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FIFA President Gianni Infantino on Sunday announced the launch of a new regional football competition for Southeast Asia during the ASEAN summit in Malaysia. The region currently hosts the biennial ASEAN Championship, with Vietnam crowned champions in January. However, Infantino said the newly proposed tournament will be scheduled in FIFA’s international match window, ensuring participation of national team players based in leagues around the world. “With the FIFA ASEAN Cup, we are bringing nations closer, and this tournament will be a major success,” Infantino said. “It will strengthen national team football in the ASEAN region and contribute to the wider growth of the sport across Southeast Asia.” His announcement came just hours after East Timor officially became the 11th member of ASEAN. Over 1 million tickets sold for 2026 World Cup in North America: FIFA “The number 11 has special meaning in football since each team fields 11 players,” Infantino noted. Among ASEAN nations, Indonesia was the only side to progress beyond the third round of Asian qualifying for the 2026 World Cup. Organizers expect the new Southeast Asian competition to mirror the structure of the Arab Cup. FIFA said it will hold discussions with stakeholders, including the Asian Football Confederation, before finalizing the format and schedule. Source: AP 

Real Madrid snapped a run of four consecutive defeats to Barcelona by securing a tense 2-1 victory in the season’s first clasico on Sunday, extending their lead over the Catalans in La Liga. Kylian Mbappé and Jude Bellingham struck in the first half at the Santiago Bernabeu, lifting Madrid five points clear of Barcelona after 10 rounds. The match ended with heated scenes, as players and substitutes clashed following a red card to Pedri in stoppage time. Barcelona youngster Lamine Yamal and Madrid forward Vinícius Júnior were among those involved in the confrontation, both during and after the match. Yamal’s pre-game remarks had already drawn attention from Madrid supporters, and Vinícius repeatedly gestured that the teenager was talking too much. “It’s just the tension of a tight game,” Madrid coach Xabi Alonso said. “This is a clasico. Things happen. We don’t need to exaggerate.” Bellingham posted “Talk is cheap” on Instagram, pointing to the significance of the win and praising the team’s performance. The England midfielder also dedicated the result to supporters, noting Madrid’s previous struggles in big fixtures. Mbappé on target VAR played a major role early on. A second-minute penalty for Madrid and a long-range Mbappé strike minutes later were both overturned after video review. But Mbappé broke through in the 22nd, slotting home from Bellingham’s assist. Barcelona hit back through Fermín López in the 38th after Marcus Rashford capitalized on a Madrid turnover. Bellingham restored the advantage in the 43rd, tapping in from close range after Éder Militão kept a Vinícius cross alive. Wojciech Szczesny denied Mbappé from the spot early in the second half, but Madrid held firm to secure their 12th win in 13 matches across all competitions. The only blemish remains September’s 5-2 loss at Atletico Madrid. Meanwhile, Barcelona — hampered by injuries to key attackers including Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha and Dani Olmo — suffered their third defeat of the campaign. It was in stark contrast to last season, when they dominated all four clasico meetings. Real Madrid outclass toothless Barcelona to win season’s first El Clasico Yamal, in just his third match back from injury, found limited space against Madrid fullback Álvaro Carreras throughout the evening. Reserve goalkeeper Andriy Lunin was sent off after the final whistle, while Vinícius, furious when substituted in the 72nd minute, was booked amid the escalation. “We will address those emotions internally,” Alonso added. “Right now we celebrate a big win.” VAR drama from the start The referee reversed his early penalty call after deciding Vinícius had kicked Yamal’s leg himself. A later offside review also denied Mbappé. Pedri’s dismissal for a late challenge on Aurélien Tchouaméni in stoppage time capped the game’s fiery finish. Around La Liga Elsewhere on Sunday, Mallorca drew 1-1 with Levante, Celta Vigo earned a 3-2 win at Osasuna thanks to Pablo Duran’s late strike, and Alemão sealed Rayo Vallecano’s 1-0 victory over Alaves in stoppage time. Source: AP 

