Villa Defender Tyrone Mings Named on Euro 2028 Board of Directors

Aston Villa's Marcus Rashford, left, and Aston Villa's Tyrone Mings at the start of the Champions League round of 16 first leg soccer match between Club Brugge and Aston Villa at the Jan Breydel Stadium in Bruges, Belgium, Tuesday, March 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)
Aston Villa's Marcus Rashford, left, and Aston Villa's Tyrone Mings at the start of the Champions League round of 16 first leg soccer match between Club Brugge and Aston Villa at the Jan Breydel Stadium in Bruges, Belgium, Tuesday, March 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)
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Villa Defender Tyrone Mings Named on Euro 2028 Board of Directors

Aston Villa's Marcus Rashford, left, and Aston Villa's Tyrone Mings at the start of the Champions League round of 16 first leg soccer match between Club Brugge and Aston Villa at the Jan Breydel Stadium in Bruges, Belgium, Tuesday, March 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)
Aston Villa's Marcus Rashford, left, and Aston Villa's Tyrone Mings at the start of the Champions League round of 16 first leg soccer match between Club Brugge and Aston Villa at the Jan Breydel Stadium in Bruges, Belgium, Tuesday, March 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)

Aston Villa defender Tyrone Mings was named on Thursday on the board of directors for the European Championship in Britain and Ireland in 2028.
The 32-year-old Mings is the only player among the three independent non-executive directors helping to organize the tournament, The Associated Press reported.
Mings has played for Villa since 2019 and has made 18 appearances for England, for which he was part of the squad at the 2021 tournament.
He has missed large chunks of the past two seasons because of injuries and will be 35 when Euro 2028 takes place, likely meaning he won't be involved in the England squad then.
Confirmation of Mings' involvement came in the announcement of the company — officially named “UK & Ireland 2028 Limited” — tasked with delivering Euro 2028. English Football Association chair Debbie Hewitt will also chair the Euro 2028 board.
A tournament anchored in England with modern stadiums generating huge matchday revenues was a safe choice for UEFA eyeing its bottom line after the high-maintenance, low-revenue Euro 2021 that was staged during the pandemic in half-empty venues across 11 countries.
UEFA cash reserves after the pandemic dropped to 360 million euros in its most recent financial report, and Euro 2028 is set to lift the number back above UEFA’s target of 500 million euros.
The men’s Euros, held every four years, is the foundation of UEFA’s finances and funds development payments to its members.
Everton's new waterfront stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock is set to open for the start of next season, replacing the club's long-time home of Goodison Park, and was included in the list of venues hosting Euro 2028 matches announced in April 2023. Bramley-Moore Dock is currently staging test events.
Casement Park, a derelict stadium in Belfast, was also on the initial list but has since been dropped, with the British government unable to commit to providing the funding to redevelop it in time. UEFA says it hasn’t yet decided where to reallocate the games that would have been in Belfast.



PSG’s Mental Strength Hailed as they Come from Behind to Win at Monaco

Soccer Football - UEFA Champions League - Play Off - First Leg - AS Monaco v Paris St Germain - Stade Louis II, Monaco - February 17, 2026 Paris St Germain coach Luis Enrique reacts REUTERS/Manon Cruz
Soccer Football - UEFA Champions League - Play Off - First Leg - AS Monaco v Paris St Germain - Stade Louis II, Monaco - February 17, 2026 Paris St Germain coach Luis Enrique reacts REUTERS/Manon Cruz
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PSG’s Mental Strength Hailed as they Come from Behind to Win at Monaco

Soccer Football - UEFA Champions League - Play Off - First Leg - AS Monaco v Paris St Germain - Stade Louis II, Monaco - February 17, 2026 Paris St Germain coach Luis Enrique reacts REUTERS/Manon Cruz
Soccer Football - UEFA Champions League - Play Off - First Leg - AS Monaco v Paris St Germain - Stade Louis II, Monaco - February 17, 2026 Paris St Germain coach Luis Enrique reacts REUTERS/Manon Cruz

Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis ‌Enrique hailed the mental strength of his side in coming from two goals down to win 3-2 away at Monaco in the Champions League on Tuesday, but warned the knockout round tie was far from finished.

The first leg clash between the two Ligue 1 clubs saw Folarin Balogun score twice for the hosts in the opening 18 minutes before Vitinha had his penalty saved to compound matters.

But after Desire Doue came on for injured Ousmane Dembele, the ‌match turned ‌and defending champions PSG went on to ‌secure ⁠a one-goal advantage ⁠for the return leg.

"Normally, when a team starts a match like that, the most likely outcome is a loss,” Reuters quoted Luis Enrique as saying.

“It was catastrophic. It's impossible to start a match like that. The first two times they overcame our pressure and entered our half, they scored. They ⁠made some very good plays.

“After that, it's difficult ‌to have confidence, but we ‌showed our mental strength. Plus, we missed a penalty, so ‌it was a chance to regain confidence. In the ‌last six times we've played here, this is only the second time we've won, which shows how difficult it is.”

The 20-year-old Doue scored twice and provided a third for Achraf Hakimi, just ‌days after he had turned in a poor performance against Stade Rennais last Friday ⁠and was ⁠dropped for the Monaco clash.

“I'm happy for him because this past week, everyone criticized and tore Doue apart, but he was sensational, he showed his character. He helped the team at the best possible time.”

Dembele’s injury would be assessed, the coach added. “He took a knock in the first 15 minutes, then he couldn't run.”

