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Lionel Messi has said Neymar remains among football’s elite and expressed hope that the Brazil forward will recover in time for next month’s FIFA World Cup. Neymar, Brazil’s all-time leading scorer, has been sidelined from international duty since October 2023 after suffering a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament during a World Cup qualifier against Uruguay. His injury troubles have persisted since returning to his boyhood club Santos, restricting him to 12 appearances across all competitions this year, following 28 matches in 2025. What to know about the 2026 Champions League final “We want the best players to be there [at the World Cup], and Neymar, regardless of his form, will always be one of them,” Messi said on the Lo Del Pollo show. “It would be wonderful to see him at the World Cup because of what he represents for Brazil and for football. I hope he can be there, though I can’t be objective - for me, he always has to be there.” Messi and Neymar were teammates at FC Barcelona from 2013 to 2017 and later reunited at Paris Saint-Germain between 2021 and 2023. Messi acknowledged that their close friendship affects his neutrality. “I can’t be objective. Neymar is a friend. Obviously, I would love for him to be at the World Cup and for good things to happen to him because he deserves it as a person. I hope he can make it,” he added. Messi also praised Neymar’s personality, saying: “He has a very special charisma. He doesn’t pretend - he lives his life according to how he feels, without worrying about the consequences. He’s happy and very natural.” The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner noted that Argentina will face a tough challenge defending its 2022 World Cup title, identifying Spain, France and Brazil as leading contenders. “We know the World Cup is always very difficult because of the quality of the teams involved,” the 38-year-old said. “We have to remain hopeful, as Argentines always are in official competitions like the Copa America or the World Cup, but we must also recognise that there are other teams ahead of us who are currently in better form,” he added.

Arsenal have secured a place in the 2026 UEFA Champions League final after defeating Atletico Madrid in their semifinal clash on Tuesday. The Premier League side will face either Paris Saint-Germain or Bayern Munich in the final, scheduled to be held at Puskas Arena in Budapest, Hungary, on May 30. PSG, the defending champions, hold a 5-4 advantage over Bayern following a high-scoring first leg in Paris, with the return match set to take place in Munich on Wednesday. The final will kick off at 1800 CET, earlier than the traditional 2100 CET start time. UEFA said the change aims to improve the overall matchday experience for fans and ease logistical arrangements, including transport. Who is headlining the pre-match show? Rock band The Killers will headline the pre-match entertainment. Previous performers have included Linkin Park and Lenny Kravitz. About the finalists Arsenal will be playing only their second Champions League final, having lost their sole previous appearance in 2006 to Barcelona. They were eliminated in last season’s semifinals by eventual winners PSG. PSG are aiming to win back-to-back titles after lifting their first Champions League trophy last year. Since the competition was rebranded in 1992-93, only Real Madrid have successfully defended the title, winning three consecutive titles between 2016 and 2018. Bayern Munich, six-time European champions, last won the competition in 2020. A victory this season would see them equal AC Milan’s tally of seven titles, making them joint second in the all-time list behind Real Madrid, who have won the trophy 15 times. The 67,000-capacity Puskas Arena, opened in 2019, was built on the site of the former Ferenc Puskas Stadium, named after Hungarian football legend Ferenc Puskas. Recent winners Recent Champions League winners include PSG (2025), Real Madrid (2024 and 2022), Manchester City (2023) and Chelsea (2021). Most Successful Clubs in Champions League/European Cup History Real Madrid hold the record with 15 titles. AC Milan follow with seven trophies. Bayern Munich and Liverpool have each won six titles, while Barcelona have secured five. Ajax have four titles, and Manchester United along with Inter Milan have won the competition three times each. Where is the 2026-27 Champions League final? Looking ahead, the 2027 Champions League final will be held at Estadio Metropolitano, home of Atletico Madrid, which previously hosted the 2019 final between Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur.

Arsenal booked a place in the UEFA Champions League final for the first time in two decades after edging Atletico Madrid 2-1 on aggregate, thanks to a decisive goal from Bukayo Saka. Mikel Arteta’s side, who were knocked out in last season’s semi-finals by eventual winners Paris Saint-Germain, avoided a repeat exit as Saka’s strike kept alive their hopes of a Champions League and Premier League double. With the tie level at 1-1 after the first leg, the return match at Emirates Stadium began cautiously, with both sides creating few clear chances early on. Saka made the breakthrough in the 44th minute, tapping in after goalkeeper Jan Oblak parried Leandro Trossard’s shot following a well-built move involving Viktor Gyokeres. Atletico Madrid had their moments, with Declan Rice making a crucial last-ditch tackle to deny Giuliano Simeone in the first half. After the break, Gabriel also stepped in to stop Simeone from equalising after he had rounded David Raya. Arsenal had an opportunity to extend their lead when Gyokeres fired over from close range after meeting a cross from substitute Piero Hincapie. However, the missed chance proved costly for Atletico as Arsenal held on to secure their place in the final, their first since losing to Barcelona in 2006. They will face either Bayern Munich or Paris Saint-Germain in the final on May 30 in Budapest as they aim to win Europe’s top club competition for the first time. #From BBC

