Nigeria’s El-Kanemi Warriors and Shooting Stars have discovered their opponents in the preliminary round of the 2026/27 CAF Confederation Cup.

The draw was held in Cairo on Wednesday, with 56 clubs taking part in the competition.

El-Kanemi Warriors will face UDIB of Guinea-Bissau in the first preliminary round. If they win, they will face Moroccan giants Raja Casablanca in the second preliminary round.

Shooting Stars have been handed a tougher assignment after being drawn against Tunisian side CS Sfaxien, a former CAF Confederation Cup winner.

The winner of that tie will meet either AF Amadou Diallo of Côte d’Ivoire or East End Lions of Sierra Leone in the second preliminary round.

Eight of the highest-ranked clubs received byes into the second preliminary round, while the other 48 teams will compete in the opening round.

Other big clubs involved include Egypt’s ZED FC, Algeria’s USM Alger and CR Belouizdad, Morocco’s AS FAR, South Africa’s Kaizer Chiefs and Tanzania’s Azam FC.

The first preliminary-round matches will be played over two legs, with the first legs scheduled for September 6 and the return legs between September 11 and 13.

The second preliminary round will take place in October, with the first legs scheduled for October 16-18 and the return legs from October 23-25.

The winners of the second preliminary round will qualify for the CAF Confederation Cup group stage.

GMHBA Stadium will play host to Saturday’s
Round 22 AFL game between Geelong Cats and
Essendon Bombers. The game kicks off at 4:35 pm with Geelong Cats heading into the game as favourites with the bookmakers. Continue reading for our in-depth preview of the Geelong Cats vs.
Essendon Bombers
game and give you our free tips and bets.

When: Saturday August 8, 2026 at 4:35 pm

Where: GMHBA Stadium

Bet 💰: Bet On This Match HERE

Geelong Cats vs Essendon Bombers Odds

Geelong Cats vs Essendon Bombers Preview

Geelong will look to continue its late-season surge when it hosts Essendon at GMHBA Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The Cats recorded a third consecutive victory by defeating Collingwood 97-72, having established a 49-point lead early in the second quarter. Ollie Dempsey further strengthened his All-Australian claims with 29 disposals, 10 marks and two goals.

Chris Scott’s side enters Round 22 in seventh position, only four points behind the cluster of teams occupying fourth through sixth. Essendon, meanwhile, slipped to the bottom of the ladder following a 145-73 loss to Adelaide. Peter Wright provided a rare highlight with six goals, although the Bombers’ injury list grew when Angus Clarke suffered a concussion. Geelong has dominated this matchup in recent years, winning nine straight meetings since Essendon’s most recent victory in 2018.

Real Madrid have signed Ivory Coast international Yan Diomande from RB Leipzig for a fee worth up to £120m (140m euros).

The 19-year-old winger has signed a seven-year contract and his price tag could surpass the £115m (133.9m euros) Real agreed to pay Borussia Dortmund for Jude Bellingham in June 2023.

Paris St-Germain had been frontrunners for the teenager but the Champions League winners pulled out of a potential move on Sunday after a £102.5m bid was rejected.

Diomande was previously a target for Liverpool, who had an initial bid of £69m rejected in June, as they search for a Mohamed Salah replacement, who has left the club.

Diomande is Real’s sixth summer signing under new head coach Jose Mourinho, joining Bernardo Silva, Ibrahima Konate, Denzel Dumfries, Marc Cucurella and Carlos Espi.

In a statement, the teenager thanked Leipzig fans for their “incredible support”, and said: “Who knows? Maybe we’ll meet again one day in the Champions League.”

But he said the move to Madrid “is a childhood dream come true”, adding: “I am all the more grateful to the management at RB Leipzig for making this move possible despite my current contract.”

He was named the Bundesliga’s Young Player of the Season for 2025-26, having scored 12 goals and registered eight assists in the competition.

