Feyenoord, Luciano Valente and Giovanni van Bronckhorst
Saturday

Feyenoord have appointed 22-year-old midfielder Luciano Valente as their new captain under Giovanni van Bronckhorst. The role became vacant after goalkeeper Timon Wellenreuther completed his transfer to Wolfsburg, forcing the Rotterdam club to choose another permanent leader.

Valente will wear the armband against Sparta and becomes the latest player entrusted with a position that changed several times last season. Feyenoord previously moved the captaincy between Quinten Timber, Sem Steijn and Wellenreuther before settling on Valente.

Egypt’s Ministry of Youth and Sports and sporting federations
Saturday

Egypt’s Ministry of Youth and Sports has issued an official circular restricting sporting federations from granting documents that could be interpreted as operating licences. The ministry says only its Sporting Services Companies Licensing Office can legally authorise relevant sports-service and investment businesses.

Federations must regularly verify that companies and entities dealing with them hold valid licences and stop dealing with unlicensed or expired operators. The ministry also ordered conflicting procedures to be cancelled or suspended and warned federations they remain responsible for violations.

Deportivo Municipal and small businesses in Lima
Friday

Peruvian club Deportivo Municipal have turned their new shirt into a crowdfunding platform after losing their main sponsor. The jersey contains 1,000 advertising squares sold to local small businesses for $60 each, creating an unusual shared sponsorship model.

The third-tier club says the campaign has raised about 254,000 Peruvian soles, roughly $75,000. Participating businesses also become official merchandise retailers and receive royalty-free access to players for promotions, giving both the club and local entrepreneurs commercial benefits.

San Jose Earthquakes and Gavin Wilkinson
Friday

San Jose Earthquakes have hired former Portland executive Gavin Wilkinson as a roster-management consultant through the end of the season. He will work under head coach and sporting director Bruce Arena while the club prepares a general manager search.

Wilkinson returns to an MLS front office after previous appointments were overshadowed by controversy surrounding his Portland tenure and the NWSL abuse investigations. San Jose said his temporary role helps cover responsibilities left vacant after Vassili Cremanzidis died.

The Football Association and National League System clubs
Friday

The FA has banned solid brick, concrete and breeze-block pitchside walls from its stadium accreditation rules after former Arsenal academy player Billy Vigar died following a collision with a concrete barrier while playing for Chichester City.

Clubs across men’s National League System Steps 1 to 6 and Women’s National League tiers 3 and 4 must remove the barriers or install suitable protection. The FA and Premier League will provide funding through the Premier League Stadium Fund.

Gianni Infantino and UEFA
Friday

A Telegraph investigation repeated in the uploaded reports alleges Gianni Infantino helped a UEFA employee with whom he allegedly had a relationship gain a promotion and substantial pay rise. UEFA confirmed the employee later received a severance payment.

The report says workplace tensions prompted then UEFA president Michel Platini to intervene, after which the employee left the organisation. UEFA also confirmed its internal rules were subsequently amended, while the allegations add further pressure around Infantino’s leadership.

The Russian Football Union, FIFA and UEFA
Friday

Russia remains a full FIFA member with the right to attend congress and vote in presidential elections despite its national teams being banned from international competition since 2022. The same membership position also continues within UEFA.

The voting right could matter as Gianni Infantino faces pressure before the next FIFA presidential election. Russia has not publicly said whether it supports him, but its continued membership means its federation can participate in any leadership vote.

Al-Nassr and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund
Friday

Al-Nassr’s financial restrictions have reportedly been lifted after the club addressed the crisis that had blocked summer signings. The uploaded report says commercial agreements, debt restructuring and new guarantees allowed the club to resume transfer activity.

The Public Investment Fund brought in specialist advisers and reorganised current and future obligations to satisfy regulatory requirements. Al-Nassr are now preparing the necessary documents to complete signings, with Samu Costa expected to become their first arrival.

Ivan Toney and the Metropolitan Police
Friday

England and Al-Ahli striker Ivan Toney has been formally charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm following an alleged incident at a Soho nightclub in December. The 30-year-old is scheduled to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 24 September.

Police arrested Toney the day after the alleged incident and later released him on bail while investigating. He was formally charged on 31 July and has not been convicted, with the legal proceedings now overlapping the start of Al-Ahli’s new league season.

Norway Football Federation, Gianni Infantino, Mexico and Argentina
Friday

Norway’s football federation has explicitly called for Gianni Infantino to resign as FIFA president, going further than European associations that merely withdrew support. Mexico and Argentina moved in the opposite direction by publicly backing Infantino’s continued leadership.

Norway said Infantino no longer has the institutional trust required to govern FIFA. Mexico rejected removal outside FIFA’s formal democratic process, while Argentina praised his apology, exposing a widening global split over the governing body’s leadership crisis.