• Reuters

    Soccer-Manipur's ethnic violence splinters teams and sporting dreams

    Ethnic clashes in India's Manipur state saw its most successful women's club fail to field a team in the Indian Women's League in 2023-24, with its coach fleeing his burning home and a number of players in self-imposed exile interstate. The unrest in the northeastern state, which has resulted in more than 200 dead and tens of thousands displaced, divided football teams like Eastern Sporting Union (ESU) along ethnic lines and forced some players out of the state. "At first we didn't think it would be that bad, but suddenly it was everywhere," former ESU skipper Irom Prameshwori Devi, who has since joined East Bengal, told Reuters of the outbreak of violence.

  • The Canadian Press

    Vancouver Whitecaps tell fans Lionel Messi is not expected to play when Inter Miami visits Saturday

    VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — The Vancouver Whitecaps informed fans on Thursday that superstar Lionel Messi is not expected to play when Inter Miami visits Vancouver on Saturday. Miami has not issued any statements about the availability of Messi or his teammates Luis Suarez and Sergio Busquets. But the Whitecaps said it was their understanding the trio would not travel with the club for its first visit to Vancouver since signing Messi last year. More than 50,000 people had been expected to

  • The Canadian Press

    Soccer superstar Lionel Messi expected to miss MLS game in Vancouver: Whitecaps

    VANCOUVER — The Whitecaps say Argentine superstar Lionel Messi is not expected to be in Inter Miami CF's lineup when the two clubs face off in Vancouver on Saturday. The Whitecaps say the club has not received an official update on the availability of Messi or his teammates Luis Suarez and Sergio Busquets, but the 'Caps understand the trio will not make the trip. Whitecaps CEO Axel Schuster says the club always wants its best players going up against the opponent's best players, but Vancouver ha

  • The Canadian Press

    Yokohama takes a 2-1 lead into the 2nd leg of the Asian Champions League final against Al-Ain

    There will be celebrations in the United Arab Emirates on Saturday regardless of whether Yokohama F. Marinos can protect its 2-1 lead in the second leg of the Asian Champions League final or Al-Ain comes back to take the title. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayad is not only president of UAE but has been club president of Al-Ain, based near the country’s border with Oman, since 1979. His vice-president Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed is the owner of Manchester City, the founding member of the City Football Group,