Submit your Article

Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah called out a popular fan account on Wednesday for “disrespecting” former teammates Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez after a social media post mocked their close-season departures, Reuters reported.

Salah took exception to a post on X featuring images of the departed duo in black-and-white over new signings Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak with the caption: “Name a bigger upgrade in footballing history."

“How about we celebrate the great signings without disrespecting the PL (Premier League) champions?” Salah fired back on X, defending his fellow strikers who helped Liverpool claim their 20th league title.

Transfer spending broke new ground in the close-season window when clubs around the world spent nearly $10 billion on international transfers, global soccer body FIFA said in a report released on Wednesday, Reuters reported.

Clubs recorded nearly 12,000 international transfers where total spending on fees amounted to $9.76 billion, FIFA said, representing an increase of more than 50% compared to the same period in 2024.

Women's soccer also broke records with more than 1,100 international transfers where the fees exceeded $12 million, according to Reuters.

Striker Memphis Depay is fit to play for the Netherlands in their World Cup qualifier at home to Poland on Thursday, giving him the opportunity to become the country's top goalscorer, Reuters reported.

The 31-year-old equalled Robin van Persie's record of 50 goals in their last outing in June when the Dutch beat Malta 8-0 as they won a second match in Group G.

There had been some doubt over Depay's fitness for Thursday's match in Rotterdam as he only recently returned to club action for Corinthians in Brazil, but coach Ronald Koeman told a Wednesday press conference the striker was fit and in line to start the match, according to Reuters.

Four-time world champions Germany have set their sights firmly on winning the 2026 World Cup, coach Julian Nagelsmann said on Wednesday ahead of their first qualifier against Slovakia on Thursday, Reuters reported.

Germany kick off their World Cup Group A qualifying campaign in Bratislava before next hosting Northern Ireland on September 7 in Cologne.

Nagelsmann said they were eager to make a winning start in their bid to qualify for the tournament, co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico next year, according to Reuters.

Belgium have picked Youri Tielemans to be their captain, with coach Rudi Garcia choosing the Aston Villa midfielder over several more experienced players in the squad, Reuters reported.

Following Garcia’s appointment earlier this year, he rotated the captaincy as he said he was searching for the right leader for the squad but on Wednesday announced the 28-year-old would be taking charge.

“Youri Tielemans will be our permanent captain,” Garcia told a press conference on the eve of Thursday’s World Cup qualifier in Liechtenstein, according to Reuters.

Dynamic pricing will be in operation during the first phase of ticket sales for the 2026 World Cup, with fans paying different prices according to market demand and seats starting at $60, FIFA said on Wednesday, Reuters reported.

Fans will have their first chance to secure tickets for next year's World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico during the Visa Presale Draw, opening on September 10, at 1100 ET (1500 CET) and running until September 19.

Open to qualifying Visa cardholders, tickets for group-stage matches will start at $60, with pricing for later stages, including the final, reaching up to $6,730, FIFA said, according to Reuters.

Lionel Messi is set to play his final World Cup qualifier in Argentina on Thursday, while four South American teams are still competing for the remaining automatic places at the 2026 tournament in what could be a dramatic climax, Reuters reported.

The 38-year-old Argentina captain will take to the pitch at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires to face Venezuela in what he describes as a very special match, with his family set to be in attendance, including his wife, children, parents and siblings.

"It's going to be very special for me because it will be my last qualifying match. I don't know if there will be friendlies or more matches after that," the eight-times Ballon d'Or winner said last week, according to Reuters.

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni told reporters on Wednesday that it was "going to be emotional, special and beautiful".

The secretariat meeting of the ruling CPN-UML is taking place today on the eve of the party's Second Statute General Convention.

UML's Publicity Department Chief, Rajendra Gautam, said that the meeting is scheduled to begin at 3 this afternoon. 

Gautam shared that the political report, statute amendment proposal report and organizational report to be tabled at the Statute General Convention would be discussed in today's secretariat meeting. 

The Statute General Convention of the UML is beginning on Friday. 

The three-day-long event will be held in Godavari, Lalitpur.