United News of Bangladesh

Lionel Messi scored twice, his first goals since the World Cup, as Inter Miami came from behind to beat Atlético San Luis 4-2 in a rain-hit Leagues Cup match on Wednesday night. The match at Nu Stadium was delayed for 30 minutes in the second half because of lightning in the area. Messi scored in the 11th and 44th minutes to take his Leagues Cup tally to 14 goals in 12 matches, moving one ahead of Los Angeles FC’s Denis Bouanga as the tournament’s all-time leading scorer. Telasco Segovia and defender Micael also scored for Inter Miami, while Noah Allen provided three assists as Miami extended its unbeaten run to eight matches. Messi returned to Miami’s starting lineup for his second appearance since the World Cup. He played 37 minutes as a substitute in Saturday’s 2-2 draw against Columbus Crew after missing the scoresheet. It did not take Messi long to make an impact against San Luis. David Rodríguez put San Luis ahead with a header four minutes into the match, but Messi equalized in the 11th minute with a long cross from Allen that went past goalkeeper Andrés Sánchez. Messi then scored from close range late in the first half. He also assisted Micael’s stoppage-time header. Rafa Llorente scored San Luis’ other goal. Messi led Inter Miami to the Leagues Cup title in 2023 shortly after joining the club. Miami reached the final again last year but lost 3-0 to Seattle in a match that ended with a brawl involving Luis Suárez. Suárez was suspended for six matches by the tournament after the incident and was unavailable for Wednesday’s match. He will also miss this year’s Leagues Cup. The veteran forward had scored seven goals in his previous four matches.

Mexico and the United States will renew their rivalry with a friendly in October, the Mexican Football Federation (FMF) said on Tuesday. The matches form part of the next FIFA international window in which Mexico will also face Colombia, Peru and Chile. "The national team will face the United States in Glendale, Arizona, on Saturday, October 3, in another edition of the so-called Concacaf Classic," the FMF said in a statement. The FMF announced last week that Mexico would meet Colombia in Baltimore on September 26, Peru in New York on September 29 and Chile in Los Angeles on October 6. The fixtures mark the first games in charge of Rafael Marquez, who replaced Javier Aguirre as Mexico's manager in July following the FIFA World Cup.

FIFA executive Arsène Wenger has backed the decision to abandon a controversial plan to sell stakes in future World Cup profits to private investors, saying dropping the proposal was “absolutely necessary.” The former Arsenal manager's comments came after UEFA's lawyers sent a letter to FIFA President Gianni Infantino threatening legal action. The letter named Wenger and 17 other FIFA executives whose communications and data should be preserved as potential evidence. Wenger, FIFA's Chief of Global Football Development, said he had no role in developing the plan and learned about it from media reports. “I was not involved in this strategic plan and first became aware of the project through media reports,” Wenger said. The French football great, who was hired by Infantino in 2019, did not mention the FIFA president by name in his statement. He said withdrawing the plan was essential because he believed FIFA should remain independent and operate with transparency and integrity. “The decision to withdraw the project was absolutely necessary and beyond question, because I firmly believe in an independent FIFA that serves our game with commitment, transparency, and integrity,” Wenger said. Infantino withdrew the proposed $20 billion investment plan early Saturday following strong opposition from football officials around the world. UEFA had warned that European football could boycott FIFA matches and events if the plan went ahead.