The return leg at the Parc des Princes will be next Wednesday. “Considering how the match started, I'm happy with the result. But the match in Paris will be difficult, it will be a different story,” Luis Enrique warned.


Mbappe Calls for Prestianni Ban over Alleged Racist Slur at Vinicius

TOPSHOT - Real Madrid's French forward #10 Kylian Mbappe talks with SL Benfica's Portuguese head coach Jose Mourinho during the UEFA Champions League knockout round play-off first leg football match between SL Benfica and Real Madrid CF at Estadio da Luz in Lisbon on February 17, 2026. (Photo by PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA / AFP)
TOPSHOT - Real Madrid's French forward #10 Kylian Mbappe talks with SL Benfica's Portuguese head coach Jose Mourinho during the UEFA Champions League knockout round play-off first leg football match between SL Benfica and Real Madrid CF at Estadio da Luz in Lisbon on February 17, 2026. (Photo by PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA / AFP)
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Mbappe Calls for Prestianni Ban over Alleged Racist Slur at Vinicius

TOPSHOT - Real Madrid's French forward #10 Kylian Mbappe talks with SL Benfica's Portuguese head coach Jose Mourinho during the UEFA Champions League knockout round play-off first leg football match between SL Benfica and Real Madrid CF at Estadio da Luz in Lisbon on February 17, 2026. (Photo by PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA / AFP)
TOPSHOT - Real Madrid's French forward #10 Kylian Mbappe talks with SL Benfica's Portuguese head coach Jose Mourinho during the UEFA Champions League knockout round play-off first leg football match between SL Benfica and Real Madrid CF at Estadio da Luz in Lisbon on February 17, 2026. (Photo by PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA / AFP)

Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe said Benfica's Gianluca Prestianni should be banned from the Champions League after the Argentine was accused of directing a racist slur at Vinicius Jr during the Spanish side's 1-0 playoff first-leg win on Tuesday.

Denying the accusation, Prestianni said the Brazilian misheard him.

The incident occurred shortly after Vinicius had curled Real into the lead five minutes into the second half in Lisbon.

Television footage showed the Argentine winger covering his mouth with his shirt before making a comment that Vinicius and nearby teammates interpreted as a racial ‌slur against ‌the 25-year-old, with referee Francois Letexier halting the match for ‌11 ⁠minutes after activating ⁠FIFA's anti-racism protocols.

The footage appeared to show an outraged Mbappe calling Prestianni "a bloody racist" to his face, Reuters reported.

The atmosphere grew hostile after play resumed, with Vinicius and Mbappe loudly booed by the home crowd whenever they touched the ball. Despite the rising tensions, the players were able to close out the game without further interruptions.

"I want to clarify that at no time did I direct racist insults to Vini Jr, ⁠who regrettably misunderstood what he thought he heard," Prestianni wrote ‌on his Instagram account.

"I was never racist with ‌anyone and I regret the threats I received from Real Madrid players."

Mbappe told reporters he ‌heard Prestianni direct the same racist remark at Vinicius several times, an allegation ‌also levelled by Real's French midfielder Aurelien Tchouamen.

Mbappe said he had been prepared to leave the pitch but was persuaded by Vinicius to continue playing.

"We cannot accept that there is a player in Europe's top football competition who behaves like this. This guy (Prestianni) doesn't ‌deserve to play in the Champions League anymore," Mbappe told reporters.

"We have to set an example for all the children ⁠watching us at ⁠home. What happened today is the kind of thing we cannot accept because the world is watching us.

When asked whether Prestianni had apologized, Mbappe laughed.

"Of course not," he said.

Vinicius later posted a statement on social media voicing his frustration.

"Racists are, above all, cowards. They need to cover their mouth with their shirt to show how weak they are. But they have the protection of others who, theoretically, have an obligation to punish them. Nothing that happened today is new in my life or my family's life," Vinicius wrote.

The Brazilian has faced repeated racist abuse in Spain, with 18 legal complaints filed against racist behavior targeting Vinicius since 2022.

Real Madrid and Benfica will meet again for the second leg next Wednesday at the Bernabeu.


Second Season of ‘Kings League–Middle East' to Kick off in March in Riyadh 

The second season of the Kings League-Middle East will kick off in Riyadh on March 27. (Kings League-Middle East on X)
The second season of the Kings League-Middle East will kick off in Riyadh on March 27. (Kings League-Middle East on X)
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Second Season of ‘Kings League–Middle East' to Kick off in March in Riyadh 

The second season of the Kings League-Middle East will kick off in Riyadh on March 27. (Kings League-Middle East on X)
The second season of the Kings League-Middle East will kick off in Riyadh on March 27. (Kings League-Middle East on X)

The Kings League-Middle East announced that its second season will kick off in Riyadh on March 27.

The season will feature 10 teams, compared to eight in the inaugural edition, under a format that combines sporting competition with digital engagement and includes the participation of several content creators from across the region.

The Kings League-Middle East is organized in partnership with SURJ Sports Investments, a subsidiary of the Public Investment Fund (PIF), as part of efforts to support the development of innovative sports models that integrate football with digital entertainment.

Seven teams will return for the second season: DR7, ABO FC, FWZ, Red Zone, Turbo, Ultra Chmicha, and 3BS. Three additional teams are set to be announced before the start of the competition.

Matches of the second season will be held at Cool Arena in Riyadh under a single round-robin format, with the top-ranked teams advancing to the knockout stages, culminating in the final match.

The inaugural edition recorded strong attendance and wide digital engagement, with approximately a million viewers following the live broadcasts on television and digital platforms.