Manchester City and the English Premier League both claimed victory on Monday after one of the league’s key regulations relating to financial fairness were challenged. Four-time defending champion City and the league said they “welcomed” the findings of an arbitration panel. City said the regulations were found to be “unlawful” and the league “abused its dominant position.” The league said the tribunal found the rules to be “necessary” and “rejected the majority of Manchester City’s challenges.” The regulations in dispute, the Associated Party Transaction rules, are designed to ensure fair market value is applied to commercial deals with organizations closely aligned to club owners, and safeguard the “competitive balance” of the world’s most popular soccer league. City said in a statement, “The club has succeeded with its claim: The Associated Party Transaction rules have been found to be unlawful and the Premier League’s decisions on two specific MCFC sponsorship transactions have been set aside.” City added the tribunal found the rules to be “structurally unfair” and the league was “specifically unfair” in applying them to the Abu Dhabi-backed club. One key finding in City's favor was that shareholder loans — which could be offered at lower or no interest rates — should not be excluded from APT rules. City said decisions on two of its sponsorship deals were set aside following the tribunal. While the league said a “small number of discrete elements of the rules” did not “comply with competition and public law requirements,” it added: “The tribunal upheld the need for the APT system as a whole and rejected the majority of Manchester City’s challenges. Moreover, the tribunal found that the rules are necessary in order for the league’s financial controls to be effective.” In a separate case, City faces more than 100 charges of alleged financial breaches from the league.

The schedule of Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) Election 2024 billed for October 26 was announced on Monday. The BFF Election 2024 will be held at Hotel Intercontinental, Dhaka, from 2:00 pm to 6 pm after its annual general meeting in the morning on the day. BFF Chief Election Commissioner Mejbah Uddin officially announced the election schedule at the BFF office in Dhaka's Motijheel on Monday. One hundred and thirty-three BFF councillors will exercise their voting rights on October 26 to elect a 21-member BFF executive committee, including one president, one senior vice president, four vice presidents, and 15 EC members. Cost of nomination papers : Taka one lakh for the post of president, Tk 75,000 for the post of senior vice president, Tk 50,000 for the post of vice president, and Tk 25,000 for the executive members. As per the election schedule, nomination papers will be available/distributed on October 9, 10, and 12 from 10 am to 5 pm at the BFF office, Submission of nomination papers on October 14 and 15. scrutiny of nomination papers on October 16, submission of objection on nomination papers ( if any) on October 17, hearing on objection by appeal committee on October 18, withdrawal of candidature on October 19 (11 am to 5 pm) and 20 (11 am to 2pm), publication of final candidates list on October 20 after 3:00 pm.

Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma's weakness under the high ball is increasingly obvious. Although PSG coach Luis Enrique has not made an issue of it, Donnarumma’s errors may prove costly to them if the French league title race is closer this season. PSG tops the table on goal difference from Monaco ahead of Sunday's trip to face Nice, which scored eight goals in its previous home game. Donnarumma’s blunders were exposed in Tuesday's 2-0 loss at Arsenal in the Champions League. Although Enrique did not blame him for the goals, the mistakes were evident and worryingly similar to ones last season in Europe's elite competition. Arsenal’s first goal saw a hesitant Donnarumma beaten as Kai Havertz — hardly the most renowned at headers in world soccer — anticipated a cross from Leandro Trossard and nodded the ball in. Italy’s No. 1 goalie was beaten again when Bukayo Saka’s low free kick from the right went straight under him. He was not entirely at fault, since his view of the ball may have been obscured, but there seemed to be no talking between Donnarumma and his defenders. It all looked very familiar. Last season in the Champions League quarterfinal first leg against Barcelona, Donnarumma failed to come for a corner and central defender Andreas Christensen headed in the winner. Despite his imposing stature — Donnarumma is 1.96 meters tall — he stood rooted to his line and seemed unsure how to judge the ball's flight. Earlier in that match, Donnarumma struggled with Lamine Yamal’s cross and Raphinha put Barcelona ahead. Donnarumma's hesitancy repeated itself in the semifinal return leg against Borussia Dortmund when central defender Mats Hummels rose unchallenged to head in Julian Brandt’s corner from the left — a carbon copy of Christensen's goal. Donnarumma also made blunders trying to pass the ball out from defense in some Ligue 1 games last season. On Tuesday night, a few minutes after Arsenal's second goal, television cameras showed him muttering to himself and throwing up a hand in exasperation. For all of his shot stopping and excellent reflexes on the goal line, the 25-year-old Donnarumma does not appear as strong overall as his PSG predecessor Keylor Navas, who was a more commanding presence in the penalty area. Despite having just had an outstanding season for PSG, Navas was unceremoniously moved aside when Donnarumma arrived from AC Milan following the 2021 European Championship which Italy won thanks in parts to Donnarumma's penalty-saving exploits. PSG fans could not understand why the highly regarded Navas was suddenly the designated No. 2 without competition for places. Donnarumma was brought into the club by PSG's then-sporting director Leonardo. The Brazilian's strong ties with each club as a former player for PSG and Milan helped to facilitate the arrivals of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, star defender Thiago Silva, and Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti, his friend. Donnarumma's arrival was seen as somewhat of a coup, given his young age and reputation. He had long been tipped for stardom after making his debut for Milan at age 16 in 2015. But Donnarumma’s trajectory is not going the way many observers expected it to

