Tuesday, 9 June 2026
YOUNG AFRICANS SIGN BURKINABÉ NATIONAL TEAM PLAYER FROM POLICE KENYA
DONE DEAL: Last night, Yanga completed the signing of the number 9 striker from Police Kenya and the Burkina Faso national team 🇧🇫, Yves Koutiama (27).
Everything is finalized — Yves Koutiama has joined Yanga on a two-year deal.
The star player joined Police in January this year and managed to score 10 goals in the Kenyan Premier League.
Yanga have terminated his two-year contract with Police.
HUWEL WINS MKWAWA RALLY TO BOLSTER TITLE DEFENCE
IRINGA: THE 2025 National Rally Championship (NRC) winner, Ahmed Huwel, opened his title-defence campaign with bright colours after winning Mkwawa Rally, the 2026 season opener in Iringa today, June 7, 2026.
Driving a Toyota GR Yaris, Huwel led the Mkwawa Rally right from the flag off to the event’s fastest time, winning all stages comfortably.
Huwel, who was navigated by Rahim Suleiman, beat his closest challenger by 5 minutes after clocking 50 minute and 14 seconds
Morogoro-based Waleed Nahdi came in second with Subaru Impreza N11 after spending 55 minutes and 29 seconds.
Third overall in Mitsubishi EVO X was Harinder Deere who was navigated by Victor Jackson. The duo clocked 0:55:37.
The Chairman of Iringa Motor Sports Club, Robert Maneno, said he was impressed by the overall performance and safety measures implemented by both drivers and spectators.
“ It was specular 2026 season opener as nine cars managed to finish the two-day event out of 12 cars that attended the flag off on Saturday, June 6, 2026,” he stated.
Veteran driver Samir Shanto suffered adversity when his Ford Proto went up in flames in the early stages. Both Shanto and his navigator Maisam Fazal escaped unscathed.
Fourth overall position went to Shehzad Munge and his navigator Aaron John who clocked 0:57:40, finishing ahead of Charles Bicco and his navigator David Matete who were timed at 1.04:25 driving Subaru Impreza N12
Others who made it are Salum Balhabu/Karim Pendu from Morogoro, Vishal Patel /Rumit Nanji from Arusha and Kartic Valambhia /Ethan Taylor from Morogoro.
The ninth position was taken by Tufail Amin and /Zuber Kara.
- Miguel Suleyman, Daily News
REAL MADRID REACH €74M SHIRT SPONSORSHIP AGREEMENT
Real Madrid are set for a fresh boost to their coffers next season, as a result of a renewed shirt sponsorship agreement. Los Blancos have been in partnership with United Arab Emirates airline Fly Emirates for the past past 15 years, and are set to extend their partnership to two decades.
On Tuesday, Real Madrid announced that they had reached an agreement with Fly Emirates for another five years, with their agreement now ending in 2031. They announced that their partnership was build on excellence, ambition and a shared vision of the future.
Real Madrid earnings from Fly Emirates deal
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| Image via Real Madrid CF |
It has been reported by Marca that the deal will be worth around €74m per annum to Los Blancos, making it the most lucrative shirt sponsorphip deal in the game. Yet Diario AS confirm that it could be worth even more, and could be around €70-80m per season. In total, combined with the shirt sleeve sponsorship and Adidas, Real Madrid will be raking in around €100m each year until 2031 as things stand.
Real Madrid released new home kit last week
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| Image via Real Madrid CF |
Last week Real Madrid released their first home kit with pink trim for five years, with the Adidas stripes sporting an unusually bright colour, compared the usual gold or black. Los Blancos certainly got an important marketing boost with the visit of the Pope, who declared that he was a Real Madrid fan during his stay in the Spanish capital over the weekend.
Following that, Real Madrid put a series of limited edition ‘Leon the 19th’ shirts on sale for €195 over recent days. Pope Leo also visited the Santiago Bernabeu on Monday evening, following a series of concerts, and was presented with a shirt by President Florentino Perez, with the name Robert F. Prevost on the back.