Arsenal will look to end a 20-year wait for a UEFA Champions League final appearance when they host Atletico Madrid in the second leg of their semifinal on Tuesday. The tie remains finely poised after a 1-1 draw in Madrid last week, with both sides scoring from penalties as they chase a first European Cup title. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said, "After 20 years to be in this position again, We are so hungry to get the game that we want (Tuesday) and go through to that final.” Arsenal had earlier beaten Atletico 4-0 at home during the league phase in October, though Atletico coach Diego Simeone expects a more disciplined performance from his side. “I’m going to try to tell the team to play like they did in the second half (in Madrid)," Simeone said. "If it’s that easy it would be great. We have a lot of faith in what we’re doing.” Both teams have received boosts with key players returning from injury. Forward Julian Alvarez is expected to play for Atletico, while Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard and forward Kai Havertz are available. Atletico have reached the Champions League final twice under Simeone, in 2014 and 2016, losing both times to Real Madrid. Arsenal’s only final appearance came in 2006, when they were beaten by Barcelona. The winner will face either Paris Saint-Germain or Bayern Munich in the final. PSG lead 5-4 from the first leg ahead of Wednesday’s return match. Arsenal’s pursuit of their first Premier League title in 22 years also received a boost after Manchester City drew 3-3 with Everton. Arsenal can secure the title by winning their remaining three matches. Atletico are currently fourth in La Liga, trailing leaders Barcelona by 25 points.

Arsenal moved six points clear at the top of the table after a convincing 3-0 home victory over Fulham on Saturday, intensifying the title pressure on Manchester City. According to Premier League, two goals from Viktor Gyökeres and one from Bukayo Saka secured the win for Arsenal by halftime, as the Gunners extended their lead in the title race. Manager Mikel Arteta rotated his squad following a 1-1 draw in Madrid in the Champions League semifinal first leg against Atletico Madrid, with Saka particularly impressing on his return to the starting lineup. FIFA updates red card rules after recent controversies Manchester City, who have two games in hand, must win both fixtures to stay in control of the title race. Their next challenge comes with an away match against Everton on Monday. At the bottom of the table, Tottenham Hotspur could move out of the relegation zone on Sunday if they beat Aston Villa away, after West Ham United suffered a 3-0 defeat at Brentford. Brentford’s win included an own goal from Konstantinos Mavropanos as well as strikes from Igor Thiago and Mikkel Damsgaard, lifting them to sixth place. Newcastle United ended a poor run of form with a 3-1 home win over Brighton & Hove Albion. Goals from William Osula, Dan Burn and Harvey Barnes secured the victory, while Jack Hinshelwood scored a consolation for Brighton. Wolverhampton Wanderers and Sunderland played out a 1-1 draw in a match with no competitive significance. Wolves, already relegated, earned a point through Santiago Bueno after Nordi Mukiele had given Sunderland the lead. Sunderland were reduced to 10 men following Dan Ballard’s 24th-minute red card. On Friday, Leeds United moved close to securing survival in the top flight after a 3-1 home win over Burnley, reaching 43 points. Anton Stach, Noah Okafor and Dominic Calvert-Lewin put Leeds 3-0 ahead against the already-relegated visitors, who recently dismissed coach Scott Parker, before Loum Tchaouna scored a late consolation.

Palestine Football Association (FA) President Jibril Rajoub on Thursday criticised the Israeli federation during a tense moment at the 76th FIFA Congress, where he refused to stand alongside Israeli FA vice president Basim Sheikh Suliman. Both officials were invited to the stand by FIFA President Gianni Infantino during the event, but Rajoub declined to move closer to Suliman, who is a Palestinian citizen of Israel. Infantino placed his hand on Rajoub’s arm and gestured for him to step forward, but Rajoub did not comply. FIFA raises World Cup prize money by 15 percent Palestine FA Vice President Susan Shalabi, who was present at the scene, quoted Rajoub as saying, “I cannot shake the hand of someone the Israelis have brought to whitewash their fascism and genocide! We are suffering, says report” Source: Al Jazeera

