FIFA on Saturday warned against what ⁠it called a “concerted ​and ongoing effort” to undermine its leader, Gianni Infantino, saying attempts to challenge his leadership must follow the governing body’s statutes ​and democratic procedures.

It came amid an increasingly bitter standoff over Infantino’s leadership following the collapse of his proposal to raise about $4.2 billion by selling a stake in the commercial rights of the World Cup and other tournaments.

Read moreFIFA scraps controversial private investment plan after backlash

The statement was released Saturday, a day after a report by British newspaper The Daily Telegraph raising questions about an exit package paid by UEFA to a female staffer who worked with Infantino when he was general secretary of European football’s governing body. Infantino has categorically denied the allegations, according to the article.

UEFA confirmed that a “departure payment” was made to the employee and said it was “in line” with regulations at the time.

Infantino worked at UEFA for 16 years before being elected FIFA president.

In the statement Saturday, FIFA accused Infantino’s critics of trying to weaken his authority and remove him from office without due process.

Read moreFIFA closes ranks round Infantino amid mounting leadership crisis

“It is increasingly evident that there is a concerted and ongoing effort by some to undermine FIFA and its president,” said the FIFA statement, which was also posted on X. “Those who do not have the support of FIFA’s member associations should not seek to achieve through allegation, insinuation or misinformation what they cannot achieve through FIFA’s established democratic processes.”

It said some reporting has included “unsubstantiated assertions and demonstrably false claims” which shouldn’t be presented as fact.

“Change inevitably challenges established interests, but disagreement with that change cannot justify efforts to undermine the democratic mandate of FIFA’s president or the institution he was elected to lead.”

Infantino faced intense backlash after details of his plan to sell World Cup profits to private equity were published. UEFA and two other continental confederations – North America’s CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation – rejected the plan.

He did receive backing from FIFA’s management board last Wednesday following a meeting in Morocco, and he apologised over the process. UEFA’s threat to have its 55 member countries boycott FIFA competitions until the plan was scrapped remained, with UEFA saying Thursday that the announcement “changes nothing”.

While confirming the exit payment “was in line with the regulations that existed for departing staff at the time”, UEFA said the rules had been tightened since 2016 and currently “reflect those found in a modern, high-profile organisation”.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP and Reuters)

Judd Trump could lose his world number one ranking before the end of the month after suffering a shock defeat by Thailand’s Noppon Saengkham in the first round of the China Open on Sunday.

Saengkham, ranked 45th in the world, claimed a 6-3 victory to set up a second-round meeting with either Ronnie O’Sullivan or Jackson Page.

Trump fought back from two frames down to level, before his opponent won three frames in a row to take control of the best-of-11 contest.

A match-high break of 120 put Saengkham 5-2 up, before the Thai won the final frame 78-0.

Trump, who won the China Open in 2011 and 2016, came into the event off the back of beating Kyren Wilson in the final of the invitational Shanghai Masters last week.

However, the 36-year-old has won just ranking tournaments in the past two years, the most recent of those the German Masters in February.

The China Open has returned to the World Snooker Tour calendar for the first time since 2019, and is now hosted in Taiyuan, 310 miles (500km) south west of Beijing, rather than the Chinese capital.

Trump has topped the world rankings since August 2024 but to have any chance of remaining at the summit he must win the Wuhan Open later this month and hope other results go his way.

Zhao Xintong is currently best placed to overtake Trump, with Neil Robertson and Wu Yize not far behind.

Trump was not the only seeded player to lose in the first round, as Barry Hawkins lost to Liu Hongyu, Mark Williams was defeated by Zhou Yuelong, and Ding Junhui was thrashed 6-1 by David Gilbert.

The winner of the tournament will receive prize money of £250,000, with the runner-up to bank £100,000.

Casemiro departed Man Utd at the end of last season and has left big boots to fill but his fellow Brazilian is confident he’s the man to do just that.

They might both be Brazilian, and both have Manchester United on their CV, but on the surface, there isn’t much else that Andrey Santos has in comparison with Casemiro at the start of his Old Trafford career.

United splashed out up to £70million on a 30-year-old Casemiro four years ago, signing a midfielder with a glittering resume and five Champions League titles to his name after a glorious spell at Real Madrid.

Santos is eight years younger than Casemiro was when he arrived in Manchester, has joined from Chelsea where he struggled to gain first-team opportunities and although he has six caps for Brazil, he wasn’t particularly close to their World Cup squad this summer.

The switch from Casemiro in 2022 to Santos in 2026 is indicative of the change in transfer strategy at United and the £50million paid to Chelsea for the 22-year-old is seen as good business for the future. Santos has his best years ahead of him and recruitment chiefs at Old Trafford liked the data on him and the scouting reports.

