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Ceferin stepping down as UEFA president in 2027

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PARIS (AP) — UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin said on Thursday he will not stand as a candidate in 2027, one hour after steering through a controversial change of legal rules that would have let him.

Ceferin has led UEFA since 2016 and said he was “tired of COVID, tired of two wars” and of plans for a rival Super League that he called a “nonsense project.”

The Slovenian lawyer claimed he made the decision for family reasons six months ago, yet the progress of the rule change since November through various UEFA committees — that would allow him to stay in office until 2031 — provoked opposition including from vice president David Gill, the former Manchester United chief executive.

UEFA introduced a presidential term limit of 12 years in 2017 in fallout from American and Swiss federal investigations of corruption in international soccer.

Soccer bodies came under pressure to reform and prevent networks of self-serving patronage and influence building, and Ceferin himself promised he would not stay beyond 2027 in a job that pays him about $3.5 million annually.

Ceferin aimed a barb at another perceived opponent when making a statement at a news conference after the annual UEFA congress of 55 member federations closed.

He spoke of an unnamed European soccer official who made a “pathetic cry about morality” in a “narcissistic letter” to member federations.

“It was actually amusing to watch all this hysteria,” said Ceferin, adding he had not revealed his true intentions earlier because he wanted to see “the real face of some people.”

His target is widely understood to be Romanian federation president Razvan Burleanu, one of Ceferin’s colleagues representing Europe on the ruling council of FIFA.

The move on term limits that Ceferin was criticized for has already been made at FIFA by its president Gianni Infantino, who attended the UEFA meeting in Paris.

Infantino also was elected in 2016 in fallout from the corruption investigations and steered through statutes changes early in his presidency that will let him stay until 2031.

Ceferin’s perceived power grab was more controversial after he caused unease by seeming to support UEFA vice president Luis Rubiales from Spain in fallout from misconduct at the Women’s World Cup final in August, and trying to ease a ban on Russian teams from international competitions by letting the country’s under-17 teams enter UEFA events.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Soccer

Women's Champions League draw: Holders Barcelona get Brann in quarterfinals

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NYON, Switzerland (AP) — In a season of upsets and overachieving underdogs in the Women’s Champions League, titleholder Barcelona was paired with Brann of Norway in the quarterfinals draw on Tuesday.

The Norwegian champion will make its quarterfinals debut hosting Barcelona in the first leg on March 19 or 20, after getting through three qualifying rounds just to reach the group stage.

Hacken will host Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg for the Swedish club’s first game at the quarterfinals stage in 11 years. Hacken advanced from a group where Real Madrid was last.

Seven different countries had clubs in the draw, though none from Germany or Italy, after the big five European countries provided all of the quarterfinalists last season.

Eight-time champion Lyon will be away first against Benfica, and quarterfinals debutant Ajax hosts Chelsea in the first leg.

Lyon and Barcelona combined to win the last eight Champions Leagues and Chelsea — the 2021 beaten finalist — aims for a first title in coach Emma Hayes’ farewell season. Hayes will take charge of the United States before the Paris Olympics starts in July.

UEFA also made the semifinals draw pairings, and Barcelona could face Chelsea in a rematch of the 2021 final.

The final is on May 25 at Athletic Bilbao’s stadium.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Soccer

MetLife Stadium gets 2026 World Cup final as schedule unveiled

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The 2026 World Cup final will take place at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on July 19, 2026, FIFA president Gianni Infantino said Sunday while revealing the full schedule for the 48-team tournament.

Mexico will host the opening match at the iconic 87,000-capacity Estadio Azteca on June 11. Canada will kick off its first men’s World Cup match on home soil in Toronto the next day, while the United States opens its campaign in Los Angeles.

The United States will play all three of its group stage matches on the West coast, with Canada splitting its games between Toronto and Vancouver and Mexico jumping between Mexico City and Guadalajara.

The U.S. will stage 78 games in all, while Canada and Mexico share 13 apiece.

Though Dallas missed out on the final, it will host a tournament-high nine matches, including four in the knockout round.

