Tanzania will stage the competition alongside Kenya and Uganda, in what will be the first time the Africa Cup of Nations is jointly hosted by three countries.

Questions have been raised over whether some of Tanzania’s infrastructure will be completed in time, but Motsepe said CAF remained fully committed to the three-nation hosting arrangement.

The South African administrator revealed that he had previously been advised that Tanzania might not be ready to host the tournament and that alternative plans could be considered.

However, he said CAF had no intention of abandoning the current arrangement.

“From CAF’s perspective and personally, there is never going to be Plan B or Plan C, and never will there be,” Motsepe said while speaking to the media on Thursday following a visit to Tanzania.

Motsepe also urged caution over reports about Tanzania’s readiness, saying some of the information being circulated was inaccurate.

He acknowledged that work in certain areas needed to be accelerated but said CAF would continue to work with the Tanzanian authorities and other stakeholders to ensure the required facilities were delivered.

“We have to work together with Tanzania to make sure that whatever areas need to be accelerated, we accelerate them and make sure that we are ready for a successful AFCON,” he said.

Motsepe said he had received detailed reports on the progress of preparations and remained confident that Tanzania could meet the requirements for hosting the continent’s premier international football tournament.

CAF has deployed a 21-member expert delegation across Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda to monitor preparations, with some members permanently based in each of the three host countries.

The delegation is assessing key areas including stadiums, training facilities, pitches and other tournament infrastructure.

Motsepe stressed that close cooperation between CAF, the host governments, the national football associations and local organising committees would be crucial to delivering the tournament successfully.

The CAF president is scheduled to return to Tanzania in January 2027 for a final assessment of the country’s preparations.

The 2027 AFCON is scheduled to be held from 19 June to 17 July, with Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda sharing hosting responsibilities.

Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda will make history by jointly hosting the tournament, which is scheduled to take place from 19 June to 17 July 2027.

Motsepe said all three countries have submitted proposals to host the opening match, with CAF still assessing the options before reaching a final decision.

“The host country for the opening match has not yet been decided,” Motsepe told the media on Thursday following a visit to Tanzania.

“All three host countries have submitted interesting proposals. We are still discussing, and a decision will be made soon.”

The CAF president also expressed confidence in Tanzania’s ability to stage major matches, citing the country’s recent experience hosting continental football events.

Motsepe revealed that he personally insisted on Tanzania hosting the opening match of the African Football League, which saw Tanzanian side Simba face Egyptian giants Al Ahly.

Tanzania also hosted the opening ceremony of the African Nations Championship (CHAN), an event Motsepe said demonstrated the country’s organisational capabilities.

“My confidence is based on realism,” he said.

CAF has deployed a 21-member team of experts to work across Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda as preparations for AFCON 2027 continue.

The experts are assessing key areas including stadiums, training facilities, pitches and other infrastructure required to host the expanded continental tournament.

The three host nations are expected to continue working with CAF ahead of the final decision on the venue for the opening match.

Motsepe was speaking in Dar es Salaam on Thursday as part of a visit to the three 2027 co-hosts – Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda – for next year’s tournament, which has been dubbed ‘Pamoja’, a Swahili word meaning ‘togetherness’ or ‘as one’. Despite persistent concerns over infrastructure and the readiness of the three East African nations, Motsepe was emphatic that CAF is not contemplating moving the tournament elsewhere.

“There is no Plan B, there is no Plan C, there never will be a Plan B, there never will be a Plan C,” Motsepe told journalists in Thursday’s press conference. “We are going to work very hard in Tanzania.

“I’m in Tanzania today and I’ll take a similar message to Kenya and later give the same message to Uganda. “We’re going to work together and those areas where we are falling behind, we’ll correct them.”

However, Motsepe’s bullish defence of the Pamoja project was accompanied by an acknowledgement of the scale of the challenge still facing the co-hosts, with each of the three countries at different stages of progress as they look to ready their facilities and infrastructure for next year’s showpiece.

“I have seen improvements since my last visit,” Motsepe continued. “The problem is we are nine months away from the Afcon, which is a big emergency.

“What is also an emergency is those specific areas that have been brought to my attention where they say, ‘President, we are behind. President Motsepe, there’s room for improvement here.'”

Motsepe nevertheless appeared frustrated by the portrayal of those shortcomings in the local and international media, arguing that legitimate concerns over preparations had at times been exaggerated.

“Many of you see these negative media reports, and I think some of them are misinformation,” he added, before later noting: “The deficiencies are being exacerbated; the areas that require improvement are being exacerbated, and it creates a wrong perception.”

While insisting that he welcomes an independent press scrutinising CAF and exposing the organisation’s failures, Motsepe also issued a pointed request for greater balance.

“The media must be objective,” he said. “Criticise us and make sure that they make us aware of our failures and our deficiencies. It’s very important. We need that.

“What we would also request is where there’s good work that’s happening in Tanzania, say so.”

Pressed directly on whether there could eventually come a point when Tanzania was deemed too far behind to host, Motsepe doubled down on his resolve that there was no way the tournament wouldn’t take place in the three countries next year as planned.

“There will not be a Plan B,” he said. “There will not be a stage when there will be a perception that Tanzania is irrevocably behind.”

CAF will continue monitoring preparations before Motsepe returns to Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda in January for what he described as the final assessment ahead of Pamoja 2027.

The tournament is provisionally due to kick off on June 19, with the final to take place on July 17.

Dr Ofosu-Asare made the comments when he appeared before Parliament’s Sports Committee on Wednesday, 16 September, to answer questions over the reported $250m expenditure on the African Games.

The committee’s proceedings have focused on concerns surrounding the management and use of funds allocated for the continental event.

Dr Ofosu-Asare argued that the scale and nature of the African Games made a direct comparison with the 2008 AFCON inappropriate.

According to him, the 2008 tournament was a single-sport competition involving 16 countries, while the African Games featured athletes from 53 countries competing across 23 sporting disciplines, in addition to eight demonstration sports.

He added that the investment required for the African Games extended beyond the competition itself because of the number of sports, athletes and facilities involved.

“That is a mistake we make as a country; everybody is comparing us to 2008 AFCON. Mr Chairman, with all due respect, 2008 was just one discipline; it was just for 16 countries,” Dr Ofosu-Asare told the committee.

“We hosted 53 countries, 23 disciplines, and eight demonstration disciplines, way beyond AFCON, and that’s the biggest mistake Ghanaians have made.

“Therefore, we should look at it differently from AFCON.”

The 13th African Games were held in Accra in March 2024, with events staged across multiple venues.

The former LOC chairman’s appearance before Parliament forms part of efforts to examine the reported expenditure and the financial management of the Games.

The Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) confirmed the fixture on Thursday after Ghana’s planned friendly against Tanzania was cancelled.

The match will be played at 19:00 local time in Morocco and will conclude the international window for both teams.

Morocco will use the game as part of their preparations for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.

They begin their Group A campaign at home against Gabon on 25 September before travelling to face Lesotho four days later.

Ghana will also have started their AFCON qualifying campaign by then, with the Black Stars due to travel to face Ivory Coast on 24 September before hosting The Gambia.

The friendly will give Morocco head coach Mohamed Ouahbi an opportunity to assess his squad and run the rule over new additions.

Ghana coach Carlos Queiroz will similarly use the fixture to continue preparations with the Black Stars and assess his squad against strong African opposition.

The Grand Stade de Tanger, also known as the Ibn Battuta Stadium, has hosted several major international fixtures and will provide the venue for the meeting between the two sides.

The fixture will bring together two of Africa’s prominent national teams in Tangier as they prepare for their respective AFCON qualifying campaigns.

Morocco will host Gabon on Friday, 25 September, before travelling to face Lesotho four days later.

Captain Achraf Hakimi, Manchester United defender Noussair Mazraoui and West Ham defender Nayef Aguerd are among the key names included in the squad.

Real Madrid forward Brahim Diaz has also been selected, while Bayern Munich goalkeeper Yassine Bounou and Tottenham midfielder Bilal El Khannouss are part of the squad.

Ouahbi has also called up Azzedine Ounahi, Ismael Saibari, Sofiane Rahimi and Abdessamad Ezzalzouli as Morocco prepare for their upcoming international fixtures.

Morocco squad

Goalkeepers: Yassine Bounou, Munir El Kajoui, Ahmed Reda Tagnaouti, Alaa Bellaarouch.

Defenders: Noussair Mazraoui, Anass Salah-Eddine, Marwane Saadane, Nayef Aguerd, Redouane Halhal, Issa Diop, Abdelhamid Ait Boudlal, Achraf Hakimi, Zakaria El Ouahdi, Ali Maamar.

Midfielders: Ayyoub Bouaddi, Samir El Mourabete, Neil El Aynaoui, Oussama Targhalline, Bilal El Khannouss, Soufiane El-Faouzi, Azzedine Ounahi, Ismael Saibari.

Forwards: Abdessamad Ezzalzouli, Abdellah Ouazane, Brahim Diaz, Yassine Gessime, Yassir Zabiri, Soufiane Rahimi, Tawfik Bentayeb.

Morocco will then face Ghana in an international friendly on Sunday, 4 October at the Grand Stade de Tanger.

The friendly will give both teams an opportunity to assess their squads ahead of their subsequent international commitments.

The Athletic Club captain announced last week that he was ending his four-year career with the Black Stars to focus on his club commitments.

Williams, 31, switched his international allegiance from Spain to Ghana ahead of the 2022 World Cup and went on to make 28 appearances for the Black Stars, scoring two goals.

He represented Ghana at the 2022 and 2026 World Cups as well as the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.

Speaking on Asempa FM’s Ultimate Sports Show, Asante Twum acknowledged that Williams’ statistics may not stand out but said his contribution to the squad went beyond goals and appearances.

“You always want to have your best players, but even though the numbers do not look great, his influence and experience cannot be overlooked.”

Asante Twum added that Ghana would have preferred to retain the forward but respected his decision to step away from international football.

“We would have loved to have him in the national team, but he has decided to move on. He has had his own challenges with injuries; now, as a family man, we wish him well.”

Williams’ retirement comes as Ghana prepare to begin their qualification campaign for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, having failed to qualify for the 2025 tournament in Morocco.

The Black Stars will open their campaign away against Ivory Coast at the Stade de la Paix in Bouaké on 24 September.

They will then host The Gambia at the Accra Sports Stadium on 27 September.

Each of the 18 clubs received GH¢1m ahead of the start of the 2026/27 Ghana Premier League season.

GFA Communications Director Henry Asante Twum said the association’s role is to support the implementation of decisions taken in relation to the league, while the Ghana Premier League Company handles its financial operations.

“There is a company that is running the Ghana Premier League called the Ghana Premier League Company Limited. They handle everything concerning the Ghana Premier League,” Asante Twum told Asempa FM’s Ultimate Sports Show.

He explained that the company provides funding for programmes and financial commitments linked to the competition.

“They go and implement the decisions we take at meetings, and we support them.”

Asante Twum also clarified the process through which the GH¢1m club support was disbursed.

He said the Ghana Premier League Company Limited provides the funds to the GFA, which then transfers the money to the respective clubs.

“They provide the funds. If the GFA wants to pay the GH¢1 million cedis, they give the association the cheque, and we go and pay it to the clubs. The money comes from the company,” he added.

The financial package was part of measures to support clubs ahead of the 2026/27 Ghana Premier League season.

