Patrick Vieira and Senegal
15 September 2026

Patrick Vieira has been named Senegal’s new national-team head coach, taking his first job in international management. The Dakar-born former France captain said he was honoured and proud to lead his birth nation and will be formally presented on Friday.

Vieira replaces Pape Thiaw after Senegal’s World Cup exit and will announce his first squad at his unveiling. His opening competitive tests are upcoming Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Mozambique and Ethiopia, with Senegal also pursuing an appeal over their stripped title.

Juan Manuel Ferrel, Guabira and Club Always Ready
15 September 2026

Guabira coach Leonardo Eguez said goalkeeper Juan Manuel Ferrel received death threats against himself and family members before Sunday’s 6-0 defeat to Club Always Ready. Ferrel was allegedly told to pay money or concede three goals to avoid violence.

Bolivia’s professional footballers’ union called for an immediate investigation, while Club Always Ready’s legal adviser said authorities should intervene because the match result’s validity was now in question. Guabira had not issued an official statement at the time of reporting.

Mexico’s National Antitrust Commission and Mexican Football Federation
14 September 2026

Mexico’s National Antitrust Commission has opened a formal investigation into possible monopolistic practices in professional football, focusing on the continued absence of promotion and relegation. The probe follows complaints and protests from second-division clubs and players seeking access to Liga MX.

Promotion was suspended in 2019 with an agreement to restore it by 2026, but no active return plan exists. The commission said sufficient evidence justified an ex-officio investigation and warned the Mexican Football Federation could face fines if liability is established.

Matt Donohue, Blake Antrobus and Pro Ref
14 September 2026

Manchester derby VAR Matt Donohue and assistant VAR Blake Antrobus have not been appointed for this weekend’s Premier League matches after Pro Ref admitted an error in awarding Erling Haaland’s winning goal for Manchester City at Old Trafford.

Pro Ref said the officials failed to recognise the likely impact of offside-positioned Enzo Fernandez and should have recommended an on-field review. The decision means Donohue and Antrobus will not handle another top-flight match until October 10 at the earliest.

Marcelo Gallardo and Ecuador
13 September 2026

Ecuador have appointed Marcelo Gallardo as national-team coach ahead of the 2030 World Cup cycle. The Ecuadorian Football Federation announced the agreement after Gabriel Beccacece’s departure, handing the former River Plate manager responsibility for the 2028 Copa America and World Cup qualification.

Gallardo arrives after leaving his second River Plate spell in February, having won seven domestic titles, two Copa Libertadores trophies and a Copa Sudamericana across his time there. His Ecuador debut could come against South Korea on September 24.

Daniel Maldini and Cagliari
13 September 2026

Italy international Daniel Maldini had his driving licence suspended after testing above the legal alcohol limit following a car crash in Milan. Six people, including the Cagliari midfielder, suffered minor injuries and Maldini was taken to hospital for precautionary checks.

Milan police said Maldini returned a positive breathalyser result and confiscated his licence at the scene. Reported readings of 0.91 and 0.89 grams per litre exceeded Italy’s 0.5 limit, while Cagliari said subsequent toxicological screenings were negative.

Ludek Miklosko, West Ham and QPR
14 September 2026

Former West Ham, QPR and Czech Republic goalkeeper Ludek Miklosko has died aged 64 after a battle with cancer. The popular former keeper made almost 400 appearances for West Ham and later returned to the club as a goalkeeping coach.

Miklosko withdrew from cancer treatment in December 2024, three years after his diagnosis. West Ham will hold a period of appreciation before Tuesday’s Carabao Cup tie at Fulham and dedicate their October 9 home match against QPR to him.

Som el Clam, Joan Laporta and Barcelona
14 September 2026

Barcelona opposition group Som el Clam has challenged Joan Laporta’s board over the club’s finances, citing total debt of €2.441 billion, up €357 million in a year. The group also says €676.7 million is due in the short term.

The group submitted ten questions covering liquidity, Espai Barça costs, wages and negative equity ahead of the club’s annual meeting. It says cash liquidity fell by €91.5 million despite €354.4 million in new financing and equity stands at minus €168 million.

Saudi Arabian Football Federation, Ruben Neves and Al-Taawoun supporters
13 September 2026

The Saudi Arabian Football Federation has opened a formal process after Al-Taawoun supporters chanted the late Diogo Jota’s name at Al-Hilal midfielder Ruben Neves. Al-Hilal filed a complaint, while the federation said relevant committees would take necessary action.

Cristiano Ronaldo had earlier demanded lifetime stadium bans for those involved. Neves reacted towards the crowd during Al-Hilal’s 6-0 win, while the federation said exploiting personal tragedies for abuse or provocation was unacceptable and promised to announce the outcome.

Pau Cubarsi, Barcelona and Levante
13 September 2026

A man ran onto the pitch after Barcelona’s match at Levante and grabbed Pau Cubarsi, knocking the defender off balance and nearly bringing him down. The incident happened immediately after the final whistle and left the Barcelona centre-back visibly shaken.

Three security staff rushed in and struggled to restrain the man as he continued lunging towards Cubarsi. The report said his intentions were unclear, but security eventually removed him from the pitch and the incident ended without further physical harm.