Here’s a full rundown of all 104 matches:

Group stage schedule for host nations

United States

  • June 13, 2026, in Los Angeles
  • June 19, 2026, in Seattle
  • June 25, 2026, in Los Angeles

Canada

  • June 12, 2026, in Toronto
  • June 18, 2026, in Vancouver
  • June 24, 2026, in Vancouver

Mexico

  • June 11, 2026, in Mexico City
  • June 18, 2026, in Guadalajara
  • June 24, 2026, in Mexico City

Full tournament schedule

Group stage

Match Date City Stadium
Match 1 June 11 Mexico City Estadio Azteca
Match 2 June 11 Guadalajara Estadio Akron
Match 3 June 12 Toronto BMO Field
Match 4 June 12 Los Angeles SoFi Stadium
Match 5 June 13 Boston Gillette Stadium
Match 6 June 13 Vancouver BC Place
Match 7 June 13 East Rutherford MetLife Stadium
Match 8 June 13 San Francisco Levi’s Stadium
Match 9 June 14 Philadelphia Lincoln Financial Field
Match 10 June 14 Houston NRG Stadium
Match 11 June 14 Dallas AT&T Stadium
Match 12 June 14 Monterrey Estadio BBVA
Match 13 June 15 Miami Hard Rock Stadium
Match 14 June 15 Atlanta Mercedes-Benz Stadium
Match 15 June 15 Los Angeles SoFi Stadium
Match 16 June 15 Seattle Lumen Field
Match 17 June 16 East Rutherford MetLife Stadium
Match 18 June 16 Boston Gillette Stadium
Match 19 June 16 Kansas City Arrowhead Stadium
Match 20 June 16 San Francisco Levi’s Stadium
Match 21 June 17 Toronto BMO Field
Match 22 June 17 Dallas AT&T Stadium
Match 23 June 17 Houston NRG Stadium
Match 24 June 17 Mexico City Estadio Azteca
Match 25 June 18 Atlanta Mercedes-Benz Stadium
Match 26 June 18 Los Angeles SoFi Stadium
Match 27 June 18 Vancouver BC Place
Match 28 June 18 Guadalajara Estadio Akron
Match 29 June 19 Philadelphia Lincoln Financial Field
Match 30 June 19 Boston Gillette Stadium
Match 31 June 19 San Francisco Levi’s Stadium
Match 32 June 19 Seattle Lumen Field
Match 33 June 20 Toronto BMO Field
Match 34 June 20 Kansas City Arrowhead Stadium
Match 35 June 20 Houston NRG Stadium
Match 36 June 20 Monterrey Estadio BBVA
Match 37 June 21 Miami Hard Rock Stadium
Match 38 June 21 Atlanta Mercedes-Benz Stadium
Match 39 June 21 Los Angeles SoFi Stadium
Match 40 June 21 Vancouver BC Place
Match 41 June 22 East Rutherford MetLife Stadium
Match 42 June 22 Philadelphia Lincoln Financial Field
Match 43 June 22 Dallas AT&T Stadium
Match 44 June 22 San Francisco Levi’s Stadium
Match 45 June 23 Boston Gillette Stadium
Match 46 June 23 Toronto BMO Field
Match 47 June 23 Houston NRG Stadium
Match 48 June 23 Guadalajara Estadio Akron
Match 49 June 24 Miami Hard Rock Stadium
Match 50 June 24 Atlanta Mercedes-Benz Stadium
Match 51 June 24 Vancouver BC Place
Match 52 June 24 Seattle Lumen Field
Match 53 June 24 Mexico City Estadio Azteca
Match 54 June 24 Monterrey Estadio BBVA
Match 55 June 25 Boston Gillette Stadium
Match 56 June 25 East Rutherford MetLife Stadium
Match 57 June 25 Dallas AT&T Stadium
Match 58 June 25 Kansas City Arrowhead Stadium
Match 59 June 25 Los Angeles SoFi Stadium
Match 60 June 25 San Francisco Levi’s Stadium
Match 61 June 26 Boston Gillette Stadium
Match 62 June 26 Toronto BMO Field
Match 63 June 26 Seattle Lumen Field
Match 64 June 26 Vancouver BC Place
Match 65 June 26 Houston NRG Stadium
Match 66 June 26 Guadalajara Estadio Akron
Match 67 June 27 East Rutherford MetLife Stadium
Match 68 June 27 Philadelphia Lincoln Financial Field
Match 69 June 27 Kansas City Arrowhead Stadium
Match 70 June 27 Dallas AT&T Stadium
Match 71 June 27 Miami Hard Rock Stadium
Match 72 June 27 Atlanta Mercedes-Benz Stadium

