Good morning. Manchester City’s 115 charges are in the middle of UK-UAE diplomacy, the world record for the most consecutive unbeaten league matches, and everything else you need to know.
Editor’s note: Our team will be away at an off-site tomorrow, meaning there will be no edition on Tuesday. We’ll be back on Wednesday (August 26). In the meantime, please consider becoming a premium member to unlock all of RouteOne’s content.
KEY FIXTURE
Premier League MD1 (Aug 24): Fulham vs Chelsea, 20:00 BST / 15:00 ET. Fulham have lost on all three occasions they've opened a Premier League season against London opposition, while Chelsea have failed to win their opener in each of the last three seasons. Fulham did win the most recent meeting 2-1 at the Cottage in January, but Chelsea haven't lost consecutive games against them in any competition since a run of three between 1977 and 1979. See the Premier League table here.
Results…
TOP TALKING POINTS
City Verdict Diplomacy
United Arab Emirates officials have reportedly cautioned that a negative outcome for Manchester City in the 115-charge case could damage relations with the UK, Bloomberg reports. Man City, which denies the charges, are owned by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE vice president.
In February 2023, the club was accused of breaching financial rules over a nine-year period by the Premier League. A three-person independent panel heard the case between September and December 2024, yet it has still not made its verdict public around 20 months later. If Man City are found guilty, the club could face sporting sanctions, such as a points deduction or even expulsion from the Premier League, as well as a fine. Read more on the case here.
The UAE’s reported warning comes at a time when relations between London and Abu Dhabi have improved in recent months following the UK’s air support during tensions with Iran. Last year, UAE officials also discussed the impact of Man City’s case with the UK government, with Bloomberg reporting that UK officials were concerned the verdict could affect efforts to repair relations.
Rival FIFA League
UEFA and Concacaf have begun talks over creating a joint Nations League involving all 96 countries across Europe, North America, Central America and the Caribbean, the Guardian reports. The biennial competition, which could begin as early as 2028, would represent a direct challenge to Fifa and its president Gianni Infantino.
The tournament would retain the current Nations League-style divisional system, potentially pitting countries such as Spain, France, England and Germany against Mexico, the United States and Canada. Matches would use existing international windows, with league games in the autumn, knockouts in March and finals in June. All 96 members would participate, with revenue pooled to provide additional income for smaller nations.
The proposal comes as Uefa and Concacaf step up their opposition to Infantino following the Fifa Forward Enterprise controversy. The two confederations are also reportedly working together to find a candidate to challenge him in next March’s Fifa presidential election, while the Asian Football Confederation has expressed interest in potentially joining a global Nations League in future.
Unbeaten World Record
Malaysian club Johor Darul Ta’zim has now gone 109 league matches unbeaten, surpassing the previous world record of 108 set by Ivorian side ASEC Mimosas between 1989 and 1994. JDT broke the record with a 3–0 win over Kuching City in the opening match of the 2026–27 season.
The streak dates back to 2021, in a run that recorded 100 wins and nine draws. JDT have also won 12 consecutive Malaysian league titles and four domestic quadruples in a row. They have also had success in Asia, winning the AFC Cup in 2015 and reaching the AFC Champions League Elite quarter-finals last season.
Their success has been attributed to major spending on players, with JDT holding the eight most expensive transfers in Malaysian league history. The club’s transformation accelerated after Johor Crown Prince Tunku Ismail Idris, whose family wealth is estimated at $5.7bn, became president of the local football federation in 2012 and led reforms that combined the teams in the state into a single club. JDT chief executive, though, told ESPN that while money is helpful, the club's success also comes from “the hard work” behind the scenes.
ON THE BALL
Europe
• UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham is exploring a bid for the UK to host the World Cup in 2038 or 2042 (More) | Manchester City have agreed to sign midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi from Lille for £86m, who is set to become the most expensive teenage signing in Premier League history (More)
• Jose Mourinho won his first La Liga game back with Real Madrid with a last-minute goal from Carlos Espi in their 2-1 win over Espanyol (More); see every La Liga result (More)
• Harry Kane has been awarded Germany’s men’s player of the year 2026 and Giulia Gwinn won the women’s player of the year; Bayern Munich manager Vincent Kompany won the coach’s equivalent (More)
• Former West Brom midfielder Quevin Castro has died aged 25 after collapsing during a friendly match in Portugal (More)
• Mohamed Salah scored his first two goals for Turkish side Trabzonspor as they beat Istanbul Basaksehir 2-1 (Match Report)
Americas
• Lionel Messi scored his 14th MLS goal this campaign, but the 2-1 defeat to Toronto means that Inter Miami’s winless streak extends to five games (More); see every MLS result (More) and Standings (More) | Messi has been fined an undisclosed amount for slapping a Philadelphia Union player (More)
• Sophia Wilson scored her 10th goal of the season in Portland Thorns’ 1-0 win over Denver Summit (More) | NWSL’s Washington Spirit vs Orlando Pride and Angel City vs Gotham FC to conclude shortly after publication (Live Results); see Standings (More)
• Second division Mexico side Atletico La Paz protested the ending of promotion and relegation by wearing shirts reminding Liga MX clubs when they were promoted (More)
• A 10-game suspension has been issued to Argentine midfielder Leandro Paredes after the incidents that followed the World Cup final (More)
• USL Championship’s Charleston Battery and Miami FC face off in the regular season on Monday (Aug 24) (More); see all upcoming fixtures (More)
Rest of the World
ROUTERS’ VOICE
Friday’s Poll: Do you think the MLS playoff format needs an overhaul?
🟩 🟩 🟩 🟩 🟩 🟩 👍 Yes (65%)
🟨 🟨 🟨 ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ 🙅♂️ Nope (30%)
🟨 ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ✍️ Other (5%)
Your punditry takes:
👍 M.W: “The best of 3 series is an abomination, a miserable gimmick. Just play two legs and then a single match for the final. But this double elimination business may be worse. This isn't the College World Series, for goodness' sake. I get that the U.S. is a different environment from Europe, so I don't think we need to copy everything the Premier League or La Liga do; but sheesh, double elimination would be replacing one gimmick with another.”
🙅♂️ B.S: “It seems like they are exhausting every possibility except for promotion and relegation. Every few years they completely change it, and no one knows what’s going on. Until they adopt the pyramid model, MLS will have this reputation as a retirement league.”
✍️ J.H: “Does it need an overhaul? Yes. But the change should simplify the playoffs instead of complicating them, and we don't need two-thirds of the teams qualifying. The playoffs should be a reward for a good season, not something you get because your season wasn't awful.”
✍️ P.M.B: “It’s an interesting idea, and I would like to see what it may look like in more detail. I think currently having half your teams be able to get into the playoffs is too much, and moving to 20, even with a play-in game, is too much. It needs to be earned rather than just given. I get the revenue side of doing it this way, but how will this impact the quality of games during the season? Will teams eventually become more accustomed to making the play in-game rather than fighting for the top spots? It’s just another way for MLS to say ‘we don’t need pro/rel’.”
EXTRA TIME
When is the Champions League draw and who is in each pot?
Erling Haaland gets a new haircut.
… and Guardiola reacts to it.
Usain Bolt has registered to play for a Sunday league team.
How Pele ended up playing for the USA.
The 10 best away shirt designs this season.
GAME FACE ON
Question: Which player has scored in the most consecutive Premier League matches?
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.
My line-up tomorrow? My players know. Now, we will see which journalist has the best contacts.
Answer
Jamie Vardy scored in 11 consecutive Premier League matches for Leicester City in 2015-16.