Liverpool are hopeful that forward Mohamed Salah will return from injury before the end of the season after being forced off during Saturday’s match against Crystal Palace. There were initial fears that the 33-year-old might have played his final game for the club after leaving the field in the second half with a suspected hamstring problem. Such an exit would have been a disappointing end for Salah, who confirmed last month that he will leave Liverpool following a remarkable nine-year spell at Anfield, where he has scored 257 goals in 435 appearances. However, the club said on Wednesday that the injury is a “minor muscle injury” and it is “anticipated” that the Egypt international will recover in time to play again before his departure. Liverpool’s final match of the season is scheduled against Brentford at Anfield on May 24. The expected recovery timeline also keeps Salah on course to captain Egypt at this summer’s World Cup. Since joining the club in 2017, Salah has enjoyed a highly successful career, winning two Premier League titles, the UEFA Champions League, FIFA Club World Cup, UEFA Super Cup, the FA Cup, two EFL Cup titles and the FA Community Shield. Only Ian Rush with 346 goals and Roger Hunt with 285 have scored more for Liverpool. Salah’s gesture of applauding the Anfield crowd when he was substituted against Palace suggested uncertainty over whether he would be able to add to his tally. While a return in Sunday’s clash against Manchester United at Old Trafford appears unlikely, the latest update has raised hopes that he will feature again before the season concludes. Liverpool will host Chelsea on May 9 and travel to face Aston Villa on May 17 before wrapping up their campaign against Brentford.  #By BBC

The FIFA Council has agreed to increase the resources to be distributed to all 48 participating teams at the 2026 World Cup by 15 percent to a total of 871 million U.S. dollars, FIFA announced on Wednesday. The preparation fund has been increased from 1.5 million U.S. dollars to 2.5 million, while the qualification fund has been raised from 9 million to 10 million. Additional team contributions, including subsidies for delegation costs and team ticket allocations, have been increased to more than 16 million. FIFA President Gianni Infantino said, "FIFA is proud to be in its most solid financial position ever, enabling us to help all our member associations in an unprecedented way. This is one more example of how FIFA's resources are reinvested back into the game." The Council agreed to amend the FIFA Governance Regulations to allow the Afghan women's refugee team to take part in official FIFA competitions. "We are proud of the beautiful journey initiated by Afghan Women United, and with this initiative we aim to enable them, as well as other FIFA member associations that may not be able to register a national or representative team for a FIFA competition, to make the next step, in coordination with the relevant confederation," Infantino said. The meeting also confirmed an amendment to the regulations for the 2026 World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the United States under which single yellow cards in the final competition will be cancelled after the group stage and again after the quarterfinals. It was also confirmed that the FIFA presidential election for the 2027-2031 term of office will take place at the 77th FIFA Congress, to be held in 2027, with the electoral period starting on April 30, 2026.  

Football’s global rulemakers have revised red card guidelines following two controversial incidents in international matches earlier this year. The changes were pushed by FIFA President Gianni Infantino after separate incidents involving Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni and Senegal’s national team drew widespread attention. Under the updated guidance approved by the International Football Association Board (IFAB), players can now be shown a red card if they cover their mouths while verbally confronting an opponent. The rule is optional and can be enforced at the discretion of tournament organizers, including FIFA. The decision follows an incident in a Champions League match where Prestianni allegedly hid his words while insulting Real Madrid’s Vinícius Júnior. Vinícius, supported by teammate Kylian Mbappé, accused him of making a racially offensive remark. Last week, UEFA handed Prestianni a six-match suspension, with three games suspended during a probation period, citing verbal abuse. While the body said it could not prove racial abuse, it confirmed the use of a homophobic slur, which the player admitted. If selected for Argentina’s World Cup squad, he will miss the team’s first two matches, although the decision can still be appealed. IFAB also approved another rule allowing referees to issue red cards to players who leave the field in protest of a decision. The same punishment can apply to team officials who encourage such actions. This follows a dramatic incident during the Africa Cup of Nations final in January, when Senegal’s players walked off the pitch in stoppage time to protest a penalty awarded to host Morocco with the score at 0-0. The match was halted for nearly 15 minutes before play resumed. Senegal eventually won in extra time, but the title was later stripped by African football authorities. The case is now set to be heard at the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland. IFAB said the new rules will be shared with all 48 teams participating in the upcoming World Cup, which kicks off on June 11 in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Paris Saint-Germain secured a narrow 5-4 victory over Bayern Munich in a dramatic first leg of their UEFA Champions League semifinal on Tuesday, producing the highest-scoring semifinal in the competition’s history. Harry Kane gave Bayern an early lead from the penalty spot in the 17th minute, but PSG responded strongly before halftime through Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Joao Neves and Ousmane Dembele. Kvaratskhelia equalised after beating Josip Stanisic, while Neves headed PSG ahead from a Dembele corner. Michael Olise brought Bayern level before halftime, but Dembele restored PSG’s lead from the spot following a VAR review after Alphonso Davies handled the ball. PSG extended their advantage early in the second half as Kvaratskhelia completed his brace, assisted by Achraf Hakimi, before Dembele added another by beating Dayot Upamecano. Bayern mounted a late comeback with Upamecano heading in Joshua Kimmich’s free kick and Luis Diaz scoring after controlling a long pass from Kane. Despite Bayern’s late pressure, including a near-equaliser in stoppage time, PSG held on to take a one-goal advantage into the return leg in Munich. “It feels strange to lose by one goal after being three goals down. We should have equalised,” Kimmich said after the match. Dembele praised his team’s composure, saying, “We stayed calm and focused. The most important thing is to remain concentrated because Bayern can always come back.”