Abdullah Shafique scored his sixth Test century and shared an unbeaten 168-run third-wicket partnership with Babar Azam as Pakistan took control on Day 2 of the second Test against the West Indies. The West Indies were bowled out for 344 in their first innings shortly after resuming Monday at 239-5. Pakistan then made a strong start to its reply, reaching 266-2 at stumps. Shafique was unbeaten on 107 and captain Babar was 86 not out as Pakistan enjoyed its best day of the two-Test series. The West Indies won the first Test by 90 runs. Batting was difficult on the opening day as the pitch offered assistance to the slow bowlers. Conditions improved considerably Monday, allowing Pakistan to score freely and move within 78 runs of the West Indies total. Azan Awais scored his maiden Test half-century, making 55 with nine boundaries. He put on 34 for the first wicket with Imam-ul-Haq, who scored 14, before adding 64 for the second wicket with Shafique. Awais was trapped lbw by Jomel Warrican after missing an attempted sweep. The umpire initially rejected the appeal, but West Indies captain Roston Chase reviewed the decision. The television umpire ruled that the ball was turning enough to hit the leg stump. Babar joined Shafique and immediately adopted an aggressive approach as the pair added 100 runs from 139 balls. Shafique reached his half-century first with four fours and two sixes, while Babar soon followed with his 33rd Test half-century, including eight fours. Shafique then completed his century from 173 balls, his first Test hundred in almost two years. His previous century came against England in October 2024. He missed the first Test against the West Indies and returned to the side after last playing against South Africa in October. Pakistan will be keen to avoid another second-innings collapse later in the match. In the first Test, Pakistan scored 282 in its opening innings before being dismissed for just 120 in the second. Earlier, Justin Greaves top-scored for the West Indies with 73, while Chase made a determined 70 to help the hosts reach a competitive total. Off-spinner Sajid Khan took 4-85, while left-arm spinner Ali Usman, playing only his second Test, Mohammad Ali and Ubaid Shah took two wickets each.

The Prime Minister's Gold Cup, a nationwide football tournament for educational institutions, is set to bring together students from around 50,000 schools, colleges, madrasahs and technical and vocational institutions across Bangladesh. According to the preliminary plan, the tournament is scheduled to begin by September 10 and conclude by October 30, with the detailed fixture to be announced later. Participation will be mandatory for boys and optional for girls. Students from Class VI to Class XII enrolled in schools, colleges, madrasahs, and technical and vocational institutions will be eligible to take part, Prime Minister's Office (PMO) Spokesperson Mahdi Amin said at a press briefing at the Secretariat on Monday. The briefing followed a meeting of the steering committee formed to oversee the tournament's organisation. The meeting, held at the Secretariat, was chaired by Education Minister Dr ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon. Mahdi, also Prime Minister's adviser on education, briefed reporters on various aspects of the tournament after the meeting. He said the government will provide all necessary support to ensure the successful holding of the tournament. Mahdi said the initiative aims to create a festive atmosphere across the country while promoting students' creativity, leadership qualities and overall development through sports. "The Prime Minister always envisions an education system where students can fully demonstrate their talent, creativity and intellectual potential." He said to achieve that goal, the education, youth and sports, and cultural affairs ministries will jointly organise year-round programmes and competitions nationwide. The PMO spokesperson said the competition is intended to ensure equal opportunities for students regardless of whether they study in urban or rural areas. "We want every educational institution in Bangladesh to have the opportunity to participate. We believe the tournament will help nurture leadership, talent and creativity among students," he said. The Cabinet Secretary will hold a meeting with divisional commissioners and deputy commissioners on Tuesday to coordinate preparations through the local administration, Mahdi said. The chairman of the Inter-Education Board Coordination Committee will also visit education boards across the country to discuss implementation with local education officials and institution authorities, while the Ministry of Education will ensure necessary coordination, he added. The PMO spokesperson said the tournament will follow the format of the Primary School Gold Cup Football Tournament, which previously involved around 22 lakh students. Matches will begin at the upazila level, followed by district, divisional and national rounds, with the final to be held at the national level. Mahdi expressed hope that the Prime Minister will attend both the opening and closing ceremonies, saying the tournament is being organised under his direct patronage. "That is why it has been named the Prime Minister's Gold Cup Football Tournament," he said. He also urged media organisations to highlight the achievements of participating students, saying proper recognition and encouragement will inspire them and contribute to their future success. The PMO spokesperson said the government is committed to creating "a three-dimensional revolution" in education by integrating sports, culture and academic activities through well-planned policies and coordinated implementation. He said several ministries, including the Ministries of Disaster Management and Relief, Textiles and Jute, Youth and Sports, Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives, and Information and Broadcasting, will work together to ensure the successful organisation of the nationwide event. Education Minister Milon, Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapon, Disaster Management and Relief Minister Asadul Habib Dulu, State Minister for LGRD and Co-operatives Mir Shahe Alam, State Minister for Textiles and Jute Shariful Alam and State Minister for Youth and Sports Md Aminul Haque, among others, were present at the press conference.

