The logo for the 2026 SAFF Championship was unveiled at a ceremony at a hotel in the capital on July 25. The event highlighted the heritage of the seven countries set to take part in the upcoming tournament. SAFF officials, Bangladesh Football Federation officials and others attended the programme.

The 15th edition of the SAFF Championship will be held in Dhaka from November 4 to 17. All matches are scheduled to take place at the National Stadium. Hosts Bangladesh will be joined by India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan and Maldives.

The tournament draw is scheduled for August 1. The edition had originally been planned for 2025, but was postponed because of various complications. SAFF authorities later announced a revised schedule, and the logo unveiling followed the release of that schedule.

Brazilian star Neymar Junior has drawn criticism after missing Santos' 4-1 win over Universidad in the first leg of the Copa Sudamericana playoff and appearing at a poker tournament in Sao Paulo on the same day. The episode followed the 2026 World Cup and prompted some fans and football analysts to question his commitment and priorities toward the club.

Amid the criticism, Neymar posted four Instagram photographs showing him at a poker table with cards and chips. He captioned the post, “Life is a joke,” and disabled comments. Many believe the cryptic message was aimed at his critics. Neymar had suffered an injury before the World Cup but made Carlo Ancelotti's Brazil squad, playing only two matches because he was not fully fit.

He scored Brazil's only goal from a penalty in the 2-1 defeat to Norway in the round of 32. After the World Cup, he returned to Santos for rehabilitation and fitness work. Santos head coach Cuca said Neymar's rest was entirely planned, with the player on an intensive training programme to build physical strength before four matches in 10 days.

Bangladesh national football team coach Thomas Dooly has outlined a plan to reshape the side by combining the football philosophies of Spain, Argentina and France. The German-born former United States player, appointed on a two-year deal in May, observed football supporters’ enthusiasm in Dhaka during the 2026 World Cup and said such passion is seen in very few countries.

Dooly said he wants Bangladesh to keep possession, play in one or two touches and make opponents run, following Spain’s style. He also wants a team in which players fight for one another, the national badge and supporters, drawing on what he described as Argentina’s spirit. Against stronger opponents, he aims for Bangladesh to be dangerous in fast, precise counterattacks similar to France.

Matches during the September-October FIFA window will provide the first stage for testing Dooly’s new blueprint. He has called supporters the team’s twelfth player and said he wants to see their roar in the stands when Bangladesh play. The coach hopes the football emotion shown for foreign teams during the World Cup will also surround the national side.

Belgium’s football association has officially appointed former Netherlands captain Mark van Bommel as head coach of the Red Devils after their 2026 FIFA World Cup quarter-final defeat to Spain. The association ended its relationship with Rudy Garcia following the tournament exit. The 49-year-old Dutch coach will formally take charge on August 15 and is set to lead Belgium through the 2028 European Championship.

Van Bommel said becoming Belgium’s national team coach was a huge honour and thanked the football association for its trust. He said the squad contains many talented players with exceptional potential and that he looks forward to working with them. Sporting director Vincent Mannaert said Van Bommel’s international experience as both a player and a coach could help the current young team become more mature.

Van Bommel previously worked at PSV Eindhoven and Germany’s VfL Wolfsburg before joining Belgian club Royal Antwerp. In two seasons there, he led Antwerp to their first Belgian Pro League title in 66 years, while also winning the Belgian Cup and Belgian Super Cup for a historic treble. His staff will include Boudewijn Zenden, Maarten Martens and Reiner Robbemond as Belgium begins preparations for Euro 2028.

Italy is close to appointing 2006 World Cup winner Andrea Pirlo as national team head coach after Pep Guardiola and Carlo Ancelotti declined approaches, according to Italian journalist Matteo Moretto. An official announcement could come within days if all details are completed. Pirlo would replace Gennaro Gattuso in the role.

Italy technical director Paolo Maldini and special adviser Leonardo acknowledged that Ancelotti was contacted first for the national-team position, followed by Guardiola. Both coaches rejected the offer for personal and professional reasons. Italy then turned to Pirlo, the 47-year-old former midfielder who is currently in charge of United FC in the United Arab Emirates Pro League.

Reports say Pirlo could sign a contract running through the 2030 World Cup, with an annual salary of about €1.5 million. No difficulty is expected in ending his current club contract to accept Italy’s offer. Pirlo won the Coppa Italia in his first season as Juventus coach, but did not achieve the expected success at Fatih Karagumruk or Sampdoria.