Adams said financial rewards should not be the only source of motivation for the national team, while stressing that the outstanding payments will be made once the tax arrangements are clarified.

“Motivation should not necessarily always be money because if it is money, we would have done it,” he exclusively told Asempa FM.

The Buem MP also questioned why the Ghana Football Association’s Director of Communications had not provided more details about the delay, noting that FIFA is still engaging the host countries over taxation issues.

“And I expected the director of communications of the FA to have elaborated more on why the Black Stars have not received the final component of their money. And he knows that FIFA is still having engagement with the host countries on issues of taxes.”

According to the Minister, the government has already paid the players an appearance fee of $100,000, which he said is higher than the outstanding bonuses currently being discussed.

“We have paid an appearance fee to them, which is $100,000 higher than those bonuses that are due to them. Why do you think we will not pay that?”

Adams explained that the remaining payments have been held back until it is determined whether the tax liability will fall on the individual players or the Ghana Football Association and, ultimately, the state.

“We haven’t paid because we need to settle the matters of taxes. Whether it’s going to be the responsibility of individual players to pay the tax, or it’s going to be the responsibility of the member association and, by extension, therefore the country to pay those taxes.”

He said once the matter is resolved, the appropriate deductions will be made before the remaining funds are released to the players.

“Once we conclude on that, then we know whose responsibility it is. Then the appropriate deductions are made, and the remainder of the money gets paid. So that is why we are where we are.”

The Black Stars turn their attention to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers as they take on Ivory Coast in Bouake before returning home three days later to take on The Gambia at the Accra Sports Stadium.

Ghana will aim to return to the continental showpiece co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda next year after missing out on the previous edition in Morocco.

The committee is investigating spending on the tournament after a forensic audit by the Ghana Audit Service flagged financial irregularities and procurement breaches worth more than GH¢580 million.

Ussif, who served as Sports Minister during the Games, is expected to explain the ministry’s role in the procurement and expenditure processes.

His appearance comes a day after the committee heard from Sports and Recreation Minister Kofi Adams and former Local Organising Committee (LOC) Executive Chairman Dr Kwaku Ofosu-Asare.

Ofosu-Asare told lawmakers that the LOC was not responsible for procurement, insisting the process was handled by the Ministry of Sports.

The committee is expected to continue its inquiry as it seeks further clarity on the spending decisions and procurement procedures surrounding the 2023 African Games.

The Black Maidens secured qualification for the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco next month, completing a remarkable return after Ghana’s suspension from CAF competitions in 2022.

Nana Joe Adarkwa’s side is currently competing in the WAFU B U-17 Girls Cup, a tournament that also serves as a qualifier for the inaugural U-17 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.

Speaking to Asempa FM, Adams said responsibility for payments during qualification campaigns lies with the Ghana Football Association rather than the ministry.

“For the U-17, I am not aware of any bonus that is due to them. We don’t owe them any per diem,” he said.

“At a certain stage, the Ghana Football Association is responsible for those activities.”

The minister explained that government funding only applies once a team enters an approved major international tournament.

“Once they go into a tournament that is approved, like a world-level tournament, then the ministry comes in,” he added.

“They haven’t reached there yet; they are in WAFU Zone B now, playing in some qualifiers.”

The Black Maidens made an impressive start to their WAFU B campaign with a 4-0 victory over Burkina Faso and will face Nigeria in their next group match on Saturday.

Black Maidens are housed in Group C alongside Brazil, Norway and Canada.

The 39-year-old Argentina great, who has won the global player of the year award eight times and has been nominated on the 30-player shortlist for 2026, scored his 100th goal for Miami on Wednesday.

He also provided an assist for Casemiro to score their second goal in a 2-0 victory over Cruz Azul that clinched the Campeones Cup – an annual match contested by US and Mexican cup winners.

“When you see him do things like this, when you see him have the World Cup that he’s had, there is no one at 39 that’s doing that, and doing it at that level,” said Beckham.

“He deserves to be considered for the Ballon d’Or. In my opinion, he should win it.”

Messi scored eight goals and registered four assists as he helped Argentina reach the 2026 World Cup final, where they were beaten by Spain.

He took his career assists tally to 12 in World Cups, of which 10 have come in the knockout rounds. No other player on record has more than eight in total.

He is the second-highest goalscorer in World Cup history, with 21, behind the 22 scored by France’s Kylian Mbappe.

Ballon d’Or nominees

Bayern Munich forward Harry Kane is one of three England players nominated for the 2026 Ballon d’Or.

Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham and Arsenal’s Declan Rice join Kane, the favourite for the award, on the 30-player shortlist.

Lamine Yamal is one of six Spain players that won the World Cup to be included.

Having scored the winning goal in the final, Paris St-Germain forward Ferran Torres, who joined the French club from Barcelona in the summer, makes the cut.

Back-to-back Champions League winners PSG have nine players – excluding new signing Torres – nominated, including last year’s winner Ousmane Dembele.

Real Madrid forwards Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr also make the shortlist, as do Arsenal defenders Gabriel and William Saliba.

The award is celebrating its 70th anniversary, having been created by France Football in 1956, and the winner will be announced at a ceremony in London on 26 October.

Messi reaches Miami landmark

Messi opened the scoring in Wednesday’s Campeones Cup match at their Nu Stadium when he headed in a Luis Suarez cross in the 24th minute.

He thought he had added a second when he raced clear on goal and slotted in a shot, only for the effort to be disallowed for offside.

However, Messi great delivered the corner from which former Real Madrid and Manchester United midfielder Casemiro headed in their second goal in the 81st minute to give Miami their first Campeones Cup.

His exploits came after August’s announcement that he was retiring from international football, and after saying he was considering his future in football following the death of his father, Jorge.

“We have to enjoy this because we don’t know how long we’ll have it,” said Casemiro.

“What he has done and continues to do for football is incredible. He remains the best. He proved it at the World Cup and continues to prove it in MLS.”

It means Clearlake – led by co-founders Behdad Eghbali and Jose E. Feliciano – have now acquired full control of the club.

Boehly, Walter and Swiss billionaire Hansjorg Wyss each had a 12.8% stake, with Clearlake previously owning 61.5% of the Blues.

In a statement, the club said Wyss “will remain an important stakeholder and partner in the ownership group”.

However, American Boehly will leave his role as chairman, a position he has held since 2022 when the consortium bought the club for £2.3bn from Roman Abramovich in the wake of the Russian being sanctioned by the UK government over alleged links to his country’s president Vladimir Putin – something he has denied.

It is understood Clearlake have paid approaching £1bn for the two stakes which amount to about a quarter of the club – although people close to the transaction maintain Chelsea’s overall value is around £5bn.

BBC Sport reported in August that Boehly and Walter were exploring selling their stakes.

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

Boehly, who is a co-owner of baseball franchise the Los Angeles Dodgers, said it had been an “honour” to serve as Chelsea chairman.

“I would like to thank the many who helped secure a bright future for the club, including the English Premier League, the coaches and players, the talented leadership and staff at Chelsea, and the legions of dedicated fans,” he added.

“I have valued my partnership with Clearlake and the wider ownership group, and the collective decisions and investment we have made to support the immediate and long-term success of the club. I am confident that Chelsea is well positioned for continued success under Clearlake’s leadership.”

Boehly and Walter have also sold their shareholding in Chelsea’s partner club, French Ligue 1 side Strasbourg.

Since the takeover in 2022, Chelsea’s highest Premier League finish is fourth in 2024-25, with the club also winning the Uefa Conference League and Fifa Club World Cup that season.

The club have also had a remarkably high turnover of players over the past four years, with the initial strategy focusing on signing young players to long-term contracts.

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

Eghbali and Feliciano thanked Boehly for his “time and contribution” as chairman, saying he will “always be a part of the Chelsea story and family”.

They added their focus is to “continue investing in the club’s infrastructure, sporting performance, player development and delivering long-term success for Chelsea and the club’s supporters”.

Chelsea have ongoing plans either to redevelop Stamford Bridge or move to a new stadium, which sources say had created tension at times between Boehly’s camp and Clearlake.

A club statement said there will be “no changes to the day-to-day operations, leadership or strategy at the club” as a result of Clearlake assuming full control.

Walter, the co-owner and chief executive of global finance firm Guggenheim Partners, where Boehly also began his financial career, last month 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.

Now 22, the Belgian is on the verge of enjoying his longest spell in the Chelsea side and, if he completes 60 minutes against Brentford on Friday, will surpass his previous best run of 518 minutes without injury – including pre-season matches.

Such progress has been some time in the making. Lavia made only one appearance in his first season at Chelsea because of a serious hamstring injury.

In his second campaign, he suffered a series of setbacks and missed 33 games, down from 42 the previous season, before significantly improving his availability last term by featuring in about half of Chelsea’s matches.

He has now remained available throughout pre-season and the opening weeks of the new campaign.

“There is so much that goes on behind the scenes,” Lavia told BBC Sport – adding that he has a checklist he likes to tick off to ensure he is in the best condition for any given match.

“It’s a big process but we’re doing well at the moment.”

It has been about overcoming the mental toll of repeated setbacks, but also avoiding becoming risk-averse – with manager Xabi Alonso encouraging Lavia to overcome the “mental block” of completing 90 minutes during a pre-season match against AC Milan in August.

“I’ve learned you can always go further than you think you can. You can always push your limits, especially when you feel like everything is going against you,” he said.

“It’s always easy to think about giving up, or to feel that whatever you do will take you back to the same point where you started.

“But luckily, with the help of team-mates, staff, everyone at the club and people close to me outside football, we’ve been able to create a sort of bubble where you concentrate only on what you can control.”

Lavia is becoming vital to Chelsea

With Reece James and Wesley Fofana having come through similar injury setbacks, Lavia is keen to become the latest Chelsea player to rewrite his story.

He has become a regular in Alonso’s midfield alongside captain James, who began his career as a right-back.

Lavia’s importance has only increased, with Moises Caicedo limited to 14 minutes this season and Enzo Fernandez having left for Manchester City in a £125m transfer on deadline day.

He added: “It’s part of my game as well to take responsibility and have some character. I really like being in that position and also being at this club. Having this responsibility, it’s not even pressure, it’s just like privilege, so I’m actually living the dream.

“This is why you’ve been playing and training all these years for, so just go and enjoy it.”

He speaks of having the “love” of his team-mates, while Chelsea have publicly and privately backed Lavia to become a key player despite an injury-hit couple of seasons.

There is now hope that Chelsea can become a force again after a tweaked transfer strategy that has added more experienced players, alongside the arrival of £117m club record signing Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa, who featured with Lavia in Manchester City’s academy.

Alongside Cole Palmer and Joao Pedro, Chelsea have scored 18 goals in all competitions across six matches, something that has thrilled Blues fans and neutrals alike.

“It’s honestly amazing,” Lavia said. “Obviously I knew Morgan, but just the way he’s come in and then they’ve all clicked together up front. Sometimes I wish I could go in the stands and enjoy watching it.

“It makes your job easier, because it’s like ‘you guys go and work your magic and then we do the rest’. So we’re really, really happy to have them all and hopefully we can achieve great things together.”

Yet Lavia is not getting carried away and says the team have been “too immature” in the past and need to be “realistic” about “becoming the team that we and everyone thinks we can be”.

For him, it is about ticking off milestones and enjoying the journey, both collectively and individually, after scoring his first Chelsea goal in a 4-3 win against Brighton.