Barcelona entered the first El Clasico of the season having beaten their arch-rivals in all four meetings last season, but they fell apart at the Santiago Bernabéu on Saturday, suffering a 2-1 defeat against a fired-up Real Madrid side. From the opening whistle, Real Madrid’s hunger for victory was evident. Xabi Alonso’s men played with high intensity and purpose, while Hansi Flick’s Barcelona lacked the drive and sharpness needed to challenge Madrid on their home turf. In truth, the visitors were fortunate to avoid a heavier defeat. Barcelona were also missing the guidance of their head coach, as Hansi Flick served a one-match suspension following a red card in their previous game. Their woes were compounded by injuries to key players including Raphinha, Robert Lewandowski, Dani Olmo, Gavi, Andreas Christensen, and goalkeeper Joan García. Madrid began the match on the front foot, pressing aggressively and creating early danger. They earned a penalty inside the opening five minutes, but it was denied after a VAR review. Moments later, Kylian Mbappé found the net with a stunning long-range strike in the 12th minute, but VAR again ruled the effort out for offside. Bayern break record, extend perfect run against 10-man Gladbach Despite the early setbacks, Real Madrid continued to dominate a disjointed Barcelona side. Their persistence paid off in the 22nd minute when Jude Bellingham split the defense with a precise through ball, allowing Mbappé to fire home a legitimate opener. Barcelona found a response in the 38th minute through Fermin, who capitalized on a superb build-up led by Marcus Rashford. However, Madrid restored their lead just five minutes later. Vinícius Jr. drove down the left flank and delivered a pinpoint cross, which Bellingham guided into the net from a clever pass by Éder Militão. Los Blancos went into halftime with a 2-1 advantage, and it could easily have been more. Barcelona struggled to cope with Madrid’s pressing. Barca’s young winger Lamine Yamal managed to touch the ball just once inside the opposition box during the first half. Early in the second half, Real Madrid were awarded another penalty after Eric García handled the ball with hand inside the box while attempting to block Bellingham. However, Wojciech Szczęsny denied Mbappé’s spot kick, keeping Barcelona in the competition. Sunderland stun Chelsea with stoppage time winner to go second in EPL Madrid thought they had extended their lead in the 68th minute when Bellingham finished off a swift counterattack, but the goal was ruled out for offside. Barcelona improved after the break, showing more energy and control in possession. Despite dominating the ball for long spells, they lacked pace and precision in the final third, failing to break through Madrid’s disciplined defense. So, Bellingham’s second goal remained the difference as Real Madrid fans left the stadium with a wide smile. With the win, Real Madrid moved five points clear at the top of the La Liga table, leading with 27 points from 10 matches. Barcelona remain second with 22 points.  

Manchester United finally appear to be heading in the right direction as they secured a third consecutive Premier League win, outclassing Brighton & Hove Albion 4-2 at Old Trafford on Saturday. Ruben Amorim’s side provisionally climbed into the top four with 16 points from nine matches. This is the first time since the 2022–23 season that United have moved up to fourth place in the league table. The Red Devils went into halftime with a two-goal cushion, courtesy of two Brazilians, Matheus Cunha and Casemiro, who scored in the 24th and 34th minutes respectively. After the break, Bryan Mbeumo appeared to have ensured victory for the hosts, but substitute Charalampos Kostoulas revived Brighton’s hopes with a goal in the second minute of stoppage time after Danny Welbeck had pulled one back in the 74th minute. However, just four minutes later, Mbeumo struck again to complete his brace and seal the win for United. The victory extended Amorim’s best run of league results since taking charge last November. It was also the first time United had recorded three successive Premier League wins since February 2024. The result ended Brighton’s winning streak at Old Trafford, which had stretched back three seasons. While it may still be too early to say Amorim has completely turned things around after a difficult start, including United’s worst-ever Premier League campaign last season, recent performances suggest the team is gaining momentum. Following last week’s morale-boosting victory at Liverpool, the signs are clearly positive. “The result was very important, three wins in a row, great for the confidence of the team. We played a great game. We’re a bit disappointed to concede two goals, but the most important thing is the win, and we did it. It feels so good, the atmosphere is crazy here, the fans are unbelievable. It’s always good to score goals, but especially here,” said United’s two-goal hero Bryan Mbeumo in a post-match interview with Sky Sports.

