Sports
Birmingham Appoints Wayne Rooney As Manager
Former Manchester United star Wayne Rooney has taken on the position of the new manager for Birmingham, a Championship club.
Following his departure from Major League Soccer side DC United last week, Rooney has signed a three-and-a-half-year contract to replace John Eustace at St. Andrew’s.
Despite Eustace’s 15-month tenure, during which Birmingham reached sixth place in the Championship this season, he has been relieved of his duties.
Rooney is now entrusted with guiding the team in their pursuit of promotion to the Premier League.
Rooney expressed his excitement, stating, “I am absolutely delighted to be joining Birmingham City at such an exciting time. It is very clear that they have a plan and are committed to realising their ambition for the club.
“We are fully aligned with what is expected. I have been building my managerial career and putting myself in challenging environments to get me ready for this opportunity. It’s a project that gives me a sense of purpose, and I can’t wait to get started.”
He added “We have some exciting young players in the squad, and some who are still to break through into the first team, alongside a core of experienced senior professionals.
“I have a clear way that I want the team to play, and my coaching staff and I will work hard to implement it. We will create a winning culture here with an identity that gets Blues fans on their feet.”
Rooney will be accompanied by former England teammate Ashley Cole, currently the England Under-21s assistant coach, and John O’Shea, the assistant coach of the Republic of Ireland, on the Birmingham backroom staff.
Making the move to St. Andrew’s along with Rooney are Carl Robinson and Pete Shuttleworth, both of whom previously collaborated with him at DC United.
Birmingham co-owner Tom Wagner voiced his confidence in Rooney, saying, “Wayne is a born winner. We believe, with the support of his coaching staff, the club, and our supporters, he will take Blues forward on the next stage of our journey.”
Chelsea FC have been slammed with a £10.75 million ($14.27 million) fine and hit with a suspended one-year transfer ban by the Premier League for historical breaches of league rules.
The sanctions, announced on Monday, also include an immediate nine-month academy transfer ban, preventing Chelsea from registering new youth players from other academies during this period.
The Premier League said the penalties stem from information provided by the consortium led by American businessman Todd Boehly following their takeover of the club in 2022 from Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich.
SEE ALSO: Abramovich Clashes with UK Gov’t Over £2.35bn Chelsea Sale Funds
While the one-year transfer ban is suspended and may only be enforced if further violations occur, the fine and academy ban immediately take effect, marking a significant regulatory action against one of England’s top football clubs.
Chelsea are currently competing in domestic competitions while rebuilding their squad under Boehly’s ownership.
The club is yet to release an official statement responding to the sanctions.
Joan Laporta has been re-elected as president of FC Barcelona after securing a commanding victory in the club’s latest presidential election.
Laporta polled over 68 per cent of the votes cast by members, comfortably defeating his main rival, Victor Font, who received close to 30 per cent of the ballots.
The remaining votes were declared void or invalid.
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The victory secures Laporta another five-year term beginning July 1, 2026, marking his second consecutive term and fourth overall as president of the Catalan giants.
Laporta previously led Barcelona between 2003 and 2010, a highly successful period that included the appointment of legendary coach Pep Guardiola, under whom the club enjoyed one of the most dominant eras in its history.
Speaking after his re-election, the 63-year-old expressed confidence about the club’s future, promising more success in the coming years.
“It makes us unstoppable. No one will stop us. Exciting years lie ahead,” Laporta said.
He also reaffirmed his commitment to strengthening the squad and completing the ongoing redevelopment of the iconic Camp Nou stadium.
The election recorded a turnout of about 42.34 per cent, with nearly 48,500 club members participating in the voting process.
Despite financial challenges in recent seasons, Barcelona have enjoyed a strong campaign this year, already securing a domestic treble and currently sitting four points ahead of rivals Real Madrid in the La Liga title race.
The Spanish side are also preparing for the round-of-16 second leg of the UEFA Champions League against Newcastle United after a 1-1 draw in the first leg.
African club football is set for a financial shake-up as the Confederation of African Football (CAF) announces a substantial increase in prize money for its top club competitions this season.
According to a CAF statement released on Monday, winners of the 2025/26 CAF Champions League will now take home $6 million (≈€5.18 million), up from $4 million last season. Meanwhile, the CAF Confederation Cup champions — Africa’s second-tier club competition — will earn $4 million, marking a 50% increase from last year.
SEE MORE: CAF Switches Afcon to Hold Every Four Years From 2028
Prize money for runners-up remains unchanged, with Champions League finalists receiving $2 million and Confederation Cup finalists $1 million.
The move has been welcomed by clubs, which have long complained that competing in African competitions often results in financial losses.
High travel costs, particularly airfares, have been a major challenge, with many clubs forced to take longer, costlier routes through Europe or the Middle East due to limited direct flights between African countries.
Since Patrice Motsepe, the South African businessman and CAF president, took office in 2021, prize money for African club competitions has steadily increased.
Motsepe, now in his second four-year term, has been championing financial sustainability and growth for African club football.
CAF’s quarter-final first-leg matches kick off this weekend, starting in Pretoria, South Africa, where Mamelodi Sundowns host Stade Malien of Mali in the Champions League.
Football fans across the continent are eagerly anticipating a weekend full of high-stakes action.
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