“It was just a moment where I felt free,” he explained. “It feels like all the work that you’re putting in, you gain the reward of it, so it was a very emotional moment.

“I wanted to change the narrative. My first Premier League goal was against Chelsea [for Southampton in 2022], so I always felt like it was a bit strange.

“I saw all my team-mates score, so I was waiting for it to be my turn and when it happened I was very, very happy and excited. I wanted to express it as much as possible with the fans and I really loved it.”

Earlier this week, the 15-year-old sent United formal notice that he wants to cancel his registration with immediate effect, but the club can challenge the request.

It is understood a number of major teams across Europe, including Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich, have a firm interest in the forward, but multiple sources have described Real’s efforts to sign him as strong.

The Spanish side wants to recruit the teenager immediately and position him in Real Madrid Castilla – the club’s recognised reserve team.

Unlike in England, Castilla play in senior football and are in the regionalised third league of the Spanish system. Last season, they were coached by Alvaro Arbeloa, who then took over the senior Real side following Xabi Alonso’s dismissal and has since moved to Fulham.

Thiago Pitarch, who was 18 at the start of last season, played for Castilla in a Premier League International Cup encounter against Southampton in October, and made 16 senior appearances across the campaign.

Sources close to Gabriel, who turns 16 on 6 October, feel let down by United, arguing promises around the pathway to the first team have not been kept.

The club say it was anticipated Gabriel would become their youngest senior player by playing in Wednesday night’s EFL Cup tie with Brighton. Given they lost 3-2 after leading 2-0, it is debatable whether that would have actually happened.

United have not given up hope of keeping Gabriel, though they are unsure precisely why he wants to leave.

It is understood the player is not currently training with the club.

Speaking after the Brighton game, head coach Michael Carrick, who gave the youngster his senior debut during the pre-season match with Atletico Madrid in Stockholm, said everyone needed to be mindful of Gabriel’s age.

“I just think we’ve got to be really careful of the whole situation,” he said.

“He’s a young boy. He’s 15, and for me, definitely, and from a club point of view, looking after our younger players – their welfare, their well-being, their exposure – we’ve got to be really conscious of that in this situation.”

Sources close to Gabriel have dismissed concerns over the player’s age and physicality and feel the likes of Max Dowman, who made his debut for Arsenal at the age of 15 last season, show a willingness to trust youth in a way they do not see at United.

Chelsea are also believed to have a major interest in the teenager.

Any imminent move away from Old Trafford for Gabriel is complicated because of rules regarding the registration of young players.

United say Gabriel’s registration runs to the end of the season. It would be easier for him to leave United then, when he will be 16.

However, as Gabriel has an EU passport, it is possible he will be allowed to join a club within European Union borders on his 16th birthday.

Al-Taawoun have also been fined 100,000 Saudi Riyals (£20,000).

Liverpool forward Jota died in a car crash at the age of 28 in July last year and was a close friend of midfielder Neves, having played alongside him for Wolverhampton Wanderers and Portugal.

Neves also now wears the number 21 shirt for Portugal in Jota’s memory, and has a tattoo on his calf of him and Jota embracing. He was also a pallbearer at Jota’s funeral.

Supporters targeted Neves before his side’s 6-0 win on Saturday by repeatedly shouting “Jota” at him.

After the match, Neves told reporters: “I just hope they don’t go to pray later after what they did.”

Cristiano Ronaldo, who plays for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia and was an international team-mate of Jota, called for lifetime bans to be issued to the chanting fans.

In a statement, Al-Taawoun said: “Such behaviour is completely unacceptable and does not represent the club, its fans, or the values ​​for which the club is known.

“Sports competition cannot be a justification for insulting, belittling, or bullying others at the expense of anyone’s feelings.”

Instead, the Partick Thistle duo are in line to play for Uganda.

They believe they would become the first white players ever to represent the African nation, thanks to their mother Kate being born there.

“My gran and grandad lived out here for, I think, four or five years,” Olly, 18, tells BBC Sport Scotland. “My grandfather came out here to teach in a school, then my mum was born here. So, it’s a bit of a strange one.”

The siblings became aware of interest from Uganda about six months ago, following a chance conversation some time before between their father and a football consultant at a game in Nigeria.

And, at the start of August, they were invited to attend under-20 and under-17s training camps.

They spent last week in Jinja in the country’s eastern region and will stay on for one more week, with the pair saying they’re “shocked” and “honoured” at the call-ups.

“I couldn’t believe it,” 16-year-old striker Seb said. “It’s one of those things you look at, and you’re shocked. You can’t believe it. Most other people couldn’t as well.”

Goalkeeper Olly had a similar reaction. “A real mixture of emotions,” he said. “I was quite shocked. I didn’t really think that this was a possibility, but I was honoured to be asked to represent Uganda. I thought it was a real big opportunity.”

Mum Kate is “ecstatic” and “thinks it’d be a great experience for us”, adds Seb.

Image caption: Olly Fisher, second right, with his Ugandan team-mates

‘The other boys have been brand new’

There is another Scottish link with Uganda, with former Hearts and Ghana midfielder Laryea Kingston currently coach of Uganda’s under-20s.

And he is the one who believes the Fisher brothers are on the verge of making history.

“Coach Kingston was saying we’d be the first white boys to play for Uganda, which would be history in the making,” Seb explained. “It is very special.”

And Olly added: “It’s never been done before, so definitely it is very special.”

The pair feel like they’re making connections with the African nation, having been reared on stories about Uganda from their grandparents.

And even though they have been training in oppressively warm conditions, they are embracing the opportunity.

“Everyone has been brilliant, welcoming, really great,” Seb said. “The other boys have been brand new with us. Some of the boys actually come from the same area where my mum was born. So, they were all talking about that.”

The boys will return to Scotland soon, combining training and playing with Thistle with university and school, but are planning to rejoin their new international team-mates in the near future.

Olly hopes to be part of his squad if they qualify for the Under-20’s Africa Cup of Nations early next year, and Seb could be in the Under-17 squad for November’s World Cup in Qatar.

“That’s what you want as a footballer, being in an international environment,” Seb said. “It makes you a better player and hopefully it does for the two of us, and I think it will, and benefit us very much going back to Scotland playing at Thistle.”

The words of video assistant referee Matt Donohue as he rushed through the review to award Erling Haaland’s winning goal in the Manchester derby.

No doubt Donohue was simply trying to be as efficient as possible, but it led to one of the most catastrophic VAR errors the Premier League has seen.

Donohue and his assistant VAR, Blake Antrobus, inexplicably failed to notice that Enzo Fernandez was three yards offside before he tried to head the ball.

The goal was given, and Manchester City beat Manchester United 1-0.

Refereeing has always been a goldfish bowl of scrutiny and pressure, heightened by the introduction of VAR.

The Premier League made a “more efficient application of VAR to reduce delays” one of its football principles for the season.

Has the game tried to prioritise speed over accuracy?

Rushed and chaotic rather than calm and collected

Image source: Getty Images

Image caption: Supporters have grown tired of long delays while the video officials review incidents

The urgency in Donohue’s voice was all too apparent.

“Let’s go, let’s go, let’s go, let’s go!”

It was a panicked exchange between the VAR and the replay operator. Not calm, collected and methodical. Rushed and chaotic. The opposite of how a video official should operate.

Officials hear repeatedly – from fans, pundits, radio phone-ins and newspaper columns – that VAR has to be quicker. That delays are not acceptable.

In the Premier League stakeholders’ survey – which includes managers, coaches and supporters – the key theme for improvements to VAR was the speed of decisions.

This has to create pressure – but it is no excuse for such an error.

City boss Enzo Maresca had some sympathy speaking on Wednesday, though he was of course the beneficiary of the gaffe.

“To make a decision in 10, 20 seconds is not easy for them,” said Maresca.

“Sometimes they make mistakes. I make mistakes, players make mistakes. It’s part of our job.”

Referees’ chief Howard Webb has taken the desire for quicker reviews on board, but it is still a balancing act.

There has been a positive impact, as far as the stats go.

VAR delays – including the referee making an announcement to the crowd – have been reduced, from an average of 46 seconds per game to 36 seconds season-on-season.

Yet the only other VAR mistake, the failure to award a penalty to Arsenal at Aston Villa, also arguably came about because the incident was cleared too quickly.

Crucial failure in process a key cause

Completing a VAR review in the shortest possible time is not about skipping steps. And it was a critical mistake by Donohue and Antrobus.

Speed is a factor, but the most serious error in process came before Donohue tried to rush through the attacking phase.

Donohue asked the replay operator to stop the video on the first replay when Josko Gvardiol touched the ball to cross into the area. He then went immediately into the semi-automated offside technology.

This should not have happened.

The VAR team should have assessed the full picture, from the playing of the cross to the head of Haaland. This would have provided awareness of Fernandez’s position and impact.

They did not, and the events inside the penalty area were not considered until the attacking phase was looked at.

By then, all that mattered to Donohue and Antrobus was whether Fernandez touched the ball. This would have created a new phase and placed Haaland offside.

Donohue has received much of the criticism, but arguably Antrobus’ involvement, or lack of, was just as influential.

The AVAR’s contribution to the entire review was to utter “no, yeah” about the potential touch by Fernandez. This was one second before Donohue uttered the words “final decision is goal, check complete”.

Antrobus’ role is to provide the checks and balances, to make sure the VAR has not missed anything. This fell short.

There has been only one lengthy VAR delay this season, in the game between Brentford and Sunderland. A Dan Ballard goal was ruled out for a subjective offside against Kevin Danso.

Antrobus was the AVAR in this game, too. There was a great deal of criticism in some parts of the media for that delay, which took over four minutes.

Could that have played on Antrobus’ mind on Sunday? We cannot know for sure.

Ironically, Antrobus played a crucial role in steering VAR Tim Wood to the correct offside decision against Danso.

There is also the role of the support VAR, who sits in the operations room next to the match hub at Stockley Park and can intervene on points on protocol.

Aware of what was unfolding with the review, no action was taken.

It would still have been salvageable in the period between the goal being scored and the kick-off.

Dedicated VARs not seen as the answer

Pro Ref has placed a huge level of training and resources into VAR in an attempt to make it as efficient and accurate as possible.

But when an error of this magnitude happens, no amount of investment can mask the failure.

There have been calls to appoint VAR specialists, yet this is exactly what Donohue is – in the Premier League’s definition.

Three seasons ago, Pro Ref asked for candidates interested in becoming video officials.

All those who applied were put through aptitude tests. About 15 made it through to the final stages of training, of which 10 have officiated games in the Premier League.

One of those is Donohue, who on Sunday was the video official for the 65th time.

Such as been Donohue’s development that he is now on the international list, appointed to Uefa club competition qualifying ties over the summer.

Donohue has made mistakes, in fact very few do not. It shows how difficult the role is.

The only two VARs to have a clear record over the last two seasons are Nick Hopton and Neil Davies, both graduates from the same accelerated programme.

Persuading referees to hang up their whistles and spend their professional lives in the VAR room is not easy, nor does it guarantee success.

Lee Mason and Mike Dean, the Premier League’s only full-time VARs appointed after retirement, were both dismissed by Webb just a few months into his tenure because of a catalogue of errors.

One of the only leagues which has a full team of officials who only act as VARs and never go out on the pitch is Spain’s La Liga and second division – yet one glance at the headlines there will tell you the controversy is no different to that in England.

