عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Sports

Laimer Joins Bayern’s Growing Absentee List

Wolfsburg's Croatian midfielder #10 Lovro Majer (L) and Bayern Munich's Austrian midfielder #27 Konrad Laimer vie for the ball during the German first division Bundesliga football match between FC Bayern Munich and VfL Wolfsburg in Munich, southern Germany, on January 11, 2026. (AFP)
Wolfsburg's Croatian midfielder #10 Lovro Majer (L) and Bayern Munich's Austrian midfielder #27 Konrad Laimer vie for the ball during the German first division Bundesliga football match between FC Bayern Munich and VfL Wolfsburg in Munich, southern Germany, on January 11, 2026. (AFP)
TT
TT

Laimer Joins Bayern’s Growing Absentee List

Wolfsburg's Croatian midfielder #10 Lovro Majer (L) and Bayern Munich's Austrian midfielder #27 Konrad Laimer vie for the ball during the German first division Bundesliga football match between FC Bayern Munich and VfL Wolfsburg in Munich, southern Germany, on January 11, 2026. (AFP)
Wolfsburg's Croatian midfielder #10 Lovro Majer (L) and Bayern Munich's Austrian midfielder #27 Konrad Laimer vie for the ball during the German first division Bundesliga football match between FC Bayern Munich and VfL Wolfsburg in Munich, southern Germany, on January 11, 2026. (AFP)

Injured Bayern Munich midfielder Konrad Laimer became the latest player added to the club's growing absentee list, the defending champions announced on Thursday.

Laimer, 28, will be missing "for the time being" the club said in a statement, ruling him out of Saturday's trip to former side RB Leipzig.

Unbeaten Bayern are 11 points clear in the league but are coping with a wave of absentees.

Germany captain Joshua Kimmich, Jamal Musiala and Josip Stanisic are also injured, Alphonso Davies and Sacha Boey are yet to play in 2026 due to illness while Senegal striker Nicolas Jackson is at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Most Viewed

 
 
Sports

South America's CONMEBOL Backs FIFA President for 4th Term

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - 50th Ordinary UEFA Congress - Brussels Expo, Brussels, Belgium - February 12, 2026 FIFA president Gianni Infantino speaks during the event REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - 50th Ordinary UEFA Congress - Brussels Expo, Brussels, Belgium - February 12, 2026 FIFA president Gianni Infantino speaks during the event REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/File Photo
TT
TT

South America's CONMEBOL Backs FIFA President for 4th Term

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - 50th Ordinary UEFA Congress - Brussels Expo, Brussels, Belgium - February 12, 2026 FIFA president Gianni Infantino speaks during the event REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - 50th Ordinary UEFA Congress - Brussels Expo, Brussels, Belgium - February 12, 2026 FIFA president Gianni Infantino speaks during the event REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/File Photo

South American football's governing body (CONMEBOL) gave Gianni Infantino its backing on Thursday should he decide to run for reelection as FIFA president for a fourth term.

While Infantino has yet to confirm whether he will run for the 2027–2031 term, CONMEBOL's council said in a statement that it "unanimously expressed its support" for the 56-year-old's leadership ⁠ahead of a ⁠potential bid.

"President Gianni Infantino, thank you for your continued commitment to the development of South American football and for the leadership exercised at a global level," CONMEBOL ⁠President Alejandro Dominguez said.

"We deeply value your closeness to our region and your vision to continue growing the game worldwide."

CONMEBOL is the first federation to express support for Infantino's re-election, Reuters reported.

The Swiss took office in 2016, taking over from Sepp Blatter, and was re-elected unopposed in 2019 and again ⁠in ⁠2023.

Infantino has pushed for the expansion of FIFA competitions during his tenure, with this year's World Cup in North America the first to feature 48 teams, while the women's tournament in 2023 expanded to 32 teams.

Infantino's tenure has also drawn some criticism over issues such as governance and calendar congestion.

Sports

Al Ahly Goalkeeper El Shenawy Suspended for 4 Matches for Assaulting Referee

Al-Ahly goalkeeper Mohamed El-Shenawy (Al-Ahly official website)
Al-Ahly goalkeeper Mohamed El-Shenawy (Al-Ahly official website)
TT
TT

Al Ahly Goalkeeper El Shenawy Suspended for 4 Matches for Assaulting Referee

Al-Ahly goalkeeper Mohamed El-Shenawy (Al-Ahly official website)
Al-Ahly goalkeeper Mohamed El-Shenawy (Al-Ahly official website)

Al-Ahly goalkeeper Mohamed El-Shenawy was handed a four-match ban after striking a referee on the head following a 1-1 draw with Ceramica Cleopatra, the Egyptian Pro League said on Thursday.

The Egypt international, who was on the ⁠bench for Tuesday's ⁠game, was incensed after Al-Ahly's appeal for a penalty following a handball in stoppage time was denied.

"He handed a ⁠four-match ban and fined 50,000 Egyptian pounds ($942) for assaulting the referee by pushing or pulling (use of the hand without violence)," the league said in a statement.

The ban means El-Shenawy, who is expected to be Egypt's starting ⁠goalkeeper ⁠at the World Cup in North America, will be sidelined until the final week of the league play-offs, Reuters reported.

Al-Ahly are third on 41 points, five points behind leaders Zamalek.

Sports

FIFA Selects Saudi Refereeing Crew for 2026 World Cup

The newly completed 7,000 seats (grey area) in the south end of BMO Field are shown as part of the stadium's upgrades ahead of hosting six FIFA World Cup 2026 soccer matches in Toronto, March 24, 2026. (Eduardo Lima/The Canadian Press via AP)
The newly completed 7,000 seats (grey area) in the south end of BMO Field are shown as part of the stadium's upgrades ahead of hosting six FIFA World Cup 2026 soccer matches in Toronto, March 24, 2026. (Eduardo Lima/The Canadian Press via AP)
TT
TT

FIFA Selects Saudi Refereeing Crew for 2026 World Cup

The newly completed 7,000 seats (grey area) in the south end of BMO Field are shown as part of the stadium's upgrades ahead of hosting six FIFA World Cup 2026 soccer matches in Toronto, March 24, 2026. (Eduardo Lima/The Canadian Press via AP)
The newly completed 7,000 seats (grey area) in the south end of BMO Field are shown as part of the stadium's upgrades ahead of hosting six FIFA World Cup 2026 soccer matches in Toronto, March 24, 2026. (Eduardo Lima/The Canadian Press via AP)

FIFA has selected the Saudi refereeing crew, comprising referee Khalid Al-Turais, assistant referee Mohammed Al-Abakry, and VAR official Abdullah Al-Shehri, to officiate matches at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, hosted by the US, Canada, and Mexico from June 11 to July 18.

The selection follows the crew's distinguished performances in various regional, continental, and international refereeing assignments, most notably their successful participation in the FIFA U-20 World Cup held last year in Chile.

Saudi Arabian Football Federation President Yasser Almisehal congratulated the selected officials, wishing them success at the World Cup and expressing hope that they would represent Saudi refereeing with distinction at the global football event.

Almisehal affirmed that FIFA's selection of a Saudi refereeing crew reflects the continued confidence the international federation places in Saudi officials, in recognition of their performances that have been widely praised in recent times.