He appeared in all four of Ivory Coast’s World Cup games as they were eliminated in the round of 32 by Norway.

Diomande moved from his native Ivory Coast to an academy in the United States before joining Spanish side Leganes in 2025 and then Leipzig later that year.

The pressure on FIFA president Gianni Infantino continues to intensify after the Association of European Leagues called for major governance reforms, describing the governing body’s recent decision-making as deeply concerning following the collapse of its controversial World Cup investment proposal.

The latest criticism comes amid one of the most turbulent periods of Infantino’s presidency, with UEFA, CONCACAF and several influential football stakeholders openly questioning FIFA’s leadership ahead of next year’s presidential election.

European leagues call FIFA’s approach ‘dangerous’

In a strongly-worded statement, European Leagues, whose members include the Premier League, La Liga, Serie A and several other domestic competitions, criticised FIFA’s governance structure and warned against unilateral decision-making.

The organisation argued that the failed proposal to sell minority stakes in future FIFA World Cups through a commercial entity highlighted deeper institutional problems.

“Now more than ever, FIFA requires governance reform that ensures that all relevant stakeholders have a formal role in decisions that shape the future of our game.”

The body also rejected any further expansion of FIFA competitions, including discussions around a potential 64-team World Cup, insisting that football’s governing body cannot continue making decisions without broader consultation.

Until governance reforms are implemented, European Leagues said it would oppose any further expansion or creation of FIFA competitions.

Failed World Cup investment plan sparks backlash

The controversy erupted after Infantino attempted to push through plans to commercialise future FIFA World Cups by selling minority stakes in tournament revenues through a proposed subsidiary known as FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE).

The proposal was met with widespread resistance from member associations and football authorities, ultimately forcing FIFA to abandon the project. The fallout has exposed divisions within FIFA itself.

Senior adviser Carlos Cordeiro resigned last week, while chief operating officer Kevin Lamour reportedly accused the president of failing to keep senior executives informed throughout the process.

UEFA and CONCACAF lose confidence

UEFA has emerged as the strongest opponent of Infantino’s plans.

European football’s governing body reportedly warned it would boycott future World Cups if FIFA proceeded with the commercial restructuring.

Although FIFA eventually abandoned the proposal, UEFA has maintained that it has lost confidence in the current leadership, raising the prospect of a serious challenge to Infantino when FIFA heads to presidential elections next year.

CONCACAF has also criticised FIFA, stating that the organisation had “stopped putting football first.”

Morocco final report denied by FIFA

Adding to the controversy, reports claimed Infantino privately promised Morocco the right to host the 2030 FIFA World Cup final in return for political backing ahead of the presidential election.

According to the reports, the final would be staged at the under-construction Hassan II Stadium near Casablanca, despite Spain and Portugal also co-hosting the tournament.

FIFA has categorically denied the allegations.

“It is false and misleading to claim the FIFA President has made any promise in relation to hosting the FIFA World Cup 2030 final. A decision will be made by FIFA in due course,” a FIFA spokesperson said.

FIFA attempts to present united front

Following what several media outlets described as a crisis meeting in Rabat, FIFA insisted its senior leadership remained firmly behind Infantino.

In an official statement, the governing body confirmed that secretary-general Mattias Grafstrom and members of the management board had reaffirmed their support for the president.

FIFA also admitted mistakes had been made during the handling of the FFE proposal.

The organisation revealed that letters had been sent to member associations apologising for the process and acknowledging that it “should have been handled differently.”

It also confirmed the commercial restructuring proposal had now been permanently abandoned.

“There are always lessons to be learned, and FIFA will continue to improve its processes in light of this experience,” the statement read.

Election battle on the horizon

Despite FIFA’s efforts to restore unity, the controversy has significantly weakened Infantino’s standing.

With influential organisations now openly demanding governance reforms and questioning FIFA’s decision-making processes, attention is rapidly shifting towards next year’s presidential election, where the Swiss-Italian could face the strongest challenge of his tenure.