At the start of last season the VAR completely missed that a player who scored a goal was in an offside position when the ball was played.

Pro Ref will have questions to answer over its processes and why a VAR is rushing so desperately over a review in one of the biggest games of the season.

That did not happen when West Ham’s stoppage-time equaliser against Arsenal was ruled out last season. It took over four minutes – but the VAR came to the correct outcome.

The obsession with speed threatens to undermine all the work behind the scenes.

But that feels like a football problem and not one caused solely by the actions of the VAR.

Ceuta is a Spanish autonomous city on the North African coast, bordering Morocco and separated from mainland Spain by the Strait of Gibraltar.

Players from both sides walked on to the pitch at Elche’s ground, Martinez Valero, wearing white T-shirts carrying the message “Todos somos caballas” – translated as “We are all Ceutans” – along with references to the Spanish autonomous city.

While most of the players wore the shirts fully, Mbappe, Vinicius and Konate had theirs rolled up to around chest height, obscuring some of the slogan.

Mbappe and Vinicius then removed their shirts before the pre-match handshake, while Konate kept his on for longer. Their team-mates and the Elche players continued to wear the shirts through the pre-match formalities.

The trio’s actions sparked criticism from La Liga president Javier Tebas, who told reporters: “We saw three players decide not to wear it – putting it half on is the same as not wearing it… bad, bad.”

Tebas confirmed the initiative, which came from a group of entrepreneurs from the Valencia region, had been approved by La Liga and was “not a political act of any type”.

This is not the first time Real Madrid have shown support for Ceuta. Before their Champions League meeting with Inter Milan at the Santiago Bernabeu on 8 September, supporters in the south stand displayed cards featuring the coat of arms of the autonomous city, while the rest of the stadium joined the tribute with a round of applause.

The initiative was part of a wider show of support for Ceuta, following a major migration crisis in the Spanish territory after thousands of people entered from Morocco.

At least 72,000 migrants crossed from Morocco into Ceuta on 30 and 31 July. Most swam around a border fence and at least 100 people died during the crossing, according to figures from Ceuta’s mayor.

Although most returned, as many as 5,000 remain in makeshift camps or are sleeping on the city’s streets and beaches, leading to unrest in the autonomous Spanish city in North Africa.

Locals have expressed safety concerns and some have destroyed shelters and blocked aid being supplied to the migrants.

The representatives of the players have been asked for comment.

The episode came shortly before a dramatic night for Real Madrid, who recovered from surrendering a two-goal lead to beat Elche 3-2, with Carlos Espi scoring the winner in stoppage time.

Mbappe was among Madrid’s scorers, while Vinicius started the game.

The pre-match gesture also highlighted the differing approaches among players and clubs to the Ceuta campaign.

Barcelona did not take part in the initiative, while players at other La Liga fixtures had worn the shirts as intended.

The 31-year-old announced his retirement from international football after four years with Ghana, bringing an end to a spell that began after he switched allegiance from Spain ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

Williams scored two goals in 28 appearances for the four-time African champions and represented Ghana at two World Cups and one Africa Cup of Nations.

GFA Communications Director Henry Asante Twum said the striker personally informed head coach Carlos Queiroz and GFA president Kurt Okraku of his decision before making it public.

Speaking to Asempa FM’s Ultimate Sports Show, Asante Twum said Williams’ decision was driven by a desire to focus on his club career rather than dissatisfaction with the national team.

“Inaki Williams spoke to the coach and the GFA president to explain his decision to retire from national team duties,” Asante Twum said.

“His reason was to concentrate on club duties.”

He added that Williams had shown no indication of unhappiness during his time with the Black Stars.

“He has been with the national team for four years now, and he has not shown any signs of being unhappy. After speaking to the coach and the FA president, they all gave him the go-ahead.”

Asante Twum also suggested Okraku would not have approved the announcement unless he was convinced it was the right decision for the player.

“Knowing who Kurt Okraku is, if he was not convinced, there was no way he would have allowed Inaki Williams to announce his retirement.”

While admitting the forward’s return in front of goal fell short of expectations, the GFA spokesman said the association still valued his contribution to the squad.

“I admit that his numbers have not been good for the Black Stars, but we would have loved to keep him in the Black Stars. He has decided to retire from the national team, and we must accept it.”

The Black Stars will now regroup later this month as they begin their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign.

Ghana open Group C with a trip to Bouaké to face Ivory Coast at the Stade de la Paix on 24 September before hosting The Gambia at the Accra Sports Stadium three days later.

The four-time continental champions are aiming to secure a return to the AFCON finals after missing out on qualification for the 2025 tournament in Morocco.

The Black Stars will begin their campaign against Ivory Coast in Bouaké on 24 September before hosting The Gambia at the Accra Sports Stadium three days later.

The qualifiers come after Ghana’s participation in the 2026 Fifa World Cup in North America, with the team now turning their attention to securing a return to the continental tournament.

Ghana missed out on the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco after a disappointing qualifying campaign, and Asante Twum says the team cannot afford another slow start.

“We want to start well. It is always important to start well in the qualifiers,” he told Asempa FM’s Ultimate Sports Show.

“We did not start well in the last edition of the AFCON qualifiers, but we want to do well this time around.”

The Black Stars are expected to have a new-look squad for the qualifiers, with head coach Carlos Queiroz due to arrive in Ghana this week and expected to name his squad for the two matches.

Ghana will face a demanding opening fixture against Ivory Coast before returning home to take on The Gambia at the Accra Sports Stadium.

The 2027 AFCON will be co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, with Ghana seeking to end a 42-year wait for the continental title.

The Black Stars last won the Africa Cup of Nations in 1982 and have since reached the final three times, most recently in 2015.

The Elephants will host Ghana in Bouake on 24 September before travelling to face Somalia five days later during the international window.

Former AC Milan midfielder Kessie headlines a squad packed with European-based talent, while winger Pepe and striker Yoane Wissa’s fellow attacking options, including Evann Guessand, Mohamed Koné and Ryan Fofana, have also been called up.

Goalkeepers Yahia Fofana, Alban Lafont and Mohamed Koné have been selected, while the defensive unit features established internationals Odilon Kossounou, Emmanuel Agbadou, Ousmane Diomande and Evann Ndicka.

Renard has also retained several young players as he looks to balance experience with emerging talent ahead of the qualification campaign. Midfielders Christ Inao, Patrick Zabi, Malick Yacoulye and Eddy Doué are among those included alongside Kessie and Ibrahim Sangaré.

In attack, Pepe is joined by Yann Diomandé, Bazoumana Touré, Yoane Bonny, Elie Wahi, Yann Gboho and Ryan Fofana.

Full Squad:

The squad announcement comes ahead of a crucial period for the reigning African champions, who are aiming to secure their place at the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.

Ivory Coast begin the window with one of the standout fixtures of the qualifying campaign when they welcome four-time African champions Ghana to the Stade de la Paix in Bouake on 24 September.

The Black Stars will be seeking a positive start to their Group C campaign after missing out on qualification for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, while the Elephants will be hoping to make home advantage count in a fixture that has often produced memorable encounters.

Following the Ghana clash, Ivory Coast travel to Mogadishu to face Somalia on 29 September before rounding off the international break with a high-profile friendly against Cameroon in Abidjan on 3 October.

Alonso, who was heavily linked with the manager’s job at Liverpool after Jurgen Klopp left the club in 2024, made 210 appearances for the Merseyside club and won the UEFA Champions League with them in 2005.

Chelsea defeated Leeds United 6-3 at Stamford Bridge last week to book their place in the fourth round, and they must now negotiate a challenging tie with the 10-time League Cup winners after Andoni Iraola’s side saw off Tottenham Hotspur 3-1 on Tuesday night.

Brighton’s reward for staging a stunning two-goal comeback to dump out Manchester United could be a visit to Carabao Cup holders Manchester City, provided Enzo Maresca’s men come through their third-round tie with Norwich City.

Elsewhere, there is no doubt over the most romantic tie of the round, with Premier League champions Arsenal visiting League Two outfit Fleetwood Town. Fleetwood’s stadium, fittingly, is called Highbury.

There are four other all-Premier League ties, with Everton hosting Newcastle United, Crystal Palace visiting Fulham, Brentford travelling to Sunderland and Bournemouth welcoming Aston Villa to the south coast.

There is also an intriguing match-up between Bradford City and Peterborough, guaranteeing a League One club in the quarter-finals of the competition.

All ties will take place in the week commencing October 26.

Carabao Cup fourth-round draw in full

• Fleetwood Town v Arsenal
• Manchester City/Norwich City v Brighton & Hove Albion
• Everton v Newcastle United
• Sunderland v Brentford
• Liverpool v Chelsea
• Bradford City v Peterborough
• Fulham v Crystal Palace
• Bournemouth v Aston Villa

The confirmation of the draw came after Manchester United’s difficult start to the season deepened as Brighton came from two goals down to win 3-2 at Old Trafford.

Shea Lacey and Mason Mount struck inside the opening 10 minutes, but Charalampos Kostoulas, Pascal Gross and Maxim De Cuyper turned the tie around to condemn United to a second successive home defeat.

The result came just three days after United’s controversial 1-0 loss to Manchester City and leaves Carrick’s side with three defeats from six games in all competitions.

Brighton have now eliminated United from two domestic cups this year, following their FA Cup victory at Old Trafford in January.

It was United’s first home defeat after leading 2-0 in over 50 years, since a 3-2 loss to Spurs in September 1976, according to Opta.

Meanwhile, Tammy Abraham scored twice as Aston Villa beat Coventry 3-1, while Charly Alcaraz’s late strike earned Everton a 1-0 win over Wolves, in front of watching Prime Minister, Andy Burnham. Fleetwood Town reached the fourth round for the first time – setting up their meeting with Arsenal – with a 1-0 victory against Sheffield United.

Chelsea, Newcastle, Crystal Palace, Bournemouth, Sunderland and Bradford City had already booked their places in the last 16 a week ago, with Arsenal, Liverpool, Fulham and Brentford also progressing on Tuesday. Holders Manchester City host Norwich in the remaining third-round tie on Thursday.

The 33-year-old sustained the injury during Al Shabab’s Saudi Pro League meeting with Al Riyadh last month and has been undergoing rehabilitation since then.

Partey has now stepped up his recovery by taking part in intensive training sessions under the supervision of Al Shabab’s fitness coach.

It remains unclear whether he will be involved when Al Shabab face Al-Ittihad later on Wednesday.

His return to full training will nevertheless be welcomed by Ghana, with the Black Stars preparing for their opening matches in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign.

Ghana begin their Group C campaign away against Côte d’Ivoire in Bouaké on 24 September before hosting The Gambia in Accra three days later.

Partey remains an important figure in Ghana’s midfield and, having recovered from his injury, is expected to be included in Carlos Queiroz’s squad for the two qualifiers.

The Black Stars missed out on the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco and will be looking to secure a return to the continental tournament when the 2027 qualifying campaign begins.

Hansi Flick’s league leaders preserved their 100 per cent record with a thumping victory over their promoted opponents, moving three points clear of Real Madrid.

Joao Cancelo, Gabriel Jesus and Lamine Yamal also scored for the unstoppable Catalan giants, who have netted 33 goals in seven games across all competitions.

With lightning flashing above Camp Nou, Barca started at rapid pace and took the lead with a thunderbolt from Cancelo.