Retirement speculation around Lionel Messi has intensified after Argentina lost the 2026 World Cup final to Spain. The 39-year-old Argentina captain has not announced his retirement and has avoided questions on the subject since the tournament. His silence and tears after the final whistle have prompted questions over whether the match was his last in Argentina’s shirt.

Midfielder Leandro Paredes said it was time for many players to decide whether they would remain with the national team and that the matter should be considered calmly. He did not name Messi, although international media interpreted the remarks as an indication about the captain’s future. Coach Lionel Scaloni is also considering the future, while Nicolas Otamendi has already retired from international football.

Since beginning with Argentina in 2005, Messi has made 207 appearances, scoring 125 goals and providing 65 assists. He played 38 World Cup matches across six editions, with eight goals and four assists in 2026. TNT Sports reported that FIFA wants to stage a Finalissima between Spain and Argentina later this year, but whether Messi would feature remains uncertain.

The German Football Association, or DFB, has officially appointed Jürgen Klopp as head coach of Germany’s national team. DFB president Bernd Neuendorf announced the high-profile appointment at a press conference in Frankfurt on 24 July 2026. The DFB said Klopp’s contract will take effect on 15 August and run until the summer of 2030.

The appointment follows Germany’s recent World Cup exit in the round of 32 after a defeat to Paraguay, after which the DFB dismissed coach Julian Nagelsmann. Klopp had publicly expressed interest in taking the national-team role after Nagelsmann’s departure. Since winning the 2014 World Cup, Germany exited the group stage at both the 2018 and 2022 tournaments.

Klopp began his coaching career at Mainz after 10 years as a player. He won two Bundesliga titles with Borussia Dortmund and led the club to a Champions League final. At Liverpool, he won the Champions League in 2019 and the Premier League in 2020. After leaving Liverpool in 2024 due to fatigue, Klopp had served as Red Bull’s head of global soccer since 2025.

Spain’s government has decided to award the Order of Civil Merit, a state honour, to the country’s men’s and women’s national football teams after their historic international achievements. The decision was taken recently at a Cabinet meeting, according to a report published on July 24, 2026. It followed a proposal from Education, Vocational Training and Sports Minister Milagros Tolón and a recommendation from Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares.

Spain’s men won their second World Cup title last Sunday, beating Argentina 1-0 in the final after Ferran Torres scored the only goal in extra time. The women’s team had won its first World Cup in 2023, defeating England in the final in Sydney. The report described Spain as the first and only country whose men’s and women’s national teams have both become world champions at the same time.

Government spokesperson and minister Elma Saiz said the achievement extended beyond football, conveying perseverance, sacrifice, cooperation, tolerance and collective strength within Spanish society. She said the teams demonstrated the true meaning of teamwork and reflected national values through their competitive approach. Players and coaching staff from both teams will formally receive the honour at a state reception.

Argentina midfielder Leandro Paredes has said he is uncertain whether he is mentally ready to continue playing for the national team after Argentina lost the 2026 World Cup final 1-0 to Spain. In an interview with Spanish outlet Marca, published on July 24, the Boca Juniors player said he would need time to consider his future with the national side.

Paredes said the pain of losing the final would take a long time to overcome, despite Argentina's major achievements. He said maintaining the team's current level and carrying its structure forward would be difficult, adding that many players faced a time to make decisions calmly and after careful thought.

Reflecting on the successful period that began with the 2021 Copa America, Paredes said he was proud of the trophies won and of a World Cup team in which people found what they wanted. He dismissed wider discussion around refereeing, VAR and conspiracy theories, saying Argentina had a strong tournament but Spain played better in the final and deserved the title. Debate is also continuing over the futures of coach Lionel Scaloni, Lionel Messi and several senior players.

Pep Guardiola has rejected an offer to become coach of Italy’s national football team, dealing a fresh setback to the Italian Football Federation’s search for a new manager. The Spanish coach chose to prioritize time with his family and does not plan to take charge of a national team or club at present, according to a report published on July 24, 2026.

Italy turned to Guardiola after seeking leading coaches to rebuild following its failure to qualify for the World Cup. Technical director Paolo Maldini had publicly said the federation contacted both Carlo Ancelotti and Guardiola. Ancelotti, who is in charge of Brazil, wanted to remain in that role, shifting Italy’s focus toward Guardiola.

Italian news agency ANSA reported on Friday that Guardiola informed Italian officials of his decision. After 10 consecutive years managing Manchester City, he wants a temporary break from football for personal life and family time. Andrea Pirlo, Antonio Conte and Roberto Mancini are being considered as alternatives, Italian media reported. Maldini said the federation wants the best candidate aligned with a long-term plan rather than making a rushed appointment.

