FIFA’s determination to press on with plans for an expanded Club World Cup shows it only pretends to care about player welfare, Professional Footballers’ Association chief executive Maheta Molango has said.

Football’s world governing body set out more detail about the 32-team, summer 2025 tournament following a meeting of its ruling Council in the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah on Sunday.

The competition will begin on June 15 and run to July 13, but its scheduling and size has caused serious concerns amongst unions and leagues.

FIFA Council confirms key details for FIFA Club World Cup 2025

First edition of FIFA’s new prime club competition to be played from 15 June to 13 July 2025 in the United States

Ranking methodology confirmed based on s…

Out-of-sorts Manchester United have lost three successive matches for the first time since 2019 as their concerning start to the season continues.

The 4-3 defeat at Bayern Munich in Wednesday’s Champions League opener was the latest and, here, the PA news agency takes a look at some of the issues facing the Old Trafford giants.

Weren’t things looking up under Erik ten Hag?

After a wretched 2021-22 season, the Red Devils turned to meticulous Ajax boss Ten Hag in a bid to improve the club’s fortunes. The response was impressive as United went on to win the Carabao Cup – their first trophy in six years – and finish third in the Premier League, as well as going on to finish runners-up to Manchester City in the FA Cup final.

How has his second season begun?
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Antonio Conte is embracing Napoli s recent run of form after they extended their lead at the Serie A summit to four points ahead of the international break.

Scott McTominay s early opener was cancelled out by Gabriel Strefezza, only for star man Romelu Lukaku and substitute David Neres to seal the win after the break.

Conte is now the sixth manager to have won each of his first four home games as Napoli head coach in Serie A, after Paolo Iodice, Luis Vinicio, Alberto Bigon, Carlo Ancelotti and Luciano Spalletti.

The Italian, however, started his Napoli reign with a shock 3-0 defeat to Hellas Verona on the opening day, but his team have since gone seven games unbeaten, scoring 19 goals during that run.

Conte acknowledged that his side may not deserve to…

Pep Guardiola is not worried about Manchester City s defending despite the reigning champions failing to keep a clean sheet in their last six Premier League matches.

City went 1-0 down against Fulham before fighting back to win 3-2 on Saturday. Their opponents also amassed an expected goals (xG) total of 2.4 compared to City s 1.55.

It follows a trend of unusually sloppy defensive displays from the champions, who have conceded eight goals in their last six league matches. They also had to come from behind against Brentford in September.

Guardiola, however, is not overly worried.

Sometimes I give credit. The first goal – why don t we give credit to them rather than [be critical] defensively? There are actions we can defend better but step by step we wil…

Rangers boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst stood by his decision to bring Kemar Roofe and Aaron Ramsey on as late substitutes following their penalties loss to Eintracht Frankfurt in Wednesday s Europa League final.

With scores locked at 1-1 after 90 minutes, Van Bronckhorst brought the two on in the 117th minute with penalties in mind. Ramsey was the only player to not convert his penalty, Kevin Trapp saving with his feet at 3-3, before Rafael Borre followed Roofe s spot-kick to secure a 5-4 shootout win for Eintracht.

It was the Gers second Europa League final loss in as many appearances, following 2008 s 2-0 loss to Zenit in Manchester.

According to Van Bronckhorst, despite evident disappointment in the changing rooms afterwards, his final list of penalty takers wa…

Nuno Espirito Santo hailed Cristiano Ronaldo as one of the best players in history while praising the forward for the joy he brings to their native Portugal.

Tottenham host Manchester United on Saturday, fresh from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer s side suffering a 5-0 defeat against Liverpool – their heaviest ever home defeat to the Reds.

Ronaldo, who is the all-time leading goal scorer in international football, saw his side lose by five or more goals for just the second time in 617 top-flight league appearances.

The United forward has also not managed to score in any of his last four league matches, his worst run since November 2017 – he has not gone five games without finding the net since a spell of nine between November 2008 and January 2009 during his first spel…

Arsenal put the pressure back onto Manchester City in the Premier League title race after their comprehensive 3-0 triumph over Bournemouth at Emirates Stadium.

Mikel Arteta s side moved four points clear at the league summit with this victory but Man City have two games in hand, the first of which comes at home to Wolves later on Saturday.

Bukayo Saka opened the scoring from the penalty spot on the stroke of half-time, with Arsenal securing a deserved reward for their first-half dominance.

Leandro Trossard and Declan Rice made sure of three points with late finishes as defeat left Bournemouth – who had an Antoine Semenyo strike ruled out in the closing stages – 10th in the table.

Securing all three points in N5

— Arsenal (@Arsenal)