Vozinha, the 40-year-old goalkeeper who made history with Cape Verde at the recently concluded World Cup, arrived in Chile on Sunday to join Colo Colo after a series of twists and turns that put his move in doubt. “I’m very happy to be here. And I want to thank the fans for the patience they’ve shown while waiting for me,” the Cape Verde star told reporters in Chile. “See you at the Monumental Stadium.” That is Colo Colo’s home ground in Santiago. Colo Colo, Chile’s most successful soccer club, announced the signing of Josimar Évora Dias, better known as Vozinha, on July 24. However, a series of setbacks — including documentation issues and personal matters — delayed his arrival on three separate occasions, causing concern both within and outside the club. At last, he arrived at Santiago’s airport at 8:35 p.m. local time and was welcomed by a huge crowd of supporters who gathered at the terminal with flags, banners, drums, and chants. Vozinha became the oldest player to appear in a national team's debut game at the World Cup and was widely celebrated for keeping eventual champion Span scoreless. Colo Colo supporters share one dream: that Vozinha will help the runaway leaders of the Chilean league win the championship and enhance its continental ambitions for next season. “I’m excited. And if Colo Colo wins the title, next year comes the Copa Libertadores, which makes everything even more exciting for all of Chile and South America,” Marcos Antonio Barrera, a 32-year-old club supporter, told The Associated Press. The World Cup’s breakout goalkeeper is scheduled to undergo medical examinations on Monday before officially signing his contract with Colo Colo. The initial deal will run for six months, with an option to extend it for another 12. Colo Colo said Vozinha is expected to join training on Tuesday. The club also plans to officially present its marquee signing for the remainder of the season that same day. The veteran goalkeeper will be allowed to wear the nickname that brought him worldwide fame on his jersey after the Chilean Football Federation unanimously decided on Friday to amend its regulations and allow him to be identified as Vozinha — “grandma” in Portuguese. The change was necessary because, under Chilean league rules, players are required to use only their surnames on the back of their jerseys. Vozinha arrives in Chile after ending his spell with Chaves in Portugal’s second division. He became one of the standout figures of the World Cup thanks to a string of spectacular saves against powerhouses Spain, Uruguay, and Lionel Messi’s Argentina, which ultimately eliminated Cape Verde in the Round of 32. His performances brought him meteoric fame not only on the field. Before the World Cup, he had fewer than 50,000 followers on Instagram; he now has more than 29.5 million. “The Colo Colo family and all of Chile are eagerly waiting,” fan Sebastián Paredes said. “Now he has to earn his place at Colo Colo through talent, dedication, hard work, commitment, and by winning over the fans. Hopefully, he’ll be a great signing and help put Chile on the map.”  

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said Sunday that FIFA President Gianni Infantino was not the right man to lead world soccer’s governing body in the latest fallout from the now abandoned plan to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors. “I do not believe that he is the right man to lead football forward on the world stage," Burnham said. “The plan that was put forward was offensive to many people, football people, around the world, and it can’t be the case that we just move on and forget that, it wasn’t acceptable." On Saturday, European soccer's governing body UEFA said it had lost confidence in FIFA’s leadership — possibly paving the way for a challenge to Infantino’s presidency. The governing body for North and Central American and Caribbean soccer (CONCACAF) said FIFA leadership had “stopped putting football first.” Infantino was forced into a backdown over his controversial plans to sell World Cup profits through a commercial subsidiary that would run its top competitions. Infantino’s plans fell apart after UEFA’s 55-member nations agreed Thursday to boycott the World Cup and all other FIFA competitions. CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation also said they opposed the plan. Despite Infantino's climbdown, UEFA said it would work with other confederations to "devise a plan to make sure that it cannot occur again.” “No option should be off the table,” it said. While Infantino has received pockets of public support from associations including 2022 World Cup host Qatar, Burnham's words were further evidence of the anger generated by his plans. The next FIFA presidential election is in March in Rabat, Morocco. The deadline for candidates to enter the presidential contest is Nov. 18, exactly four months ahead of the vote.

