Larry Berg, Major League Soccer and Don Garber
Monday

Major League Soccer owners have elected LAFC co-owner Larry Berg as the league’s next commissioner. Berg secured the required two-thirds majority and will officially succeed Don Garber on 1 January 2027, becoming only the third commissioner in MLS history.

Berg must divest his LAFC ownership stake before taking office, while Garber will become league chairman. He inherits major decisions involving roster spending, competition reforms, the 2027 calendar switch, collective bargaining and the next media-rights agreement.

Renaissance Berkane and Pedro Leitao Brito
Monday

Renaissance Berkane have reached a final agreement with Pedro Leitao Brito, known as Bubista, to become their new head coach. The Portuguese-Cape Verdean leaves Cape Verde after six years leading the national team through its most successful period.

Bubista guided Cape Verde to its first World Cup qualification and the tournament’s round of 32, alongside a 2024 Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final. Berkane are recruiting that experience to support continued domestic and continental title challenges.

Marc Skinner and Manchester United Women
Monday

Marc Skinner has left Manchester United Women by mutual consent one month before the Women’s Super League season begins. The 43-year-old spent five years in charge and delivered the club’s first major trophy by winning the 2024 Women’s FA Cup.

Skinner had raised concerns over limited squad investment while supporters questioned recruitment and performances in major matches. United are advanced in their search for a replacement and are prioritising a coach with a strong record of developing younger players.

Austin MacPhee, Chelsea and Aston Villa
Monday

Chelsea have officially recruited set-piece specialist Austin MacPhee from Aston Villa after paying an undisclosed release-clause fee. The 46-year-old Scottish coach has joined the club’s pre-season tour in Hong Kong and will work within Xabi Alonso’s backroom team.

MacPhee helped Villa lead Europe’s major leagues for set-piece goals in 2023-24 and remain among the strongest teams afterward. Chelsea moved after Bernardo Cueva shifted away from his touchline role, adding another experienced specialist before the season begins.

Paris Saint-Germain and Google
Monday

Paris Saint-Germain have announced a multi-year commercial partnership making Google Gemini the club’s official smart assistant and Google Pixel its official smartphone. The agreement is expected to generate millions and will include a dedicated Google area at Parc des Princes.

The partnership expands PSG’s use of major technology brands and reflects football’s increasing adoption of artificial intelligence for data analysis and digital content. Google will receive prominent club integration across products, stadium activity and supporter-facing experiences.

Mauricio Pochettino and the United States Soccer Federation
Monday

Mauricio Pochettino has agreed a new contract to remain United States men’s national-team manager through the 2030 World Cup. The deal follows a 2026 campaign in which the co-hosts reached the last 16 before losing heavily to Belgium.

Pochettino and his staff will receive a wider technical remit covering youth pathways, coaching education, professional-league collaboration and national-team development. U.S. Soccer said the extension preserves the culture and trust built during his first two years in charge.

Borja Iglesias and Celta Vigo
Monday

Celta Vigo striker Borja Iglesias has revealed repeated social-media insults and threats linked to his political and humanitarian positions. One message called the Spain international a rat and said he should have been killed over his public comments and silence.

Iglesias shared the message and said this abuse happens throughout each day. The World Cup winner has previously supported Palestine and spoken on social issues, making him a frequent target of hostile online campaigns and personal attacks.

The Welsh and English football associations and Gianni Infantino
Monday

Wales has formally withdrawn support for Gianni Infantino’s FIFA re-election bid, becoming the first home nation to do so. England’s Football Association is also preparing to withdraw its backing as pressure grows over FIFA’s abandoned private-investment proposal.

The Welsh association cited failures in governance, leadership, communication and judgement. Infantino needs 106 votes from FIFA’s 211 members next March, and further withdrawals could weaken a candidacy that had previously appeared likely to proceed without serious opposition.

Tonda Eckert and Southampton
Sunday

Southampton coach Tonda Eckert revealed that he received death threats following the club’s spying scandal and required police-related security advice. He was told not to drive himself and instead travel in the rear seat of a vehicle.

The hostility followed Southampton’s play-off disqualification and four-point deduction after staff secretly filmed opponents’ training on three occasions. Eckert accepted responsibility for authorising the practice and still faces a separate Football Association case that could bring a personal ban.

Badou Zaki and the Jordan Football Association
Sunday

The Jordan Football Association has appointed Moroccan coach Badou Zaki as head coach of the senior national team on a one-year contract. He succeeds fellow Moroccan Jamal Sellami and will lead Jordan in its upcoming competitions.

Jordan will formally present Zaki at a press conference on Thursday, 6 August. The former Morocco coach brings extensive experience from national-team roles with Morocco, Sudan and Niger, alongside several club spells across Moroccan football.