Whether the recent apology succeeds in calming tensions or merely delays a wider power struggle remains one of football’s biggest stories heading into 2027.

Next month Ryan Garcia will defend his WBC welterweight world title for the first time as he takes on Conor Benn atop a blockbuster Las Vegas bill. Ahead of the fight, the Californian has shared his thoughts on Benn’s power and skillset.

Garcia got his hands on the WBC crown in a dominant win over Mario Barrios back in February, 12 months on from an unsuccessful attempt at dethroning Rolando Romero in a challenge at Times Square.

Soon after Garcia’s triumph, it was announced that Benn would be installed as his mandatory challenger, despite the fact that the Briton has not fought as a welterweight in his last five fights – a run dating back to April 2022.

During that time, Benn has failed to register a stoppage win and in a below-par showing against Regis Progais upon his most recent outing, back in April, the 29-year-old seemed to be struggling with the move back down in weight.

As a result, many fighters and fight fans are predicting a relatively straightforward victory for Garcia come fight night and ‘King Ry’ appeared to share that confidence, giving Benn just 5 out of 10 for his power and a 1 out of 10 for his boxing ability when discussing his opponent’s skills in an interview with DAZN Boxing.

“[How do you rate Benn’s power?] 5. 

“[Speed?] 6.

“[Defense?] 3.

Advertisement

“[Footwork?] 2.

“[Boxing?] 1.”

Garcia-Benn will headline a T-Mobile Arena card on Saturday, September 12, on DAZN pay-per-view, with the co-main event seeing Jai Opetaia collide with the current reigning WBC cruiserweight world champion in Armenia’s Noel Mikaelian – although his status could change prior their meeting.

Adelaide Oval will play host to Saturday’s
Round 22 AFL game between Adelaide Crows and
Richmond Tigers. The game kicks off at 7:35 pm with Adelaide Crows heading into the game as favourites with the bookmakers. Continue reading for our in-depth preview of the Adelaide Crows vs.
Richmond Tigers
game and give you our free tips and bets.

When: Saturday August 8, 2026 at 7:35 pm

Where: Adelaide Oval

Bet 💰: Bet On This Match HERE

Adelaide Crows vs Richmond Tigers Odds

Adelaide Crows vs Richmond Tigers Preview

Adelaide will seek to protect its place inside the top four when it welcomes Richmond to Adelaide Oval on Saturday night. The Crows moved into fourth position after an emphatic 145-73 victory over Essendon, capitalising on Brisbane’s heavy defeat to Carlton. Riley Thilthorpe delivered one of his best performances of the season, taking 10 marks and kicking five goals.

With three rounds remaining, Adelaide now controls its own path towards securing a double chance. Richmond arrives with renewed confidence after defeating West Coast 84-73 to record its third victory of the year. Former number one draft pick Sam Lalor was influential with three goals in an encouraging performance. The Crows won comfortably when the teams met in Round 9, with Izak Rankine producing 33 disposals, nine tackles and a goal in a dominant individual display.

Corroboree Group Oval Manuka will play host to Sunday’s
Round 22 AFL game between GWS GIANTS and
Gold Coast SUNS. The game kicks off at 1:10 pm with GWS GIANTS heading into the game as favourites with the bookmakers. Continue reading for our in-depth preview of the GWS GIANTS vs.
Gold Coast SUNS
game and give you our free tips and bets.

When: Sunday August 9, 2026 at 1:10 pm

Where: Corroboree Group Oval Manuka

Bet 💰: Bet On This Match HERE

GWS GIANTS vs Gold Coast SUNS Odds

GWS GIANTS vs Gold Coast SUNS Preview

GWS will attempt to keep its finals campaign alive when it faces Gold Coast at Manuka Oval on Sunday afternoon. The Giants ended a damaging run of results with a 75-63 victory over Port Adelaide last weekend, leaving them four points outside the top 10. Experienced pair Lachie Whitfield and Stephen Coniglio led the way, with Coniglio kicking three goals from 20 disposals.

