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UEFA clears Manchester City, United, Girona, Nice to participate in UCL, Europa

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2 years ago

July 6, 2024

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UEFA on Friday said Manchester City and Girona can both enter the Champions League and Manchester United and Nice can play in the Europa League after addressing multi-club ownership concerns.

Premier League champions City and Girona are both part of the City Group, while Jim Ratcliffe who owns 25 percent of FA Cup winners United also controls Nice through his Ineos company.

UEFA said it had accepted the admission of the four clubs into next season’s European competitions, after previously opening proceedings into them for potential conflict with its ownership rules, “following the implementation of significant changes by the concerned investors in Girona FC and OGC Nice”.

READ ALSO: Real Madrid Punish Wasteful Dortmund To Claim 15th Champions League Crown

“The clubs were able to demonstrate that such changes brought them into compliance with the multi-club ownership rule,” UEFA’s Club Financial Control Body (CFCB) said in a statement.

“No one is simultaneously involved, directly or indirectly, in any capacity whatsoever in the management, administration and/or sporting performance of more than one club participating in a UEFA club competition.

“No one has control or decisive influence over more than one club participating in a UEFA club competition.

“The significant changes made to the ownership, governance, and financial support of the concerned clubs, substantially restrict the investors’ influence and decision-making power over more than one club.”

It said City Group, which owned a 47 percent stake in Girona, and Ineos had transferred their shares to “independent trustees through a blind trust structure established under the supervision of the CFCB First Chamber” until July 2025.

UEFA said that the clubs had also promised not to make any new player transfers to each other, either permanently or on loan, until September 2025 and would not cooperate commercially or on coaching or scouting.

When the stakes are returned next July, the clubs will again need to take steps to satisfy UEFA rules.

Last year, UEFA investigated three cases involving Toulouse and AC Milan, English club Aston Villa and Portuguese club Vitoria Guimaraes, and Premier League Brighton and Union Royale Saint-Gilloise of Belgium.

AFP

Sports

Countries That Qualified For 2027 Women’s World Cup As Cameroon Beat Nigeria In Quarter- Final

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1 day ago

August 10, 2026

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Cameroon on Sunday secured their place at the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup after edging Nigeria’s Super Falcons 1-0 in their 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final encounter.

The victory also sent the Indomitable Lionesses into the WAFCON semi-finals, securing their qualification for next year’s global tournament in Brazil.

The 2026 WAFCON doubles as Africa’s qualifying competition for the 2027 Women’s World Cup, with the four semi-finalists earning the continent’s automatic tickets to the tournament.

Cameroon join Algeria and Morocco, who had already sealed their places after reaching the semi-finals on Saturday.

Brazil will host the 2027 tournament, while the remaining qualifying places are being determined through continental competitions across the various confederations.

See full list of countries that qualified:

Host:

Brazil

AFC:

Australia
China PR
Japan
Korea DPR
Korea Republic
Philippines

CAF:

Algeria
Cameroon
Morocco

Concacaf:

None yet

CONMEBOL:

Argentina
Colombia

OFC:

New Zealand

UEFA:

Denmark
France
Germany
Spain

More teams are expected to secure qualification as the various continental qualification campaigns conclude.

The 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup will feature 32 teams.

Sports

Just in: Unlucky Sunday for Nigeria as Super Falcons, Flying Eagles crumble, World Cup hopes dimmed

Published

1 day ago

August 10, 2026

Austin Ojomah

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It is an unlucky Sunday for two National teams of Nigeria, the Super Falcons fell to Cameroon just as Nigeria’s Flying Eagles have been knocked out of the race for the 2027 FIFA U-20 World Cup after suffering a heavy 4-1 defeat to Burkina Faso in the final of the 2026 WAFU Zone B U-20 Championship.

The defeat at the Stade Charles Konan Banny in Yamoussoukro, Côte d’Ivoire, also ended Nigeria’s hopes of qualifying for the 2027 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations.

The WAFU Zone B final carried added importance, as the winner was guaranteed a place at the 2027 U-20 AFCON, which will serve as the qualifying tournament for the FIFA U-20 World Cup.

With Burkina Faso emerging victorious, the Young Stallions secured the region’s ticket, while Nigeria’s hopes of returning to the global youth tournament came to an end.

Burkina Faso took control of the final from the opening whistle, scoring three goals within the first 15 minutes and leaving the Flying Eagles with a huge deficit.

Nigeria struggled to contain the Young Stallings’ attacking pressure and could not recover from the early setback before the break.

Coach Abdu Maikaba’s side attempted to fight back after the interval but failed to produce the response required to turn the game around.

Burkina Faso eventually added another goal to complete a convincing 4-1 victory, while Nigeria’s consolation effort was not enough to change the outcome.

The result was particularly painful for the Flying Eagles after Burkina Faso had already defeated them 2-0 during the group stage.

Nigeria had hoped to avenge that earlier loss in the final but instead suffered another defeat to the Young Stallions when the stakes were highest.

The Flying Eagles had reached the final after overcoming Côte d’Ivoire in a dramatic semi-final.

Sports

WAFCON 2026: Super Falcons suffer shock defeat as Cameroon gets automatic ticket for World Cup

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1 day ago

August 9, 2026

Austin Ojomah

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The defending champions Nigeria Super Falcons suffered a shock 1-0 defeat to Cameroon at the Larbi Zaouli Stadium in Casablanca, ending their WAFCON title defense and missing an automatic spot for the World Cup.

A 20th-minute free-kick by Maeva Nyadjou sealed the historic win for the Indomitable Lionesses .

Breakthrough: Teenage defender Maeva Nyadjou scored from a powerful 20th-minute free-kick to put Cameroon ahead.Nigerian Pressure: Nigeria dominated possession and created numerous chances, racking up heavy pressure and shots on goal, but couldn’t break down a resolute Cameroonian defense.Goheroics: Cameroon’s goalkeeper put in a player-of-the-match performance, denying late attacks including a final-moments chance from Esther Okoronkwo.Consequences of the LossWorld Cup Qualification: Cameroon booked an automatic ticket to the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil and advanced to the WAFCON semi-finals against Morocco.Play-off Path: Nigeria’s title defense is over, but they move into a Wednesday play-in match against South Africa to chase a remaining inter-confederation play-off spot.Watch the match highlights and key moments from the dramatic quarter-final encounter: