can remember how nice it was to work with him. It was a shame it was only one season.”

Speaking to Metro FM of South Africa, the former Sekhukhune United coach stressed that while he understands there are high expectations for winning trophies, the reality on the ground presents a more complex picture.

“I think the modern game is demanding. The expectations of all club owners is success, and obviously that is what the club wants, and that’s also what I want,” he said.

Tinkler, who has set his eyes on guiding Kotoko back to the CAF Champions League, said that ambition remains his core objective, but acknowledged that the current conditions at the club make the challenge even greater.

“I came here to be a successful coach. I came here to try and get this club qualify again for the Champions League,” he added.

However, Eric Tinkler was quick to stress that success will depend on more than tactical work, highlighting structural and operational issues within the club.

He pointed to ongoing financial constraints and inadequate infrastructure as key obstacles, while also revealing that discipline within the squad has been a major concern since his arrival.

“But the club is well aware of the challenges that they face, both financially also in terms of infrastructure,” he said.

Tinkler further explained that efforts are underway to restore professionalism within the team environment, but admitted that indiscipline has been a recurring issue that needs urgent attention.

“We’re looking to try and create an environment that is more professional. We’ve had to deal with a lot of indiscipline at the club, and I think a lot of that stems from a number of factors, and the club is aware of that,” he noted.

Despite these setbacks, the Kotoko coach remains realistic about how he will be assessed, insisting that results will ultimately define his tenure.

“I think I will be judged, obviously, on results and performance. But at the same time, the club was well aware of the difficulties that we face,” he said.

Lamour had held the position of chief operating officer at Fifa and his departure was confirmed on Monday evening.

His dismissal came just over two weeks after he released a statement saying the world governing body’s administration had been “deceived” by Infantino over a plan to sell stakes in competitions to private investors.

Uefa executive committee member McAllister, a former Wales captain who worked with Lamour at European football’s governing body when he was its deputy general secretary, released a statement criticising his sacking.

“I know Kevin Lamour to be an honourable and exemplary sports leader who was a trusted colleague of mine when I was first elected to Uefa Ex Co,” said McAllister.

“Kevin is not only a deeply principled leader who cares passionately for football, but a brave advocate for the values that should underpin all we do as custodians of our game.

“During the shabby events of the past weeks, he showed himself to be a courageous advocate for the most important stakeholders in football.”

Fifa aborted a plan to sell stakes in the body’s football competitions on 1 August, one day after Lamour’s statement, which described the scheme as “the project of one person”.

Senior adviser Carlos Cordeiro had resigned earlier the same day, putting pressure on Infantino, who ultimately received the backing of senior Fifa executives in a meeting in Morocco where Lamour was not present.

Uefa has already said it has lost confidence in Infantino, calling the Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal a “shabby, back-room, opaque deal”.

It subsequently released an open letter alongside the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and Concacaf, the North American confederation, in which they accused Fifa and Infantino of breaking trust “through deception”.

The Football Associations of England, Wales, the Republic of Ireland and Scotland have withdrawn their support for Infantino and will not be voting for his re-election as president in early 2027.

“Having worked with Kevin, I know that his leadership always operates on principles of respect, independence, transparency and sound governance,” added McAllister.

“Kevin’s sacking seriously weakens Fifa’s administration, whilst undermining this unique opportunity to shift the culture at Fifa and to reset the organisation on sporting values, not simply commercial and financial ones. Fifa is not the president; it is the whole football family.

“As I have said repeatedly, world football needs strong, principled, independent leaders who are prepared to speak up, challenge when necessary, and stand firmly by their values and those of the global game.

“Instead, the loss of a leader of Kevin’s calibre sends a deeply troubling message to all of us seeking change.”

On Tuesday, Musiala collapsed six minutes after coming off the bench in Bayern’s 4-2 friendly victory at Heidenheim.

The 23-year-old appeared dazed as he received medical treatment and was helped off the pitch.

The incident occurred after he collapsed during Saturday’s 3-1 friendly win over RB Leipzig in Munich.

Musiala later posted a statement on Instagram to ease fears about the situation.

“I’ve been diagnosed with temporary, brief, but easily treatable absence seizures, which are due to a neurological dysfunction,” he explained.

“These can lead to the recent episodes, like the one against Leipzig or now in Heidenheim. I know they seem scary at first glance – but for me, they’re currently just part of my everyday life.

“I’m receiving excellent medical treatment and am very optimistic. FC Bayern and my family and friends are always by my side and supporting me on this journey.”

Following Tuesday’s game, Bayern sporting director Max Eberl had said the player would be speaking about the matter later, adding: “We knew about it and we are aware of the situation.

“Jamal will speak out. He’s in the dressing room, getting changed and taking a shower.”

Musiala missed the first six months of last season after breaking his ankle at the 2025 Club World Cup, but returned in the second half of the campaign and started three of Germany’s four games at the 2026 World Cup.

The 2024 Ballon d’Or winner has signed a four-year contract at the Nou Camp after Barcelona agreed to pay a fee in the region of £65m, returning to Spanish football for the first time since he left Atletico Madrid in 2019.

“I’m very happy and excited about this new stage in my career. It’s a fresh challenge, a chance to experience new things and feel that excitement again,” Rodri said.

“I’ve come to a hugely ambitious club that really suits my personality, so I’ll try to help in every way I can to achieve our objectives this season.”

On the prospect of playing under German manager Hansi Flick, Rodri said: “I’m happy to have a coach who I think will bring a lot to my career. It’s a style that I think is somewhat different from what I’ve experienced before, so it will be enriching and help me grow as a player.”

Rodri, 30, leaves City after seven seasons at the club, having made 298 appearances and won 12 major honours, including four Premier League titles, two FA Cups, three EFL Cups and the Champions League in 2023.

His final two seasons at the club were disrupted by injury but he returned to his best form in this summer’s World Cup, being named player of the tournament as Spain lifted the trophy for the second time.

In a farewell message to City fans, Rodri said: “I am leaving the club with a huge sense of pride about what we have achieved and gratitude too for so many amazing memories.

“What we have done together in these years is something both very special and unforgettable.

“City didn’t just make me a grow as a player. They made me grow as a human. I saw my brother graduating from Manchester Metropolitan University. I could see my girlfriend working for the NHS. Manchester shaped my whole life.”

How did we get here?

Rodri was into the final 12 months of a contract he signed with City in 2022, and although the Premier League side wanted to give him an extension, talks did not yield a result.

Real Madrid looked best placed to sign the midfielder, but sources told BBC Sport Barcelona had Rodri’s approval to open negotiations with City.

Speaking to Spanish radio in March about the prospect of joining Real Madrid, former Atletico player Rodri said: “There are more players who have taken that path. Not directly, but over time. You can’t turn down the best clubs in the world.”

However, Real Madrid ended their interest and after City rejected Barcelona’s opening offer of £38.5m, an agreement was reached for a figure well in excess of that initial approach.

On Monday, Rodri flew to Barcelona and told journalists at the airport that it is a “dream” to play for the Catalan side.

It has been a summer of upheaval for City – Pep Guardiola stepped down as manager after a decade in charge, while long-serving players John Stones and Bernardo Silva both departed when their contracts expired.

Silva joined Real Madrid and could face Rodri in El Clasico.

City have also sold defenders Nathan Ake and Manuel Akanji this summer, as well as goalkeeper James Trafford.

They are also close to completing the sale of Netherlands midfielder Tijjani Reijnders to Saudi Pro League side Al Qadsiah.

City spent £116m to sign England midfielder Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest, and are in advanced talks with Lille over a move for teenage Morocco midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi.

BBC Sport understands Enzo Maresca’s side have also not given up hope of signing Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez.

Infantino is under increasing pressure over his attempt, later abandoned, to create a new company to manage the commercial and ticketing rights of all Fifa competitions, including the World Cups, with 21% to be sold off to a private investment company.

Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) was aborted after widespread criticism from several confederations, led by Uefa, which has threatened a boycott of all Fifa competitions.

Masters backed the English Football Association’s withdrawal of support for Infantino – and called for a new candidate for the presidency who could unify football.

“This is a problem of Fifa’s making,” Masters told BBC Sport.

“This is a self-inflicted wound. The organisation has pressed the self-destruct button, and the consequence of that flow into the solutions that need to be found.”

Masters was speaking in a wide-ranging interview before the start of the new Premier League season, which gets under way on Friday when champions Arsenal host promoted Coventry.

In it, Masters also said:

• The Premier League backs the FA’s decision to withdraw support for Infantino and that a “unity candidate” for Fifa president is needed.
• He was worried about the Folarin Balogun red card situation at the World Cup and how Fifa appears to not have a clear red card review.
• That he feels the Premier League is entering a new era that will be very hard to predict, and defended the quality of the league.
• Chelsea’s recent punishment for breaching rules relating to payments to agents was not comparable to points deductions for Profitability and Sustainability Rules.
• That he accepts that the outcome of the case against Manchester City for more than 100 alleged breaches of its financial rules is taking longer than expected.

‘Unity candidate’ needed after Fifa controversy

Image source: AFP via Getty Images

Image caption: Next year Infantino is hoping to win a fourth term as Fifa president

Last week, Fifa and Infantino were accused of breaking trust “through deception”, in an open letter issued by Uefa, Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation.

The letter, signed by the presidents and general secretaries of the three regional governing bodies, said recent controversy over the FFE proposal was fundamentally about “the integrity of the game, and the integrity of those elected to lead it”.

Earlier this month, Infantino received the backing of senior executives in a meeting in Morocco. The confederations of Africa, South America and Oceania have also backed Infantino.

The English Football Association is one of a number of organisations who have withdrawn their support for Infantino – who is scheduled to stand for a fourth term as president in March – a position backed by the Premier League.

“I don’t think the Fifa should be ever contemplating selling off a stake in the World Cup,” Masters told BBC Sport.

“They’re a not-for-profit organisation. They should really be holding that competition in trust for the future of football.

“I think it’s a bad idea, and the FA have taken the right position regards to Gianni [Infantino].”

At present there is no candidate who has put their name forward to stand against Infantino, before a 18 November deadline.

While Masters would not be drawn on specific people, he did express a hope for a “unity candidate” to come forward who could bring together all federations to work together to bring positive change at Fifa.