This was how 2024 started for Inter Miami: Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets, all former Barcelona teammates who won multiple titles together, sitting side-by-side after the first official training session of the new season. And here's the latest scene: Messi, Suarez, Alba and Busquets were sitting together again Wednesday night, holding their newest prize — the Supporters Shield, the trophy given to the top regular-season team in Major League Soccer. Inter Miami will be the No. 1 seed for the MLS Cup playoffs, the team wrapping up that spot with a 3-2 victory at the Columbus Crew on Wednesday night. It was the league's most-hyped regular season match of this season, maybe the most-hyped in a long time. “I'm happy,” Messi said. “Happy for this group.” Messi scored twice to push his total to 17 goals in 17 MLS matches this season, Suarez scored the eventual winner for Inter Miami on Wednesday, and goalkeeper Drake Callender made four saves — including one on a penalty kick late in the second half. “We still have more goals to go after in the playoffs,” Callender said. True, what was awarded Wednesday is not the prize Inter Miami wants most — the MLS Cup is still the biggie — but the shield represents the biggest step yet for the franchise that sputtered through the majority of its first three seasons, then saw everything change on June 7, 2023 when Messi stunned many in the soccer world by saying he was coming to South Florida to continue his career. Messi's arrival, which was quickly followed by Busquets and Alba joining Inter Miami, helped the team win the Leagues Cup last year for its first trophy. And when Suarez made his long-rumored move to the club official by signing a one-year deal back in December, Inter Miami's spot as the MLS Cup favorite was further solidified. So far, so good. “The idea was clear from the beginning: to be protagonists, to want to control possession, and to challenge opponents through our style of play,” Messi said. “Then key players arrived, which made the team grow even more in terms of gameplay, personality and competitiveness.” At 20-4-8, Inter Miami has 68 points with two matches left in the MLS season. In terms of playoff seed, those matches are meaningless. In terms of league history, they are not. With two wins — Saturday at Toronto and then Oct. 19 against New England — Inter Miami could finish with 74 points. That would break New England's record of 73, set in 2021. It's unclear how much Messi will play in either of those two remaining matches. Messi is expected to play for Argentina in World Cup qualifying matches on Oct. 10 (at Venezuela) and Oct. 15 (in Argentina against Bolivia). Then having to fly back to the U.S. and play again on Oct. 19, even if the points record is at stake, might seem a bit much to ask a week before the MLS postseason starts. “I believe surpassing the points record is secondary,” Messi said. “While we have a nice opportunity to make history in that regard as well, I think it matters less.”

