Sports
FIFA commits $75m to rebuild war-damaged football facilities in Gaza
According to FIFA, the initiative includes plans to construct a football academy, a new 20,000-seat national stadium and dozens of mini-pitches across Gaza.
The world football governing body, FIFA, has announced plans to mobilise $75 million to rebuild football facilities in Gaza destroyed during the war between Israel and Hamas.
The announcement was made on Thursday during the inaugural meeting of the “Board of Peace,” convened in Washington by U.S. President Donald Trump. FIFA President Gianni Infantino also attended the meeting, which focused primarily on reconstruction efforts in the Gaza Strip.
Trump disclosed that FIFA would help raise “a total of $75 million for projects in Gaza,” noting that the initiative would include football-related investments such as playing fields and high-profile visits by global football stars.
“I’m also pleased to announce that FIFA will be helping to raise a total of $75 million for projects in Gaza,” Trump said, adding that the projects would centre on building fields and attracting some of the sport’s biggest names.
According to FIFA, the initiative includes plans to construct a football academy, a new 20,000-seat national stadium and dozens of mini-pitches across Gaza.
The first phase will prioritise building small-sided fields within three to six months, while the proposed stadium is expected to take between 18 and 36 months to complete.
FIFA also confirmed plans to help establish youth and amateur leagues as part of the long-term development strategy.
Infantino described the agreement as “a landmark partnership” designed to channel investment into football, supporting recovery efforts in post-conflict areas.
Sports
Mbappé wins Onze d’Or award for 2025/26 season
The Spanish club announced the award on Monday, October 19, saying Mbappé received 48.2 per cent of the votes to claim the honour for the first time in his career.
•Kylian Mbappé
Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappé has won the Onze d’Or award for the best player of the 2025/26 season, following a vote by readers of French magazine Onze Mondial.
The Spanish club announced the award on Monday, October 19, saying Mbappé received 48.2 per cent of the votes to claim the honour for the first time in his career.
Paris Saint-Germain players João Neves and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia finished second and third, with 11.9 per cent and 10.8 per cent of the votes, respectively, according to Real Madrid.
In a statement published on its official website, the club said the French forward was the leading scorer in both the UEFA Champions League and La Liga during the 2025/26 season.
Sports
Ronaldo Gets 30-Day Suspension For Portugal Camp Walkout
Ronaldo’s suspension takes effect from the day of the Denmark match, meaning he has already served 19 days of his ban and will complete it by the end of October.
•Cristiano Ronaldo /AFP
Federação Portuguesa de Futebol (FPF), the official governing body of football in Portugal on Monday handed Cristiano Ronaldo a 30-day suspension for leaving the Portuguese national team camp during the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) nations league.
The 41-year-old left the Portugal camp on September 30, before accusing coach Jorge Jesus of breaking his word about giving him game time.
Ronaldo apologised to supporters earlier in October, adding he would accept any punishment that was imposed.
The former Manchester United and Real Madrid star, who will also have to pay a fine of 255 euros ($286), has received the minimum penalty provided for in the federation’s regulations, which stipulate suspensions of between one and six months for leaving the national team.
Ronaldo left Portugal’s squad after first being made to warm up as a substitute against Norway on September 27 and not brought on, and then finding out he would not start against Denmark in the match on October 1.
Ronaldo’s suspension takes effect from the day of the Denmark match, meaning he has already served 19 days of his ban and will complete it by the end of October.
Sports
CAF Increases Annual Funding for Member Federations to $700,000
The funding has climbed in stages. It stood at $200,000 in 2021, rose to $400,000, then to $525,000, and now sits at $700,000.
•CAF President Dr Patrice Motsepe
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has raised the maximum annual subvention available to each of its 54 member associations to $700,000.
The new figure is a 33% increase on the previous allocation of $525,000.
The adjustment continues a steady rise in direct funding to national football governing bodies under CAF President Dr Patrice Motsepe.
Under the revised framework, each member association will now receive up to $700,000 yearly.
Across all 54 federations, the maximum annual allocation could reach about $37.8 million.
The difference of $175,000 per federation adds up to roughly $9.45 million in potential extra annual funding across the continent.
That gives CAF a bigger financial footprint in football development programmes.
Since 2021, the annual allocation per member association has moved from $200,000 to $700,000, a 250% growth over four years.
The funding has climbed in stages. It stood at $200,000 in 2021, rose to $400,000, then to $525,000, and now sits at $700,000. In four years, CAF has added $500,000 to what each federation can access annually.
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