He said: “I think an emerging unity candidate should have on his or her agenda reform of Fifa, and perhaps even reform of the president’s role and how it interacts with those things.”

Balogun World Cup red card suspension ‘a big issue’

The recent World Cup in North America saw European champions Spain beat Argentina in the final to win the tournament.

However, it was a competition not without controversy, with one of the biggest issues surrounding the supension of a red card to USA striker Folarin Balogun.

He was shown a straight red for a foul on Bosnia-Herzegovina defender Tarik Muharemovic as the co-hosts won their last-32 tie 2-0.

President Donald Trump asked Fifa to review the automatic one-match ban and it was subsequently suspended for a year, allowing him to play in the last-16 game against Belgium. The United States lost that match 4-1.

“We worry that about that particular episode, and of course we don’t know what happens,” added Masters.

“I don’t understand why Fifa doesn’t have a very straightforward red card review process in place, like we do in the Premier League, for example. That I think would have been much a better way to proceed.

“Generally speaking, Fifa is supposed to uphold non-political inference within the game of football. In fact, it’s part of its promise that it won’t allow it to happen in the rest of the game. So I think it’s a big issue, and it needs to be thought through properly.”

Premier League seeing a ‘changing of the guard’

Things will look a little different in the Premier League this season with a record number of nine new permanent managers starting the campaign.

While defending champions Arsenal have continuity with Mikel Arteta in charge, rivals Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea have new bosses in the dugout in Enzo Maresca, Andoni Iraola and Xabi Alonso respectively.

However, with Spain midfielder Rodri moving from Manchester City to Barcelona, following on from Anthony Gordon’s move from Newcastle to the Spanish giants, Masters was asked if he had any concerns about the Premier League still being the desired destination for players.

“Well, if you look at the top 100 players in the world independently ranked, the Premier League has nearly half of them,” he said.

“There are 13 English players among them and 11 play in the Premier League, so I’m absolutely sure we’ve got world class talent to put out on the pitch.

“Of course, stars come and go, and the Premier League hasn’t really always been about stars. It’s been about clubs. It’s been about squads. It’s been about success.

“Heroes come and go and I think, a bit like the managers, we are seeing a bit of a change of the guard in that regard as well.

“I’m absolutely confident that what people are going to see is is a fantastic competition.”

Was Chelsea punishment too lenient?

Last month, Chelsea were fined £10m and given a suspended ban from registering new players for two transfer windows for breaching rules relating to payments to agents between 2009 and 2022.

However, the club have had a six-point deduction, which was suspended until 30 June 2027, “set aside” on appeal.

Chelsea admitted making £47m in secret payments to unregistered agents and third-parties over transfers between 2011 and 2018.

Owners Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital self-reported 74 breaches of Football Association rules when they purchased the club in 2022.

The punishment received some criticism for being too lenient, particularly when Everton and Nottingham Forest both received points deductions in 2024 for PSR.

“In the situation with Chelsea, obviously it’s historic. It’s very different to PSR cases,” Masters said.

“In the case of Chelsea, the new owners came forward with all the information, and we decided to enter a sanction agreement.

“That sanction agreement was overseen by a commission as well, and part of the role of the commission is to assure that that sanction is not unduly lenient.

“I think the key difference is, given the evidence base and given the lack of witnesses, none of the people involved with these payments are still at the club, we were not able to interview them, the evidence base isn’t complete.

“The alternative to entering the sanction agreement was to go down a contested commission route. I’m not sure we’d have been able to bring all of the charges that the club ultimately admitted to, or be successful in getting them, so I don’t think there was an easy choice for the board to make.

“We took a decision that the sanction agreement was the best thing for the league, and we’re fully aware that not everyone agrees that that was the right course of action, and we just have to accept that.”

Masters accepts Man City ruling taking ‘longer than expected’

While Chelsea have been punished for their breaches, Manchester City are still waiting to discover their fate after being charged with more than 100 breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules following a four-year investigation.

An independent commission is yet to publish a ruling, more than a year and a half after a disciplinary hearing concluded. City having always denied wrongdoing.

“I do accept it’s taking longer than expected, and I understand that people want to find out as soon as possible what’s going on, but I simply can’t provide that,” Masters said.

“Our rules are very clear – we have to follow the process, and there’s only one real clear route through, which is to allow that process to reach its natural conclusion.”

It is one of three measures brought in by the Premier League, external to improve transparency, alongside the publishing of direct explanations of officials, and broadcasting RefCam with audio of a referee talking to players.

The five members of the KMI Panel have met since the 2022-23 season, but until now the full judgements have been kept private – though there was a tendency for clubs to leak the information.

Every major incident is assessed and voted on, with feedback provided to clubs and officials.

The Premier League believes releasing the document will give full transparency about the evaluation of decisions.

Selected direct quotes of the referee and/or the video assistant referee will be published on the Premier League’s Match Centre account on X, on the Premier League website and the Premier League app to try to provide the rationale behind a decision.

Previously, the account published a general summary of an incident rather than the real-time explanations and thought processes of officials.

This will include a referee’s description of why they have given a decision, or the VAR’s direct reasoning for why they have not intervened.

The expansion of the use of RefCam will for the first time allow the broadcast of audio between the referee and the players.

This will not be live, nor will it include any of the conversation between the referee and the VAR, but it will be used in-game one or two times in each round of fixtures.

The Premier League and Pro Ref are trying to take steps to increase the transparency over decisions while still being limited by the International Football Association Board’s (Ifab) refusal to permit the live broadcast of VAR discussions.

The Premier League is to continue discussions with Ifab about allowing more VAR communication to be shared with the public.

How the KMI Panel works

The KMI Panel meets every week to dissect each decision, from goals to penalties to red cards.

It has five members: three former players and coaches, plus one representative each from the Premier League and referees’ body Pro Ref.

The KMI Panel was created by the Premier League clubs in 2022 to take performance stats out of the hands of the refereeing body.

It is not intended to look at each incident like any fan or manager would. It takes into account the laws of the game and, crucially, how the Premier League expects its games to be refereed.

That is why the list of errors is not as extensive as supporters would expect.

The KMI Panel first looks at the decision of the on-field referee team, and then of the VAR.

As the VAR is operating to a higher threshold – clear and obvious – there are times when the KMI Panel will say the referee was wrong but the VAR was correct not to intervene.

The KMI Panel also considers situations which are not reviewable by VAR, such as second yellow cards missed.

A simple majority is then required to determine if the decision was correct or not.

Last season’s judgements, seen by BBC Sport, show there were 25 VAR errors, up from 18 in the 2024-25 campaign

It was still a marked improvement on previous years, with 31 errors in 2023-24 and 38 in 2022-23.

The results also come with comments from the members of the panel to explain the reasoning for their decision.

It is also used to create the performance-related payments to referees at the end of each season.

VAR errors by club

2025-26 Premier League season

With four-time winner Mohamed Salah no longer at Liverpool, the route might appear even more open for him – so who stands in Haaland’s way?

BBC Sport looks at the contenders to be the league’s top scorer – and what is usually needed to win it.

Erling Haaland (Man City)

The Manchester City striker has won the Premier League’s Golden Boot in three of his four seasons in English football.

The Norwegian scored a record 36 goals in 2022-23 and won it in the next campaign – and again last season – with 27 each time.

With 112 goals in 132 English top-flight games, he will take some stopping again – even if he is now under a new manager in Enzo Maresca.

The 26-year-old comes into this campaign after a seven-goal World Cup for Norway – a total which would have won the Golden Boot in more than half of the previous tournaments.

Alexander Isak (Liverpool)

It is almost easy to forget about the British record signing in this discussion, after the Swede spent so much of last season injured.

The 26-year-old finished second in the Golden Boot race in 2024-25 with 23 goals, outscoring Haaland and only finishing behind Salah.

But he only managed four goals in 22 games in all competitions for Liverpool last season after his £125m move from Newcastle.

If he can stay fit and new Reds manager Andoni Iraola can provide him with the service he was sorely lacking last season, he will hope to show why Liverpool paid £125m for him.

Igor Thiago (Brentford)

Thiago will hope to avoid being a one-season wonder for Brentford – assuming he stays with the Bees.

The 25-year-old scored 22 Premier League goals in his first proper season playing in England – having missed most of the previous season through injury.

He finished second only to Haaland in the Golden Boot race.

That form led to him playing for Brazil at the World Cup, having never been capped before this year.

Manchester United are among the clubs reportedly interested in him.

Joao Pedro (Chelsea)

Joao Pedro will be hoping to build on his 15 Premier League goals last campaign for Chelsea following his move from Brighton.

However, he now has more rivals for the striker role than last season – including ex-Albion team-mate Danny Welbeck.

How he fits in under new manager Xabi Alonso will also be a factor.

Alonso’s German double-winning Bayer Leverkusen team of 2023-24 shared out the goals – with nobody netting more than 14 in the Bundesliga.

Viktor Gyokeres (Arsenal)

The Sweden striker had a steady but unspectacular debut season at Arsenal, with 14 league goals – and 21 in all competitions.

However, the 28-year-old played his part in Arsenal winning their first title in 22 years.

And 14 of those 21 goals came after the turn of the year, suggesting he had adapted to the new league.

If he can match that form across the 2026-27 season – and if Arsenal can take the shackles off with the tension gone after ending their title drought – he may be a contender.

Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa)

Watkins is the third top-scorer in the Premier League since stepping up to the top flight by joining Aston Villa in September 2020 – behind only Haaland and Salah.

His 91 league goals in that time mean he averages just over 15 a season – with 16 in the league last term.

However, the 30-year-old would probably have to at least match his final goalscoring season for Brentford in the Championship – 25 league goals – to be a contender for the Golden Boot.

Benjamin Sesko (Man Utd)

Sesko scored 11 goals in his maiden Premier League season following a move from RB Leipzig last summer.

But nine of those came after Manchester United sacked Ruben Amorim on 5 January and ditched his preferred back three and wing-backs formation.

In fact in that time only one player – Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White – scored more Premier League goals.

With Sesko still only 23, he will hope he can maintain that form over a whole season under Michael Carrick and be a Golden Boot contender.

Who usually wins the Golden Boot?

There have been 34 Premier League seasons – and 42 Golden Boots handed out because of joint top-scorers.