Bayern Munich continued their relentless form in the Bundesliga, defeating ten-man Borussia Mönchengladbach 3-0 on Saturday to set a new league record for most goals scored in the opening eight matches of a season. The reigning champions have now won all eight of their Bundesliga fixtures, scoring 30 goals in the process — the highest tally ever recorded at this stage. With 24 points, Bayern remain firmly at the top of the table, five points clear of second-placed RB Leipzig. Gladbach’s woes deepened early when midfielder Jens Castrop was shown a straight red card in the 19th minute for a reckless challenge on Luis Díaz. Despite their numerical advantage, Bayern found it difficult to break down the hosts’ defense in the first half and went into the interval goalless. After the restart, the visitors increased their intensity. Michael Olise missed two clear chances around the 50th minute, and Harry Kane briefly thought he had given Bayern the lead before his effort was ruled offside. The breakthrough finally came in the 64th minute when Joshua Kimmich calmly finished from the edge of the box to put Bayern ahead. Five minutes later, Raphaël Guerreiro doubled the lead, timing his run perfectly to meet a through ball from Olise and slotting home with composure. Seventeen-year-old midfielder Lennart Karl added a third in the 80th minute with his first senior goal, sealing another dominant victory for the Bavarians. The result extended Bayern’s perfect record across all competitions this season. Germany’s most successful club have now played 13 matches in total — and won every single one of them.

Sunderland continued to impress on their return to the English Premier League after an eight-year absence, defeating Chelsea 2-1 at Stamford Bridge thanks to substitute Chemsdine Talbi’s curling strike deep into stoppage time. With this win, Sunderland climbed to second place in the points table with 17 points from nine matches, just two points behind leaders Arsenal. The Gunners, however, can extend the gap as they are set to play their ninth-round fixture against Crystal Palace on Sunday. Chelsea took the lead in the fourth minute through Alejandro Garnacho, but Wilson Isidor equalized in the 22nd before Talbi’s dramatic winner in the third minute of second-half stoppage time sealed the victory for the visitors. “We know we are Sunderland. We have a great team with great players. We knew we could do the job, and we showed it today,” Talbi said in a post-match interview. “We knew against Chelsea we would have a chance to score, and when Brian got the ball, I knew I had to follow. Then I had a good finish,” he added. Chelsea, who could have moved up to second with a win, slipped to seventh, behind their London rivals Tottenham.

Barcelona returned to winning ways with a commanding 6–1 victory over Olympiacos, but their celebration was marred by a controversial red-card decision that drew frustration from players and fans alike. Fermín López led the Catalans with a hat-trick, Marcus Rashford added a brace, and teenager Lamine Yamal converted a penalty in the emphatic win. Missing key players including Raphinha, Robert Lewandowski, Dani Olmo, Gavi and goalkeeper Joan García, Hansi Flick handed a rare start to young striker Dro Fernández. The new-look Barça attack pressed high from the begining and grabbed an early lead through a combination of Yamal’s sharp run and Fermín’s precise finish. In the sixth minute, Yamal sliced through the Olympiacos defence from the right flank and sent a low ball into the box, where Fermín fired home through a crowded defence. Rashford nearly doubled the lead with a free kick from just outside the box in the 11th minute, missing by inches.

