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Kiss-gate scandal: Spain SACK World Cup-winning coach Vilda

Spain women’s boss Jorge Vilda has been sacked as manager as part of changes to the country’s set up in the wake of Luis Rubiales’ ‘kiss-gate’ scandal.

Vilda’s position has been controversial despite the coach leading Spain to a 1-0 win over England in the Women’s World Cup final last month.

The Spanish FA were urged to dismiss Vilda by their regional presidents’ committee last week, with the organisation facing mounting pressure over the controversy surrounding Rubiales, who is a close ally of the coach.

And Vilda has now been dismissed by Spain after a meeting with acting Spain FA president Pedro Rocha. Mail Sport understands Levante manager Sanchez Vera is one of the leading candidates to take over.

Rubiales has been provisionally suspended by FIFA and facing increasing pressure to resign after he kissed Jennifer Hermoso following the Women’s World Cup final.

Vilda also faced criticism for applauding Rubiales when the embattled Spanish FA chief had made a defiant speech insisting he would not resign, although the coach has since hit out at his conduct.

During the same speech at the end of last month, Rubiales hailed Vilda and offered to secure him a new four-year contract for his efforts with the team.

‘I have directed Andreu to start negotiations with you (Vilda) so that you can continue for the next four years earning half a million euros,’ Rubiales said.

‘I’m going to say it, now you were earning 170,000 euros, not half a million as they said. In women’s football, you are the best coach in the world,’

Marca reported earlier on Tuesday that Rocha would swing the axe on Vilda, who had been in the role since 2015 but divided the squad over his behaviour and coaching methods.

In September 2022, 15 Spain players wrote a letter to the Spanish FA refusing to play unless Vilda resigned, arguing that his reign was affecting their ’emotional state’ and amid talk of unprofessionalism.

Rubiales chose to back Vilda, who opted to select just three of the 15 players in his squad for the World Cup.

The protest against Vilda came amid reported he had banned players from locking their hotel rooms, carried out room checks, and went through their bags like ‘children’.

It has been claimed the decision to sack Vilda is be a ‘symbol’ of the changes promised by the Spanish FA in response to the Rubiales scandal.

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48 Countries To Participate In FIFA Women’s World Cup

Brazil's 2027 Women's World Cup: 8 host cities Confirmed By FIFA

ZURICH (AP) – The Women´s World Cup will increase to 48 teams in 2031 when the United States is expected to host the tournament, FIFA confirmed Friday.

FIFA has wanted to expand the women´s tournament from 32 teams to match the men´s World Cup which has 48 teams for the first time next year, when the U.S. will co-host with Canada and Mexico.
The decision follows one month after FIFA president Gianni Infantino said it had just one candidate bidding for each of the 2031 and 2035 women´s tournaments – the U.S. followed by the United Kingdom. FIFA is expected to confirm these two hosts next year.

Brazil will host a 32-team Women´s World Cup in 2027.

FIFA said the bigger, 104-game tournament with 48 teams “will significantly broaden representation, offering more nations and players access to elite competition and accelerating investment in women´s football worldwide.”

The Women´s World Cup had just 16 teams as recently as the 2011 edition in Germany, 24 teams at each of the next two tournaments in Canada and France, then 32 teams for the first time in 2023 co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand.

The 2023 edition defied concerns the tournament had grown too fast, would have too many overmatched teams and too many lop-sided results.

In 2019, the defending champion U.S. team beat Thailand 13-0 in their opening group-stage game.

In 2023, the biggest win was the Netherlands beating Thailand 7-0, and the tournament “set a new standard for global competitiveness,” Infantino said Friday in a statement, because “teams from all confederations won at least one game and teams from five confederations reached the knockout stage.”

Dailymail.co.uk

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Viktor Gyokeres Tells Ruben Amorim His Next Club After Rejecting Man United

Viktor Gyokeres has told Ruben Amorim that he will consider a transfer to Manchester United ahead of Arsenal but only if they secure Champions League football for next season.

Gyokeres is one of the leading names on Arsenal’s striker shortlist ahead of the summer transfer window but Mikel Arteta’s side will face competition from United, who are also keen to recruit a new forward.

The Sweden international has been one of the most prolific strikers in Europe this season with 52 goals in 49 appearances for Sporting CP.

Gyokeres has a €100 million (£84.7m) release clause in his deal with Sporting but it’s understood that the Portuguese club would accept between €75m and €85m (£63.5m and £72m) for the 26-year-old.

The Telegraph reports that Arsenal’s sporting director, Andrea Berta, favours a move for Gyokeres ahead of RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko this summer.

The report adds that Gyokeres’ preference would be to join Arsenal and although he has spoken to Amorim, he will only consider United if they are playing in next season’s Champions League.

As it stands, Amorim would need to guide United to victory in the Europa League final on May 21 to secure a place in the Champions League next term.

Arsenal, meanwhile, saw their hopes of winning the Champions League end on Wednesday night following their defeat to Paris Saint-Germain but they still sit second in the Premier League and four points clear of fifth-placed Chelsea with three games remaining.

Speaking last month, Sporting head coach, Rui Borges, acknowledged that this could be Gyokeres’ final campaign with the Portuguese side.

‘Viktor is a player… I think there are no words, it is unlikely that another player of his quality will emerge in our league over the next few years,’ Borges said.

‘He is clearly above average. Sporting recognised his talent, and here we are.

‘Fortunately, we have him at Sporting. We must make the most of the time we have with him because he is truly exceptional.

‘I have said this before, and I will continue to say it – he brings a lot to the team, and his teammates are aware of what he contributes, which is why they look for him during games.’

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EFCC Collaborates With NSC On National Sports Development

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC and the National Sport Commission, NSC are set to deepen collaboration and partnership towards improved sports development in the country.

The resolution was reached on Wednesday, April 23, 2025 when the Sports Committee of the EFCC, led by its head, Assistant Commander of the EFCC, ACE ll Halilu Dauda paid a courtesy visit to the NSC Chairman, Mallam Shehu Dikko, ahead of the One Service, One Medal Games, OSOM, which is a tournament organized to foster peace, unity and sports development among members of the armed forces, law enforcement agencies and para-military organizations in the country.

Dauda appreciated the strides of the NSC under Dikko’s leadership, noting that the OSOM games will further foster unity for national development.

“I have been following every single story from your Commission, and I must confess that you are doing well. I believe that the games will harness talent that will help Nigeria win laurels in international competitions. A lot of Nigerians, living abroad, are doing well in sports. All we need is to train the best locally from the grassroots and we can win any competition,” he said.

In her contribution, EFCC’s Sports Committee Public Relations Officer, ACE ll, Aisha Mohammed observed the need for collaboration and partnership among agencies of government adding that such synergy will go a long way in enhancing robust participation in the games and resources needed to develop local talents.

Dikko, who was delighted with the visit, disclosed that the NSC under his leadership has prioritized talent hunt and development.

“Since my assumption in office, we have focused our attention on the development of athletes. We have a plan to train the younger ones for a period of time. We are focused on going to the grassroots, especially schools, there are so many talents there; we are not waiting for competitions to come before we start preparing because preparation beats talents in sports,” he said.

The games will feature competition in swimming, taekwondo, weightlifting, tug-of-war, beach volleyball, boxing, chess, squash and scrabble. Others are, golf, tennis, shooting, table tennis, football and badminton.