A court has authorized the removal of the remains of soccer legend Diego Maradona from a private cemetery so they can be placed at a public mausoleum that is under construction in Buenos Aires. The court in San Isidro, outside the Argentinian capital, issued the ruling Tuesday at the request of Maradona's children. The 1986 World Cup winner died in 2020 at age 60. “We always knew that his place was with people, but we also understood that all the security guarantees were a priority,” Dalma Maradona, one of the daughters of the Argentine great, said on her social media channels. “What we want is for those who love him to be able to go and show him their love, leave him some daisies.” Maradona's body was buried at the Jardín de Bella Vista cemetery, about 50 kilometers (31 miles) northwest of Buenos Aires. The court granted the rights of removal to Maradona's five children due to “humanitarian and emotional reasons.” It also added that his family should decide when to make the change. The mausoleum project is named “M10 Memorial” and was introduced in 2023 in a ceremony attended by most of Maradona's children. A pantheon is being built in the upscale neighborhood of Puerto Madero. Eight people, including doctors and nurses, are set to stand trial for their alleged responsibility in Maradona's death due to a cardiorespiratory arrest.

India’s Mohun Bagan Super Giants has refused to travel to Iran to play Tractor SC in an Asian Champions League Two match scheduled for Wednesday because of the escalating security problems in the country and region. The Kolkata club asked the Asian Football Confederation to reschedule the match, which was due to take place in the northwestern city of Tabriz. The teams play in the continent’s second-tier competition. The organization released a statement on Tuesday that said: “The matter will be referred to the relevant AFC Committees with further updates to be communicated in due course.” In the top-tier Asian Champions League Elite, four-time champion Al-Hilal of Saudi Arabia made it two victories from two with a 5-0 win over Al-Shorta of Iraq. Marcos Leonardo, signed from Benfica as cover for the injured Neymar, opened the scoring after 11 minutes. Aleksandar Mitrovic made it 2-0 four minutes later. Salem Al-Dawsari, Nasser Al-Dawsari and Mohamed Kanno each scored in the second half. Elsewhere, Qatar’s Al-Gharafa of Qatar defeated Al-Ain of the United Arab Emirates 4-2. The 24 teams in the revamped tournament are divided into two groups of 12 — one based in the west and one in the east — with the top eight from each progressing to the round of 16. In the eastern zone, Gwangju FC of South Korea won a second game in its first appearance in Asia with a 1-0 win at Kawasaki Frontale of Japan. Jasir Asani’s first-half penalty was enough. Also from South Korea, three-time champion Pohang Steelers recovered from an opening-round loss to beat Shanghai Port 3-0. City rival Shanghai Shenhua lost by the same scoreline to Johor of Malaysia while Thailand’s Buriram United won 2-1 at Australia’s Central Coast Mariners.

India retained the seven-nation South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) U-17 Championship'2024 title beating Bangladesh by 2-0 goals in the final at the Changlimithang Football Stadium in the Bhutanese capital Thimphu Monday evening. India beat Bangladesh twice in the just concluded  tournament to win their 6th title in the 9th version of the regional junior meet. After a barren first half in the day's final,   Mohammad Kaif put India ahead in the 58th minute by a cool header from goalmouth melee, utilizing a right wing corner kick (1-0). Mohammad Arbash doubled the Indian margin in the last minute of the added time (90+5 minute) by a powerful shot from the edge of the box (2-0). Bangladesh, which came back to the match after trailing by 0-2 goals against Pakistan in the semifinal, today also managed two good chances, but failed to utilize any. Defending champions India booked a seat for the final eliminating Nepal by 4-2 goals in the first semifinal.  India reached the semifinal with an all-win record securing full six points from straight two matches beating Bangladesh by 1-0 goal and outplayed the Maldives by 3-0 goals in the group matches.  Coming from 0-2 goals behind in the semifinal, Bangladesh dramatically booked a seat for the final eliminating Pakistan by 8-7 goals in the sudden death session of the tie breaker.  The match locked in 2-2 goals in the stipulated time that forced the match straight to the tie breaker. Earlier, Bangladesh managed a semifinal berth as Group A runners up securing only one point from both the group matches after playing 1-1 draw with Islanders Maldives and conceding 0-1 goal defeat against India in the injury time. The Bangladesh team will return home Tuesday morning.