- Ruairidh Barlow
GIANNI INFANTINO'S OLD BOSS FILES CRIMINAL COMPLAINT AGAINST FIFA PRESIDENT
Former UEFA president Michel Platini has filed a criminal complaint against FIFA president Gianni Infantino and two other officials, alleging malicious prosecution and influence peddling
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| Former UEFA President Michel Platini (R) is set to launch legal action against former UEFA General Secretary Gianni Infantino(L).(Image: Getty Images) |
Former UEFA president Michel Platini is reportedly taking legal action against FIFA chief Gianni Infantino, alleging that he and two others conspired to ruin his chances of landing football's top job.
City AM reports that Platini's legal team have confirmed they are initiating proceedings in Paris against Infantino and two former FIFA officials, legal director Marco Villiger and audit chair Domenico Scala.
Infantino, Villiger and Scala are accused of malicious prosecution and influence peddling in relation to a scandal that ultimately ended Platini's career in football administration.
Platini was the favourite to take over from Sepp Blatter as FIFA president until 2015, when Blatter was effectively charged with bribing Platini for votes for a fourth term.
Platini and Blatter were given suspensions by FIFA's ethics committee over the two million Swiss francs "disloyal payment," but both have since been exonerated by the Swiss courts.
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| Michel Platini and Sepp Blatter(Image: FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP) |
The ex-France captain is also suing FIFA for financial damages in Switzerland for what his lawyers allege was a deliberate attempt to block his succession of Blatter, reports the Mirror.
Infantino, who served as UEFA general secretary under Platini, was elected to succeed Blatter in 2016 and has held the position ever since, strengthening his grip on power throughout.
The timing of the legal proceedings becoming public will cause Infantino and FIFA considerable embarrassment just before the World Cup kicks off in the US, Mexico and Canada on Thursday.
Mirror Sport have contacted FIFA regarding the allegations but have not yet received a response to the latest developments, with Infantino set to face the media on Wednesday on the eve of the largest edition of the tournament ever staged.
This follows nine months after the acquittal of Platini, now 70, and Blatter, 90, on fraud and forgery charges by a Swiss federal criminal appeals court in September that year.
Since assuming office, Infantino has implemented sweeping changes to FIFA's operations and substantially increased its revenue, and last week he topped City AM's inaugural Football Power List.
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| FIFA president GIanni Infantino shows off World Cup to Donald Trump in the Oval Office last year(Image: AFP via Getty Images) |
The news marks the latest controversy in a series of events that have overshadowed the build-up to this summer's World Cup. The United States conflict with Iran has been a major talking point.
Iran threatened to withdraw from the tournament following airstrikes that claimed the life of their leader Ayatollah Khamenei. With Italy put forward as possible replacements, it was later mooted that Iran's fixtures could be relocated at short notice to Mexico.
Despite the uncertainty, Infantino consistently assured that Iran would take part and everything would be fine, while Trump issued a threatening statement, asserting: "I really don't believe it is appropriate that they be there, for their own life and safety."
The US President eventually gave his tepid endorsement. In recent hours, Somalian referee Omar Artan has been refused entry into the United States and Iranian fans have had their tickets revoked.
- Matty Hewitt and Frank Dalleres
FIFA ACCEPTS US DECISION TO BLOCK SOMALI WORLD CUP REFEREE
June 9 – The United States, co-host of the 2026 World Cup, has denied top African referee Omar Artan entry to the country, preventing the Somali from officiating matches at the tournament.
Artan was set to become Somalia’s first referee at a World Cup but American authorities at Miami International Airport barred him from entering the US.
In statement, world football’s governing body FIFA said: “Omar Abdulkadir Artan will be unable to train and officiate at the Fifa World Cup 2026 after he was denied entry into the United States.
“FIFA is not involved in host country immigration processes, including visa adjudications, and has been informed by authorities that Mr Artan’s status will not be changed at present.
“In line with previous FIFA events, a host government ultimately determines who receives a visa and who is admitted into their country.”
In a statement to Reuters, Artan, the 2025 Confederation of African Football men’s referee of the year, said: “I want to thank the football family for their messages and wish my colleagues all the best success during the World Cup and I look forward to joining them again in future competitions.”
He was one of 52 referees selected by FIFA to lead matches at the 48-team World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada. Artan reportedly had a valid visa for the United States, but flew to Istanbul after being denied entry.