Surprisingly, only 12 of those have won the Premier League in those seasons – so that gives hope to those players whose teams are unlikely to challenge for the title this season.

Haaland has played a part in driving the amount of goals needed to win the Golden Boot up in recent years.

Nobody scored more than 23 goals in the four seasons between 2018-19 and 2021-22, but the past four Golden Boots have all entailed between 27 and 36 goals.

Most winners have been strikers – or at least centre-forwards – but as you would expect in recent years it has become more frequent for other positions to win it.

Cristiano Ronaldo in 2007-08 was the first winger – back when he largely played in that position – to win the Golden Boot, with Salah winning it a joint-record four times. The former Liverpool forward shares the record with Thierry Henry that Haaland will attempt to match this season.

Wide forwards Sadio Mane and Son Heung-min have also claimed a share of the Golden Boot in the past eight years.

It was initially reported that 1892 Holdings had bought about a third of the club, but – as first reported by The Athletic – it is actually about 38%.

There is also an option for the consortium to buy a controlling stake in Liverpool in the next 12 months, though that does not involve a formal commitment.

In a statement on Friday, FSG confirmed it had entered into a “definitive agreement” for the sale of a “strategic minority investment” to 1892 Holdings.

The group – named after Liverpool’s founding year – is led by British-Indian millionaire businessman Amit Bhatia and also includes Bezos and billionaire Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin.

Bhatia will become Liverpool’s vice-chairman and 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.

The deal is understood to value Liverpool between £5bn and £6bn.

The decision, contained in a letter dated 17 August 2026 and issued through FIFA’s Legal Portal, prevents Karela United from registering new players at both international and national levels.

According to FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee, the ban will remain in place until the club settles the amount owed to Camara.

FIFA said the sanction could remain in force for a maximum of three complete and consecutive registration periods if Karela United fails to comply with the financial obligation.

“In this context, it appears that, despite the Decision, Karela United FC … has not yet complied with its financial obligations towards Sana Camara,” FIFA’s Head of Disciplinary, Américo Espallargas, said in the notice.

The world governing body subsequently activated the registration ban, preventing the club from adding new players both internationally and domestically.

“The registration ban will remain active until the amount due is paid and for a maximum duration of up to three entire and consecutive registration periods,” the FIFA letter stated.

FIFA has also instructed the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to immediately enforce the domestic registration ban against Karela United if the restriction has not already been implemented.

The case dates back to an earlier FIFA ruling ordering Karela United to fulfil its financial obligations to Camara. The latest communication indicates that the club has not fully complied with that decision, leading FIFA to impose the registration restriction.

The sanction could create difficulties for Karela United as they prepare for the 2026/27 Ghana Premier League season, particularly in their efforts to strengthen the squad during the transfer window.

The ban covers both international registrations processed through FIFA’s transfer system and domestic registrations administered by the GFA.

Karela United must therefore settle the outstanding debt to Camara if they are to have the ban lifted and regain the unrestricted ability to register new players.

The FIFA communication was copied to Camara, his representatives and the Ghana Football Association.

Karela United is scheduled to open its new football campaign with an away trip to FC Samartex.

The annual statutory meeting will take place at the Ghanaman Soccer Centre of Excellence in Prampram in accordance with Article 31(2) of the GFA Statutes.

The Congress is one of the most important events on the GFA’s calendar, providing members with an opportunity to review the previous football season and assess the association’s programmes, administration and financial position.

Delegates are expected to discuss a wide range of issues, including competitions, football development, governance and strategic plans for the new season.

The GFA has formally notified its members of the date, while a full convocation is expected to be circulated ahead of the meeting.

The document will include the agenda for the Congress, activity reports, financial statements and the auditors’ report. These will allow delegates to examine the association’s operations and financial performance.

Club representatives, technical officials and other members of the football community are expected to attend the full-day meeting.

The Congress will also give the GFA leadership an opportunity to engage directly with members on ongoing projects and address concerns affecting football at different levels.

Ghanaian football continues to face a number of challenges, including issues around administration, infrastructure, development and finances. The decisions taken at the Congress could therefore have an impact on the direction of the sport in the coming season.

The GFA has urged delegates to prepare adequately for the meeting and participate actively in discussions.

The 32nd Ordinary Congress will ultimately provide a platform for Ghana’s football stakeholders to review the past, consider current challenges and agree on priorities for the future development of the game.

The Porcupine Warriors are stepping up preparations for the new campaign as Tinkler works to build a squad capable of competing on multiple fronts.

Kotoko have already undergone significant changes during the off-season, with several players leaving the club as part of an extensive restructuring exercise.

The South African coach, who was appointed ahead of the new season, says the club has largely completed the signings it believes are necessary to strengthen the squad but suggested that more arrivals could still be announced.

“We have now completed the signings that we feel we need to strengthen the squad. What you should expect is obviously there is going to be a number of changes in terms of the squad,” he said.

“We’ve moved a number of players out that we just felt… So [there are] a lot of new faces, a lot of foreign-based players that come with a lot of experience as well, which I think is all very important. Well, there are one or two surprises still coming,” Tinkler added.

His comments are likely to fuel further speculation over Kotoko’s recruitment plans as the club seeks to build a stronger team following a disappointing 2025/26 campaign.

The Kumasi-based side will have an opportunity to assess their progress when they face rivals Hearts of Oak in the 2026 Democracy Cup.

The fixture will serve as an important pre-season test for Tinkler and his new-look squad before Kotoko begin their Ghana Premier League campaign away to newly promoted Debibi United.

The 28-year-old centre-back has signed a three-year contract with Girona, committing his future to the club until 2029.

Mumin’s arrival is expected to bolster Girona’s defensive options after the club made several changes to its backline.

The defender brings considerable experience of Spanish football, having spent the past four seasons with fellow La Liga club Rayo Vallecano.

Mumin joined Rayo in 2022 after spells with Danish side FC Nordsjaelland and Portuguese club Vitoria Guimaraes.

During his time at the Madrid-based club, he made more than 60 official appearances and established himself as a regular option in the Spanish top flight.

His experience of La Liga is expected to help him adapt quickly to Girona’s style of play as the Catalan club prepares for the new campaign.

Mumin began his football development at Ghana’s renowned Right to Dream Academy before moving to Europe to pursue his professional career.

He first made his name in Denmark with FC Nordsjaelland before moving to Portugal, where he continued his development at Vitoria Guimaraes.

At international level, Mumin made his senior Ghana debut in June 2024 and has since become part of the Black Stars setup.

He was also included in Ghana’s squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, further strengthening his international experience.

Adjei-Mensah travelled from Prague to meet the Ghana squad in Poland, where she urged the players to represent the country with pride and assured them of continued government support.

The ambassador told the team that President John Dramani Mahama was aware of the challenge facing the young players and had pledged his backing.

“I am so happy to come from Prague to welcome you to Poland. I know you have put in so much work and the time is almost near,” she said.

“I trust your technical team has taken you through great preparation and I believe you will go and make Ghana proud.

“The President of Ghana, H.E John Dramani Mahama, is aware of the task ahead of you and has assured of his continued support to these young girls.”

Adjei-Mensah also promised to mobilise the Ghanaian community in Poland to support the Black Princesses during the tournament.

She said her office would engage Ghanaians living in Poland and encourage them to attend the team’s matches and create a strong home support for the squad.

“We will meet with the Ghanaian community in Poland to inform them of your arrival so they come in their numbers to wave the flag of Ghana at the stadium,” she added.

“I wish you the very best, and you will see my team and me at the stadium every time to offer our support.”

The Black Princesses are currently based in Krakow as they step up preparations for the tournament.

Head coach Charles Sampson is expected to use a series of international friendly matches to assess his squad and fine-tune preparations before Ghana’s opening fixture.

Ghana will begin their Group-stage campaign against Ecuador on 6 September 2026.

The Black Princesses will then face Korea Republic and France in their remaining group matches as they seek to make a strong impression at the global tournament.

The 50‑year‑old replaces Pape Thiaw, who was sacked in the wake of the country’s last‑32 exit at the 2026 Fifa World Cup.

Born in Senegal’s capital Dakar, Vieira will now manage the country of his birth, having moved to France aged eight before later winning over 100 caps for Les Bleus and lifting the World Cup in 1998 and the European Championship in 2000.

Senegal’s football federation (FSF) said the appointment reflects its “desire to strengthen its high-level technical staff” and is “perfectly aligned” with the nation’s sporting ambitions.

Details of Vieira’s contract and his starting date in the role are still being discussed.

His first matches in charge of the Teranga Lions are expected to come next month in qualifiers for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon).

Vieira joins the West Africans after he left his role as Genoa head coach by mutual consent last November, with the team bottom of Serie A.

He won eight and drew nine of his 26 games during the 2024-25 season to guide the Italian club to safety and a 13th-place finish.

However, he left the club after managing just two wins in 25-26, with both of those victories coming in the Coppa Italia.

During his playing career, midfielder Vieira won three Premier League titles and four FA Cups at Arsenal, as well as silverware with AC Milan, Inter Milan and Manchester City.

He retired in 2011 and became the manager of New York City in 2016 before returning to Europe with Nice and leading them to seventh in Ligue 1 in his first season.

Vieira was sacked in December 2020 and became Crystal Palace manager the following year, guiding the Eagles to 12th in the Premier League and the FA Cup semi-finals in 2021-22.

He was dismissed in March 2023 after a 12-game winless run, before joining RC Strasbourg as their first appointment following a takeover by BlueCo, the company which owns Chelsea. He left Strasbourg by mutual consent in July 2024.

His predecessor Thiaw was at the centre of controversy in January when he ushered his Senegal team off the field when Morocco were awarded a stoppage-time penalty in the 2025 Afcon final.

The players eventually returned after a delay of about 17 minutes before Brahim Diaz’s penalty was saved and Pape Gueye scored an extra-time winner.

However, Morocco were declared the winners of the tournament in March when the Confederation of African Football appeals board overturned the result of the final following Senegal’s walk-off.

Senegal have lodged an appeal against that decision with the Court of Arbitration for Sport – with the case due to be heard on 8 October.

Mr Deen believes the nationwide initiative will help take organised sport, talent identification and development opportunities beyond Ghana’s major cities and into communities across the country.

