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FIFA names 11-member panel for 2026 World Cup analysis, awards

The panel, unveiled during a virtual media briefing will be led by FIFA Senior Football Expert Pascal Zuberbühler and includes former Manchester City defender Pablo Zabaleta, ex-Germany striker and coach Jürgen Klinsmann, Northern Ireland manager Michael O’Neill, former Ghana coach Otto Addo, Costa Rica legend Paulo Wanchope and Brazilian World Cup winner Gilberto Silva.

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• FIFA World Cup 2026 Trophy (Photo by Frederic J. Brown / AFP)

FIFA on Monday unveiled an 11-member Technical Study Group for the 2026 World Cup, with former players and coaches set to analyse matches and decide the winners of major individual awards during the tournament.

The panel, unveiled during a virtual media briefing will be led by FIFA Senior Football Expert Pascal Zuberbühler and includes former Manchester City defender Pablo Zabaleta, ex-Germany striker and coach Jürgen Klinsmann, Northern Ireland manager Michael O’Neill, former Ghana coach Otto Addo, Costa Rica legend Paulo Wanchope and Brazilian World Cup winner Gilberto Silva.

Others on the panel are Tobin Heath, Jon Dahl Tomasson, Jayne Ludlow and Aron Winter.

FIFA said that the group will also decide the winners of the Golden Ball, Golden Glove and Best Young Player awards during the tournament.

The 2026 World Cup will feature 48 teams for the first time, with 104 matches scheduled across the competition.

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Manchester City lose ground in EPL title race

Defeat is Manchester City’s third consecutive since their seven-match winning run ended at Aston Villa.

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Manchester City suffered a shock 3-1 defeat at Nottinghaam Forest in the English Premier League on Saturday night.

Liam Delap’s brace and Jair Cunha’s opener ensured Forest claimed maximum points against the fumbling former EPL champions riddled with defensive lapses.

Forest took the lead on eight minutes through defender Cunha who dispossessed Josko Gvardiol close to the penalty area, before slotting a low shot beyond the goalkeeper from just inside the box.

Delap doubled the lead with a rasping drive on 18 minutes after he stole the ball from City’s hesitant players.

The visitors reduced the deficit on 52 minutes from Ryan Cherki’s half-voley that nestled into the top of the net, but a defiant Forest regained the two-goal lead on 72 minutes through Delap.

The former Chelsea striker completed his brace with a piledriver into the top corner from Morgan Gibbs-White’s pass off a counter attack.

Defeat is Manchester City’s third consecutive since their seven-match winning run ended at Aston Villa.

City also lose three on the bounce for the first time since 2024, and are six points off the pace behind EPL leaders Arsenal.Nottingham Forest however climb out of the relegation waters with a first win in six matches.

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Nigeria Wins First U-17 Women’s World Cup By 2:1 Against Japan

The Japanese side pushed for an equaliser, but Nigeria held on to secure the 2-1 victory.

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Nigeria’s U-17 women’s national team, the Flamingos, have defeated Japan 2-1 to win the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco.

The Flamingos secured the historic victory on Saturday at the Mohammed VI Football Complex, Pitch 3, in Rabat, to claim their first title in the competition.

Awawu Bashiru opened the scoring for Nigeria in the 39th minute with a long-range effort that slipped through the hands of the Japanese goalkeeper.

Nigeria doubled their advantage shortly after the restart, with Oluebube Umejiaku finding the net in the 47th minute to put the Flamingos in control.

Japan fought back and reduced the deficit through Fuki Ito in the 80th minute.

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The Japanese side pushed for an equaliser, but Nigeria held on to secure the 2-1 victory. The Flamingos also came close to extending their lead late in the game, striking the crossbar from a corner kick.

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JUST IN: Ronaldo Ends 23-year Portugal Career, Hangs National Team Boots

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Cristiano Ronaldo has announced his retirement from international football at the age of 41, bringing an end to a record-breaking 23-year career with Portugal.

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner confirmed the decision in an emotional Instagram video on Thursday, saying he was ready to “hand back the number seven shirt” of the national team.

Ronaldo leaves the stage as the all-time leading scorer and most-capped player in men’s international football, with 146 goals in 234 appearances. He captained Portugal to their first major trophy at Euro 2016 and later helped the side win the UEFA Nations League in 2019 and 2025.

His final appearance for the Seleção came on 24 September 2026 in a 1-0 Nations League victory over Wales. The announcement follows a public falling-out with head coach Jorge Jesus during the September international break, after which Ronaldo left the team camp and received a 30-day suspension and fine.

In his farewell message, Ronaldo said: “To the Portuguese people, the day has come for me to hand back the number seven shirt of our national team. I never felt it belonged to me alone, but for 23 years I had the privilege and the responsibility of wearing it… Today the time has come to pass it on to the future. It was not an easy decision, because some decisions are not made with the mind alone — they are also made with the heart.”

Ronaldo will continue playing at club level with Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia.

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