Under the administration of President Donald Trump, the US has cracked down on immigration from Somalia, and its citizens are subject to a full travel ban. Last year, Trump lashed out at Somali immigrants, calling them “garbage”.
In a statement, a CBP spokesperson said: “On June 6, a Somali national arrived at Miami International Airport from Istanbul International Airport. During processing, the travellerunderwent additional inspection, a routine part of CBP’s inspection process when officers need to verify information or determine admissibility.
“Following inspection, the traveller, a referee for the FIFA World Cup, was determined to be inadmissible due to vetting concerns and was denied entry.
“All travellers seeking entry into the United States, including athletes, coaches, and staff, are subject to CBP inspection and vetting. Admissibility determinations are made on a case-by-case basis using law enforcement, national security, and immigration information available at the time of inspection. CBP officers have the authority to question travellers, conduct inspections, and determine admissibility consistent with U.S. law.”
FIFA boss Gianni Infantino has repeatedly said this World Cup will be the ‘most inclusive’ yet. In 2017, a year before FIFA awarded the World Cup to the United States, Mexico and Canada, Infantino said: “It’s obvious when it comes to FIFA competitions, any team, including the supporters and officials of that team, who qualify for a World Cup need to have access to the country, otherwise there is no World Cup.”
- Samindra Kunti
WORLD CUP: IAN WRIGHT REACTION TO REF BEING DENIED ENTRY TO THE US GOES VIRAL
Ian Wright has posted a passionate video on social media after Somalian referee Omar Artan was denied entry into the United States for the 2026 World Cup.
Artan, considered one of the best African officials in world football, was set to be the first Somali to referee at the World Cup finals.
However, the 34-year-old was barred from entering the country at Miami International Airport and will now not officiate at this summer's tournament.
FIFA said in a statement: "Fifa can confirm that match official Omar Abdulkadir Artan will be unable to train and officiate at the Fifa World Cup 2026 after he was denied entry into the United States.
"Fifa is not involved in host country immigration processes, including visa adjudications, and has been informed by authorities that Mr Artan's status will not be changed at present.
"In line with previous Fifa events, a host government ultimately determines who receives a visa and who is admitted into their country."
Ian Wright Reacts to Omar Artan being Denied Entry
Arsenal legend Wright has taken to social media to express his frustration after seeing the story. In a video posted on TikTok, he said:
"Every few hours it's another story. Another story about fans denied, players denied, officials denied, journalists denied now refs? I'm laughing but it's not funny. It's actually not funny, something has to be said.
"Expensive tickets, expensive accommodation, transport through the roof. Is this how the hosts behave for the greatest game, greatest tournament in the world? How are we not hearing more?"
"Is this the spirit of football? Really? You know who I feel for - I feel for the American fans who are desperate for this. How embarrassed they must be. How embarrassing for them this must be.
"This is a World Cup of chaos. Whoever wins this World Cup will have to go through some serious chaos to get it done. I hope we [England can do it, but something has to be said. This is the World Cup!"
Omar Artan Speaks Out After Being Denied Entry to the US
Artan has released a statement after his dream of officiating at a World Cup was taken away. He said:
"Despite the circumstances, I am in a positive mood and I am focused on the next challenges in my refereeing career. I would like to thank FIFA and CAF for all their support and I promise to keep my refereeing levels up as I concentrate on the future.
“I want to thank the football family for their messages and wish my colleagues all the best success during the World Cup and I look forward to joining them again in future competitions.”
Artan was one of eight referees to be selected by CAF to officiate in the competition. It is currently unclear who will replace him.
- James Stroud
Monday, 8 June 2026
JÜRGEN KLOPP'S £4MILLIION FORMER HOME ON MERSEYSIDE'S MILLIONAIRE'S ROW FINALLY SELLS
EXCLUSIVE: The property - which boasts three living rooms, a games room, swimming pool, two-storey gym, solarium, jacuzzi, sauna and cinema - was put on the market after Jürgen Klopp left Liverpool
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| Jürgen Klopp moved into the home after Brendan Rogers was sacked by Liverpool (Image: (Antonio Borga/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)) |
Jürgen Klopp's former home has finally been sold - nearly two years after he quit Liverpool.