Speaking at the inauguration of the NSA Resource Mobilisation and Partnership Committee in Labone, Accra, he said the programme could provide a structured pathway for talented athletes from the community level to regional and national competition.

“The Constituency Games represent a decisive pillar of President John Dramani Mahama’s Reset Ghana Sports Agenda,” Mr Deen said.

“It is a truly national programme designed to ensure that Ghanaians in every constituency—not only those in the major cities – benefit from organised sport, talent development and new economic opportunities.”

The proposal has received institutional backing from the Office of the President.

In a letter dated 3 September 2025 and addressed to the Minister for Sports and Recreation, Chief of Staff Julius Debrah stated that the Presidency was “in support of the organisation of the Constituency Games”.

The letter also asked the Ministry to coordinate the programme to ensure the Games take off as planned and offered further assistance from the Office of the Chief of Staff where necessary.

Mr Deen said the initiative could support several of the government’s broader sporting priorities, including grassroots talent identification, scholarships, sports academies, centres of excellence and pathways into national teams.

Under the proposed framework, athletes would begin at constituency-level competitions before progressing to regional championships and national finals.

Outstanding performers could then be linked to scholarships, academies, training camps, centres of excellence and national-team development programmes.

Mr Deen said the initiative should also provide opportunities for women and girls, persons with disabilities and athletes competing in sports beyond football.

He proposed the creation of a national digital talent database to track athletes’ performances, sporting disciplines, educational status and development history.

The system, he said, could allow recognised sports federations, coaches and scouts to monitor promising athletes beyond the competition period and ensure that talent identification becomes a continuous process.

Mr Deen also called for former national athletes to be integrated into the programme as coaches, scouts, mentors, technical advisers and administrators.

He said their experience could play an important role in developing the next generation of Ghanaian athletes.

The Constituency Games could also create economic opportunities within communities, with events expected to generate business for transport operators, food vendors, hospitality providers, equipment suppliers, medical personnel, security services and event organisers.

Young people could also be trained as referees, coaches, statisticians, media personnel, photographers, commentators and digital content creators.

Mr Deen further called for stronger media involvement, saying local media teams could document athletes, promote community competitions and help attract sponsorship.

He urged corporate Ghana to see the Games as a potential commercial and social-impact platform rather than simply a request for donations.

He said sponsorship opportunities could include naming rights, broadcast partnerships, community activations and digital engagement, while corporate support could help fund equipment, scholarships, infrastructure, coaching and athlete welfare.

Beyond sport, Mr Deen believes the Games could contribute to national cohesion by giving communities and regions a shared platform for healthy competition.

However, he stressed that transparency and accountability would be essential to the programme’s success.

He called for clear competition regulations, transparent procurement, financial reporting, athlete safeguarding, medical protocols, anti-doping education and accessible complaint mechanisms.

He also proposed measuring the programme through indicators such as participation levels, representation of women and persons with disabilities, athletes identified and developed, scholarships secured, coaches and officials trained, facilities rehabilitated and sponsorship generated.

Mr Deen said successful implementation would require collaboration between the Presidency, Ministry of Sports and Recreation, National Sports Authority, Regional Coordinating Councils, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies, the Ghana Education Service and national sports federations.

Traditional authorities, corporate organisations, development partners, educational institutions and the media would also have important roles to play.

“The Constituency Games are more than a sporting competition. They are a national movement to unite communities, create opportunities for young people, stimulate local economic activity and rebuild Ghana’s sporting foundations from the grassroots,” Mr Deen said.

He added that if Ghana was to discover its next generation of sporting talent, opportunities had to be taken directly to the communities where those athletes live.

“The reset of Ghana sports must begin where Ghanaian talent lives—in our schools, neighbourhoods, villages, towns and constituencies,” he said.

Multiple sources say talks have begun within Chelsea’s ownership group after a rift, first apparent in 2024, led both sides to explore buying each other out.

However, it has since emerged that Clearlake – the club’s majority owner with a 61.5% stake and led by co-founders Behdad Eghbali and Jose E. Feliciano – could now buy out their minority partners.

Boehly and Walter each own 12.8% and are reported to value the club at £5bn, meaning they would each receive about £640m from a sale. Swiss billionaire Hansjorg Wyss is also closely aligned with the pair and owns a further 12.8%, although his position remains unclear at this stage.

Walter, the co-owner and chief executive of global finance firm Guggenheim Partners, where Boehly also began his financial career, last week sold the Los Angeles Lakers for a record $12.5bn (£9.23bn) – a year after buying a majority stake in the NBA franchise.

Separately, US federal prosecutors and the Securities and Exchange Commission are investigating companies in Walter’s business empire.

Chelsea finished 10th in the Premier League last season and appointed Xabi Alonso as their new manager in the summer.

Boehly currently serves as Chelsea chairman but is due to be replaced at the end of the season by a Clearlake-appointed representative under a pre-agreed arrangement, made when the consortium bought the club from Roman Abramovich for £2.3bn in 2022.

It would represent a further reduction in Boehly’s influence, having initially been the public face of the takeover before serving as interim sporting director during the first transfer window under the new ownership.

Since 2023, Eghbali has become the most influential figure at Chelsea and has been heavily involved in transfer dealings, while a number of senior executives have left the club within the first two years of the ownership.

Some sources at Chelsea and in the ownership group play down the rift and highlight pictures of the pair together at key matches, notably at Chelsea’s FA Cup final defeat by Manchester City.

But Chelsea’s ongoing plans either to redevelop Stamford Bridge or move to a new stadium have been a source of tension.

Although both Boehly’s camp and Clearlake are understood to favour a move away from the current site, there are differences over the design and scale of the project, which Boehly hinted at in an interview with Bloomberg last March.

“We have to think long term about what we’re trying to accomplish,” he said.

“We have a big stadium development opportunity that we have to flesh out. That’s going to be where we’re either aligned or we ultimately decide to go different ways.”

Chelsea and representatives for Boehly, Walter and Clearlake have declined to comment.

In an emotional scene, the Spanish manager is also shown telling the players, “you cannot behave” the way Walker did.

Former City defender Walker joined AC Milan on loan in January 2025, after asking his manager if he could leave the club for a fresh challenge.

A new Amazon Prime documentary series following Guardiola’s final two years at the club captures the manager addressing his team just days after the defender’s departure.

“So sad, what happened with Kyle,” he says, before a home match with Chelsea.

“It was so easy for him to come to me [and say] ‘I’m tired’. But you cannot behave as a captain the way he has done it. You cannot, in the toughest moments in our lives.

“What did you do, my friends? What did you do with your captain? Tell me, what did you do?”

While it is not clear what specific behaviour from his captain Guardiola is referring to, one scene does capture an argument between the pair following a loss at Anfield in December 2024, during which Walker was at fault for losing the ball to Luis Diaz before the former Liverpool winger won a penalty.

“Kyle has to know that if you lose the ball it’s a goal,” Guardiola tells his dressing room afterwards, which draws an angry reaction from the defender, who says: “Every meeting, it’s my name”.

Guardiola’s response was to say: “Maybe because you’re a captain.”

Walker replies: “OK. You didn’t want me to be your captain”.

The England defender was chosen by City teammates to be captain for the 2024-25 season, with four vice-captains – Kevin de Bruyne, Ruben Dias, Rodri and Bernardo Silva.

Shortly before that defeat to Liverpool, Guardiola signed a new contract at City, after suffering four consecutive defeats for the first time in his career.

Just after the argument with Walker, the documentary shows the Spanish coach in tears as he tells his team: “If I’m a problem, then you have to tell me.

“I won’t stay here just for the money, or just for the fact to stay.

“I extended the contract because I want to be here with you, I want to win a fight in that position. I don’t want to feel that I’m leaving and running away from you. I don’t want to have that feeling that now the pieces fall down.”

He adds: “But if you feel, captains first, then the other ones, for example [feel] that there’s a problem, tell me. It’s not going to change the love I have for all of you – not one second. But I want to fight. That’s all. I’m sorry.”

Before leaving for Milan, Walker made 316 appearances for City and won six Premier League titles under Guardiola after signing from Tottenham in 2017 for £50m.

However, his final season at the Etihad was dogged by poor results as City ended the 2024-25 season trophyless – just the second time that had happened since Guardiola joined the club in July 2016.

Impact of Guardiola’s divorce and coming close to leaving City earlier

Image source: Getty Images

Image caption: Guardiola’s mental state was questioned after scratches appeared on his nose and head during a draw with Feyenoord in November 2024

Despite signing a contract extension in November 2024, the series reveals how close Guardiola came to not renewing his deal.

In one scene, the manager reveals to director Kevin Macdonald that, after losing four games in a row in 2024, he told the club: “Maybe it’s over.”

In a separate scene, City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak says that he was not sure he was going to be able to convince the legendary manager to stay at the club.

“You know the boy that cried wolf? He is the boy that cried wolf,” the Emirati said.

“I always convince him, but last year, I knew, this time he actually saw the wolf.”

There were various mitigating circumstances for City’s disappointing campaign in 24-25, including the 115 charges for alleged breaches of Premier League financial rules hanging over the club and the long-term injury of 2024 Ballon d’Or winner Rodri.

Amid that, Guardiola’s personal life was in turmoil as he went through a divorce and there was media speculation about his mental state when the 55-year-old appeared with multiple scratches on his head and nose following a disappointing 3-3 Champions League draw with Feyenoord in November 2024.

While the coach does not admit to the idea that his personal struggles affected his ability to do his job, Manel Estiarte, a long-time member of Guardiola’s technical staff, speaks about how he had to address players who were worried by their manager’s behaviour.

“They were worried because Pep was anxious,” he says.

“He was sad. He was different. And only I knew the reason.

“And I said to the team, ‘please, you have to understand, you’re not playing with a coach who can be a bit impulsive, who can be a bit intense, who can be sometimes up and down. You’re seeing a human being. He’s getting a divorce’.”

Alongside scenes where Guardiola obsesses over tactics, there are many where he gives candid speeches and berates his team.

Following a defeat by Bayer Leverkusen in November 2025, he tells his squad: “I work for you and I leave my life, my divorce and my family is away and everything for all of you. And what do you give back?

“The performance you have done, all of you. It’s a disgrace guys.

“When I see that, I am exhausted, I’m drained, I want to quit. When you play like this, I feel alone.”

In some scenes, the Spaniard warns his team that they will “get a new manager” if performances do not improve.

In others, he speaks about using a knife to get into their hearts and insists on his squad hugging one another and himself before matches, even blaming poor performances on lukewarm goal celebrations.

Guardiola stepped down as City manager at the end of the 25-26 campaign after 10 years at the Etihad, during which time he won 20 trophies, including both the FA Cup and League Cup in his final season.

Speaking about his next steps, he says: “I don’t know even myself what I am going to do,” adding: “It will be difficult to come back. That’s my feeling today. I need to refresh many things that happened in my personal life.”

Difficult De Bruyne exit and questions about Cherki’s attitude

City embarked on a rebuild during the 2024 winter and summer transfer windows in a bid to refresh an ageing squad.

As part of that, the club brought in exciting French winger Rayan Cherki, 22, while 35-year-old playmaker Kevin de Bruyne, who won 16 trophies in 10 years at the Etihad, left the club.

It is clear in the series that De Bruyne did not want to leave and the Belgian breaks down while speaking about the impact on his family.

Guardiola describes the tough decision he had to make in letting the midfielder go.

“It kills me,” he says. “Without Kevin, that period – forget about it. He was crying here [in the office]. Oh God. I have affection for that player. We lived incredible things together. Then you have to be more cold.”

Meanwhile, sporting director Hugo Viana reveals that there were question marks over Cherki’s attitude before he was signed for £30m in June 2025.

The Frenchman was chosen partly to fill De Bruyne’s role, but Viana says: “The information on Cherki was not so positive, I will be very honest. Everybody knew about his abilities, but there was this idea that he was chaotic.”

Cherki was one of the standout players in City’s squad last season, registering four goals and 12 assists in 33 Premier League matches – the second highest number of assists in the division.

In a statement, a Fifa spokesperson would only confirm that “the working relationship between Fifa and Kevin Lamour as Chief Operating Officer has ended on 17 August 2026.

“Fifa thanks Kevin for his two years of service and wishes him the best of luck for the future.”

Fifa’s staff were informed of the news in an email by its secretary general Mattias Grafstrom on Monday evening, who told them the organisation and Lamour had “agreed to part ways”.

Last month, Lamour described the controversial Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) plans as “the project of one person”, and said, “the time has now come for football political leaders to ask themselves the right questions and make the right decisions”.

He added Fifa’s own administration was “deceived” about the now abandoned project.

“Our mission – the mission of the hundreds of passionate, dedicated, and exemplary Fifa employees – is to serve football”, he added.

“A president must bring people together, unite them, and inspire them. Today, we are experiencing the opposite.”

Lamour acknowledged he had a duty of loyalty to his employer but also to “certain values” and supporting his colleagues.

“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.”

Lamour joined Fifa in November 2024, having previously served as deputy general secretary at Uefa, and was two layers of management below Infantino.

Earlier this month, Infantino received the backing of senior executives in a meeting in Morocco, but BBC Sport was told Lamour was not invited.

Lamour has been approached for comment.

In a letter sent to members of Fifa’s Council, and seen by BBC Sport, Grafstrom wrote: “I would like to provide you with an important update regarding a change within the Fifa Administration.

“Following recent discussions, Fifa and our Chief Operating Officer, Kevin Lamour, have agreed to part ways. This decision was made after careful consideration and with great respect for Kevin, both personally and professionally… I felt it was important that I personally provide you with this update, and I would like to express my gratitude to Kevin for these contributions and for his work and commitment on behalf of Fifa on a daily basis. I wish Kevin all the best for the future.”

How did we get to this point?

Infantino is under increasing pressure following his proposal to create a new company – FFE – to manage the commercial and ticketing rights of all Fifa competitions, including World Cups.

FFE was aborted after Infantino’s plan to sell 21% of the company to private investment companies received widespread criticism.

Uefa, Concacaf – who govern football in North and Central America and the Caribbean – and the Asian Football Confederation publicly opposed the plan, while Uefa threatened to boycott the World Cup if the plan went ahead.

Lamour criticised Infantino, while a senior adviser to Infantino, Carlos Cordeiro, resigned.

After the proposal was aborted, Uefa and Concacaf withdrew their support for Infantino when he stands for a fourth presidential term at the Fifa Congress in March next year.

Several Concacaf members, including Mexico, broke ranks with their confederation to offer their support for Infantino, while the confederations of Africa, South America and Oceania have backed Infantino.

On Monday, the Scottish FA became the latest body to withdraw its support for Infantino, following England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

Football governance charity FairSquare said it had written to Fifa demanding Infantino not be allowed to stand for re-election.

The 2026 edition in Morocco can be largely deemed a success – even after it was postponed just 12 days before the finals were initially scheduled to kick off in March.

BBC Sport Africa looks at what we learned from three weeks of competition in Rabat and Casablanca.

Expansion worked

The decision by the Confederation of African Football (Caf) to expand Wafcon to 16 teams was justified although that announcement appeared a bit last-minute, coming as it did midway through a qualifying phase designed to provide 12 sides.

The Indomitable Lionesses, eliminated by Algeria in those qualifiers, were the big beneficiaries of the expansion, advancing to the tournament on the strength of their world ranking before going on to claim the title.

Ivory Coast, who like Cameroon missed the last Wafcon and also reached these finals thanks to their ranking, topped their group before losing to the Algerians in the quarter-finals.

All four semi-finalists booked their places at the 2027 Fifa Women’s World Cup, meaning Malawi and the Algerians will make their debut at the global showpiece alongside Cameroon and Morocco.

More high-level matches are required to aid the development of women’s football on the continent and, on first viewing, the 16-team Wafcon format looks like it will help.

A more level playing field

Image source: Caf

Image caption: Malawi’s Temwa Chawinga won the golden boot, scoring five goals and claiming two assists to put her ahead of Cameroon’s Marie Ngah Manga and Zambia’s Barbra Banda

Where the 2024 Wafcon saw few upsets, this tournament provided greater competitiveness and several shock results.

Tanzania bridged a gap of 65 places in the world rankings to upset South Africa in the group stage and the 2022 champions then needed a 99th-minute equaliser to salvage a point against Ivory Coast.

Debutants Malawi were the fairy tale story, upsetting 10-time champions Nigeria with a 3-2 win in their opener before seeing off Ghana and Algeria to reach the final.

Their success was built on the attacking prowess of the Chawinga sisters, but the Scorchers will certainly climb from 153rd in the world – and 32nd in Africa – when Fifa updates its rankings.

Zambia were unfortunate not to reach the knockout stage despite amassing six points in Group C, while Mali were eliminated on goal difference after finishing level with Ghana on four points in Group D.

Cape Verde, Egypt and Kenya were the only sides not to win a game, with the North Africans conceding 15 goals and the Harambee Starlets failing to find the back of the net.

There were 90 goals scored in 32 games (excluding the two Women’s World Cup play-offs) with the average of 2.81 goals per game an increase on the average of 2.54 from the 2024 edition.

Female coach wins the day

Image source: Michel Mvondo/BBC

Image caption: Cameroon were greeted by thousands of joyous supporters on their return to Yaounde on Monday

Cameroon’s Valentine Nguele became the fifth female coach to lead a side to glory in what was the 14th edition of the finals.

She emulates Clementine Toure (Equatorial Guinea, 2008), Eucharia Uche and Florence Omagbemi (Nigeria in 2010 and 2016 respectively) and Desiree Ellis (South Africa, 2022).

Her achievement is all the more impressive given that she only took over in June.

“We worked as crazy since two months [ago], day and night, and this is the result,” Cameroon technical co-ordinator Dimitri Lipoff told the BBC World Service.

“We had no team, nothing was ready. We tried to build a kind of bubble.

“This is an incredible team effort.”

Is dominance of Super Falcons over?

Image source: Caf

Image caption: Chiamaka Nnadozie and her Nigeria team-mates will be absent from next year’s Women’s World Cup

Nigeria came into the tournament targeting a record-extending 11th Wafcon title but the inquest into their worst-ever performance will be long-lasting.

The Super Falcons paid the price for failing to win their group as they were eliminated by Cameroon in the quarter-finals. Worse was to come as they fell to a 2-1 defeat by South Africa in their World Cup play-off, meaning Nigeria will be absent from the tournament for the very first time.

The West Africans have relied on talent developed and based abroad for a number of years which has masked a lack of institutional structure in the country.

With Morocco investing heavily in the women’s game, champions Cameroon benefitting from $2m in prize money and Algeria, Ghana and Malawi among the sides making strides, Nigeria’s place at the summit of the African women’s game is no longer assured.

Former striker Desire Oparanozie has called for “a fresh start – a start that evaluates everything” and the four-time Wafcon winner will get her wish as part of a fact-finding committee established by the country’s football federation to examine the failure.

The negatives

Image source: Caf

Image caption: Largely empty stands were again a common sight at Wafcon

Attendances at matches not involving home nation Morocco were once again an issue, continuing a trend of all-but empty stadiums from the 2022 and 2024 editions.

The late rearrangement of the finals will have played its part, while the cost of travel around the continent and the requirement for visas are long-ingrained obstacles.

The use of video assistant referee checks could certainly be speeded up, with one inspection at the pitch-side monitor during Cameroon’s group win over Mali lasting almost four minutes.

The hosts were the beneficiaries of soft-looking penalty awards late on against both Cameroon in the semi-final and in the third-placed play-off against Algeria.

But the fact that the Atlas Lionesses failed to convert nine of their 13 spot kicks – having three of four in regulation or extra time saved or missed – points to one large improvement Jorge Vilda’s side could make as they hunt an elusive first title.

Questions for the future

Morocco have now held the past three Wafcons, but whether the kingdom has the appetite to host again remains to be seen.

No announcement has been made about where or when the 2028 tournament will be staged, with the finals needing to avoid the Los Angeles Olympics from 14 to 31 July that year.

A similar clash with the Paris Games led to Wafcon 2024 being delayed until July 2025. A regular and viable slot in the Fifa calendar needs to be found.

Attention now switches to the preliminaries for LA 2028, which recommence in October and continue in three international windows next year, with 32 sides competing for two coveted places at the Games.

