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Reuters
17-06-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Porto transfer targets did not want to play in Club World Cup, says Villas-Boas
June 17 (Reuters) - Portuguese side Porto struggled to recruit players ahead of FIFA's expanded Club World Cup, with transfer targets turning down moves specifically to avoid the tournament's additional fixture burden, club president Andre Villas-Boas said. FIFA had given leagues the option to open the transfer window between June 1-10 so participating clubs could sign players before the month-long tournament in the United States. "We tested the market recently, so we had a special transfer window from June 1-10 where the Club World Cup clubs operated. It was incredible to see that a lot of football players didn't want to be in the competition," Villas-Boas told Men in Blazers. "They prefer to rest in order to start afresh in the new season. So this is actually outstanding as well because FIFPRO (the global players' union) is demanding more rest for the players." A FIFPRO study concluded that a four-week off-season break should be mandatory for professional soccer players. "With the World Cup coming in America next season (2026), it's an even bigger competition -- more teams, probably 1,200 athletes in one competition," he added. "So the calendar is becoming exhausting and we have more injuries... The players can't put on a good spectacle if they are not fresh." Villas-Boas, a former manager at clubs like Porto, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur, also said that the expanded 32-team tournament comes at a "very bad time" for European clubs who wrapped up an exhausting season in May. Porto drew 0-0 with Palmeiras in their opening group game where the Brazilian side dominated the contest but were unable to find a breakthrough. "A few of us (European clubs) have had to give a vacation to the players, then we have to bring them back early without time enough for them to reset," Villas-Boas said. "So for us, we are like in a continuation of the last season. And whatever happens after this tournament, the new season is coming, so they never actually have the reset that they need (going) into a new season." Porto will next play Lionel Messi's Inter Miami on Thursday.
Daily Mail
15-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
INSIDE SPORT: Food and drink prices at Club World Cup revealed after Inter Miami's tournament opener - as event chiefs get a glimpse of Donald Trump's immigration crackdown
A nice touch at the European Clubs Association executive committee meeting in Miami on Friday. Outgoing Manchester City director of football Txiki Begiristain brought along his replacement, Hugo Viana and introduced the Portuguese to those present. FIFA secretary general Mattias Grafstrom delivered a presentation to the group, which included a video message from City's Erling Haaland along the lines of how much he was looking forward to taking part in the Club World Cup. The presentation also highlighted the sponsorship deals FIFA has secured with big-hitters including Bank of America and Michelob for the event, although insiders disclosed that there was no mention of ticket sales, which appeared to be the elephant in the room at the oceanside Grand Beach Hotel. Jason Gannon, Chelsea president and chief operating officer, also attended. FIFA officials were given a first-hand glimpse of Donald Trump 's immigration crackdown when a boat trip hosted by Telemundo to mark a year to go to the World Cup was the subject of a US Coast Guard raid. The mayor of Miam-Dade Daniella Levine Cava and a host of special guests of the American Spanish-language broadcaster, in smart dresses and suits, were on a luxury catamaran when it was unceremoniously stopped in the middle of the waters off Biscayne Bay while Coast Guard officers came onboard to check papers and carry put a search. Reports claim the inspection lasted for an hour, leading Telemundo to cancel the event and return to shore. There was no expense spared when FOX hosted their own year-to-go party on South Beach. FIFA chief Gianni Infantino joined VIPs for a show which included a performance from 'Tipsy' rapper Shaboozey and a spectacular drone show, with the devices lining up to spell out the names of Club World Cup sponsors. While the tickets may have ended up heavily reduced, as FIFA successfully scrambled to fill the stands at Miami's Hard Rock Stadium for the tournament opener, the same could not be said of the food and drink. A can of Heineken at the Inter Miami versus Al Ahly stalemate cost no less than $14 (£10.32) while a chicken bowl came in at $22.50 (£16.59). A goalless draw may not have been on FIFA's menu, but officials may well have breathed a sigh of relief at the attendance for the first match. The official figure of 60,927 appeared generous, but fears of half empty stands were averted on a balmy night in South Florida. Organisers will also be pleased that there was no repeat of the chaotic scenes a year ago at the same stadium when ticketless fans tried to storm their way into the Copa America final between Argentina and Colombia. A ring of steel consisting of police checkpoints ensured that only those with tickets were allowed anywhere near the venue. Ref cam was a positive addition, with those watching on TV given an up close view of what Aussie whistleblower Alireza Faghani saw when he gave a first-half penalty. The Football Supporters' Association has thrown its weight behind the National League's '3UP' campaign. The scandalous situation, which sees only two clubs promoted into League Two, continues, and it is to be hoped that backing from the fans can heap pressure on the EFL. This season, York City finished 13 points clear of third place with 96 points but were thrashed 3-0 at home by Oldham Athletic, who went on to win the play-off final, and missed out on promotion. Change is needed, urgently. British Olympic Association chiefs were amongst the first to get an audience with new IOC president Kirsty Coventry in Lausanne last week. With Coventry set to take the reins from current IOC president Thomas Bach, the delegation met with both the ongoing and incoming president to discuss the future of the Olympic movement. It was also BOA chairperson Katherine Grainger's first formal engagement with the IOC, as both her, chief executive Andy Anson and chief operating officer Shahab Uddin took an early opportunity to solidify relations between the UK and the IOC. Signatures are now being sought to reach the requisite 180 for an MCC special general meeting to try to establish 'Lord's plc.' A group of members want the 238-year-old club to become a public limited company, with each subsequently becoming the proud owner of a share those involve estimate would be worth £50-100,000. Should the magic 180 figure be reached, a two-thirds majority would then be needed to change the rules.
BBC News
14-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Motherwell 3-0 Kilmarnock: Who impressed?
Lennon Miller. If that is his goodbye, then it was a near-perfect one. A potentially generational talent from the Motherwell academy, he is on the shopping list of plenty of European clubs this summer. This was another showing as to why.
CNA
12-05-2025
- Business
- CNA
UEFA urged to increase payments to non-elite clubs to reward player development
The Union of European Clubs on Monday proposed the creation of a financial system that would see continental governing body UEFA share 5 per cent of its revenue from club competitions with low-ranked football clubs that develop elite players. Last year, UEFA said the Champions League, Europa League, Conference League and Super Cup would generate a gross revenue of 4.4 billion euros in the 2024-25 season, 5 per cent of which would be 220 million euros ($244.79 million). Under the proposed system, titled 'Player Development Reward' (PDR), only clubs who did not reach the league phase of the Champions League would be eligible for payouts, which would be based on minutes played in UEFA competitions and prize money earned by players. In a statement, the UEC, which represents non-elite professional clubs, said the PDR is "a pragmatic, merit-based approach to restoring fairness and balance in the football ecosystem... "The concept has already been presented to the European Commission and to key stakeholders across football, receiving encouraging initial feedback," it added. "The core principle is clear: clubs that invest in player development should be fairly rewarded when those players contribute to the success of European competitions." The UEC added that nearly 1,500 clubs across Europe would have received PDR payments if the system had been in place last season, with over 400 clubs earning more than 100,000 euros. UEFA has already committed 7 per cent of its revenue for the 2024-27 cycle to clubs not taking part in men's continental competitions, but the UEC said UEFA's system was "outdated and misaligned with the goals of sustainable football." Reuters has asked UEFA for comment. The UEC was formed in 2022 and is separate to the European Club Association, which is headed by Nasser Al-Khelaifi and says it is the sole representative body of clubs in Europe. The ECA, which has a Memorandum of Understanding with UEFA that runs until 2033, represents more than 440 clubs across the continent, although it is dominated by the big teams.
