FIFA unveiled Thursday the new trophy for the 2025 Club World Cup in the first edition to feature an expanded format with 32 teams.

“The trophy had to be innovative, inclusive, ground-breaking and truly global, as this competition is,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino said in a statement. “The FIFA Club World Cup trophy – a remarkable equivalent to our iconic FIFA World Cup – is a revolutionary symbol of a bright, new future for club football, inspired by the past.”

The trophy features four discs connected by pins, allowing them to rotate within the same orbit. The 24-carat gold-plated cup has intricate laser-engraved inscriptions and symbols that represent significant moments in football history on both sides of the hardware.

FIFA’s new format for the tournament will include 32 clubs from six confederations. Teams will be divided into eight groups of four, playing a single match against each opponent in the group. The top two teams from each group will advance to the knockout stage, where they will compete in a single-elimination format in subsequent rounds.

SAAF Cross Country Championships 2024 postponed amid smog concerns in Punjab
The trophy for the 2025 tournament, set to take place in the US from June 15 to July 13 under the new format, was crafted in collaboration with luxury jewelry company, Tiffany & Co.​​​​​​​

Ruben Amorim has laid down his first rule at Manchester United after taking over from Erik ten Hag.

The Portuguese coach gathered together members of the Red Devils squad who are training at Carrington during the international break, having not been called up for their countries. The 39-year-old former midfielder touched down in Manchester with his coaching crew on Monday and began working to address matters at Old Trafford.

Having succeeded Dutch boss Ten Hag on November 1, he spent a brief tenure finishing up commitments with Sporting Lisbon that included thrashing his new club’s rivals Manchester City 4-1 in the Champions League, but takes over a side slumped 13th in the Premier League table. Tuesday was marked by first-time introductions as Amorim met with five players including Luke Shaw and Mason Mount, alongside Kobbie Mainoo, Lenny Yoro, and Toby Collyer.

Addressing a select few of United’s players, Amorim proclaimed: “We have to have fun.” Rising talents from the academy like Daniel Armer, Amir Ibragimov, and Ruben Curley, who’ve been training with the senior team, also got a nod.

While waiting for his work visa, Amorim hasn’t kicked off training sessions but has been busy with a series of crucial meetings instead. He’s greeted by Uniteds top brass, with Omar Berrada at the helm of welcoming committee alongside Dan Ashworth and Jason Wilcox, reports the Mirror.

Tuesday also saw him convening with coaching staff Andreas Georgson and Darren Fletcher, who stayed on post the departures of Ten Hag and Ruud van Nistelrooy while Rene Hake, Jelle ten Rouwelaar, and Pieter Morel are set to bid farewell to the club.

The incoming Red Devils manager has reportedly made swift assessments of his team. Mount, despite a challenging period marred by injuries post-Chelsea transfer, is tipped for a pivotal role in Amorim’s squad.

The new boss from Portugal holds Mount in high regard for his adaptability, which could be key as Amorim is anticipated to implement a 3-4-3 formation. However, not all players seem to have impressed equally.

Joshua Zirkzee, it seems, hasn’t met the mark and is considered ‘not adequate’, casting doubt on whether Amorim can turn around United’s goal-scoring woes. Speculation suggests that Amorim might look towards Sporting striker Viktor Gyokeres as a potential recruit.

Amorim appears eager to embrace his new responsibilities after his last game at the helm of Sporting. He expressed his readiness for the challenge ahead, saying over the weekend: “I feel ready for the new challenge,” and acknowledging the difficulties he anticipates with, “I’m not naive, I know it’s going to be very different, very difficult. I’m at peace now. I can focus on my new job and I’m looking forward to starting tomorrow.”

He also reflected on the unique aspects of his new position, stating: “I know it will be difficult to reproduce what I have here anywhere else but there are other places with different exposure and pressure.”

Former AS Monaco, Sevilla and France forward Wissam Ben Yedder has been convicted of attempted rape and sexual assault in Nice, following a lengthy legal process.

The 34-year-old, who was a free agent this summer after leaving the principality, has been declared guilty of all charges in court, and on top of the two years in prison he will face, Ben Yedder will see his driving licence suspended for six months. He will pay a €6.5k fine in damages to the victim, and his name will be placed on the sex offender register.

Ben Yedder apologised to the 23-year-old victim during the court proceedings, blaming his actions on alcohol. Diario AS explain that the prosecution were seeking a year in prison and 2.5 years more in a suspended sentence, conscious of the fact that he has a separate ongoing rape investigation into him. Ben Yedder paid a €900k bail to avoid custody in 2023.