Football

US follows NZ in equal pay agreements for female footballers

After a six-year battle for gender equality, US female footballers will now receive equal pay, the U.S. Soccer Federation has said. It makes the American national governing body one of the first in the sport...

Eintracht Frankfurt beats Rangers in penalty shootout to win Europa League

Eintracht Frankfurt’s 42-year wait for a European title has ended with a 5-4 penalty shootout win over Rangers in the Europa League final. Rafael Borré converted the decisive penalty kick after Kevin Trapp saved Aaron Ramsey’s shot, giving the German club its first European trophy since the 1980 Uefa Cup, a predecessor to the Europa...

18th May

Ten years from boom to bust, Chinese football in a tailspin

HONG KONG (Reuters) – A decade after the splash of Chinese cash first made waves in the global football market, the once racing certainty that China would become a major player in the game looks increasingly like a long-odds gamble. The decision to relinquish the rights to next year’s Asian Cup finals, which was made...

22 teams for veterans tourney

TWENTY-TWO teams will be part of the RC Manubhai/APCO Coatings International Veterans tournament to be held in Sigatoka early next month. Victoria Masters from New Zealand are top seed in Pool A with Rewa Masters, Nasinu Masters and My Suva Legends. The International Veterans tournament will be held at Lawaqa Park in Sigatoka from June...

17th May

Cakobau Park work yet to be completed

Works at the Ratu Cakobau Park in Nausori is not complete yet, Minister for Local Government Premila Kumar said while speaking during the opening of the 143rd Girmit carnival in Nausori . She said other pavilions at the park needed to be fixed. She said the park was closed due to damage caused by tropical...

Title-chasing Liverpool’s Salah, Van Dijk doubts for Southampton trip

(Reuters) – Liverpool are still assessing the fitness of Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk ahead of Tuesday’s Premier League trip to Southampton where they could close the gap on leaders Manchester City to one point, manager Juergen Klopp said on Monday. Forward Salah and defender Van Dijk were substituted during Saturday’s FA Cup final...

15th May

FACT back in Lawaqa

The 2022 Digicel Fiji FACT returns to Lawaqa Park after a lapse of 21 years, the last time Nadroga lifted the title in front of its home fans. Nadroga beat Labasa 7-6 on penalties in the final of the 2001 tournament after both teams were locked 1-all at fulltime. The tournament returns to Sigatoka this...

China gives up 2023 Asian Cup hosting rights – AFC

HONG KONG (Reuters) -China will no longer host the 2023 Asian Cup finals due to the COVID-19 situation in the country, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) said on Saturday, adding that it will decide on a new host in due course. The event, which is played every four years and features 24 national teams from...

Qatar World Cup hotels must welcome guests in ‘non-discriminatory manner’ – FIFA

(Reuters) – Hotels that are on the official list of recommended accommodation for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar are required to welcome guests in a “non-discriminatory manner” or face termination of contracts, FIFA said on Friday. A Scandinavian media survey showed that three of the 69 hotels on FIFA’s official list of recommended accommodation...

14th May

Chelsea happy to be ‘bad guys’ against Liverpool, says Tuchel

(Reuters) – Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel believes that his side is unlikely to find much support among neutrals when they take on Liverpool in the FA Cup final on Saturday, but said that they do not mind being the “bad guys” as long as they lift the trophy. Tuchel’s comments come days after Manchester City...

Russian clubs appeal UEFA decision to bar them from European competition

(Reuters) – Four Russian Premier League clubs, including champions Zenit St Petersburg, said on Friday they had filed an appeal against UEFA’s decision to bar Russian clubs from European competition next season. UEFA, the governing body of European soccer, decided Russia would have no affiliated teams participating in its club competitions in the 2022-23 season...

13th May

Fiji FA mourns Goundar’s passing

The Fiji Football Association president Rajesh Patel, its board members, and the entire football fraternity is saddened to learn about the passing away of former Fiji FA development officer Raju Goundar. Goundar, 54 died at his home in Lakena, Nausori this morning. Patel acknowledged the supreme contribution of Goundar in the football arena. “It’s a...