The luxury house in Formby’s exclusive Victoria Road - branded Merseyside's Millionaire's Row - was on the market for a cool £4.25million when it first went up for sale in October 2024. The new owners of the prestigious detached property are unknown.
It comes just days after the appointment of new Reds boss Andoni Iraola, 43. The palatial home boasts an impressive swimming pool and gym complex, six bedrooms, seven bathrooms, and four reception rooms.
It sits in gated, manicured gardens and includes a grand entrance hall, open-plan kitchen, dining, and family areas. Upstairs, the master suite features two dressing rooms, an en-suite bathroom, and a balcony overlooking the garden.
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| Klopp's old house in Liverpool was put on the market after he left Liverpool but has only recently sold(Image: Rightmove) |
Additional features include a cinema room and a luxury spa room. When it went on the market estate agent Berkeley Shaw described the property as a "beautiful home tucked away in the prestigious area of Freshfield, set on a private plot with impressive gardens and secure gated access".
At the time of it first being listed, estate agent William Goulden said: "This is an exceptional home in a beautiful part of the country. Many will be aware of the property's recent history." Property website Rightmove reported that the house as being one of the most viewed listings of 2024.
Klopp, 58, moved into the luxurious home on millionaire’s row in 2015 with his wife Ulla Sandrock and their children. The couple soon settled into the local Formby community, often being spotted at the local pub The Freshfield enjoying a meal or walking their dog in the local parks and on the beach.
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| The house has six bedrooms and the principal suite boasts two separate dressing rooms plus a luxury ensuite(Image: Berkeley Shaw) |
Klopp was even spotted watching a one day match at the local Formby Cricket Club. The family were known to enjoy a take away from local chip shop The Good Catch, or restaurants Suay and Sorrento.
Ex-Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard, 46, bought the home in Formby in 2005 after it was built by a local developer. When Gerrard left for US side LA Galaxy in 2015 he sold the house to incoming Reds boss Brendan Rodgers, 53.
He was sacked that October but kept the property and rented it to Klopp. In 2019 Liverpool bought it as an investment and are said to have allowed Klopp to stay on rent-free. His successor Arne Slot, 47, and wife Mirjam were shown around the seven-bed home when he was handed the job but turned it down.
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| The main house has an indoor pool wing that is like a spa and leisure suite at a fancy hotel.(Image: Berkeley Shaw) |
It is believed to have been sold this month with the sold sign going up today. Klopp swapped life on the Sefton coast for Majorca at the end of the 2023/24 season.
Formby has long been a popular area for footballers and managers of the Merseyside clubs. Ex Blue Duncan Ferguson still lives in the area and current Everton defender Jarrod Branthwaite is a familiar face in the village.
- Dan Warburton
DONALD TRUMP'S STATUS FOR NBA FINALS GRABS ATTENTION AMID SPURS-KNICKS GAME.3
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| FILE - Actor Elliott Gould, left, joins Donald Trump, center, and Marla Maples at courtside during an NBA basketball game between the Phoenix Suns and the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden, in New York, March 6, 1991. (AP Photo/Steve Freeman, File) |
The New York Knicks are expecting quite a special guest as the team hosts the San Antonio Spurs with President Donald Trump hinting that he plans to attend Game 3 on Monday, June 8. Will Trump attend today’s NBA Finals game?
Nothing will be a certainty until Trump is spotted at the game, but all signs point to the president being at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks already announced increased security measures for Game 3 and have canceled the watch party outside Madison Square Garden out of precaution.
New York mayor Zohran Mamdani is also expected to attend the game, but will be in a different section of Madison Square Garden, per BBC. Trump revealed that Knicks owner James Dolan invited him to Game 3, and the president also left the door open to attending Game 4 as well.
“The answer is yes — he’s invited me, I’m going,” Trump noted on June 5, 2026, per The Hill. “I’ve been a Knicks fan for a long time and I’m also a Jim Dolan fan. …Maybe I’ll do both.”