South Africa and Ghana, meanwhile, will enter an inter-confederation qualifier for next year’s Women’s World Cup.

You only need to look at the England defender’s career to see how the 27-year-old managed to fulfill his dream of playing for Chelsea while also overcoming plenty of setbacks.

He went from crying in the car because he did not feel good enough while playing alongside Mason Mount and Declan Rice during his childhood at the Cobham academy, to being left out of first-team training as a member of the so-called “bomb squad” under former boss Enzo Maresca in 2024, before being made available for transfer and sent out on loan.

Each time, Chalobah bounced back to become a regular starter for Chelsea.

He was recalled from a loan spell at Crystal Palace in January 2025 and ultimately made 151 appearances for the Blues before completing a £31m move to Italy to join Serie A side Como under manager Cesc Fabregas last week.

Chalobah was brought in to provide leadership and demonstrate what he believes is his footballing superpower – being “very, very resilient”.

“That’s one of my attributes and one of my skills that I have, bouncing back from things and not allowing anything to get to me,” Chalobah reflects from Como’s pre-season camp in Teddington in south west London.

“Not just in football, in life, things are going to happen which are sometimes out of your hands and out of your control.”

It was the change in ownership in 2022 from Roman Abramovich to Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital which saw almost every player sold and new ones signed in a chaotic first two years.

There is no sense of bitterness or regret as Chalobah achieved his highest total of appearances for Chelsea in a single season last term with 47 before leaving his boyhood club.

“I always wanted to play for Chelsea no matter what the circumstances were, I always believed that I could do it,” Chalobah continued.

“I’m grateful for every setback, every challenge, every trophy I’ve won. I’ve won a few things there and it’s a club where I’ve improved and I’ve learned a lot.

“Stepping in as a young boy and then leaving as a man, I’m really happy with my career there. I will always keep the blue flag flying. I’ll be supporting them, I’ll be watching them this season and they’ll always be in my heart.”

The Tuchel and Fabregas effect

This is not Chalobah’s first spell with a club overseas, having spent part of the 2020-21 campaign on loan with Lorient in the French top flight.

It was there that he emulated his older brother Nathaniel, who played for Napoli, by taking the less-trodden path of moving to Europe as an English player, a route that has since become more commonplace.

The younger Chalobah says it was “not a coincidence” that Tuchel, whom he had faced while at Lorient after the German joined Paris St-Germain, picked him out and gave him his Chelsea debut.

Five years later, Tuchel promised him that if a defender dropped out of England’s World Cup squad, Chalobah would be first in line for a call-up.

While on holiday in New York, Chalobah received the call to join Tuchel’s squad at his first World Cup in place of the injured Tino Livramento.

“The story’s already written before I was born,” Chalobah said.

“He’s the one that gave me my debut for Chelsea and he’s the same manager that called me up for the World Cup last minute.

“I think certain things are meant to happen and I’m grateful for that. Obviously all thanks to him and I’m really happy.”

The tournament ended in a semi-final defeat by Argentina before the team secured the bronze medal with a 6-4 victory over France in their final match.

“No one wants to come third. You’re just one step away from the final,” he said.

“It was definitely hard for the players. It did hit us for a couple of days. You know how hard the boys worked, how they believed that we could win it.

“And yeah, we were so close. But we learn from this and be proud of what we’ve done and achieved.”

It is now another manager with whom Chalobah’s destiny intertwines.

Fabregas was one of Chelsea’s stars when Chalobah was in the academy and taking part in training sessions with the first-team squad.

“I remember how demanding he was with the younger players. So yeah, I know him really well,” Chalobah explained, recalling those early sessions.

Fabregas has overseen Como’s remarkable rise from Serie B to the Champions League in just two seasons and convinced Chalobah to join amid interest from Inter Milan.

“He was a massive part,” Chalobah added. “He explained what he wanted, the way he sees the club and how he sees me fitting into this club and how I can help – having a lot of experience, physicality as well, the leadership.

“It wasn’t an overnight thing, it was a very thoughtful and hard decision. But I thought, as I said, the trajectory of this club and the direction it’s going in, and speaking to the manager, and wanting to be part of this story.

“I’m really excited for this new chapter in my beautiful story that I’ve had so far.”

BBC Sport was told last week that Turkish club Galatasaray, plus Italian giants Juventus and AC Milan, were considering whether to test United’s resolve to keep their captain.

It is thought Galatasaray had a deal they were intending to put to United, which would reach a final fee of 50m euros (£42.7m).

However, the message from senior sources at Old Trafford is that Galatasaray would be wasting their time.

Although last summer they told Fernandes it was his call whether to accept the mammoth offer put to him by Saudi Pro-League outfit Al-Hilal, with the Portuguese later admitting he felt “hurt” by that stance, this time around United have made their position clear.

Club sources say, as yet, there have been no bids for the 31-year-old, but add that he is not for sale at any price.

Fernandes has one year left on his current deal, with an option for an additional season. It is known he would prefer to stay.

A £57m release clause in the Portugal international’s contract has now expired.

So far, there has been no agreement over an extension.

While United are in a strong negotiating position, the enthusiastic reception for Fernandes in Dublin for last week’s pre-season encounter with Leeds would have left the club in no doubt supporters would react badly if it was not clear they are doing everything possible to keep their talisman.

Fernandes recorded a Premier League record 21 assists last season and is favourite to be crowned PFA Player of the Year for 2025-26 in Manchester next week

The Premier League side want to conclude the transfer this week after agreeing to sell Rodri to Barcelona.

It is understood Lille value the 18-year-old at 100m euros (£85.6m).

City have also not given up hope of signing Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez, BBC Sport has been told.

Should they be successful in moves for both Bouaddi and Fernandez, it would complete a trio of costly midfield signings for City following Elliot Anderson’s arrival from Nottingham Forest.

Bouaddi impressed at this summer’s World Cup – starting five of Morocco’s six matches in their run to the quarter-finals – after a starring role in Lille’s Champions League victory over Real Madrid in 2024 announced him on the big stage.

He functions as a deep-lying conductor and would complement Anderson, who is comfortable as a box-to-box midfielder as well as the number six role he plays for England.

Bouaddi has played 88 times for Lille since making his debut in October 2023, three days after his 16th birthday, and helped them finish third in Ligue 1 last season.

Spain captain Rodri is set to complete a £65m move to Barcelona in the coming days, signing a four-year contract.

The 2024 Ballon d’Or winner has made 298 appearances across seven trophy-laden seasons at City after joining from Atletico Madrid in 2019 for a then club record £62.8m.

The 30-year-old missed much of the 2024-25 campaign with a serious knee injury, and parts of last season were disrupted by a hamstring issue.

However, he was back to his best at the World Cup in the summer, leading Spain to their second global title and being named player of the tournament.

Meanwhile, City are still targeting Fernandez, though Chelsea expect the Argentina midfielder to stay for the rest of the season after their self-imposed deadline for bids passed.

It will be a transfer story to watch before the 1 September transfer deadline, with well-placed sources maintaining City boss Enzo Maresca retains a strong interest.

The approved list, released on 17 August 2026, includes some of the country’s major football stadiums as clubs prepare for the start of the new league campaign.

Among the venues cleared to host Premier League matches are the Aliu Mahama Sports Stadium in Tamale, Accra Sports Stadium, University of Ghana Sports Stadium, Duns Park in Bibiani, Nsenkyire Sports Arena in Sambreboi and the TnA Stadium in Tarkwa.

The list also includes Nana Fosu Gyeabour Park in Bechem, AAK II Sports Arena, Tuba Astro Turf, Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi, Golden City Park in Berekum, Nana Boamah Darko II Park in Kukurantumi and Len Clay Stadium in Obuasi.

However, several clubs are still waiting for their proposed home grounds to receive clearance.

Aduana FC’s Nana Agyemang Badu Park in Dormaa is not among the approved venues, leaving the club needing further clearance or an alternative home ground if approval is not secured before the season begins.

Young Apostles face a similar situation, with the Wenchi Sports Stadium absent from the approved list.

Newly promoted All Blacks are also awaiting approval for their proposed venue in Swedru, while Vision FC’s Nii Adjei Kraku II venue has yet to be cleared.

The 2026/27 Ghana Premier League is scheduled to begin between 4 and 7 September, with 18 clubs set to compete in a 30-week campaign.

The season is expected to conclude between 28 and 31 May 2027.

The GFA has also confirmed that midweek matchdays will be used exclusively to accommodate outstanding fixtures, a measure aimed at maintaining an organised and balanced league calendar.

Clubs whose home venues remain unapproved will therefore be under pressure to secure clearance or make alternative arrangements before the opening weekend.

Venues approved below:

Ghana are currently without a substantive head coach following the reported departure of Carlos Queiroz after the Ghana Football Association (GFA) and the Ministry of Sports and Recreation failed to reach an agreement over his demands.

The Black Stars are expected to regroup in September as they begin preparations for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.

Assistant coach Desmond Ofei has been linked with the vacant position, while Tanko has also emerged as a potential candidate after impressing with Medeama.

The former Black Stars assistant coach, who previously worked under Kwesi Appiah, says he would not hesitate to accept the national team job if the authorities consider him the right person for the position.

“If the Black Stars coaching opportunity comes and the authorities believe I’m the right man for the job, why not?” Tanko told Asempa FM’s Ultimate Sports Show.

Tanko has considerable experience within Ghana’s national team set-up, having previously served as head coach of the Black Meteors, the country’s U-23 side.

However, his tenure with the Black Meteors ended without qualification for the Olympic Games.

A potential appointment would make Tanko the seventh head coach under GFA President Kurt Okraku’s administration, highlighting the continued search for stability in the Black Stars’ technical set-up.

Ghana missed out on the 2025 AFCON in Morocco and will be determined to secure a place at the 2027 tournament, which will be hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.

Tanko’s comments are likely to fuel further discussion over who should lead the Black Stars as preparations for the next AFCON qualifying campaign draw closer.

The South African was confirmed as Kotoko’s new manager as the club seeks to rebuild following a disappointing campaign in which they failed to finish in the top four.

Tinkler, a former coach of Orlando Pirates and Cape Town City, arrives at the Kumasi-based club with the task of restoring Kotoko to the upper reaches of Ghanaian football.

Menzo said he was convinced the club had appointed the best available candidate.