Although it is only pre-season, he has looked the part so far. Santos has started all four friendlies and caught the eye again in Gothenburg on Saturday, controlling the midfield against back-to-back European champions PSG.

After the game, speaking to the media for the first time as a United player, he backed himself to be the man to replace Casemiro, having arrived at the club alongside Youri Tielemans as part of an £85million midfield rebuild.

“Casemiro for me, it’s like a legend, you know,” said Santos. “So now he’s gone out. Now I’m here so I feel that I can do like Casemiro did in the last season and I’m here to do it.

“My qualities, I like and prefer playing more deep like a number six. So I try help my teammates without the ball and with the ball I love breaking the lines.”

Santos’ desire to play as a No. 6 will be music to Michael Carrick’s ears. He was considered an all-rounder at Chelsea but United need players to sit deep in Carrick’s 4-2-3-1, although the focus this summer has shifted to midfielders with a high-level technical ability as well.

He found opportunities hard to come by at Chelsea, with Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez the clear first-choice midfielders at Stamford Bridge, but is delighted to have made the leap to Old Trafford and what should be a more prominent role this season.

“I was so happy [when United showed their interest],” he said. “The moment when my agent called me, I told my wife, and she said, ‘ Yeah, we have to go.’ And of course, Manchester United is so big, I’m so happy to be here, and I want to win every single game and every single trophy possible.

“I know Chelsea is a big club as well, so I think thank you for everything Chelsea did for me in my period. But now Chelsea is gone, here is my home right now. And I want to be here for a long, long time and win so many trophies.”

Santos joins a team that finished third in the Premier League last season but faces the extra demand of a return to the Champions League this term, but Carrick has set his sights on looking up the table and the £50m new boy has his eyes on silverware as well.

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“When I talk about Manchester United, we talk about winning,” he said. “I think we have to work hard every single day to try to win every single trophy possible.

“And like as an individual, I have my goals and I hope that I can work with my teammates with my goals and hope to win some trophies.”

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India vs Sri Lanka XI Warm-Up Match, Day 3 LIVE Updates: 

Yashasvi Jaiswal retired out after scoring 61 as India continued to dominate the chase of 207 against Sri Lanka XI. Following Jaiswal’s departure, Rishabh Pant joined Shubman Gill at the crease. Earlier, Sri Lanka XI ended their second innings at 200/6 at Tea on Day 3 of the three-day warm-up match against India. Nishan Madushka and Nipun Dhananjaya were the standout performers for the hosts, scoring 63 and 46 runs respectively. For India, Gurnoor Brar and Ravindra Jadeja picked up two wickets each, while Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna claimed one wicket apiece. India now require 207 runs to win the warm-up match.

Here are the LIVE Score and Updates of India vs Sri Lanka XI Warm-Up Match Day 3:

FIFA warned against what it calls a “concerted and ongoing effort” to “undermine” the organization and its president, Gianni Infantino.

The statement, issued late on Saturday, comes amid a growing dispute over Infantino’s leadership after the failed plan to create a subsidiary to run the men’s World Cup and other events, with up to a 20% stake offered to external investors.

The proposal drew criticism from European governing body UEFA, which threatened to boycott future World Cups, as well as several national associations and senior FIFA officials, and prompted calls for Infantino to resign.

Amid the growing criticism Infantino persuaded FIFA’s Board of Management to express its full support for him at a crisis meeting in Rabat, Morocco, on Wednesday. 

FIFA accused of blackmail in exchange for Infantino support

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Report raises new questions over Infantino

The pressure on Infantino intensified on Friday when British newspaper the Daily Telegraph reported a six-figure sum was paid to a female employee alleged to have been in a relationship with him during his time as UEFA general secretary.

UEFA confirmed a departure payment and said it also funded her MBA course, stating both were in line with regulations at the time.

A FIFA spokesman told the Telegraph on Friday: “FIFA president Gianni Infantino strongly denies these allegations, and they are categorically untrue.”

Responding to the latest scrutiny, FIFA said on Saturday, without directly mentioning the Telegraph report, “recent reporting has included unsubstantiated assertions and demonstrably false claims concerning FIFA and its President.”

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Investment plan dispute deepens leadership crisis

The fallout over the shelved private investment plan has overshadowed Infantino’s bid for a fourth term as FIFA president.

After this week’s crisis meeting, UEFA said it no longer has confidence in him, and Norwegian FA President Lise Klaveness called for his resignation.

Despite the controversy, Infantino retains strong backing among FIFA members, with the Confederation of African Football (CAF) unanimously supporting his leadership and South American governing body CONMEBOL opposing any attempt to remove him without a vote of all member associations.

FIFA said that those who lacked the support of its member associations should not seek to achieve “allegation, insinuation or misinformation what they cannot achieve through FIFA’s established democratic processes.”