Gold Coast’s season reached another low after it surrendered a 17-point third-quarter advantage in a 114-105 loss to Melbourne. The Suns have now lost 10 consecutive matches, with their attention increasingly likely to shift towards planning for next season. Gold Coast defeated GWS 83-63 in Round 8, ending a six-match losing streak against its expansion rival. However, the Giants have far more at stake and can remain in the finals race with another disciplined performance.

Dan Lawrence is earmarked to play in England’s first Test of the post-Ben Stokes era with Jordan Cox batting at number three because Jacob Bethell is out of the whole Pakistan series.

Former vice-captain Ollie Pope returns as batting and wicketkeeping cover, while seamers Brydon Carse and Sam Cook have also been recalled in a 16-strong squad for the first two Tests at Headingley and Lord’s this month.

National selector Marcus North revealed Sam Curran was under strong consideration to succeed the recently-retired Stokes but an ongoing niggle means England have decided to reinforce their batting.

The last of Lawrence’s 14 Test appearances was in September 2024 as a makeshift opener, but he will be carded at six after impressing for Surrey this year with five Rothesay County Championship hundreds.

While premier spinner Shoaib Bashir has been retained, Lawrence’s part-time off-breaks mean new captain Joe Root is likely to field four frontline pacemen in the series opener at Leeds, starting on August 19.

“It would be very easy to get hung up on the fact we’ve lost Ben,” North said. “But it’s not just picking an all-rounder for an all-rounder’s sake. If we are going to pick a like-for-like player, they need to be at the level and skillset to be successful at Test level.

“Sam is certainly someone we identify as that player. We don’t feel physically he’s quite right there. He’s someone that we really value highly and we see playing a role in the future for us as an all-rounder.

“We’ve gone with Lawrence as we feel he gives us our strongest batting line-up. We feel he’s an advanced, better player than he was when he last played for England.”

Bethell injured his right knee during England’s one-day international series win over India, ruling him out of The Hundred, and no timescale was provided for his comeback.

That has opened the door for Cox, who made his long-awaited debut at number seven during England’s 2-1 series loss to New Zealand in June, but he bats at four for Essex and has experience of opening with former county Kent.

“We wouldn’t be putting this guy at three if we didn’t feel he was capable to fulfil that role,” North said. “He’s got plenty of character about him, he’s a huge competitor and quietly confident.”

Pope made way for Bethell last winter during another torturous Ashes series, where he averaged a fraction over 20 in three Tests, but his fine form for Surrey this year plus his experience in a squad lacking seniority has seen him brought back.

Carse also returns after a hand injury that has sidelined him since the end of the Ashes where he was England’s leading wicket-taker and he is one of seven seamers, alongside Cook, capped once against Zimbabwe last summer, Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Josh Tongue, Ollie Robinson and Matthew Fisher.

North confirmed Robinson’s partner is due to give birth in the next “seven to 10 days” that could place doubts over his involvement in the first Test, which starts three days after the end of The Hundred.

“We might have some bowlers playing a final on Sunday and the Test starts on Wednesday,” North said. “But we’ve got all bases covered.”

New head coach Stephen Fleming has had some input into the squad even though he does not takes charge until this winter, with Marcus Trescothick overseeing the Pakistan series on an interim basis.

“We’ve got to make sure our selection and our philosophy is aligned with Stephen,” North said. “It would make no sense for us to move forward through this series and be contradictive to where Stephen sees us as a team moving forward.

“He was very much a part of all the meetings and discussions and contributed where need be.”

England squad for first two Tests against Pakistan: J Root (captain), J Archer, G Atkinson, S Bashir, H Brook, B Carse, S Cook, J Cox, B Duckett, M Fisher, E Gay, D Lawrence, O Pope, O Robinson, J Smith, J Tongue.