Kylian Mbappe’s second-half strike secured Real Madrid a hard-fought 1–0 victory over nine-man Getafe on Sunday night, restoring Los Blancos to the top of La Liga after a dramatic clash at the Coliseum. The match turned chaotic in the final quarter-hour when Getafe saw two players sent off within seven minutes. Substitute Allan Nyom was dismissed less than a minute after coming on for elbowing Vinicius Junior. Shortly after, Mbappe broke the deadlock, finishing clinically through the goalkeeper’s gloves after racing onto a precise through ball from Arda Güler. Getafe’s woes deepened in the 84th minute when Álex Sáncris picked up a second yellow card and was also sent off. Real Madrid were far from their fluent best in the first half, struggling to convert possession into clear chances. They grew stronger after halftime, ultimately producing 23 attempts on goal — 10 on target — while limiting Getafe to just one shot on goal. Mbappe had several early opportunities, including an angled strike in the 8th minute and a long-range shot moments later, both denied by the Getafe keeper. David Alaba also came close with a curling free-kick just before halftime. Manchester United stun Liverpool at Anfield Manager Xabi Alonso’s introduction of Vinicius Junior in the second half added energy to the attack, and the breakthrough finally arrived after Nyom’s reckless foul left Getafe a man short. Despite being reduced to nine men, the hosts nearly stole a late equalizer when Abou Kamara found space in stoppage time, but Thibaut Courtois came off his line to make a crucial save and preserve Madrid’s lead. With eight wins from nine matches, Real Madrid climbed back to the top of the table with 24 points, two ahead of Barcelona, who sit on 22. The two giants will face off next Sunday at the Santiago Bernabéu in the season’s first El Clásico — a match that could prove pivotal in the title race.

Struggling Manchester United surprised Premier League fans with a spectacular 2-1 win away from home over reigning champions Liverpool at Anfield. Harry Maguire’s late header secured United’s first victory at the ground in almost a decade. It was also the first time United have won back-to-back league games under Ruben Amorim. The last time they triumphed at Anfield was in January 2016. Liverpool, meanwhile, have now lost four games in a row in all competitions for the first time since November 2014. United took just 62 seconds to go ahead in the game — the quickest Premier League goal at Anfield between these two sides — when Amad Diallo’s diagonal pass found Bryan Mbeumo, who beat Liverpool’s goalkeeper to give his side an early lead. Arne Slot’s men piled pressure on the visitors after conceding but were unable to find an equaliser before the break. They kept up the intensity after the restart, and Cody Gakpo brought Liverpool level in the 78th minute with a close-range tap-in. However, United were in no mood to settle for a point. Led by captain Bruno Fernandes, they pushed forward again, and Maguire scored the winning goal just six minutes later. Liverpool were a bit unlucky, creating numerous chances to score, but failing to convert any. Gakpo could have earned a penalty in the 18th minute when his volley struck Diallo’s hand and deflected wide, but referee Michael Oliver decided not to award a spot-kick. Gakpo also hit the crossbar three times, including once in stoppage time when Liverpool came close to equalising again. With this victory, United climbed to ninth place with 13 points from eight matches, while Liverpool missed the chance to close the gap on leaders Arsenal, who top the table with 19 points from the same number of games. The Reds sit fourth with 15 points, having won five of their eight league matches. Liverpool will visit Frankfurt on Wednesday to face Eintracht in the Champions League before returning to league action away at Brentford next Saturday. United’s next game is at home to Brighton on Saturday. Brighton have won their last three games at Old Trafford. So, that will be another test for the Red Devils — one they will be eager to overcome to continue their progress.

Lionel Messi capped a stellar MLS regular season by winning the Golden Boot, scoring a hat trick in Inter Miami’s 5-2 victory over Nashville on Saturday. The Argentine superstar finished with 29 goals, leaving no doubt about his dominant campaign. Inter Miami secured third place in the Eastern Conference and will face sixth-seeded Nashville in a best-of-three opening-round playoff series starting Friday. Decision Day, the league’s final regular-season day, saw simultaneous matches determining playoff seedings. Philadelphia Union had already clinched the East’s top spot and the Supporters’ Shield, earning home-field advantage throughout the playoffs and a place in the 2026 CONCACAF Champions Cup. They will play the winner of Wednesday’s wild-card match between Chicago Fire and Orlando City. Late winner saves Barça, but Flick’s red card a headache before El Clásico In the East, second-seeded Cincinnati meets seventh-seeded Columbus, while fourth-seeded Charlotte faces fifth-seeded NYCFC. In the West, San Diego claimed the top seed with a 4-0 win over Portland and will face the winner of Portland vs. Real Salt Lake. Other matchups: second-seeded Vancouver vs. seventh-seeded Dallas, third-seeded LAFC vs. sixth-seeded Austin, and fourth-seeded Minnesota vs. fifth-seeded Seattle. D.C. United finished last with 26 points, earning the league’s unofficial Wooden Spoon. Source: AP