Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball has been fined $100,000 (£79,000) by the NBA for making what the league deemed an “offensive and derogatory” homophobic comment during a courtside interview. The 23-year-old’s remark came after the Hornets’ narrow 115-114 win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday. Ball was discussing his team’s defensive strategy during the game’s final moments, which saw Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo miss a crucial last-second attempt. The specifics of…

England captain Harry Kane has hinted that the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America might not be his last international tournament, as the prolific striker remains in peak form at 31. Kane extended his record as England’s all-time leading scorer to an impressive 69 goals in 103 appearances during Sunday’s 5-0 demolition of the Republic of Ireland in the UEFA Nations League. Despite being rested for Thursday’s 3-0 win…

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has revealed its final shortlist for the prestigious African Player of the Year award, with Nigerian striker Ademola Lookman among the standout nominees. The announcement on Monday highlighted a competitive field of five top African footballers vying for the coveted honor.* Lookman, who has enjoyed a remarkable season with Atalanta, is joined by South African goalkeeper Ronwen Williams, Morocco’s defensive star Achraf Hakimi, Ivory…

Manchester United manager, Ruben Amorim is reportedly exploring a swap deal to bring in Napoli’s star forward, Victor Osimhen. Amorim eyes the deal in the January transfer window. The proposed deal would see United offer Dutch striker Joshua Zirkzee plus cash to secure Osimhen’s services. Zirkzee, who joined Manchester United from Bologna last summer, has struggled to make an impact, scoring just once in 17 appearances. Reports suggest that the…

Tottenham Hotspur midfielder, Rodrigo Bentancur has been slapped with a seven-match domestic ban by the Football Association (FA) following an alleged racist comment made about his teammate, Son Heung-min, during a TV interview. The 27-year-old was charged by the FA in September over an incident that occurred in his home country of Uruguay. The former Juventus player had been asked in June about a Spurs player’s shirt, to which he…

SuperSport United defender Ime Okon has declared that his dream is to play for the Bafana Bafana of South Africa. Okon was born to a Nigerian father and South African mother. The 20-year-old is eligible to represent both countries. The centre-back has however pledged his allegiance to South Africa. “The whole Nigerian thing, I have Nigerian family, I speak to those from Nigeria, and they also say even if people…

The Nigeria international went from being linked with big-money moves to the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain in the summer to joining Turkish giants Galatasaray on a season-long loan. With eight goals from nine matches in all competitions, Osimhen is on fire in Turkey and the Istanbul club reportedly want to sign him on a permanent basis. That will be a tall order, however, as Napoli…

The Chelsea Football Club of London has announced that defender, Kadeisha Buchanan requires surgery after sustaining an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. Buchanan, 29, last played for Chelsea in their Women’s Super League (WSL) victory over Liverpool on 10 November. Speaking after Chelsea’s statement win over title rivals Manchester City on Saturday, manager Sonia Bompastor said: “I have sad news to share with you. We found out the results this…

Manchester City’s golden boy, Erling Haaland scored a hat-trick as Norway thrashed Kazakhstan to seal promotion to the top flight of the Nations League. The Manchester City striker, who became his country’s record goalscorer last month, has now scored 38 goals in 39 appearances for Norway. He is the Nations League top scorer with seven goals in his six group games. He slotted in a rebound after Antonio Nusa’s shot…

Mexico national football team coach, Javier Aguirre suffered a head injury after being hit by an object late in the quarter-final match from the League of Nations against Honduras on Friday, reports AP. At the end of the match, which Mexico lost 2-0 in San Pedro Sula (Honduras), Aguirre went to congratulate Colombia coach, Reynaldo Rueda when he was hit by an object, apparently a beer can, which cut him…

French football giants Lyon face the prospect of demotion to Ligue 2 at the end of the season if they fail to address their mounting financial problems. The ruling, issued by the French National Directorate of Management Control (DNGC), also includes a ban on the club signing players during the January transfer window. The club, owned by American businessman John Textor, is grappling with debts of £422 million, as recently…

Former Green Eagles midfielder Adebayo Gbadebo has called on the Super Eagles to remain focused and use their recent 1-1 draw against Benin Republic as a learning experience. Speaking from Bangkok, the Thailand-based coach commended the team for securing early qualification for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) finals but stressed the importance of not underestimating future opponents. The draw in Thursday’s Group D encounter at the Felix Houphouet-Boigny…