Gianni Infantino’s already perilous position as FIFA president took another blow on Monday, as three continental football federations banded together in an apparent attempt to try to force him out.

An “Open Letter to the Football Family” signed by the heads of UEFA (Europe), CONCACAF (North and Central America and the Caribbean) and AFC (Asia) appeared to take aim at Infantino —  without actually mentioning him by name.

“This is about something more fundamental: the integrity of the game, and the integrity of those elected to lead it. Leadership in football is not a possession. It is not about holding — or demanding — power to be held,” the statement read.

“It is a duty of service to the football family that entrusts it. When trust is broken through deception, when an individual places himself above the collective that entrusted him with authority, that duty has been abandoned.”

The letter criticizes Infantino’s now scrapped plan to form a subsidiary arm of FIFA (International Federation of Association Football) in order to sell off part of its commercial operations to investors.

It says that even in withdrawing the plan, FIFA “did not acknowledge that the proposal itself was inherently wrong.”

It also labels the plan a “fundamental breach of trust” and lambasted Infantino’s seemingly unilateral actions in bypassing the executive FIFA Council for his initial proposal and then holding a summit in Morocco with only selected senior figures within the organization.

“It is not the conduct of a custodian of the game, but of one who believes the game is answerable to him. There is silence where there should be accountability, distance where there should be openness,” the letter reads.

The statement comes after media reports that UEFA paid off an alleged mistress of Infantino during his time at the European confederation. FIFA in response criticized “unsubstantiated assertions and demonstrably false claims” and said that “it is increasingly evident that there is a concerted and ongoing effort by some to undermine FIFA and its President.”

FIFA have not yet replied to a DW request for comment on the open letter.

What does this change for Infantino?

Were the national federations of the three confederations to fall in line, there would be easily enough votes to oust Infantino at the presidential election in March 2027. FIFA has 211 voting members and thus a presidential candidate in a two-horse race would require 106 votes. UEFA (55 members) AFC (46) and CONCACAF (35) would easily have enough if each confederation’s members voted as a bloc.

However, this seems unlikely. While UEFA, who have driven much of the opposition, seem relatively united, the picture in the two other confederations is more mixed. Mexico, one of CONCACAF’s most powerful nations and a World Cup 2026 cohost, have backed Infantino while Qatar, who hosted the 2022 World Cup, is one of several Asian nations to have broken ranks.

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The South American federation CONMEBOL (10) does not yet have a clear position on Infantino, but one of its most powerful nations, Argentina, have lent Infantino their support. The Oceania federation (11) has also yet to make its position clear.

Perhaps the best news for Infantino was the backing of the African confederation, CAF (54), last week.

A statement from the organization’s executive committee said that CAF “unanimously reconfirmed its support for FIFA President Gianni Infantino and thanked him for his support for African Football over the years.”

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Is there a candidate to challenge Infantino?

This is the big question. As it stands, no candidate has stepped forward. Infantino won the last presidential election unopposed and looked likely to do so again next March, until a few weeks ago.

Though the clear positioning of several confederations against Infantino suggests that running unopposed again is now unlikely, a candidate that can unite those federations in opposition to the Swiss administrator is the next step.

“There’s such an imperative to get a candidate who could unite the whole world of football, not just Europe in this case,” UEFA vice president, Laura McAllister, recently told DW.

“It’s not as easy as people might think. The right candidate has to also have the right level of support,” McAllister said. “But if we’re talking about the right candidate, then I think that person, that man or woman, needs to be somebody who recognizes that we are simply custodians of the sport and that we look after it and hopefully leave it in better health.”

What might happen next?

There will no doubt be plenty of backroom talks about finding a candidate and announcing them at the right time. But given that Infantino retains a reasonable amount of support, football’s powerbrokers will likely want to ensure whoever they might put up can win. UEFA executives will likely discuss this at the Super Cup (between the winners of last season’s Champions League and Europa League) later this week, while other federations will look to do similar.

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Looming in early September is the first FIFA tournament since the controversial sell-off plan was announced. The U-20 Women’s World Cup is being held in Poland, a UEFA member, and it is not yet clear whether European teams will participate in the tournament with Infantino still in charge.

Edited by: Chuck Penfold

Marcus Rashford may be back at Manchester United this summer but the forward is having to embrace the unfamiliar

Marcus Rashford has reportedly been handed the No. 14 shirt at Manchester United. And while it’s a rapid departure from the usual No. 10 he used to wear, the forward has a strong sentimental attachment to the number.

Rashford claimed his favoured No. 10 at United in 2018. However, Mateus Cunha, who signed from Wolves last summer, now occupies that shirt.