The defender crashed a shot in off the crossbar from long range in the eighth minute to get Flick’s side up and running.

Dani Olmo twice came close before Raphinha won and converted a penalty for Barca’s second.

The Brazilian was clumsily brought down by Pedro Felipe and thrashed the spot-kick into the bottom right corner.

Racing Santander pulled one back when Maguette Gueye barged his way through and produced a neat finish to beat Barca goalkeeper Joan Garcia.

However, it proved only brief respite for the visitors, with Cancelo provoking the third with another long-range effort which deflected in off Asier Villalibre.

Raphinha, thriving playing as Barca’s centre-forward, bagged Barca’s fourth after he was played in on goal by Olmo.

Teenage star Yamal should have added a fifth after the electric Karim Adeyemi was brought down in the box, but Julen Agirrezabala saved his penalty.

Barca reserve goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny replaced Garcia at half-time after the Spain international appeared to hurt himself while slipping as he went to get the ball.

Yamal hit the post and later had a goal ruled out for offside, as the youngster suffered a more frustrating night than some of his colleagues.

In the second half, Yassir Zabiri pulled another back for Racing after a dreadful error from Szczesny, who tried and failed to dribble the ball.

Zabiri tackled him to score. Barcelona’s fifth arrived almost immediately with another penalty after Adeyemi was brought down.

Raphinha completed his hat-trick from the spot for his ninth league goal, extending his lead as the league’s top goalscorer.

He was replaced by his compatriot Gabriel Jesus, who added the sixth with a sharp finish into the top corner after being played in by Yamal.

The winger eventually got his goal when Adeyemi roared down the left wing and set him up for Barca’s seventh and final goal.

United head coach Michael Carrick had to bring on skipper Bruno Fernandes 18 minutes from time in a desperate attempt to salvage the game after watching his side concede twice in four second-half minutes.

It was the first time United had led at home by two goals and lost since they were beaten 3-2 by Tottenham in 1976, half a century ago.

The small band of Brighton fans were jubilant as they celebrated in the corner of Old Trafford, with the home fans booing their team off at the final whistle.

It was the worst possible outcome for United and Carrick, still reeling from the stunning Manchester derby defeat by 10-man City – followed by 15-year-old academy star JJ Gabriel informing the club of his intention to quit.

United thought they had the perfect response when their other highly rated youngster Shea Lacey marked his first senior start with a well-taken goal after just eight minutes.

Mason Mount doubled their advantage two minutes later when he drove home the rebound from a Marcus Rashford effort that had been blocked.

At that point, it looked like being a good night for Carrick and his team.

But Charalampos Kostoulas pulled one back just before half-time. Brighton skipper Pascal Gross levelled when he was left on his own on the edge of the area and had time to turn on to a clearance from halfway and send his shot beyond Wales goalkeeper Karl Darlow, who was making his United debut.

Four minutes later, Kostoulas turned supplier as he cut the ball back for substitute Maxim de Cuyper to finish.

Jason Steele denied Marcus Rashford an equaliser at one end, but United were reliant on Darlow denying Diego Gomez a fourth Brighton goal.

After their humbling EFL Cup loss at League Two Grimsby last season, followed by Brighton’s FA Cup triumph here in January, it was a third successive domestic cup loss for Manchester United.

The agreement would see the Visit Ghana brand promoted on Sunderland’s shirts as part of an initiative designed to market Ghana as a tourism destination to a global football audience.

According to a report by Graphic Sports, negotiations involving Sunderland, Visit Ghana and representatives of the Ghanaian government have been ongoing for about six months.

However, Sunderland is understood to be operating on the assumption that the partnership will not proceed because the necessary government approval has not been secured.

The uncertainty could also have implications for plans for a friendly between 2026 Democracy Cup champions Asante Kotoko and Sunderland in England.

The proposed fixture was expected to form part of the wider partnership between Ghana and the Premier League club.

The sponsorship attracted considerable attention after it was publicly announced by government-linked representatives, with expectations that Visit Ghana branding would feature on Sunderland’s shirts from the start of the current Premier League season.

A completed agreement would have provided Ghana with sustained exposure through one of the world’s most widely followed football leagues, while giving the country’s tourism sector an international marketing platform.

For now, however, the status of the proposed partnership remains unclear, with the required approval yet to be obtained.

The future of the planned Kotoko-Sunderland friendly is also uncertain as discussions over the wider agreement continue.

The approval follows months of renovation work by the National Sports Authority (NSA) to bring the stadium back in line with CAF requirements after it previously lost its certification.

Ghana will host Gambia at the Accra Sports Stadium on 27 September in their first home match of the 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign.

The Black Stars open their Group C campaign away to Ivory Coast on 24 September before returning home three days later to face Gambia.

CAF’s decision ends uncertainty over Ghana’s ability to stage major international fixtures at the stadium, which has struggled to meet international standards in recent years.

The Black Stars had been forced to consider alternative venues for some home matches while concerns over the condition of the Accra Sports Stadium persisted.

Earlier this month, Berekum West MP Dickson Kyere-Duah described the facility as a “death trap”, highlighting concerns over the wider state of Ghana’s sporting infrastructure.

The stadium’s reinstatement on CAF’s approved list could also make it an important alternative venue for other African nations without facilities that meet international standards.

Niger have already secured permission to use the Accra Sports Stadium for their home matches in the 2027 AFCON qualifiers. They are in Group A with Morocco, Gabon and Lesotho.

Somalia has also formally approached the NSA to request permission to stage its home qualifiers in Accra.

Somalia are in the same qualifying group as Ghana, Ivory Coast and Gabon, meaning the stadium could host several matches involving teams in Group C.

The top two teams from each qualifying group will qualify for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, which will be jointly hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda from 19 June to 17 July 2027.

For Ghana, the return to the Accra Sports Stadium provides the Black Stars with a familiar home venue as they begin their attempt to qualify for the tournament after missing the 2025 AFCON in Morocco.

GFA communications director Henry Asante Twum said the squad is going through the association’s approval process before invitations are sent to selected players.

The list will first be reviewed by the GFA’s Management Committee before being forwarded to the Executive Council for final approval.

“Coach Carlos Queiroz has submitted his squad for the upcoming games, and it is currently going through the required processes,” Asante Twum said in an interview last week.

“It will first go before the Management Committee and then the Executive Council. Once all the necessary processes have been completed, invitations will be sent to the selected players.

“Hopefully, the squad will be officially announced next week.”

Ghana begin the next stage of their AFCON qualifying campaign away to Côte d’Ivoire in Bouaké on 24 September before hosting The Gambia at the Accra Sports Stadium five days later.

The two matches represent some of Queiroz’s first competitive assignments as he attempts to guide the Black Stars back to the continental finals after they failed to qualify for the previous edition.

The venue is currently Ghana’s only stadium approved for FIFA Category A international matches following recent maintenance work carried out to address concerns raised by CAF over its condition.

Speaking to 3Sports, Ampofo Ankrah said the stadium will not only stage Black Stars fixtures but will also serve as the temporary home ground for Niger and Somalia during the upcoming international window.

“Accra Sports Stadium is currently the only approved venue for FIFA Category A matches,” he said.

Niger are set to face Lesotho in Accra on 24 September, the same day Ghana take on Côte d’Ivoire away in Bouaké in their opening Group C qualifier.

“On the 24th of September, the Black Stars will be in Bouaké. And at the same time, Niger will be here against Lesotho. So we’re preparing for that,” Ampofo Ankrah added.

He also revealed that the Somalia Football Federation has informed Ghana’s football authorities that both of its qualifiers against the Black Stars will be played in Accra.

“Both matches [Ghana vs Somalia and Somalia vs Ghana] will be played in Accra, home and away. So that’s what the FA has communicated. So we need to prepare for those matches.”

The Black Stars begin their 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign next week with an away trip to Côte d’Ivoire before returning to Accra to host Gambia in their second group match.

The Black Princesses opened the tournament with a 3-0 defeat to Ecuador before reviving their hopes with an impressive 3-1 victory over South Korea.

However, a heavy 4-0 loss to France in their final Group E match ended any chance of reaching the knockout stage.

Ghana finished the group phase with three points from three matches, a tally that was not enough to secure qualification for the last 16.

It means the Black Princesses have now failed to progress beyond the group stage in each of their eight consecutive appearances at the biennial tournament, extending a run that dates back to their debut at the competition.

Messi announced his retirement from Argentina duty in August in the wake of his country’s defeat by Spain in the 2026 World Cup final and after saying he was considering his future in football following the death of his father, Jorge.

The 39-year-old, who captained Argentina when they won the 2022 World Cup, said the decision to stop playing for La Albiceleste hurt him “deeply” but that he had “given it my all” and had “nothing left to give”.

Messi, an eight-time Ballon d’Or winner who currently plays for Inter Miami, is Argentina’s all-time leading scorer and most-capped player, having scored 125 goals in 207 appearances.

“We made the decision to invite the best player in the world, the symbol of our national team, our captain, Lionel Andres Messi, so that he can have the farewell he truly deserves on 6 October here in Argentina,” said Argentine FA president Claudio Tapia.

River Plate’s Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires, which has a capacity of 85,000, will host the game against Benin.

Argentina’s 2022 World Cup winners have also been invited to the match, which Tapia said would be an “unforgettable” occasion.

Argentina were ordered to play their next two home matches with 50% capacity, although one match of that sanction was suspended, for breaches of the Fifa disciplinary code during the World Cup.

The punishment related to using a sports event for demonstrations of a non-sporting nature, team misconduct, and discriminatory chants and gestures by its supporters.

After defeating England 2-1 in the World Cup semi-final, several Argentina players held up a banner claiming Argentine sovereignty over the Falkland Islands, a British overseas territory.

As they play friendlies against Bolivia on 30 September in Cordoba and Burkina Faso in Buenos Aires on 3 October, it should mean the punishment will have been served before the Benin game.

Argentina midfielder Leandro Paredes and teammate Nahuel Molina are not expected to be available as they were given respective 10-game and seven-match suspensions for their part in on-field clashes following their country’s defeat by Spain in the World Cup final.

Speaking on the first edition of ‘Match Officials Mic’d Up’ of the season, Webb said he was “really disappointed” with the error made by the VAR, Matt Donohue and his assistant, Blake Antrobus.

Manchester City striker Haaland thought he had scored the only goal of the game at Old Trafford in the 60th minute, but it was disallowed on the field for offside.

A VAR review found Haaland was just onside, and the goal was awarded.

But it immediately became apparent that the video officials had made an error in failing to identify an offside offence by Fernandez, diving at the ball in a central position and interfering with opponents.

“I was really disappointed with this outcome. We all are,” said Webb, Premier League refereeing body Pro Ref’s chief refereeing officer.

“None more so than the officials themselves. They take a lot of personal pride in what they do, and they’re obviously hurting now, having fallen short in this situation.

“They’ll not be officiating again until after the international break.”

Image source: Getty Images

Image caption: Manchester City won 1-0 at Old Trafford after a VAR mistake handed them the only goal of the game

One of the questions which many supporters have asked is how the VAR team could possibly reach the conclusion that Fernandez did not commit an offside offence.

Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez initially appeared to be marking Haaland, but then moved over to try and intercept the ball from Fernandez. This left Haaland free at the back post to finish.