Bangladesh will begin the 2026 Asian Games men’s cricket competition directly in the quarterfinals, having secured a knockout-stage place through ICC rankings. The Asian Games will be held in Nagoya, Japan, in September. The draw for the men’s and women’s cricket events was held on 23 July. Ten teams will compete in the men’s T20 tournament, with Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka all exempt from the first round.

Afghanistan, hosts Japan and Nepal are in Group A of the first round, while Hong Kong, Malaysia and Oman are in Group B. The top two teams from each group will progress to the quarterfinals to face Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The men’s cricket event will run from 24 September to 1 October.

The women’s event will feature eight teams and begin directly at the quarterfinal stage, where Bangladesh will face China. It will take place from 17 to 22 September, with both men’s and women’s competitions played in the T20 format for medals.

Los Palacios y Villafranca, a small tomato-producing town in Seville province, publicly honored world champion Spanish players Fabián Ruiz and Gavi by weighing them and gifting fresh local tomatoes equal to their body weight. The ceremony, reported on 24 July 2026, presented 85 kg of tomatoes to Fabián Ruiz and 68.5 kg to Gavi, totaling 153.5 kg, as part of the town's unique celebratory tradition.

The town has long been known for high-quality tomato production and established the custom of gifting weight-equivalent tomatoes to successful athletes as a mark of civic pride. Los Palacios has produced three international stars, including Jesús Navas, who began the tradition after his World Cup and Euro successes. The municipality said it will also rename two main football fields after Fabián Ruiz and Gavi and dedicate the sports complex to Jesús Navas, plus erect a commemorative statue in the town center.

Officials and residents view the practice as linking local agriculture and culture with international sport and as an inspiration for younger generations seeking football success in the town.

India began their three-match T20I series in Harare with a comprehensive seven-wicket victory over Zimbabwe, led by Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s record 18-ball half-century on July 23, 2026. Chasing 126, the 15-year-old opener exploded from the start, reaching fifty in 18 balls and scoring 50 off 19 before departing with India well placed at 68 for 2.

Suryavanshi attacked Zimbabwe’s pace bowlers Richard Ngarava and Blessing Muzarabani early, including a ramp and a sequence of boundaries that put India in control. Ishan Kishan and captain Shreyas Iyer added an important 46-run third-wicket stand, with Kishan scoring 35 off 24. India’s bowlers, led by Mayank Yadav and Prince Yadav, restricted Zimbabwe to 125 for 7 in 20 overs with all bowlers conceding under eight runs per over.

India secured the win with 40 balls remaining, moving 1-0 up in the series; Zimbabwe, wearing retro 1992 World Cup jerseys, must change approach in the remaining two matches to level the series.

Spain defeated Argentina in the 2026 World Cup final to win the tournament for the second time, and Brazil legend Ronaldo Nazario praised their style of play as the world’s best. The match ended 1-0 after extra time with Ferran Torres scoring the decisive goal in the 106th minute, securing La Roja’s title and prompting widespread acclaim.

In a pre-final interview with Spanish outlet Diario AS, Ronaldo had declared Spain the clear favorite and predicted they would win, a forecast that proved correct despite a hard-fought match. He credited Spain’s footballing philosophy, ball control and organization, saying their style surpasses even Brazil’s traditional jogo bonito. Spain captain Rodri echoed this view, noting the team’s control across pressing, possession, counterattacks and set pieces.

Ronaldo also praised Argentina’s fighting spirit, while the final highlighted Spain’s dominance in possession and chance creation and Ferran Torres’s extra-time goal ended their long wait for a second world title.

FIFA has rejected allegations of match-fixing during the 2026 World Cup, calling them baseless. In an official statement, the global football governing body said that after extensive monitoring throughout the tournament, no evidence of suspicious betting or match manipulation was found. The Integrity Task Force, comprising the FBI, Interpol, UNODC, and international betting monitoring agencies, reviewed data from all 104 matches and confirmed the absence of irregularities.

Despite the clean findings on match-fixing, the tournament saw several refereeing controversies. The Egyptian Football Association protested strongly after their 3–2 loss to Argentina in the round of 16, accusing referees of serious errors and demanding their expulsion from the World Cup. Egypt’s coach Hossam Hassan also made a controversial gesture during the match and later alleged that FIFA wanted Lionel Messi to remain in the tournament, sparking widespread debate.

FIFA’s chief refereeing officer Pierluigi Collina dismissed these claims as unfounded, while senior integrity manager Liam Rich praised the task force’s effectiveness and confirmed that similar monitoring systems will continue in future tournaments.