Rashford wore the No. 14 during his successful loan spell at Barcelona, which concluded this summer. That jersey carries great weight at the Camp Nou with it famously worn by Barca legends Johan Cruyff and Thierry Henry.

Upon joining the Catalan giants, Rashford made clear his education on the prized shirt. “I know the history behind this number. I feel a huge responsibility. I’m honoured to wear it, as Cruyff and Henry did,” he said.

It was perhaps fate that Rashford had the chance to name-check Arsenal icon Henry with the 28-year-old previously going on record as greatly admiring the former French striker.

His respect for Henry is perhaps the strongest indication yet of why Rashford is happy to wear No. 14 once again. The iconic forward sported it during his legendary spell at Arsenal between 1999 and 2007.

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Rashford told Sky Sports in 2016: “Thierry Henry is one of my heroes, he is one of the players I watched when I was younger.

“When I was 17 I changed position to be a forward and he, along with the Brazilian Ronaldo, were the two players I tried to mirror my performance on. I would watch how they scored goals. He was definitely one of the major players.”

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Every subscription now comes with 135 channels alongside free subscriptions to HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+ and Hayu.

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Despite fluctuating jersey numbers, Rashford looks increasingly likely to remain at Old Trafford for the coming season. His future was initially cast into doubt under Ruben Amorim, with the Portuguese falling out with the forward.

Subsequently, the England star spent the second half of 2024/25 on loan with Aston Villa, before joining Barcelona on a season-long deal in the summer of 2025.

The La Liga giants had a £26million option to make Rashford’s spell permanent. However, the likelihood of the forward returning to the Camp Nou appears to be slim with the club preferring to spend their transfer budget elsewhere.

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While he managed 14 goals and 14 assists in 49 games last season, Barca have splashed £69m on Rashford’s England teammate and former Newcastle winger Anthony Gordon. They are also reportedly considering a move for Manchester City midfielder Rodri.

However, with Amorim sacked in January of this year, and Michael Carrick installed as manager on a permanent basis this summer, Rashford could have a lifeline at the club he’s been a part of since he was just seven years of age.

It is understood that Rashford is currently travelling with the first team as they navigate the rest of their pre-season tour across Europe. He could even play against AC Milan in a pre-season friendly on Saturday, August 15.

There, he could face an awkward encounter with ex-United boss Amorim. The 41-year-old coach had an extended break from management before being appointed at San Siro midway through June.

The Baltimore Orioles (57-61) and the Minnesota Twins (58-61) meet in the opener of a three-game series at Target Field in Minneapolis on Monday night. First pitch is scheduled for 7:40 p.m. ET.

The Orioles salvaged the series finale Sunday in Arlington against the Texas Rangers, winning 10-5 as a slight underdog as the Over cashed. The 10-run outburst tied the most runs for Baltimore since inexplicably erupting for a dozen runs in a 12-1 road rout of the Los Angeles Dodgers on June 21.

Sunday’s victory halted a three-game losing streak, and the Over snapped a five-game run Under streak. The Under is still 6-1-1 in the past eight outings. Baltimore is an impressive 4-3 in the past seven road outings, while the Over is 4-2 in the past six games away from home.

The Twins suffered a pair of gut-wrenching 4-3 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday and Sunday at American Family Field. Minnesota is now just 2-6 in the past eight games, while the Under is 3-1-1 in the previous five contests.

At the MLB non-waiver trade deadline, the Twins acquired RHP Dean Kremer (1-4, 5.93 ERA, 1.32 WHIP) from the Orioles. Kremer made his team debut in Kansas City on Wednesday, allowing just one run and three hits with two walks across five innings in a no-decision, as the Twins won 2-1. Now, he’ll get a crack against his former team.

The Orioles counter with LHP Trevor Rogers (7-7, 4.20 ERA, 1.24 WHIP), as he gets the chance to face his former rotation mate. Rogers is 3-0 with a 2.32 ERA and 1.03 WHIP across his past seven starts across 42.2 IP.

Minnesota has managed just a 17-22 record against left-handed starting pitchers this season, and they’re 13-12 vs. AL East opponents this season. The Twins are just 30-27 at home, too.

Baltimore has posted a 25-31 record on the road, and it has a minus-33 run differential, which is slightly better than Minnesota at minus-35. The O’s have managed a 16-9 record against AL Central teams this season, too.

These teams met three times in late March at Camden Yards in Baltimore, with the Orioles taking two of those games. Rogers picked up his first victory of the season, twirling seven scoreless innings with three hits and four walks while striking out five batters in a win and quality start.