Former England striker and BBC Sport pundit Wayne Rooney said on Match of the Day that “to not see that and recognise that Enzo Fernandez was in an offside position…anyone who has played the game at any level understands that and to get it so wrong is baffling.”

The Mic’d Up audio revealed that at no stage did Donohue or Antrobus consider whether Fernandez was offside because, as Webb describes, they got “tunnel vision” over Haaland.

The semi-automated offside technology told the VAR that Haaland was three centimetres onside from Josko Gvardiol’s cross.

But the video officials then only checked for a touch by Fernandez, which would have created a new offside phase against the Norway international.

VAR transcript in full

This is the transcript, which was dominated by the VAR, with the AVAR only making one minor contribution.

At the start of the season, video officials were encouraged to be more efficient with their checks and not take an excessive amount of time.

Comments made by the technical replay operator have been omitted.

VAR: Checking the on-field decision of offside against Haaland.

The VAR and the semi-automated offside operator then discuss the decision against Haaland and he is shown to be onside.

VAR: Okay, so he’s onside. So we now need to check the full APP (attacking phase).

VAR speaking to referee Michael Oliver: Michael, Haaland’s in an onside position, but I need to check the full APP now. Stand by.

VAR: Haaland’s clearly onside. Roll it all the way through. Roll it all the way through.

VAR: Let’s go, let’s go, let’s go, let’s go.

VAR: Go back just to check Ndiaye wasn’t on offside. Sorry, my apologies. When it’s flicked. Quick, quick, quick, quick. Yes, fine. Go, go, go, go, go.

VAR: Let’s go. It should be a goal. All the way into the back of the net now.

VAR: Quick, quick, quick, quick! Go, go, go, go, go!

This is the point at which Gvardiol crosses the ball into the box.

VAR: Deflection. Onside. No touch there [by Fernandez]. Confirm, no touch. There wasn’t.

VAR: Just something [camera angle] tighter. Clear gap.

VAR: There’s not a touch, is there [by Fernandez]? There’s no touch.

VAR: Another angle. Roll it through, roll it through, roll it through.

AVAR: No. Yeah.

VAR: Goal

VAR to referee: Michael, confirming that you need to change your decision to goal. Haaland is in onside position. Final decision is goal. Check complete.

‘The VAR gets super-focused on Haaland’

Webb said that the VAR failed to assess how Fernandez found himself in that position, so did not consider the offside offence.

“The VAR gets super-focused on Haaland,” said Webb, who had already been in contact with Manchester United to share the VAR audio and video.

“He establishes he’s onside; he thinks that’s a good goal.

“He doesn’t truly evaluate the full impact of Fernandez’s position. He has a look to see if he touches the ball, because then that relates to potentially knocking it to Haaland, who goes on to score.”

Webb highlighted the lack of assistance from Antrobus as the assistant VAR, who did not offer a meaningful contribution during the review.

“In that moment, he [Donohue] gets tunnel vision,” Webb said. “It’s down to the rest of his team to pull him out of that tunnel, and unfortunately, that didn’t happen on this occasion.

“What looks like a really clear subjective offside, because Fernandez doesn’t touch the ball but still clearly impacts [the play but] doesn’t get identified, and it’s really disappointing.

“This goal should’ve been disallowed. And highly unfortunately, it wasn’t, and we’ll review it, reflect upon it, and try to take the learning forward to prevent this unusual type of error from happening again.”

Fernandes is ‘more petulant than violent’

There was also much debate over the red card shown to Phil Foden in the 23rd minute for kicking out at Bruno Fernandes, largely because there was no sanction against the Portuguese midfielder for a similar act.

Webb backed the decision to dismiss Foden, but said the action by Fernandes did not meet the threshold for violent conduct.

“I agree with the red card for Phil Foden,” said Webb. “He kicks out with force into the upper body of Bruno Fernandes.

“Now, when you look at the footage, there is that petulant kick by Bruno Fernandes into the backside of Foden. It is more petulant than violent.

“To be violent conduct, it has to have excessive force or brutality. When you look at that, particularly at full speed, it doesn’t have those elements. So therefore, this would be a yellow card offence.”

Webb added that if Foden had not been sent off on the field, but he had been via a VAR review – as Aston Villa’s Joao Gomes was at Brighton for a similar offence last month – Fernandes’ yellow-card offence would also have been identified at the pitchside monitor.

Roberto de Zerbi’s team at least managed to score their first goal this season against Premier League opposition – having failed to find the net in four league games.

But goals from Alexis Mac Allister, Cody Gakpo and Dominik Szoboszlai helped Andoni Iraola’s Liverpool progress to the fourth round at Spurs’ expense.

Both managers named heavily-changed lineups with Iraola making 10 changes from the side that laboured to a goalless draw against Fulham on Saturday, with only Ronald Araujo retaining his place and Joe Gomez captaining the team on his first appearance of the season.

De Zerbi made eight changes from Spurs’ goalless draw against Everton with Andy Robertson on the bench on his first return to Anfield since leaving Liverpool in the summer.

And, after Giorgi Mamardashvili had denied Spurs an opener with a great save from Lucas Bergvall, Liverpool broke the deadlock on 21 minutes when Mac Allister side-footed the ball into the top corner as it broke to him on the edge of the box.

Spurs should have levelled shortly after the half-hour mark when Mohammed Kudus blazed over from a few yards out and Liverpool made them pay after the break as they doubled their lead when Gakpo finished off a lovely move after being set up by Mac Allister.

Robertson came on to a standing Anfield ovation shortly after as De Zerbi turned to his bench and Spurs had some hope when Conor Gallagher turned the ball into the net from Mateus Fernandes’ corner after 69 minutes.

It was their first goal against Premier League opposition this season and their first since August 26 in the previous round.

The 6,000-strong travelling support should had an equaliser to celebrate but Mamardashvili made another superb stop to keep out Omar Marmoush before Savio fired wide from inside the box.

And Szoboszlai ensured a Liverpool win when he chested the ball down in injury time and found the back of the net with a Steven Gerrard-esque thunderbolt from 25 yards out.

Spurs have now lost three of their six games in all competitions this season, with their only win coming in the previous round of the Carabao Cup against Charlton.

Ruto hailed the winning bid as a “victory for generations of athletes” who have made the nation “synonymous with excellence” on the track and road.

Nairobi beat London and Rome to the hosting rights, with Munich selected to stage the 2031 edition.

After missing out on the 2025 World Championships to Tokyo, a series of factors helped Kenya see off its European rivals this time around.

A sport ‘woven into the fabric’ of the nation

When World Athletics president Lord Coe announced the decision in Budapest on Tuesday, he described Kenya’s bid as “compelling and emotional”.

The East African nation is the second-most successful nation in the history of the World Championships with 72 gold medals, placing it behind the United States.

The vast majority of those glories, alongside 38 Olympic gold medals, have come in middle- and long-distance running.

Lord Coe said that athletics is “woven into the fabric” of the nation and that Kenyans have helped “shape the history” of the sport.

He name-checked several runners including two-time Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge – who was involved in the lobbying for Kenya’s bid – men’s 800m world record holder David Rudisha and multiple world and Olympic medallist Faith Kipyegon.

A passionate fanbase is also one of the country’s great strengths.

Some 68% of Kenyans surveyed by World Athletics rated their interest in athletics as high, compared with a global average of 39%.

Athletics is the country’s second-most followed sport, behind only football, and when World Athletics assessed its social media channels, Kenya was the fourth-highest nation in terms of followers.

Upgraded facilities

Kenya’s previous bid for the 2025 edition fell down largely on the facilities which the country possessed.

This time around, the Kasarani Stadium will have gone through a complete structural upgrade well before the world’s top athletes descend on Nairobi.

The 48,000-capacity venue will be used when Kenya co-hosts football’s 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) next June and July alongside Tanzania and Uganda.

“We learned from the 2025 bid because there were areas that we did not score well,” Barnaba Korir, who worked on the successful bid, told the BBC World Service.

“Because of that, we managed to improve on those areas.

“I’m happy that the infrastructure that we have already developed will also meet the standards that we have seen all over the world.”

Hotel space is one area not expected to be a problem, with Nairobi a regular host for large conventions.

“Kenya is also known for its very dynamic hospitality, the tourism sector,” Elijah Mwangi, principal secretary at the State Department for Sports, told the BBC.

“It has a game park within the city, so we are waiting to welcome everybody.”

President Ruto made financial and security guarantees in order to secure the Championships.

“We thank World Athletics for the confidence it has placed in Kenya,” Ruto said.

“We will honour that confidence by delivering an unforgettable championship worthy of our athletes, our country and our continent.”

Expanding athletics

Image source: Getty Images

Image caption: Kenyan sprinter Ferdinand Omanyala, pictured competing at the Kasarani Stadium in 2023, said it had “always been a dream” to see the country host a major championships

Lord Coe became president of World Athletics (then known as the IAAF) in 2015 and has pledged to grow the sport around the globe.

During his time in office the World Championships have been hosted in Qatar (2019), the United States (2022) and Tokyo, while China’s capital Beijing will stage them in 2027.

Kenya has successfully hosted age-grade events in Nairobi and the World Cross Country Championships in Mombasa, while the World Athletics Relays were held in Botswana’s capital Gaborone in May.

With Coe’s third term in office coming to an end next year, one official involved in Kenya’s bid, speaking before the host announcement, said it was “unthinkable” that Nairobi would not succeed.

“With this decision we continue to fulfil our mission of growing athletics worldwide,” Coe said.

“It was important that the World Athletics Championships should come to Africa when we had the right host, the right bid and the right circumstances.

Coe hailed the “quality, ambition and commitment” of all four bidding cities.

London, Munich and Rome have all previously held the Olympics, with the World Championships in London as recently as 2017, but the chance to break new ground in Africa was clearly compelling.

UK Athletics chief executive Jack Buckner said his team was “deeply disappointed” to see London miss out.

What is needed next?

Kenya now faces logistical and organisational challenges over the next three years as it prepares to deliver Africa’s first World Championships.

With the 2027 Afcon looming large on the horizon, Nairobi will have a chance to test-run getting fans in and out of the Kasarani Stadium, which lies about a half-hour drive from the city’s central business district.

The venue does not have any rail connections but Korir says World Athletics officials were “very satisfied” by Kenya’s transport plan.

There were instances of overcrowding when the stadium hosted Kenya games at football’s African Nations Championships last year, which led to the capacity being reduced for some matches.

Delays in preparations for Afcon have raised concerns, and the funding for the World Championships will come entirely from the Kenyan government.

Mwangi revealed that $78m (£58.5m) is the current estimate for the government’s contribution, with sponsorship deals also playing a role.

“We are prepared to ensure that whatever is expected to be paid, it is paid in the due time,” he added.

Image source: Getty Images

Image caption: Overcrowding at the Kasarani Stadium was evident during some of Kenya’s games at the 2024 African Nations Championship

Presidential elections are scheduled for next year, but Korir is confident organisers will secure the “huge” and “legally binding” figure earmarked even if there is a change in government.

“Whatever the government assigns now will be observed by the next government. It is an international agreement,” he said.

Then comes ticketing, first to make sure the local population are not priced out and then to ensure the stands are filled.

The cheapest tickets for the Under-18 World Championships in 2017 were priced at 200 Kenyan shillings ($1.15, £1.14) but attendances were low until entry was made free.

