Latest news with #RohithNair
The Star
21-05-2025
- Sport
- The Star
Soccer-Euro 2028 hosts to go through qualifying
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Euro 2028 & Euro 2032 Hosts Announcement - Nyon, Switzerland - October 10, 2023 The UEFA Euro trophy is pictured during the announcement REUTERS/Denis Balibouse/File Photo (Reuters) -Hosts England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales will participate in qualifying for the 2028 European Championship, with only two spots reserved if they do not make it to the tournament, Europe's soccer governing body UEFA said on Wednesday. The decision was taken by the UEFA Executive Committee which met in Bilbao ahead of Wednesday's Europa League Final. The four hosts will be drawn into separate groups, with 12 group winners and eight best runners-up (20 teams) advancing directly to the final tournament. "Two spots in the final tournament will be reserved for the two best ranked host nations who are not qualified as group winners or best runners-up after the completion of the qualifying group stage," UEFA said in a statement. The remaining spots will be assigned via playoffs between the remaining runners-up in the qualifying groups and the best ranked 2026-27 UEFA Nations League non-qualified group winners, the statement said. "Depending on the number of spots used by the host nations, the number of final tournament spots decided by playoffs may vary between two and four." Euro 2028 will be held across nine venues in the United Kingdom and Ireland. (Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)
The Star
18-05-2025
- Business
- The Star
Rugby-Unequal funding for Welsh regions after Ospreys and Scarlets miss WRU deadline
(Reuters) -Wales' four professional regions will not be evenly funded after the country's rugby union (WRU) said on Sunday that Ospreys and Scarlets did not sign the new Professional Rugby Agreement before the deadline. The WRU said Dragons and Cardiff signed up to the terms of a new agreement which had been under negotiation since August last year but Ospreys and Scarlets missed the deadline, forcing the WRU to issue a two-year notice to terminate the agreement. The current PRA deal runs out in 2027 and the WRU said "broader performance, financial and strategic needs of the game" should take precedence. "The WRU's preference from the outset was to maintain four professional clubs (on equal funding) within this framework. Everyone worked hard to achieve that," the WRU said in a statement. "In practical terms, the WRU will work closely with all four professional clubs to agree the way forward beyond June 2027, with an open mind to all constructive and realistic proposals. "That said, given the seismic changes in the rugby landscape since we first started negotiating PRA 2025, the system will not return to the model of four evenly funded clubs." Although Welsh media reported that the number of professional teams would be reduced to three, the WRU made no mention of cutting a region. "We are continuing to talk to all four clubs about what the future will hold," WRU CEO Abi Tierney said. "We recognise this will be a time of uncertainty and are committed to treating all the clubs, players, and supporters with respect and fairness throughout this process. "We acknowledge the continued commitment of each club to Welsh rugby and will formulate a new plan with the best interests of the whole game in Wales at the forefront of our thinking." Scarlets and Ospreys play in the United Rugby Championship and the second-tier European Challenge Cup. Reuters has contacted both teams for comment. (Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Ken Ferris)
The Star
16-05-2025
- Sport
- The Star
Soccer-LAFC and Club America to contest Club World Cup playoff on May 31
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Bundesliga - Borussia Dortmund v Borussia Moenchengladbach - Signal Iduna Park, Dortmund, Germany - April 20, 2025 FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Trophy before the match REUTERS/Teresa. Kroeger/File Photo (Reuters) -Los Angeles FC and Club America will play their Club World Cup qualifying playoff match on May 31 at the BMO Stadium, home of LAFC, for a place in the group stage of the 32-team tournament, world soccer's governing body FIFA announced on Friday. The playoff is being held to decide the 32nd team after Club Leon were kicked out of the tournament due to an ownership rule breach. The Mexican club also had their appeal rejected at the Court of Arbitration for Sport. FIFA said in March that Club Leon and Pachuca did not meet regulations on multi-club ownership. However, Pachuca's spot in the June 14-July 13 tournament was unaffected. LAFC were runners-up to Club Leon in the 2023 CONCACAF Champions League while Club America were the top-ranked team in the Club World Cup confederation ranking at the end of the Champions Cup staged in 2024. The winner of the playoff will go into Group D alongside Brazil's Flamengo, Tunisian club Esperance de Tunis and Premier League side Chelsea. (Reporting by Rohith Nair in BengaluruEditing by Toby Davis)