Let’s back the ORIOLES (-112) on the moneyline based on the hot pitching of Rogers lately, as well as the struggles of the Twins against southpaws. If you’re looking for a same-game parlay (SGP), too, look to the UNDER 8.5 (-106).

The Russian Athletics Federation has filed a new claim with the Court of Arbitration for Sport to challenge sanctions imposed by World Athletics.

Athletes from Russia and Belarus have been banned from international competition under the world governing body since the country’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Russian Athletics says the ongoing sanctions “infringe on the organisation’s rights”, adding they “prevent it from fully representing the interests of Russian athletes on an international level.”

The International Olympic Committee provisionally lifted Russia’s suspension in July, potentially allowing the country to compete at the 2028 Olympics Games in Los Angeles.

Cas, based in Lausanne, Switzerland, serves as sport’s highest arbitration body and hears disputes involving athletes, federations and governing organisations.

“The sanctions against Russian Athletics are unprecedented. No other sports federation faces such severe restrictions,” Boris Yaryshevskiy, chief executive director of Russian Athletics, said in a statement.

“They not only hinder the federation’s normal operation but also hold back the development of athletics in Russia, particularly among young athletes, preventing us from properly representing our sport in the international arena.

“That is why we will consistently defend our rights, pursue the lifting of the sanctions through the courts, and continue our work in this direction. We are already preparing our next steps to restore justice.”

Russian Athletics lodged a separate appeal on 9 July challenging a decision by the World Athletics Council – the main rule-making and executive body of World Athletics – to extend the ban on Russian athletes from international events.

Other sporting federations, including World Gymnastics, World Aquatics and World Boxing, have this year eased restrictions on Russian athletes competing.

Some Russian and Belarusian athletes competed as neutrals at both the 2024 Paris Games and this year’s Winter Olympics in Milan.

A source at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) has raised concerns over players playing through injuries during the Indian Premier League (IPL) due to franchise and financial pressures before being sent to the national cricket board’s rehabilitation facility, making the task of managing their return to international cricket increasingly challenging. “Too much cricket. The human body has its load limits. Overuse and stress injuries, especially in older players, are unpredictable in terms of return to play. Players play through injuries during IPL due to franchise and financial pressures and then are dumped onto unsuspecting COE physios. The team physios and COE physios are competent and conscientious, and are keeping player safety as their top priority. This, of course, makes it difficult for selectors, coaches, and captains,” said a COE source to ANI.

The remarks came on the sidelines of a press conference at the BCCI CoE in Bengaluru on Sunday, where CoE head VVS Laxman addressed the media alongside BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia and BCCI President Mithun Manhas.

The comments come at a time when India are dealing with a growing injury list ahead of their two-Test series against Sri Lanka, with left-handed batter Sai Sudharsan the latest addition to the unavailable players.

Sudharsan was ruled out of the series after failing to recover from a big toe injury sustained during the second India A Test against Sri Lanka A last month. He scored two centuries in the two ‘A’ Tests before being hit on the toe and has since been undergoing rehabilitation at the CoE in Bengaluru.

Sudharsan joins Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Washington Sundar on the injury list for the Sri Lanka series.

Bumrah was ruled out after failing to recover from a left knee niggle sustained during the second ODI against England in Cardiff last month. Jammu and Kashmir seamer Auqib Nabi, 29, has replaced him in the Test squad.

Rana, meanwhile, is recovering from a Grade 1 biceps femoris muscle strain sustained after his return from a major right knee ligament injury and surgery that kept him out for four months. He subsequently missed the 2026 T20 World Cup and IPL 2026.

Reddy is recovering from a left quadriceps injury that forced him to miss India’s recent white-ball tours of Ireland, England and Zimbabwe. He suffered the injury while bowling against Afghanistan in the home ODI series in June.

Washington Sundar has been ruled out of the first Test due to a hamstring injury, while Akash Deep remains unavailable after suffering stress reactions in his back.

There is also a fitness concern around India captain Shubman Gill, although he has not been ruled out of the series. Gill did not take the field on the opening day of India’s practice match against Sri Lanka Cricket XI in Colombo after hurting his right finger during practice.

The injury concerns have also brought the role of the CoE and its coordination with team management and selectors into focus. Laxman had earlier said there was seamless communication between the CoE, team management, support staff and the selection committee regarding players’ fitness and rehabilitation.

India’s two-Test series against Sri Lanka begins in Galle on August 15.

India’s Test squad for Sri Lanka: Shubman Gill (captain), KL Rahul (vice-captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper), Dhruv Jurel (wicketkeeper), Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Manav Suthar, Auqib Nabi, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar, Devdutt Padikkal and Saransh Jain.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Cricket governing bodies in Scotland and the Netherlands have strongly criticised the planned restructuring of next year’s 50-over World Cup, claiming that the proposed changes “risk weakening the integrity and credibility of international cricket”.