UEFA has declared it has no confidence in FIFA President Gianni Infantino after he abandoned a controversial plan to sell a stake in World Cup profits to private investors, deepening a leadership crisis in world football. The proposal sought to place FIFA’s commercial operations, including the men’s and women’s World Cups, into a $20 billion company with 20% owned by private investors. The plan collapsed on Saturday following strong opposition from UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), CONCACAF and an internal revolt within FIFA. Infantino drops World Cup investment plan after strong backlash from football leaders Aleksander Čeferin, UEFA President, said the current FIFA leadership had lost the confidence of Europe and many others in global football, insisting those responsible for the proposal must be held accountable. CONCACAF also demanded a full review of FIFA’s leadership, calling the initiative another example of poor governance. The backlash intensified after FIFA senior adviser Carlos Cordeiro resigned and chief operating officer Kevin Lamour criticized the proposal as the project of "one person." Infantino has previously withdrawn controversial plans, including a $25 billion SoftBank-backed competition in 2018 and a biennial World Cup proposal in 2021. Despite being re-elected unopposed in 2019 and 2023, Infantino now faces mounting pressure ahead of FIFA's next presidential election. Candidate nominations close on Nov. 18, with the vote scheduled for March in Rabat, Morocco. Qatar’s Football Association backed Infantino’s decision to withdraw the proposal, saying unity should take priority.

Kazi Salahuddin has been re-elected president of the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) without a contest, keeping his grip on the region’s football administration despite leaving the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) last year. The election was held at SAFF’s congress in Thimphu, Bhutan, on Saturday. Salahuddin was the only candidate after receiving nominations from the football associations of Nepal and Bhutan. Salahuddin, a former Bangladesh national team player, had served as BFF president for 16 years before stepping down after the political change in 2024. But he has remained SAFF president since first taking the post in 2009, extending his tenure at the regional body to 17 years. His path to another term was cleared after SAFF amended its constitution, removing the 70-year age limit and the rule restricting presidents to two terms. The current BFF leadership did not back his candidacy, but Salahuddin moved ahead with support from Nepal and Bhutan. BFF vice-president Sabbir Ahmed Aref was also named a SAFF executive committee member at the congress.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has abandoned his controversial plan to bring private investors into the commercial side of the World Cup after facing strong opposition from football governing bodies, senior FIFA officials and national associations. Infantino announced on Friday that he was withdrawing the proposal, saying it had created divisions that were no longer in the best interests of world football. "After listening carefully to all views, it has become clear that the project has created divisions that outweigh its intended benefits," he said in a statement. The decision came less than two weeks after Infantino celebrated what FIFA described as the successful conclusion of its expanded World Cup, which generated record revenue and strengthened his position ahead of next year's FIFA presidential election. What was the proposal? The plan would have created a new FIFA subsidiary, called FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), to manage the organisation's commercial business, including World Cup broadcasting rights, sponsorship, ticket sales and hospitality. FIFA planned to raise about $4.2 billion by selling around a 20 percent stake in the new company. The lead investor was expected to be Thrive Eternal, an investment firm launched by Joshua Kushner, whose brother Jared Kushner is US President Donald Trump's son-in-law. Under the proposal, each of FIFA's 211 member associations would have received $20 million from the investment, double the current amount they are due over the next four years. FIFA also projected higher payments in future World Cup cycles. Why did it face opposition? The proposal drew criticism from several FIFA vice presidents, senior FIFA executives, UEFA, football bodies in Asia and North America, national leagues and political leaders. Many feared that private investors would push for larger tournaments and more matches to increase profits, putting further pressure on an already crowded international football calendar. Critics also said Infantino developed the proposal without properly consulting football stakeholders. UEFA took the strongest position, warning that European football associations could boycott FIFA competitions unless the plan was withdrawn. Europe's teams regularly dominate FIFA tournaments, making UEFA's opposition particularly significant. Support remained limited Infantino's traditional supporters in Africa largely stayed neutral, while South American football body CONMEBOL said it would carefully review the proposal before taking a position. Many smaller football associations stood to benefit financially from the increased funding, while wealthier football nations showed less interest in the offer. Questions over Infantino's future Although Infantino has now dropped the proposal, questions remain about whether he can fully restore confidence before FIFA's presidential election next March. The controversy also led to the resignation of senior adviser Carlos Cordeiro, who criticised the investment plan, while FIFA Chief Operating Officer Kevin Lamour publicly defended colleagues involved in the dispute. Infantino was re-elected unopposed in 2019 and 2023 and is eligible to seek one final four-year term. Potential challengers mentioned by football observers include Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaïfi and FIFA vice president Victor Montagliani, although no official candidates have announced plans to run. The failed investment proposal has become one of the biggest challenges to Infantino's leadership since he became FIFA president in 2016.