Round of 32

Match Date City Stadium
Match 73 June 28 Los Angeles SoFi Stadium
Match 74 June 29 Boston Gillette Stadium
Match 75 June 29 Monterrey Estadio BBVA
Match 76 June 29 Houston NRG Stadium
Match 77 June 30 East Rutherford MetLife Stadium
Match 78 June 30 Dallas AT&T Stadium
Match 79 June 30 Mexico City Estadio Azteca
Match 80 July 1 Atlanta Mercedes-Benz Stadium
Match 81 July 1 San Francisco Levi’s Stadium
Match 82 July 1 Seattle Lumen Field
Match 83 July 2 Toronto BMO Field
Match 84 July 2 Los Angeles SoFi Stadium
Match 85 July 2 Vancouver BC Place
Match 86 July 3 Miami Hard Rock Stadium
Match 87 July 3 Kansas City Arrowhead Stadium
Match 88 July 3 Dallas AT&T Stadium

Round of 16

Match Date City Stadium
Match 89 July 4 Philadelphia Lincoln Financial Field
Match 90 July 4 Houston NRG Stadium
Match 91 July 5 East Rutherford MetLife Stadium
Match 92 July 5 Mexico City Estadio Azteca
Match 93 July 6 Dallas AT&T Stadium
Match 94 July 6 Seattle Lumen Field
Match 95 July 7 Atlanta Mercedes-Benz Stadium
Match 96 July 7 Vancouver BC Place

Quarterfinals

Match Date City Stadium
Match 97 July 9 Boston Gillette Stadium
Match 98 July 10 Los Angeles SoFi Stadium
Match 99 July 11 Miami Hard Rock Stadium
Match 100 July 11 Kansas City Arrowhead Stadium

Semifinals

Match Date City Stadium
Match 101 July 14 Dallas AT&T Stadium
Match 102 July 15 Atlanta Mercedes-Benz Stadium

Bronze medal match

Match Date City Stadium
Match 103 July 18 Miami Hard Rock Stadium

Final

Match Date City Stadium
Match 104 July 19 East Rutherford MetLife Stadium
Soccer

Report: Mbappe agrees to join Real Madrid

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Kylian Mbappe has decided to join Real Madrid, sources told ESPN’s Julien Laurens.

Mbappe, whose contract with Paris Saint-Germain expires June 30, will reportedly announce next week that he intends to leave the Ligue 1 giants for the 14-time European champions this summer.

However, Sky Sports correspondent Kaveh Solhekol cautioned that Mbappe hasn’t communicated a decision either way to PSG.

PSG declined to comment when approached by The Associated Press. Madrid didn’t immediately respond to The Associated Press’ request for comment.

Laurens reports the 25-year-old already turned down PSG’s offer of a raise on top of his gargantuan €72-million gross salary. A move away would also deny Mbappe a loyalty bonus of around €100 million.

Madrid are expected to pay Mbappe nearly half of what he’s currently earning at PSG, another source told ESPN.

The Frenchman initially agreed to terms with Madrid in May 2022 but backed out when PSG offered him a lucrative two-year contract extension. That deal included a €150-million signing bonus and a rolling loyalty bonus starting at €70 million. Emmanuel Macron, the president of France, also helped persuade Mbappe to stay during a private phone call.

But reports of a fracture appeared to develop over the last two seasons. Mbappe told PSG in a letter last June he was declining a one-year player option in his contract so he could leave as a free agent in the upcoming summer transfer window.

As he’s now in the final months of his contract, Mbappe is free to negotiate without his club’s permission.

Earlier in January, PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi seemed optimistic Mbappe would extend his time in Paris.

“He has the best training centre in the world, the best coach in the world (Luis Enrique),” Al-Khelaifi said. “Every year, he’s sure of playing in the Champions League, we’re in the last 16 at least, quarterfinals, even semifinals or final. We’re there with the big clubs.”

Even if Madrid’s offer is worth half of the World Cup winner’s current wages, they would likely pay him more than top earners Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham. Each of them bring in an estimated €10.5 million net annually.

Mbappe has 258 goals in 288 appearances for PSG.

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