World Cup winner Antoine Griezmann took the soccer world by surprise Monday when he announced the end of his international career with France. The 33-year-old Atletico Madrid player has played 137 matches with Les Bleus, scoring 44 goals during a successful 10-year tenure. Griezmann started with France in 2014 in a friendly match against the Netherlands then quickly established himself as a stalwart of the team coached by Didier Deschamps with his versatile talent and influence as both a goalscorer and an assist provider. Only two players, Hugo Lloris and Lilian Thuram, have played more international games with France than Griezmann. “It’s with a heart full of memories that I close this chapter of my life,” Griezmann said in a message posted on Instagram. "Thank you for this wonderful tricolor adventure and see you soon." Griezmann is fourth on France's list of all-time scorers behind Olivier Giroud, Thierry Henry and Kylian Mbappe. He won the 2018 World Cup and the Nations League three years later with his France teammates. “After 10 incredible years, marked by challenges, successes and unforgettable moments, it is time for me to turn a page and make way for the new generation,” he said. “I was lucky enough to experience some incredible moments alongside some exceptional teammates. We have shared victories that will remain forever engraved in our memories.” After a disappointing showing at the European Championship earlier this year, where France lost in the semifinals, Griezmann had lost some of his influence in Deschamps' team. His final appearance in the France kit was in September in a 2-0 win over Belgium in a Nations League match when he came on as a late substitute. Although Griezmann has admitted he struggled at the Euros, he was expected to keep on playing with France until the 2026 World Cup. In his retirement message, Griezmann thanked Deschamps for his support over the last decade despite the coach's decision to make Mbappe France captain ahead of him last year following Lloris' retirement. Griezmann had previously said Deschamps' snub had been difficult to stomach. Griezmann didn't say how long he'll continue with his club career. His contract with Atletico runs until 2026.  

Coming from 0-2 goals behind, Bangladesh reached final of the seven-nation South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Men's U-17 Championship'2024 eliminating Pakistan by 8-7 goals in the sudden death tie breaker at the Changlimithang Stadium in the Bhutanese capital Thimphu Saturday evening. Bangladesh will now play on Monday (Sept 30) at 6 pm against holders India, which eliminated Nepal by 4-2 goals in the first semifinal Saturday afternoon. In the day's 2nd semifinal, Pakistan clearly dominated the first half by 2-0 goals and maintained their supremacy till the 74th minute of the match. Shahab Ahmed put Pakistan ahead in the 32nd minute by a good header (1-0) while Abdul Rehman netted 2nd goal in the 62nd minute from a penalty (2-0). When the match was almost heading for Pakistan victory, Bangladesh brilliantly came back in the match scoring two goals in the last 15 minutes to force the match towards tie breaker. Substitute Mohammad Manik scored both the goals for Bangladesh-- in the 75th minute and injury time of 90+4 minute (2-2) to lead the match towards tie breaker. The match was again locked in 5-5, 6-6 and 7-7 goals in tie breaker, but Bangladesh custodian saved the 8th attempt of Pakistan to win the match. Bangladesh managed a semifinal berth as Group A runners up securing only one point from both the group matches playing 1-1 draw with Islanders Maldives after conceding 0-1 goal defeat against India in the injury time. Pakistan reached semi final as unbeaten group B champions securing seven points from three matches. Defending champions India reached the semifinal with an all-win record securing full six points and also carried Bangladesh to the semifinal at the cost of the Maldives.

Argentina's soccer association (AFA) said on Friday that FIFA suspended goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez for two matches of South American World Cup qualifying in October. The decision rules out the 32-year-old from official games in the round-robin competition against Venezuela and Bolivia on Oct. 10 and 15. AFA said in a statement that FIFA's disciplinary commission sanctioned Martínez due to incidents in two World Cup qualifying matches against Chile and Colombia earlier this month. The soccer body did not describe which incidents led to the punishment. Martínez made an obscene gesture after his team's 3-0 win against Chile by holding the Copa America trophy close to his genitals, as he did after the South American team lifted the World Cup title in Qatar in the end of 2022. Later, he slapped a local cameraman after Argentina's 2-1 defeat against Colombia in Barranquilla. Argentina's soccer body said it “absolutely disagrees” with FIFA's decision. Argentina leads South American World Cup qualifying with 18 points after eight games, followed by Colombia (16) and Uruguay (15).