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Edited by: Emmy Sasipornkarn

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Super Falcons head coach Justin Madugu says his players understand what is at stake as Nigeria prepare to face Cameroon in the quarter-finals of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON).

Nigeria, the defending champions, will meet the Indomitable Lionesses at the Larbi Zaouli Stadium in Casablanca on Sunday, with a place in the semi-finals and qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup at stake.

Madugu said the Super Falcons are fully prepared for the important encounter and determined to continue their title defence.

“It’s an important match because we all know what is at stake, the ticket for the World Cup. After the World Cup ticket, you have the semi-finals, which will also enable you to continue your quest for retaining the trophy,” Madugu said.

“We’ll go in there fully prepared, give it our best and ensure that we carry the day.”

Nigeria have faced Cameroon twice in recent friendly matches, but Madugu believes those games will have little bearing on Sunday’s quarter-final.

He noted that both teams have changed since those meetings, with some players who featured previously no longer in the squads.

“The last two games we played against Cameroon were preparatory games, and a lot of things went into those matches,” he said.

“There were players that were not involved then who are here now for both teams, so we’re not using those games to assess the current team.”

The Super Falcons conceded goals during the group stage, but Madugu remains confident that his team can improve defensively while maintaining their attacking strength.

“We have been working to ensure that those mistakes and loopholes that caused those goals are corrected. Yes, we conceded goals, but we equally score goals, so it’s still positive for us,” he said.

The coach also confirmed that there are some injury concerns in the squad, with the medical team working to get the affected players ready for the match.

Meanwhile, midfielder Toni Payne said the Super Falcons remain determined to qualify for the World Cup and continue their pursuit of another WAFCON title.

“Everyone in the team, including myself and the staff, are really confident going into this game,” Payne said.

“We know it’s going to be a physical game, but that’s something that we’re always prepared for.”

Payne also insisted that Nigeria’s hunger for success has not reduced despite their long history of winning the competition.

“I don’t think anyone gets tired of winning. We appreciate all the accomplishments we’ve made, but we’re just as hungry as ever,” she said.

The Super Falcons will secure a place in the semi-finals and qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup if they defeat Cameroon on Sunday.

The match is scheduled to kick off at the Larbi Zaouli Stadium in Casablanca.

Eight-year-old galloper Eliyass has rolled back the clock with a tenacious all-the-way victory at Randwick, providing apprentice jockey Shannen Llewllyn with a significant early success as she prepares to shift her indentures to trainer Ciaron Maher.

Llewllyn, based in Newcastle, is scheduled to join Maher’s stable for a three-month loan period starting August 17. She wasted no time in making a favourable impression for her new mentor, executing a well-judged frontrunning ride on Eliyass.

The former Tulloch Lodge gelding had not celebrated a win since taking out the 2024 Kingston Town Stakes (2000m). He missed a substantial part of the previous season after undergoing surgery with screws inserted into both fetlocks.

Saturday’s Premier’s Cup Prelude (1800m) was just the second start for Eliyass on his comeback journey, following an unplaced performance in last month’s Civic Stakes (1400m). Maher’s assistant trainer, Jo Gerard-Dubord, indicated that the horse had rediscovered his winning form ahead of expectations.

“We knew the horse was going very well. We thought he was probably still a run away, especially with such a big weight,” Gerard-Dubord said.

“But he’s one of those horses. When they like winning and they’ve got a bit of class like him, it takes them a long way. He is back on track.

“It’s only his second run in over a year, so he will improve again, and he’ll be right at the right time of year.”

Gerard-Dubord confirmed that Eliyass is likely to be pointed towards the Group 3 Premier’s Cup (2000m) at Randwick in a fortnight. He also mentioned the Group 2 Hill Stakes (1900m) on October 10 as a potential long-term spring target.

“We’re very grateful to be sent a horse like him,” he stated.

“He’s had his issues, but look at his record. He’s a winner, and hopefully we’ll have a lot more fun with him.

“There’s a lot more to come in terms of fitness. In time, a race like the Hill Stakes is a good prizemoney race.”

Eliyass was settled towards the rear of the field in his first-up run over a shorter distance. However, with the step up in distance on Saturday, Llewllyn was instructed to ride him more positively.

The 25-year-old apprentice followed instructions precisely, with Eliyass ($26) setting the pace and holding on for a neck victory over Matusalem ($16). Chris Waller’s charge Tazima ($2.15 favourite), a stablemate of the runner-up, finished a short head behind in third.

“He was travelling really keenly out in front, and I didn’t have to ask much of him until the three hundred (metres),” Llewllyn reported.

“I thought he would tough it out. I know he keeps sticking his head out, and that’s what he did.”

Australian betting sites will be closely monitoring Eliyass’s campaign following this impressive return to winning form.