At a board meeting in Edinburgh last month, the International Cricket Council (ICC) revealed that the central phase of the tournament in southern Africa will feature 12 nations split into two groups of six.

Although 14 sides remain involved, the competition will begin with an initial round featuring the three lowest-seeded qualifiers, with just a single team reaching the main group stage.

A preliminary qualifying tournament will run from 22 February until 23 March next year, with the top team advancing directly and those in second, third and fourth entering the opening round.

Cricket Scotland and the Royal Dutch Cricket Association (KNCB) released a joint statement expressing that they were “deeply disappointed” with the ICC’s move, announced under 18 months before the event begins.

The statement declared: “At a time when cricket is seeking to expand its reach, attract new audiences and strengthen its position on the international sporting landscape, reducing meaningful opportunities for emerging nations sends entirely the wrong message.

“We have significant concerns about both the impact of these changes and the process through which they have been introduced.

“The changes risk weakening the integrity and credibility of international cricket, and only highlight the importance of strong governance, transparent decision-making and effective engagement with members.”

In the men’s ODI rankings, Scotland and the Netherlands are currently placed 13th and 14th respectively.

Monday’s statement follows similar concerns raised by the World Cricketers’ Association over the overhaul, though Cricket Scotland and the KNCB stressed they are “fully committed to working constructively with the ICC and fellow members to strengthen the global game”.

The governing bodies added: “Following the announcement of the changes, Cricket Scotland, the KNCB and other associate members met twice with the ICC, seeking official written communication on the changes and greater clarity around the processes involved.

“We also requested positive action to strengthen future operational decision-making and an invitation to bilateral planning meetings with full members.

“Since the second meeting more than two weeks ago, there has been no further response from the ICC, which is disappointing and disrespectful given the significance of the issues raised.”

Morning session

TV: 10:30-13:15 on BBC One

World silver medallist Hunt, Asher-Smith and Success Eduan, the three fastest European women over 200m this year, all have byes to the semi-finals as qualifying gets under way.

Amber Anning, Britain’s 2025 world indoor champion, is hoping to make her comeback from injury to line up in the heats of the 400m.

And the men’s decathlon begins with the 100m, the first of 10 events over the next two days.

Evening session

TV: 19:00-20:00 on BBC Two and 20:00-22:00 on BBC One

Radio: Updates on 5 Live & Sounds

Finals:

21:45: Men’s 110m hurdles

21:08: Women’s 400m hurdles – Britain’s Emily Newnham should be one to watch

20:50: Men’s 400m – Hudson-Smith aims to win the individual title for a third time

19:45: Women’s hammer

Other events:

19:05 Men’s decathlon high jump

19:55 Men’s 110m hurdles semi-finals

20:20 Women’s 200m semi-finals

20:40 Men’s triple jump Qualification

21:22 Men’s decathlon 400m

Tim Bradley anticipates a “hell of a fight” unfolding between Canelo Alvarez and Christian Mbilli, but only sees one man emerging victorious on October 31.

The pair will collide in a super-middleweight contest in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with Mbilli making a first defence of his WBC world title.

He was upgraded from ‘interim’ to full champion following the retirement of Terence Crawford, who became the undisputed 168lb king by dethroning Canelo with a unanimous decision victory in September.

That same night, Mbilli defended his then-interim belt with a 10-round draw against Lester Martinez, producing a performance that aptly reflected his high-volume style.

But while the Frenchman does, indeed, force a considerable pace in the ring, many doubt that this will be enough to trump the 36-year-old Canelo.

Despite coming to the end of his decorated career, the Mexican hardly disgraced himself against Crawford and, prior to that, had remained unbeaten since his 2022 defeat to Dmitry Bivol.

Not only that, but many feel Alvarez is a more technically savvy operator than Mbilli, who throws punches in bunches but typically comes forward in straight lines.

It is partly because of this that Hall of Famer Bradley, while speaking with FightHype, has predicted a dominant victory for Canelo.

“He going to piece Mbilli’s ass up. I like Mbilli – tough guy, comes to bring the pain. It’s going to be a hell of a fight. But Canelo going to catch and shoot on his ass all night long.

“Uppercuts, hooks … it’s going to be bad. [Canelo’s] going to look like he’s back [to his best].”

By “catch and shoot”, Bradley means he is expecting Canelo to punish Mbilli with his counterpunching prowess, even if the 31-year-old keeps springing back with relentless aggression.