World Athletics generated $522m in revenue from Tokyo 2025, with a total of 619,000 tickets sold over the nine days of competition, while London sold a record 705,000 tickets in 2017.

In passing up the opportunity of returning to the British capital, World Athletics has chosen expansion over guaranteed ticket sales, but attendances will be scrutinised – especially after the sparse numbers seen in the stands in Doha in 2019.

Korir, however, is confident the Kasarani Stadium “will be full” on “every day” of competition, including morning sessions, if sales begin early enough.

Meanwhile, Kenya has endured a spate of doping scandals in recent years, with 11 individuals banned by the Athletics Integrity Unit so far this year alone.

The pressure is now on the East African nation to deliver on its promises in the build-up to Nairobi 2029 and ensure the Championships pass off without any major issues.

The 31-year-old, from Berkshire, also admitted possessing nitrous oxide for wrongful inhalation and failing to provide a specimen for analysis.

Sterling, who appeared at Basingstoke Magistrates’ Court, was arrested after crashing near the M3 in Hampshire on the morning of 28 May.

Sterling has 82 England caps, the last of which was won at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

The former England winger pleaded guilty to driving a Lamborghini Urus dangerously on the M25, the M3, the A327 and Minley Road before he crashed.

The court heard he strayed into the central reservation of the M3, exited at junction 4A, and veered off the A327, crashing into “roadside infrastructure” in a layby.

The crash caused “substantial” damage to his car and all four wheels, which prevented him from driving further, the court heard.

He was in possession of six canisters of nitrous oxide, a Class C drug.

Prosecutor Simon Jones said that between 7:45 and 8:52 police received a number of calls about dangerous driving on the two motorways.

Getty Images: Sterling made eight appearances for Feyenoord earlier this year

When police arrived on the scene of the collision Sterling was in the passenger seat of the car with two nitrous oxide canisters on his lap, the court was told.

Witnesses described seeing a Lamborghini driver inhaling from a white balloon.

Fiona Jennings, who saw the vehicle on the M3 at 8:45, said she looked across and thought that an airbag had inflated, but then realised it was an inflated balloon.

She told police she saw “absolutely horrendous driving” as the Lamborghini swerved in and out of lanes.

“She had genuine concerns the driver might kill someone,” Jones said.

PA: Sterling arrived at Basingstoke Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday afternoon

Sterling complied with a roadside breath test, which was negative, and a preliminary drug test, which indicated no cannabis or cocaine.

However, tests carried out at the Basingstoke police investigation centre deemed that he was impaired.

During the process, he disclosed to custody staff “he had a problem with nitrous oxide”, Jones said.

A sample of blood could only be taken with his consent, which he did not give.

Sterling asked to obtain legal advice before making a decision, Mr Jones said, but in the police sergeant’s view “he was deliberately failing to provide a clear answer”.

CPS: Sterling was in possession of six canisters of nitrous oxide, a Class C drug

In the police interview that followed, Sterling accepted he had been the driver, and provided “no comment” answers to the driving.

Defending Sterling, Jason Bartfeld KC said there was no dispute that the case was a “top category” because of the “at times” serious impairment, though it would have been for short periods within the driving.

But the defence did not accept the damage to the car was serious, and said there was “confusion” over the failure to provide a specimen.

Hampshire Police previously said the charges followed a single-vehicle collision near the M3 southbound, near the Minley interchange.

The force said no other vehicles were involved and no injuries were reported.

CPS: The former England footballer crashed in a layby just off the M3

Sterling most recently played for Feyenoord in the Dutch Eredivisie, having left Chelsea in January, but made just eight appearances in the Netherlands.

In four years at Chelsea – including a season-long loan at Arsenal – he made 59 league appearances after signing from Manchester City in 2022.

With City, he won four Premier League titles, having started his senior career with Liverpool before moving to Manchester in 2015.

He is currently without a club.

In the 2021 Queen’s Birthday Honours, Sterling was made an MBE for services to racial equality in sport.

Sterling, who was seen listening attentively in the dock, was granted unconditional bail.

District Judge Kirsty Allman ordered a pre-sentence report to be carried out before the next hearing, where she will determine whether to sentence at the magistrates’ court or send it to the Crown Court.

Sterling will next appear in court on 25 November and has been disqualified from driving in the interim.

The Ghana international has not started a match for Spurs since returning from the long-term injury that ruled him out of the Black Stars’ 2026 Fifa World Cup campaign.

Kudus, 25, has made three substitute appearances since the beginning of the 2026-27 season as De Zerbi has carefully managed his return to full fitness.

However, the Italian coach has confirmed the former West Ham midfielder is now ready to start against Liverpool.

“Kudus can start because, in terms of his physical condition, he’s better. But James [Maddison] is not yet,” De Zerbi said.

The Tottenham boss also suggested Kudus could operate in an attacking midfield role, with the player’s versatility allowing him to play as a number 10.

“Kudus can play number 10, more offensive. The idea is to use the characteristics of the players in the first eleven,” he added.

Kudus’ potential return to the starting line-up will be a boost for Tottenham, who have endured a difficult start to the new campaign.

Spurs have won just one of their five matches this season, with that victory coming against Charlton in the second round of the EFL Cup.

De Zerbi will hope Kudus can provide an attacking spark as Tottenham look to progress in the competition against Liverpool.

The Phobians made it two wins from two on Sunday after coming from behind to beat Bibiani Gold Stars at DUN’s Park.

Kapor says Hearts will not rely on a single tactical formula, with the Serbian insisting each opponent will require a different approach.

“Every game is different, every approach is different depending on what we see in the opponents, the strengths and weaknesses,” he told the club’s media channels.

The coach believes Hearts’ ability to adjust from one match to the next will be crucial if they are to sustain their strong start and challenge consistently for maximum points.

Kapor has also praised the unity within his squad, saying the team’s positive spirit has played an important role in their early success.

“The spirit in the team is very good and high, and I’m sure it will continue to help us win matches,” he added.

Hearts’ impressive start has come during a period of uncertainty behind the scenes, following the resignation of managing director Julius Ben Emunah last week.

The club has since appointed an interim management committee to oversee its affairs.

Dr Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe will chair the committee, with Samuel Wilfred Yaw Inkoom, Akwasi Agyemang, Vincent Sowah Odotei and Alhaji Yusif Abdullai serving as members.

On the pitch, however, Hearts have made an ideal start and will now look to extend their winning run to three matches.

Kapor’s side host Bechem United at the University of Ghana Stadium in their Matchday Three fixture.

The Porcupine Warriors secured their first victory of the campaign by beating Heart of Lions, ending their winless start to the season.

Tinkler believes establishing a strong home record will be crucial to Kotoko’s ambitions and wants visiting teams to feel the pressure from the moment they arrive in Kumasi.

“We need to make our stadium a fortress, and we need to make it very difficult for teams to come here, and the fans play a big part in that,” the South African said after the victory.

Tinkler believes Kotoko’s passionate support can help create an intimidating atmosphere and give the home side a significant advantage.

“Teams should fear to come here because of the support base that we have and, with them, we can obviously change that history,” he added.

The former Orlando Pirates coach has called on the supporters to play their part by creating an atmosphere that makes the Baba Yara Stadium one of the most difficult venues in the league.

Kotoko will, however, have to wait for their next home fixture to begin that campaign.

The Kumasi-based club travel to the Nsenkyire Sports Arena on Sunday to face FC Samartex in their Matchday 3 fixture.

The competition features the top four teams from both the Northern and Southern Zones of the Women’s Premier League.

The eight qualified teams have been divided into two competitive groups.

Group A comprises Hasaacas Ladies, FC Savannah, Jonina Ladies and FOSU Royal Ladies, while Prisions Ladies, Army Ladies, Dreamz Ladies and Epiphany Warriors will be going head-to-head in Group B.

Dreamz Ladies won the 2024 edition as the first Northern Zone team to lift the trophy, beating Ampem Darkoa Ladies 2-1 in the final, with goals from Sarah Nyarko and Stella Nyamekye.

The tournament is confirmed to take place from September 23-29, 2026, at the Ghanaman Soccer Centre of Excellence (GSCE) in Prampram.

Even though he was only 14 when the season began, he won the Premier League Under-18 player of the year award last term, in addition to being named United’s Under-18 player of the year.

He made his senior debut for United in their pre-season game against Atletico Madrid in Stockholm last month, scored a hat-trick on his Uefa Youth League debut last week and had been expected to make his competitive bow in Wednesday night’s Carabao Cup tie with Brighton.

The precise issues have not been outlined, but it is understood Gabriel did not train with Michael Carrick’s squad at the end of last week amid issues in the relationship between the player’s family and United.

The club have not yet given up hope of resolving the situation given Gabriel has a contract that runs to the end of the season. Chief executive Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox are directly involved in discussions with the player’s family, which underlines how seriously the club regard the situation.

United sources say they are not sure what has led to the situation developing the way it has.

Gabriel has sent a formal notice that he wants to cancel his registration with immediate effect. United can challenge the request.

Gabriel does not turn 16 until 6 October, when he would be able to sign a scholarship agreement.

Born in London, Gabriel scored twice on his debut for United’s Under-18 side when he was just 14.

He was an integral part of the United side that reached both the FA Youth Cup and Premier League Under-18 finals last season.

Gabriel moved into the club’s Premier League 2 squad this season and scored sensational goals in his first two games.

The capital Nairobi will hold the event at the 48,000-capacity Kasarani Stadium.

London and Rome were the cities to miss out, with Munich awarded hosting rights in 2031.

Kenya’s rich athletics heritage was central to its bid for 2029, with the East African nation boasting 72 World Championship and 38 Olympic gold medals, predominantly in middle- and long-distance running.

It is the second-most successful nation in the history of the World Championships, and two-time Olympic marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge, who also won 5000m gold at the 2003 World Championships, was among those who made the case for Nairobi during the bid process.

World Athletics president Sebastian Coe described that bid as “compelling and emotional”.

“Kenya is one of the great athletics nations,” Coe added.

“The sport is woven into the fabric of the country.

“It was important that the World Championships should come to Africa when we had the right host, the right bid and the right circumstances. Nairobi has demonstrated emphatically that this is their moment.”

The decision to award the event to Nairobi is historic for Africa, with the continent having never hosted the senior World Championships despite producing some of the sport’s biggest stars.

Kenya’s bid also highlighted its experience of hosting major athletics events, including the 2017 World Under-18 and 2021 World U20 Championships in Nairobi and the 2007 World Cross Country Championships in Mombasa.

Kenya previously bid to stage the 2025 World Championships but lost out to Tokyo, with infrastructure a key weakness.

This time, the country pointed to upgrades to existing facilities as evidence of its readiness.

Kenya has been renovating its stadiums ahead of co-hosting next year’s Africa Cup of Nations alongside Tanzania and Uganda.

Kasarani Stadium is undergoing a complete structural overhaul in the build-up to hosting games at the continent’s biggest football tournament.

The decision was made by the Premier League refereeing body Pro Ref’s chief refereeing officer Howard Webb and the management team.

It follows Pro Ref admitting to an “error of judgement” in awarding Erling Haaland’s winning goal for Manchester City at Manchester United on Sunday.

The striker scored in the 60th minute at Old Trafford when he turned in a shot at the back post from Josko Gvardiol’s cross.

His effort was initially disallowed on the field for offside but, following VAR intervention, the goal was awarded as the Norwegian was ruled to have been played onside by Patrick Dorgu’s boot.