“We appointed the best coach we could have. He has built clubs to a high standard,” Menzo told the club’s official media.

Tinkler is expected to oversee a new chapter for the Porcupine Warriors as they prepare for the new league campaign.

Kotoko are currently in Accra as part of their pre-season preparations, with the club using the period to build fitness and assess the squad ahead of the competitive season.

Their preparations will include a high-profile meeting with arch-rivals Hearts of Oak in the 2026 Democracy Cup.

The fixture will provide Tinkler with an early opportunity to assess his players in a competitive setting while giving supporters a first glimpse of the new-look Kotoko under the South African coach.

Meanwhile, Asante Kotoko will open their 2026/27 Ghana Premier League season with an away game against Debibi United.

His comments come amid concerns over Ghana’s preparations and management of its athletes at the Games in Glasgow. 

Ghana returned from the Games with two medals – one bronze in boxing and one silver in women’s shot put. 

Black Bombers head coach, Ofori Asare, blamed inadequate logistical support, revealing that some boxers were forced to share competition equipment.

Speaking to Luv FM, Yaw Ampofo said “we let the boxers down” and more importantly, “let our athletes down.”

According to him, the feedback from athletes and coaches pointed to several areas that could have been handled better.

“Did we give them a 100% chance, opportunity to win? If we did, then you can say, ‘Look, we did everything we could. They couldn’t win it. It was bad luck’,” he said.

The NSA boss said authorities must move away from imposing decisions on athletes and coaches without sufficiently listening to them.

“In this case, listening to them, there were a lot of things that they felt could have been done better, and we need to also engage more and listen to the athletes and the coaches more, rather than imposing certain things on them,” Ampofo said.

“I think in camp, you know, there were opportunities for conversations to be had. Those opportunities were missed until the team arrived in Glasgow,” he said.

For Ampofo, the experience should serve as a wake-up call for Ghana’s sporting authorities rather than another occasion to shift blame onto athletes.

“These are lessons that we must learn from, so that we do not repeat them at the next games that Ghana represents,” he added. “We need to be honest, especially with the young athletes that we assembled at the Commonwealth, one of the youngest teams.”

He called for preparations to begin early for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, as well as upcoming junior and senior competitions, including the junior games in Senegal.

Cape Verde emerged as one of the tournament’s biggest surprise packages, advancing beyond the group stage as part of a historic campaign for African football.

Nine of the 10 African nations at the World Cup progressed to the knockout stages, while Morocco went a step further by reaching the quarter-finals.

However, Semenyo believes Cape Verde’s strong showing was simply a continuation of the quality the team had already demonstrated on the African continent.

The 26-year-old recalled facing Cape Verde at the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations and said the experience immediately convinced him that they were among Africa’s top sides.

“We played against them in the Africa Cup of Nations in 2022. I remember coming off that game thinking, ‘Oh my gosh, this is one of the best African teams I’ve played.’ They were so, so good. So this wasn’t any news to us, but obviously to the world it was,” Semenyo told CNN Sports during Manchester City’s pre-season tour at the Hong Kong Football Festival.

Cape Verde’s progress in 2026 formed part of a record-breaking World Cup campaign for Africa, with the continent’s leading teams showing they can compete against some of the strongest nations in world football.

Semenyo believes the performances in the tournament are further evidence of the rapid growth of African football and could help reshape perceptions of the continent’s teams.

“It shows African football is evolving. It shows the world we’re competing at the highest levels. Long may it continue,” he said.

Cape Verde will now turn their attention to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), which gets underway in September. They will come up against Mali, Rwanda and Liberia in Group K.

The 26-year-old enjoyed a remarkable 2026 campaign in England’s top flight, scoring 17 league goals to become the Ghanaian player with the most goals in a single Premier League season.

Semenyo’s record-breaking achievement came during a memorable year in which he also played every minute of Ghana’s 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign.

The Black Stars reached the Round of 32 at the expanded tournament, with their group-stage campaign highlighted by a goalless draw against England.

For Semenyo, however, breaking Yeboah’s record carries special significance given the influence the former Ghana striker had on him while growing up.

“Tony Yeboah is a player I always looked up to. Asamoah Gyan too, (former Ivory Coast star) Didier Drogba, the names are endless,” he told CNN.

The Ghana international explained that watching African stars excel in the Premier League inspired him to dream of one day following in their footsteps.

“When they were playing in the Premier League, scoring every week, you wanted to do the same thing as a young kid. To think I’m doing it now, I’m grateful to God.”

Semenyo’s 17-goal campaign saw him move beyond Yeboah’s previous benchmark and further establish himself as an important figure for both club and country.

The forward also hopes his own success can inspire the next generation in the same way Yeboah, Gyan and Drogba inspired him.

“It’s a dream of mine to have kids looking up to me, following in my footsteps. It gives me more motivation to keep going,” he added.

Semenyo’s rise represents another significant chapter in Ghana’s long association with the Premier League, following in the footsteps of Yeboah, Gyan and other Black Stars stars who have made their mark in England.

The 26-year-old featured in Manchester City’s Community Shield loss to Arsenal on Sunday. Despite the disappointing result, Semenyo is expected to play a key role under new manager Enzo Maresca as the new Premier League season gets underway this weekend.

The request comes as several African countries face challenges securing approved venues following the Confederation of African Football’s (CAF) stringent stadium inspection and licensing requirements.

Ampofo Ankrah said Ghana is currently assessing its stadium commitments ahead of the next international window, with a number of national teams and youth sides expected to require facilities for competitive matches.

Niger’s request comes at a time when Ghana is preparing to host the U-20 AFCON tournament next year, while the Black Meteors are also expected to begin their qualifiers for the Olympic Games.

“The Under-20, the Olympic team, the Black Meteors would also want to have their matches in Ghana. Obviously, that schedule is yet to be released by CAF. And then we’ve had a request from Niger wanting to use Accra as their home venue,” Ampofo Ankrah said.

The potential hosting arrangement would place additional demands on the Accra Sports Stadium, particularly its playing surface, with the NSA expected to accelerate maintenance and rehabilitation work to ensure the facility meets CAF’s requirements.

Ampofo Ankrah acknowledged the tight schedule facing the stadium authorities but said preparations would be stepped up to accommodate the various international fixtures.

“We need to look at all of this and work quickly to ensure that we’re ready to do the necessary,” he added.

The Yellow and Mauve will represent Ghana in Africa’s premier club competition after winning the 2025/26 Ghana Premier League title.

Medeama have been drawn against DR Congo giants TP Mazembe in the first round of the preliminary stage, setting up a difficult test for Tanko’s side.

Despite the challenge, Tanko says Medeama will approach the competition one match at a time while keeping their sights firmly set on reaching the group stage.

“We’ll take it game by game, but our target this time is to go beyond the group stage of the CAF Champions League,” he told Asempa FM’s Ultimate Sports Show.

Medeama will host Mazembe in the first leg at the TNA Stadium on September 5, with the return leg scheduled for September 13 in the DR Congo.

Both matches are scheduled to kick off at 15:00 GMT.

Medeama will be hoping to build on their domestic success and make a strong return to the CAF Champions League, with Tanko keen for the club to progress beyond the preliminary rounds.

A successful tie against Mazembe would move the Ghanaian champions closer to their ambition of reaching and progressing from the group stage.

This landmark appointment makes Niharika Handa the first woman to lead the Board in the club’s more than four-decade history, marking a new chapter for King Faisal built around inclusive leadership, ambition and a renewed commitment to the future of Ghanaian football.

With more than 30 years of experience in leadership, international business, sports administration and finance, Niharika Handa brings a strong background in organisational growth, strategic development and transformational leadership.

She is the founder of Gold Crest Refinery and Rika Holdings and has built her career around creating organisations with long-term vision, strong structures and sustainable growth.

In a letter announcing the appointment, Founder and President of King Faisal, Alhaji Karim Grunsah, expressed his confidence in Ms Niharika’s leadership and vision.

“Ms Niharika’s exceptional leadership qualities, extensive management background and dedication to sports development were critical factors in making her the right choice to lead the Board. We believe her vision will open a new chapter for King Faisal and create new opportunities for the club and its players.”

Speaking following her appointment, Ms Niharika said she was deeply honoured to take on the responsibility at such an important moment in the club’s history.

“I am deeply honoured to serve King Faisal at this pivotal time. Football is much more than a game. It brings people together, creates dreams and gives young talent an opportunity to believe in what is possible.

“I want to see King Faisal players recognised not only in Ghana, but on the global stage. That means investing in their development, their wellbeing and their future.

“We will place greater emphasis on quality nutrition, modern training equipment and technology, improved playing and training conditions, and an environment where our players can grow with confidence and pride.

“When our players are stronger, healthier and better supported, the entire club becomes stronger.

“And this journey is not just about me. It is about building something together with the Board, Management, coaches, players and our loyal supporters. It is about creating a club that people are proud to belong to and a platform from which our players can reach the world.

“Most importantly, I hope this appointment opens doors for more women to take their rightful place in football leadership.”

As Board Chair, Ms Niharika will provide strategic oversight of the club’s governance, long-term development, commercial growth and organisational structure, while working closely with Management and the technical team to strengthen the club both on and off the pitch.

The 41-year-old married his partner, Georgina Rodriguez, on Tuesday and is contemplating a future oriented around his family.

A five-time Ballon d’Or and five-time Champions League winner, Ronaldo has won league titles in England, Spain, Italy and Saudi Arabia and is the all-time top goalscorer in men’s international football.

The Portugal captain has spent almost four years at Saudi Pro League champions Al-Nassr, where he has one year remaining on his contract.

“This is probably my last year of football, and I want to leave a spectacular legacy,” Ronaldo told Vogue in an interview about his wedding.

“I have my future all mapped out. I have so many things to keep me busy that to tell you just one thing is hard. Because football could leave a big hole, you have to fill your time in various ways, not just one.

“Have more fun, travel more, watch and play padel, which I really like, and continue to enjoy what I’ve earned – what we’ve earned.

“Because after all it’s been 25 years with a lot of sacrifice.”

Ronaldo is 24 goals away from scoring 1,000 senior career goals.

His long-time rival Lionel Messi, who has won the Ballon d’Or accolade a record eight times, recently also said he was unsure how much longer he would continue playing football.