Surrey duo Ollie Pope and Dan Lawrence have been recalled to the England squad for the first two Tests against Pakistan.

The pair have been named in a 16-man squad before the series opener at Headingley on Wednesday 19 August but Jacob Bethell will miss the entire series through injury, with Jordan Cox to be promoted to number three.

The three-match series marks England’s first Test outing since the retirement of captain Ben Stokes and sacking of head coach Brendon McCullum.

Joe Root will captain the side for the first time since being reappointed to the role in July, with Marcus Trescothick serving as interim head coach. McCullum’s replacement, Stephen Fleming, will begin his tenure against South Africa in December.

———————————————————

England’s 16-man squad for the first two Tests against Pakistan: Joe Root (c), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Sam Cook, Jordan Cox, Ben Duckett, Matthew Fisher, Emilio Gay, Dan Lawrence, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Jamie Smith, Josh Tongue.

———————————————————

Lawrence, who earned the last of his 14 Test caps in September 2024, is rewarded for his domestic form. The 29-year-old is the second-highest run-scorer in Division One of the County Championship, with 788 runs at 65.66, including five centuries, in 13 innings.

He is slated to bat at six, filling a middle-order vacancy created by Stokes’ retirement, but is far from a like-for-like replacement for the former captain.

Only Gus Atkinson (79 wickets) has taken more Test wickets for England than Stokes (78) since the start of June 2022. Lawrence, who bowls right-arm off-spin, has taken nine wickets from 178.2 overs in the County Championship this season.

There is no place in the squad for Sam Curran or Rehan Ahmed, who had both been tipped to replace Stokes.

“We have selected a squad for the first two Tests that balances rising talent with the experience needed against a quality Pakistan team,” said England’s men’s national selector, Marcus North.

“Sam Curran is a player of real value and interest in terms of that role. He’s had a heavy summer workload and he’s been playing at the highest level with a number of niggles and we don’t feel he’s quite right at the moment for this Test squad.

“Rehan has done nothing wrong – he’s someone we highly regard. At this stage we felt that going in with what we see as our best six batters with Smudge [Jamie Smith] at seven is key. That’s why Lawrence has got the nod at six.”

Former vice-captain Pope was replaced by Bethell at number three for the final two Ashes Tests in Australia following an extended period of poor form and was subsequently dropped from the squad against New Zealand.

Like Lawrence, he has performed well in the County Championship, scoring 510 runs at 56.66, including five 50+ knocks, for Surrey, but will not automatically slot back into the side in Bethell’s absence.

Bethell suffered a knee injury during the ODI series against India in July and is set to be replaced by Cox, who made his Test debut against New Zealand at The Oval.

Essex’s Sam Cook returns to the squad for the first time since last summer. The 29-year-old seamer made his international debut against Zimbabwe in May 2025 and was named in the squad for the five-match series against India but did not feature.

Brydon Carse returns after a broken wrist ruled him out of the Indian Premier League and the start of the Test summer while England are sticking with spinner Shoaib Bashir, who featured in the first and third Tests against New Zealand after being overlooked during the Ashes.

North also confirmed new head coach Fleming was involved in selecting the squad despite not taking over the role formally until after the Pakistan series.

“Stephen Fleming was involved in a lot of discussions,” said North. “I think that was really important.

“Certainly from my perspective, as soon as he got appointed, I reached out and we had long conversations. It was important that our selection reflects the strategy and thinking long term moving into the winter when Stephen takes over the team.”

North was also asked about the prospect of former captain Stokes reversing his international retirement.

“Ben made the decision to retire and it’s great to see him playing well and enjoying his cricket at Durham,” he said.

“But until he reverses that decision and does become available for selection my job is to look at the players that are, and make sure that we become a strong, competitive England cricket team and work our way up those Test world rankings.”