However, there was debate as to whether the goal should have been disallowed for City midfielder Enzo Fernandez, who was in an offside position, interfering with play as he dived attempting to head the ball in a central position before Haaland’s finish.

“It was established that Enzo Fernandez did not play the ball and therefore that makes any offside offence subjective,” said Pro Ref in a statement.

“However, on this occasion, the VAR did not recognise the likely impact of his position and should have recommended an on-field review.”

City, who had Phil Foden sent off after 23 minutes, maintained their 100% league record from four games with the victory.

The 25-year-old has made three substitute appearances since returning from a long-term injury that had kept him out since January 2026, but De Zerbi insists the Black Stars midfielder is still working his way back to full fitness.

Kudus made his comeback against Newcastle United late last month before featuring off the bench against Nottingham Forest and Everton.

Speaking to the media ahead of Tottenham’s Carabao Cup tie with Liverpool tonight, De Zerbi listed Kudus alongside Mateus Fernandez and Connor Gallagher as players who are yet to reach peak physical condition.

“Mat Fernandez, Connor Gallagher and Kudus are not in the best condition yet,” he said.

The Italian also suggested Kudus could offer Tottenham a more attacking option once he is fully fit.

“Kudus can play number 10, more offensive. The idea is to use the characteristics of the players in the first eleven.”

Kudus missed Ghana’s entire 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign through injury and had been expected to make his international return later this month, when the Black Stars face Côte d’Ivoire and The Gambia in their opening AFCON 2027 qualifying matches.

However, De Zerbi’s latest assessment raises questions over whether the former West Ham midfielder will be ready in time for Carlos Queiroz’s squad announcement.

Ghana’s hopes of reaching the knockout rounds were dashed on Sunday after a 4-0 defeat by France, condemning the Black Princesses to an eighth successive group-stage elimination at the tournament.

Charles Sampson’s side entered their final Group C fixture knowing that only victory would be enough to keep their World Cup dream alive, but they were outclassed by the European side.

After the match, Gyan, who now serves as an ambassador for Ghana’s national teams, addressed the players with an emotional message, encouraging them to view the disappointment as motivation rather than defeat.

“Sometimes, you don’t get what you want,” he told the squad.

“You always have your wishes, but not every wish that you make comes true.”

The former Black Stars striker, Ghana’s all-time leading scorer, urged the players to embrace setbacks as part of their development.

“Whatever has happened today, we should take it in good faith and move on in life. That is how you challenge yourself,” he said.

“In life, you challenge yourself when things go wrong, not when things get better. When things go wrong, that is when you challenge yourself and ask yourself, ‘What am I going to do next?'”

Gyan also sought to reassure the young players that the tournament would not define their careers, reminding them that greater opportunities could still lie ahead.

“There are more opportunities,” he added.

“I know some of you will be asking yourselves, ‘Where do we go from here? What are we going to do?’ But I can assure you that nobody knows tomorrow. Just have faith in yourself, keep on doing your training and keep your faith high.”

The Black Princesses are expected to return to Ghana in the coming days as the tournament moves into its knockout phase.

The Black Maidens begin their title defence against Burkina Faso women’s national under-17 football team on Tuesday, 16 September, in a revamped round-robin tournament following Benin’s withdrawal.

Speaking before Ghana’s opening fixture, Adarkwa stressed that the competition was about more than lifting another trophy, describing it as an opportunity to evaluate his players against some of West Africa’s strongest teams ahead of the World Cup.

“We are here to compete for the World Cup,” Adarkwa said.

“We are going to use this tournament to assess our players, prepare them and go into the World Cup in a way that will give us a good result.”

Ghana arrives as the defending champion after winning the previous edition on home soil, but Adarkwa believes maintaining that status will require continued improvement.

“We are here to compete with the best teams like Nigeria and all the other teams here,” he said.

“If you want to compete with the best, you have to strengthen your team.”

The coach said the responsibility of defending the title had further raised the team’s confidence and motivation.

“Everything is high because we are defending champions. The last one we played in Ghana, we won it, so the spirit is already high. We are here to defend it.”

Captain Seidatu Wahab echoed her coach’s confidence, insisting the squad had adopted a winning mentality ahead of its opening game.

“We are here to defend the trophy, as my coach said, so we have a positive mindset of winning tomorrow’s game,” she said.

Wahab said the team’s preparations since securing qualification had left the players ready to challenge for another regional title.

“With the training we have had since our qualifiers, we are strong and ready for this tournament,” she added.

“I believe in my teammates. We know what we can do, and that’s why we are here.”

Following Benin’s withdrawal, Ghana will now face Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Togo, Niger and Côte d’Ivoire in a single round-robin format.

Yamal is among the favourites to win the individual award following his success with club and country, with Spain and now Barcelona teammate Rodri also in the running.

He is likely to also face competition from Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane and Real Madrid’s Mbappe, who both enjoyed prolific club campaigns before playing pivotal roles in their countries’ runs to the World Cup semi-finals.

The 19-year-old insists he and Mbappe are “the best two players”, but believes he should be the one to lift the ‘Golden Ball’ in London on October 26.

Yamal told Movistar: “Who would I give the Ballon d’Or to? I honestly think there are perhaps only two players who are the best in the world, but I deserve it this year.

“For me, Kylian Mbappe and I are the best two players, and anyone who watches the matches knows that.

“I believe I deserve this Ballon d’Or also because of the titles I have won and achieved last season. That’s my view.”

Yamal scored 24 goals in all competitions for Barcelona last term, while registering 18 assists as the Catalan club won their second league title on the spin and the Spanish Super Cup. 

The winger scored six goals in 10 UEFA Champions League appearances, before Barcelona’s quarter-final exit at the hands of La Liga rivals Atletico Madrid. 

Yamal then tasted World Cup glory in the summer two years on from Spain’s Euro triumph, becoming the first player to play in both a European Championship and World Cup final as a teenager.

However, he arrived in North America nursing a hamstring injury and did not enjoy the most fruitful tournament from an individual perspective, scoring just one goal and registering only one assist. 

“After winning the World Cup, I wasn’t happy,” he told Movistar. “Obviously, I went into the tournament with an injury, but that has nothing to do with it.

“I would have performed as well without the injury. That said, I did a lot of things that people didn’t see. For example, I think it’s incredible for a coach to have a player who can drag three opponents along with him.

“But I wasn’t happy with my own performance. I know another player performing at my level would have had a great World Cup, but for me, I could have done more. I did help the team, but I can’t wait for the next [World Cup] to arrive.”

Mbappe won the World Cup Golden Boot with 10 goals – albeit two of those came in the third-place play-off. Kane netted six times, and Rodri secured the Golden Ball for his impressive displays as Spain captain.

Mbappe also topped the scoring charts in La Liga and the Champions League, while Kane scored a staggering 73 goals for England and Bayern last term. 

The French striker recently said he has faith he can win the Ballon D’Or next month, stating that “there was no player better than me” last season.

And speaking last week to TNT Sports about his Ballon d’Or hopes, Kane said: “Of course, now it is out of my hands; it is down to the voters and the people who decide it. The season I had was my best season by far, and we’ll have to wait and see.” 

Yamal came second in last year’s award behind Ousmane Dembele, while Mbappe is yet to feature in the top two, with a best finish of third in 2023. England and Bayern’s Kane has never ranked higher than 10th. 

Rodri was named winner in 2024, famously beating Vinicius Junior to the prize after winning the Euros and Premier League.

The Black Princesses bowed out of the tournament in Poland after a 4-0 defeat to France in their final Group C match on Saturday, 12 September.

Ghana endured a difficult start with a 3-0 loss to Ecuador before reviving their hopes with an impressive 3-0 victory over South Korea. However, defeat to France meant they finished with three points and failed to progress to the knockout stages.

Despite the early exit, Ghana’s ambassador for the national teams and Colts football believes the players showed enough quality to suggest a promising future lies ahead.

Speaking to the squad after their elimination, Gyan, the country’s all time leading goalscorer encouraged the players not to lose hope.

“There are more opportunities,” he said. “I know some of you will be asking yourselves, ‘Where do we go from here? What are we going to do?’ But I can assure you that nobody knows tomorrow.”

The former Black Stars captain urged the players to remain committed to their development, insisting their performances deserved recognition even if the results fell short of expectations.

“Just have faith in yourself. Keep on doing your training. Keep your faith high.

“I’m sure the future is bright because of the way you’ve performed from day one till now. Nobody can say anything bad, but we didn’t get the result we wanted.”

Gyan ended his message with a rallying call for the team to use the disappointment as motivation for the future.

“We are out, but we are not done. From here, we think about ourselves. We think about how we are going to come back stronger.”

The Ghana FA Cup holders were held to a 1-1 draw by Mali’s FC Diarra in the second leg at the Accra Sports Stadium, sealing a 2-1 aggregate defeat after losing the first leg 1-0 in Bamako.

The result brought the Abrankese-based club’s first appearance in continental football to an early end.

Speaking after the match, Logarušić pointed to squad changes and the absence of several key signings as major factors behind the team’s struggles.

“I am not a magician, I am just a coach,” he said.

The Croatian said Nations FC had been forced to adapt after losing several players and being unable to call upon some of their new recruits.

“A lot of players left the club, and a lot of players came. Our five top signings could not play the game.

“Korsah [left-back] had to play as a central defender, and we made other makeshift changes. We are a bit disorganised.”

Nations FC will now switch their focus to domestic football after suffering relegation from the Ghana Premier League at the end of the 2025-26 season.

Logarušić’s side will compete in the Division One League as they look to rebuild following their brief continental campaign.

His comments come after Medeama SC and Nations FC suffered disappointing exits from the CAF inter-club competitions.

The Ghana Premier League champions were eliminated from the CAF Champions League after a 4-1 aggregate defeat to TP Mazembe, while the MTN FA Cup holders suffered a 2-1 aggregate defeat to Diarra FC in the CAF Confederation Cup.

Speaking on Akoma FM, Asante Twum strongly disagreed with claims that the results expose the league’s quality and competitiveness.

According to him, performances of individual clubs in continental competitions should not automatically be used to judge the quality of their domestic league, referencing the recent dominance of Paris Saint-Germain and their success in Europe.

“PSG have won the UCL back-to-back, but Ligue 1 is not the best league in the world or even the best in Europe. So why should someone say the performances of Medeama SC and Nations FC in Africa demonstrate how weak the GPL is? This is simply not a fact,” he said.

He also argued that the period when Hearts of Oak enjoyed remarkable success in Africa did not suddenly make the Ghana Premier League the best on the continent.

“When Hearts of Oak were dominating Africa, was the Ghana Premier League the best? The answer is no. People should stop making such easy conclusions,” he added.

According to the Communications Director, success or failure in Africa can be influenced by several factors, including a club’s level of continental experience and exposure.

Therefore, cautioning against the use of results at the CAF inter-club competitions as a direct measure of the strength of the domestic league competitions.

“If Samartex or Medeama wins the league and then exits the African competition, does that mean the league is weak or bad? No. Rather, it could mean the team lacks the African exposure and experience needed to compete at that level.”

Medeama SC and Nations FC will each receive $100,000 despite their elimination from the CAF Champions League and Confederation Cup, respectively.

Medeama will now shift their focus to defending their Ghana Premier League title, while Nations FC will turn their attention to the Division One League after their historic first appearance in continental competition.