The players’ respective World Cup campaigns could hardly have looked more different as Messi scored eight goals and led Argentina all the way to the final, while Ronaldo’s Portugal bowed out in the round of 16.

Asked in July whether his sixth World Cup would be his last, Ronaldo said he would decide “with a calm head” in a conversation with his family.

Al-Nassr opened their Saudi Pro League title defence against Al Fateh on Saturday and Ronaldo did not play, but he watched the champions win from the stands with his family.

The 30-year-old, who won the Ballon d’Or in 2024, is set to sign a four-year deal with the Spanish champions.

The transfer is expected to be completed in the coming days.

Rodri made 298 appearances across seven trophy-laden seasons at City after joining them from Atletico Madrid in 2019 for a then club record £62.8m.

He missed much of the 2024-25 campaign after sustaining a serious knee injury, and parts of last season were disrupted by a hamstring issue.

However, he was back to his best at the World Cup in the summer, leading Spain to their second title and being named player of the tournament.

Rodri leaves City having won 12 major honours, including four Premier League titles, two FA Cups, three EFL Cups and the Champions League in 2022-23.

Last week City rejected Barca’s opening offer of £38.5m for Rodri, who was set to enter the final year of his contract at Etihad Stadium.

It had looked like Real Madrid would be his next destination but La Liga rivals Barcelona stepped up their efforts to complete the signing in recent days.

Speaking after City’s defeat by Arsenal in the Community Shield on Sunday, new boss Enzo Maresca said: “Rodri is a player who just won the World Cup and Ballon d’Or.

“He’s a top player; all the teams need a Rodri, so it’s not about if we miss Rodri or not.”

Will Bouaddi be Rodri’s replacement?

Talk of City signing 18-year-old Ayyoub Bouaddi has been rumbling all summer, and the club have reportedly held talks with the Moroccan, who would cost an estimated £85m.

Bouaddi is said to be keen on the move.

The teenager impressed at this summer’s World Cup after a starring role in Lille’s Champions League victory over Real Madrid in 2024 announced him on the big stage.

Bouaddi functions as a deep-lying conductor – much in the same vein as Rodri – and would complement summer signing Anderson, who is more of a box-to-box midfielder.

Taking into account the loss of Bernardo Silva, it is not just Rodri that City are trying to replace and, with 30 Ligue 1 appearances last season, Bouaddi possesses a level of experience beyond his age.

Who else is on Man City’s radar?

Manchester City’s interest in Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez has been no secret, despite not submitting a bid for the Argentine before the Blues’ Friday deadline.

Chelsea told interested parties they had until 17:00 BST on Friday to make an offer for the 25-year-old – with them wanting £120m for his signature.

But they are not thought to have received any bids and Xabi Alonso’s side now hope to keep their vice-captain.

However, it is understood City do not see the potential transfer as being over and still think Chelsea want to do a deal.

Manchester City boss Maresca is clearly a fan of Fernandez, having made him Chelsea captain when Reece James was injured, and he played him in 79 of his 92 games in charge at Stamford Bridge.

Fernandez is, by nature, a defensive midfielder but Maresca played him further forward many times last season when Cole Palmer was injured, leading to him scoring a career-best 15 goals.

That means there are several places Fernandez could fit into Maresca’s City team – if a deal does happen.

The Abu Dhabi-owned club also signed England midfielder Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest this summer.

So that would give Maresca some flexibility when naming a team – and means Anderson and Fernandez would be capable of playing together.

Whether a deal can be agreed or if Chelsea will stick to their guns remains to be seen.

Another potential midfield signing is Bournemouth’s Alex Scott.

City have explored a potential move for England international Scott this summer.

The 22-year-old has rejected contract offers from the Cherries amid interest from other Premier League clubs, though his current deal does not expire until 2028 and Bournemouth have expressed their desire to keep him.

Bournemouth rejected a £64m bid from Chelsea for the midfielder last month and made it clear any further approaches would not be welcomed. Advances from Arsenal have also been knocked back.

Scott’s energy and ball-carrying ability suit Maresca’s preferred style of play – with a heavy emphasis on possession – while his passes into the box and ability to win duels make him an appealing option.

Liverpool’s Alexis Mac Allister also interests Maresca.

The Argentine is into the final two years of his contract at Anfield and has been a consistent presence in the Reds’ midfield during his time there, though he struggled for form during a troublesome 2025-26 season.

As a Premier League winner, Mac Allister would bring top-flight experience and be a ready-made candidate to slot into City’s midfield.

Japan international Suzuki has been one of Villa’s top targets should Martinez leave this summer, and the deal, reportedly for around £30m, is progressing.

Suzuki was born in America but qualifies for Japan through his mother and played all four of their matches at the World Cup this summer.

The 23-year-old has made 59 appearances for Parma since joining from J-League side Urawa Red Diamonds in 2024.

His impending arrival means Martinez could now move to Juventus, with the Old Lady having held an interest in the 33-year-old this summer.

Director of football operations Damian Vidagany had previously confirmed Martinez would stay at Villa Park, but he is now more likely to depart before the transfer deadline.

The Argentina international, who was a World Cup winner in 2022 and runner-up to Spain this year, joined Villa from Arsenal for £17m in 2020.

He has made 256 appearances and helped the club end their 30-year trophy drought by winning the Europa League in May.

Martinez missed Wednesday’s Super Cup defeat to Paris St-Germain with Unai Emery giving him, along with Ezri Konsa and Ollie Watkins, a month off after the World Cup.

He was due to return to full training this week in preparation for Villa’s Premier League opener at Brighton on Sunday (14:00 BST).

Marie Ngah Manga’s close-range header put the Indomitable Lionesses ahead in the 20th minute, and Naomi Eto doubled the lead with a stunning volley on the half-hour mark in the Moroccan capital, Rabat.

The Central Africans made it 3-0 in the third minute of first-half added time as Eto rounded Malawi goalkeeper Mercy Sikelo and put the ball on a plate for striker Ngah Manga to score her fifth goal at the finals.

Malawi, the lowest-ranked side at Wafcon 2026 at 153rd in the world, reached the final on the back of the attacking prowess of the Chawinga sisters Tabitha and Temwa.

However, the two Scorchers stars were well marshalled by the Cameroon defence, who ensured that the Southern Africans were unable to secure a fairy tale ending to their unexpected run at the tournament.

Ngah Manga missed a glorious chance to complete her hat-trick – and secure the golden boot outright – three minutes into the second half when she went past Sikelo but fired wide from six yards with the goal gaping.

The Scorchers had their best opening just after the hour mark as Cameroon keeper Michaely Bihina saved a low effort from Tabitha Chawinga before her younger sibling turned and fired the rebound wide.

Cameroon’s triumph is all the more remarkable given the Indomitable Lionesses missed the 2024 edition of Wafcon and failed to qualify for these finals, losing 3-1 on aggregate to Algeria in their second-round tie.

However, the Central Africans advanced to the tournament on the strength of their world ranking after the Confederation of African Football (Caf) expanded the finals from 12 to 16 teams.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino was on hand to present the trophy alongside CAF counterpart Patrice Motsepe, and Cameroon, who previously lost three Wafcon finals, also picked up $2m (£1.48m) in prize money as they become just the fourth side to win the title after Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea and South Africa.

Both sides will feature at the 2027 Women’s Fifa World Cup in Brazil alongside fellow Wafcon semi-finalists Algeria and Morocco.

“We are very happy,” Ngah Manga said on E4.

“We have been working so hard over all these years to get here. To finally be champions, we are very proud.”

• Indomitable Lionesses capitalise on errors

Both sides looked nervy in the opening stages, with the Southern Africans repeatedly trying to play in Temwa Chawinga with early balls forward – a tactic that worked well in their semi-final victory over Algeria.

The opener came after Sikelo misjudged an Eto cross from the right and Grace Mendoua’s header back across goal was tipped onto the bar by the Malawi keeper.

Ngah Manga was on hand to pounce on the rebound from two yards out and Cameroon, ranked 82 places above their opponents, never looked back.

The Indomitable Lionesses doubled their lead when Malawi failed to clear a corner, and Eto pivoted before sending her first-time effort into the bottom right-hand corner.

Sikelo was arguably at fault for the third as she decided to come off her line in an attempt to cut out Genevieve Ngo Mbeleck’s through ball, but Eto beat her there, got to the byline and crossed for Ngah Manga to head into an empty net from two yards.

Valentine Nguele only took charge as Cameroon coach in June but has built a well-drilled side which upset Nigeria 1-0 in the quarter-finals and then beat host nation Morocco on penalties in the last four.

Bihina was the star in both of those matches, pulling off nine saves against the Super Falcons and then keeping out an extra-time penalty and three more spot-kicks in the shootout against the North Africans.

The 22-year-old Benfica goalkeeper was rarely called upon in the final as Malawi’s challenge faded.

Cameroon came close to adding a fourth late on, but an Eto strike from a narrow angle was well saved by Sikele before Mendoua’s headed a corner across goal and wide.

In injury time, Indomitable Lionesses substitute Gabrielle Onguene tapped in, but the 37-year-old was to be denied by the offside flag and booked for taking off her shirt in celebration.

Cameroon football federation president Samuel Eto’o celebrated each goal wildly in the stands at the Moulay Hassan Stadium and on the Cameroon bench, and officials ran onto the pitch on the final whistle to mark their first Wafcon crown after final defeats in 2004, 2014 and 2016 – which all came at the hands of Nigeria.

Head coach Charles Sampson and his technical team travelled with 17 players on Sunday, 16 August, while the remaining members of the squad are expected to join the team in camp in Poland.

The West African side will use the training camp to fine-tune their preparations for the global tournament, with a series of international friendly matches lined up.

The games will give Sampson an opportunity to assess his squad, test different tactical approaches and finalise his plans ahead of Ghana’s opening fixture.

The Black Princesses will begin their World Cup campaign against Ecuador on 6 September before taking on Korea Republic and France in their remaining Group Stage matches.

Ghana will be aiming to make the most of their time in Poland by building match fitness, improving cohesion and gaining valuable experience against international opposition.

With the tournament fast approaching, the Black Princesses will hope the final phase of their preparations provides the momentum needed for a strong World Cup campaign.