Here’s what you need to know about Trump attending today’s Spurs-Knicks game.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver on Donald Trump: ‘I Was There at Many Knicks Games With Him in the Old Days’
NBA commissioner Adam Silver noted that Trump “was a big Knicks fan.” Silver added that Trump worked with the NBA on several commercials prior to transitioning from the business world to politics.
“Before he ever ran for office, he was a big Knicks fan,” Silver said of Trump, per The Athletic’s Joe Vardon. “I’ve been with the league for a long time. I was there at many Knicks games with him in the old days.
“He attended many of our drafts when they used to take place at Madison Square Garden, and he actually appeared in one of our ‘I love this Game’ spots when I was running NBA Entertainment years ago.”
Knicks Star Karl-Anthony Towns Has Been Critical of Donald Trump
Knicks star Karl-Anthony Towns is among the NBA players who have been critical of Trump. Back in 2017, Towns called out Trump for his response to the Charlottesville, Virginia, rally.
“I was shocked by how our President responded to Charlottesville,” Anthony wrote in an August 26, 2017, story for The Players’ Tribune titled, “There Are More of Us Than There Are of Them.” “Our President was given a layup: Denounce white supremacists. And he couldn’t … and wouldn’t. He missed … he missed badly.
“… It’s disheartening when our President doesn’t understand his words carry a tremendous amount of weight. It’s really hard to see our President refuse to stand up for what’s right — at a time when the country needs it. Especially for minorities.”
Donald Trump on Knicks: ‘I Don’t Think They’ve Lost a Playoff Game’
Trump praised the Knicks’ hot streak pondering whether New York has lost a playoff game. Ahead of Trump’s appearance, the Knicks have won 13 straight games and hold a 14-2 record in the postseason.
“I’ve been a Knick fan for a long time and I’m also a Jim Dolan fan,” Trump noted, per The Athletic. “He’s a nice guy, OK? He’s spent a long time wanting to win and he’s a competitive guy and he’s got a team that’s amazing. I don’t think they’ve lost a playoff game. Can you imagine that?”
- Jonathan Adams
TEHRAN LAMBASTS US 'OBSTRUCTION' OF IRAN'S WORLD CUP TEAM AS PLAYERS LAND IN MEXICO
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| Members of the Iran soccer team arrive in Tijuana |
TEHRAN — Iran’s soccer team touched down in Mexico’s northwestern city of Tijuana on Sunday as Tehran criticized Washington over its visa restrictions ahead of the World Cup this summer.
The Iranian federation negotiated at the last minute to move the team's base camp from Arizona to Tijuana near the US border in Mexico, due in part to uncertainty over whether they would be granted visas to enter the United States.
The US awarded visas to all the players on June 5, just 10 days before their first match, but several members of the support squad were not yet given visas, including "key managerial and administrative members," according to Iran's football federation.
The president of Iran’s football federation, Mehdi Taj, said Sunday that the Iranian soccer team had been granted permission to enter the US for the tournament, but “only one day before the match,” according to semi-official Iranian media, sparking accusations of unfair treatment.
“We do not know how far the Americans’ obstructionism will continue,” Iranian Students’ News Agency (ISNA) cited Taj as saying. “What the United States is doing reflects malice and a lack of equality among teams.”
A US administration official told CNN that the visas necessary for Iran to compete in the World Cup, including those for athletes and necessary support staff, have been issued. The two nations remain at war with no sign of an immediate breakthrough in peace negotiations.
“We will not allow the Iranian team to abuse this system to sneak terrorists into the United States under false pretenses,” the official said.
Soccer is more than just Iran’s most popular sport. Public support for the national team cuts through social, regional and political lines, making it a uniting force for millions of Iranians.
As a result, qualifying for the World Cup has long been a source of national pride. But the US and Israel’s war with Iran, alongside recent economic and political turmoil at home, has turned the soccer pitch into a stage for soft power, drawing attention away from the game itself.
Iran is scheduled to face New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15, Belgium in Los Angeles on June 21, and Egypt in Seattle on June 26, according to FIFA, the governing body that organizes the World Cup. Those matches are expected to be shown in cinemas across Iran, subject to the “necessary approvals,” Iranian state media organization IRIB said Sunday.
This is the first World Cup since the tournament’s inception in 1930 in which a host nation is set to receive a country with which it is actively at war, according to Reuters.
