GM football fans. It’s Friday, Feb. 13 - UEFA is claiming to offer ‘fan-first’ ticketing for Euro 2028, Japan’s top-flight is removing draws this season, and everything else you need to know. Forwarded this email? Sign up here.
KEY FIXTURES
FA Cup Fourth Round: Aston Villa vs. Newcastle, Sat 14, 17:45 GMT / 12:45 ET. Newcastle have lost ten of their last 13 away games from home against Premier League opponents and failed to score in eight of their last nine. Meanwhile, having advanced from this round last campaign, Villa haven’t gone beyond this stage in consecutive seasons since doing so between 2008-09 and 2010-11. Liverpool vs. Brighton, Sat 14, 20:00 GMT / 15:00 ET. Liverpool have won four of their last five matches against Brighton in all competitions, beating them 2-0 at Anfield earlier this season in the Premier League. This will be the seventh FA Cup between Liverpool and Brighton, with both sides progressing three times each. Arsenal vs. Wigan, Sun 15, 16:30 GMT / 11:30 ET. Arsenal are looking to reach the FA Cup fifth round for the first time since 2019-20, when they went on to win the competition. However, Wigan Athletic have won their last six away matches in the FA Cup, conceding just one goal in this run. See every FA Cup Fourth Round fixture here.
Results…
TOP TALKING POINTS
‘Fan-First’ Euro Ticketing
UEFA has claimed that it is creating a ‘fan-first’ ticketing process for Euro 2028, with “fair” and “transparent” ticketing principles. Three million tickets will be available for the tournament.
The European governing body says it will not use dynamic pricing (when prices fluctuate based on demand), a system that’s being used at the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Additionally, more than 40% of tickets will be offered in the most affordable categories, over 80% will be reserved for fans of each national team, and disabled supporters will be able to purchase the most affordable category and request a complimentary companion ticket.
Sales for tickets will start after the tournament’s final draw, unlike this year’s World Cup, and are expected to go live in December 2027. Ticket prices are yet to be published—see the ticket prices (in Euros) for the 2024 tournament here.
Separately, the Nations League draw for the 2026-27 league phase matches has been drawn—see the groups here.
FA Investigate Man United Owner
The FA is looking into whether Manchester United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe brought the game into disrepute through his claims that the UK has been “colonised” by immigrants. Ratcliffe’s comments were made in a Sky News interview on Wednesday.
Should the FA decide to launch a formal investigation, the focus is likely to be on Rule E3.1, which governs general conduct within the sport. This rule mandates that: "A participant shall at all times act in the best interests of the game and shall not act in any manner which is improper or brings the game into disrepute or use any one, or a combination of, violent conduct, serious foul play, threatening, abusive, indecent or insulting words or behaviour."
Ratcliffe has since apologised for “offending some people” but maintained that an “open debate” on the matter was needed. The billionaire co-owner of Man United had faced criticism from UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who described his comments as "offensive and wrong". Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester, who is collaborating with Man United on the regeneration of the Old Trafford area, also voiced his strong disapproval of the comment.
Unique Rule Change
Japan’s top-flight league, the J-League, is eliminating draws temporarily to celebrate its 100th season. For the first time in the history of the competition, if a match ends in a tie after 90 minutes, a penalty shoot-out will be held to decide the winner. The winner of the penalty shoot-out will get two points (not three), while the loser will earn one point (not zero).
This rule change will only apply to the so-called transition season, as the Japanese league is moving its calendar in 2026 to align with the European one, starting in August-September and ending in May of the following year. The transition season will be played from early February until June.
League organisers state that the goal is to increase the spectacle and reduce the number of draws. Although the rule is officially temporary, officials acknowledge that its future could be reconsidered if it proves successful and is positively received.
POLL
Are Premier League clubs sacking managers too early?
ON THE BALL
Europe
> Former Wolves boss Vitor Pereira has agreed to join Nottingham Forest to replace Sean Dyche (More) | Thomas Tuchel has agreed a new contract to stay on as England manager until 2028 (More) | David Beckham and Gary Neville’s Salford City are hoping to become the “best small club in the world by 2030” with a rebrand (More)
> Former Chelsea and Manchester City winger Raheem Sterling has joined Dutch club Feyenoord on a deal until the end of the season (More)
> FIFA have reportedly banned La Liga’s Athletic Club from making transfers for the next three windows (More); read more about the club’s unique signing policy (More)
> UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin opposed the idea of hosting domestic matches abroad in his speech at the European body's 50th Congress (More)
> Former Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey charged with two additional counts of sexual assault (More)
Americas
> A single catergory three seat for the World Cup final in New Jersey was being advertised for $143,750, more than 41 times its original face value of $3,450 (More)
> Brazilian side Guarani held a ‘funeral’ at half-time to celebrate rival club Ponte Preta’s relegation to the second division (More) | Carlo Ancelotti is set to sign a new four-year contract with the Brazilian FA, keeping him as the nation's coach until 2030 (More)
> Leagues Cup officials are finalising the details to have Mexico host certain matches of the upcoming edition of the tournament (More)
> Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi has a strained left hamstring, an injury that could leave him out of the reigning MLS Cup champions’ regular-season opener at LAFC on Feb. 21 (More)
> The Kansas City Current have acquired former NWSL Rookie of the Year Croix Bethune from the Washington Spirit for $1m in transfer fees (More)
Rest of the World
> Darwin Nunez has been excluded from Al Hilal’s Saudi Pro League squad and will only feature in the Asian Champions League following Karim Benzema’s arrival (More)
ROUTERS’ VOICE
Yesterday’s Poll: Should more teams be given a shot at promotion through the Championship play-offs?
🟨 🟨 ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ 👍 Yes (29%)
🟩 🟩 🟩 🟩 🟩 🟩 🙅♂️ Nope (70%)
🟨 ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ✍️ Other (1%)
Your punditry takes:
👍 H.D: “Yes 100%. The inevitable storyline of eighth beating third in the play-off final will be magical… and what is football all about? Magic!”
🙅♂️ K.B: “The promoted teams struggle as they are in the Premier League, and adding two more teams into the hat would simply increase the potential for poorer quality teams to get automatically relegated and gain a parachute payment. It will be interesting to see how the vote goes, and if parachute payments are removed for teams relegated in their first season, would the vote change?”
✍️ J.Y: “Only the top three teams should be promoted. It would make each game in the season matter. There should be no playoffs at all.”
EXTRA TIME
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Ange Postcoglou features on The Overlap podcast.
The most expensive combined substitution in football history.
Another plot twist in the Scottish title race.
The five most noteworthy MLS kits of 2026.
Will a 40-point mark be needed for Premier League survival?
GAME FACE ON
Question: What unique distinction is shared by Sir Alex Ferguson, Jose Mourinho, and Carlo Ancelotti regarding their success in European club football?
Scroll below for the answer.
Daily Wordle: Guess the football-related word, from player names to classic phrases, in six tries or fewer. Play it here.
There are two types of players at Real Madrid: the stars and the workers. I was a worker.
Answer
They are the only three managers to have won a major European trophy in three different decades.