On Sunday, the team touched down in Tijuana, Mexico – just across the border from San Diego, California – several Iranian outlets reported. Last month, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said Iranian squad would stay in Mexico between the matches.
A spokesperson for the Iranian football federation said this weekend that the team would travel to the US using a multiple-entry visa, entering one day before the first match and two days before each of the next two matches, Iranian semi-official Tasnim news agency reported.
Taj called it “truly strange” that Washington was interfering in the administration of the sporting event, adding that the Iranian football federation would submit a protest to FIFA. CNN has reached out to the governing body for comment.
The federation president also speculated that the US might try to interfere with the team’s entry to the country while appearing to link Washington’s decision-making to the ongoing war.
“We do not know what kind of mischief they might create at the airport. They were defeated in some areas by the resistance of the people, and they are now trying to make up for those defeats and vent their frustrations on the football field,” ISNA cited Taj as saying.
- Saudi Gazette
VETERAN TANZANIAN NAVIGATOR MISAM FAZAL URGES AFRICAN RALLY CREWS TO MAKE SAFETY NO. 1 PRIORITY AFTER IRINGA FIRE
“Safety is very important in rallying. Do not neglect extinguishers,” says Mkwawa navigator after Ford Fiesta Proto burns to a shell.
VETERAN Tanzanian navigator Misam Fazal has called on African rally competitors to treat fire safety as their top priority, after the Ford Fiesta Proto he was navigating with Samir Nahdi caught fire and burned to a shell during the Mkwawa Rally in Iringa, Round 1 of the NCR Tanzania championship.
Speaking to "FullSend TV EA" Fazal said the incident, which happened early in the second stage, was a first-hand lesson in how quickly a rally car can be lost to fire.
“The car caughtfire, and in my 20 years experience we have rolled, I mean, we’ve seen it all, but finally I got the experience first hand how fires burn rally cars, how to escape whenever the car burns, what are the precautions you have to take,” Mkwawa Rally Team navigator Fazal said.
The fire started on the first stage towards the flying finish, with the brakes fuming. The crew continued, but it became clear something was wrong.
“I was asked the driver why he is not driving the car, he said, I’m scared because of the fire behind, so I just turned around and the fire was just near me,” Fazal recalled. “In the second stage, what I did was too quick. I unbuckled the seat belts, opened the door and ran off the car. At the same time Shanto also discovered it, put the car on the sand bank and got out.”
--Cheating Death--
The crew escaped unhurt and managed to switch off the car, but the blaze was too intense. Fazal said the fire brigade arrived minutes later, by which time the car was reduced to a shell. He believes the fuel breather, not the brakes as initially thought, caused the fire.
“We had fire extinguisher, we managed to escape and even switched off the car but the fire was too powerful,” he said. “Sometimes in rallies we don’t look into fire issues. When you say fire extinguisher, we drivers do not care. Sometimes when the scrutineer comes, we’ll tell him that we’ll fix it.”
Fazal, who has navigated for drivers including Stado Team’s Omar Bakhresa and Jamil Khan during his two-decade career, said the fire experience had changed his approach.
“This is my experience from this scenario. Safety is very important in rallying. Do not neglect extinguishers. When it happens you’ll come to know, and today (raceday) it happened to us. We need to learn how to switch off the fire, we need to learn how to treat injuries of your partner if there is no third support.”
--Safety Message To African Rally Fraternity--
He added that crews must act in seconds, not minutes. “It took us 5 seconds to come out of the car. I’m thankful to my God we are here safe. To the rally fraternity in Africa, please let’s try and learn safety, to drive cars. When it happens you don’t even have time to think about it. Breather of fuel is what caused the fire, we thought it was brakes. I was reading the notes but not getting the momentum, so I was asking my driver.”
Fazal said he was still shocked by how fast it happened, but the crew is already looking ahead. “Next time I’ll take precautions. Let’s keep up and wait for the next event. We’ll talk to our sponsor Ahmed and see what to do.”
Mkwawa Rally Team later released a statement saying, “Despite the challenge, our team remains committed to rallying and we will continue competing while standing together as a family.”
Sunday, 7 June 2026
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