Good morning. UEFA is set to retract its Fifa boycott threats, Adidas has released its last Champions League league phase ball, and everything else you need to know.
TOP TALKING POINTS
UEFA Calls Off Boycott
UEFA is set to call off its threat to boycott Fifa tournaments, citing that it has received guarantees that it plans to sell stakes in the World Cup will not be revived. Senior figures are expected to tell its executive committee and member associations on Thursday that the two conditions for lifting the boycott have been met.
However, the European governing body is expected to continue its push to remove Fifa president Gianni Infantino. Thursday’s meeting will be used to update its member associations on Uefa’s campaign to push for Infantino’s resignation. “This isn't a climbdown,” one source close to the discussions told BBC Sport, adding that Infantino's opponents “will continue until there are wholesale changes.”
Pressure continues to mount on Infantino, who is refusing to budge. On Wednesday, European Leagues President Claudius Schaefer, who has called for fundamental structural reform within Fifa, insisted Infantino has no future at the top of world football’s governing body. Meanwhile, the Italian football federation has withdrawn support for Infantino’s re-election bid.
Adidas' Last Dance
German manufacturer Adidas has unveiled the official match balls for the league phase of the 2026-27 men’s and women’s Champions League tournaments — see images here. This will mark the end of the iconic star ball design for the foreseeable future, as Nike reportedly won the ball supply rights from next season for $45m a year.
Adidas has supplied the Champions League ball since 2001, and introduced the iconic Finale ball. Nike, which is yet to officially agree to a deal with Uefa, was the previous supplier for the Champions League between 1997 and 2001, with a much simpler ball design — see here.
The deal also reflects a wider overhaul of how Uefa and Europe's clubs sell their club competition rights, with a new sales agency in place since 2024 and long-standing partnerships pushed out to open tender. Packaging the match-ball rights for the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League into one deal — the first time all three will share a supplier — is part of the same strategy that delivered a reported 20%-plus uplift on broadcast rights in Europe's five biggest markets, from around €2bn to €2.5bn a season for the 2027-31 cycle.
Fan Ban Investigation
Former Police Chief Constable Craig Guildford is being investigated over his role in the decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters from attending their Europa League clash with Aston Villa last November. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said Guildford, a senior officer and a police staff member, may have committed gross misconduct, while two other serving officers are also under investigation.
The ban was based on an intelligence briefing later found to contain several inaccuracies and to have overstated the threat posed by Israeli supporters. Among eight errors was a reference to a non-existent match between Maccabi and West Ham, reportedly generated using AI. The IOPC said Guildford may have failed to ensure due diligence over the document, which is alleged to have given an "imbalanced view" of the risk Maccabi fans posed compared with the risk they themselves faced.
Guildford retired in January after Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said she had lost confidence in his leadership. The IOPC will decide at the end of its investigation whether those under investigation should face misconduct proceedings.
ON THE BALL
Europe
• The English League Cup second round continues on Thursday (Aug 27) with Chelsea vs Luton Town and Fulham vs AFC Wimbledon; see the third round draw (More) | Savio scored on his debut in Tottenham’s 5-1 win over Charlton (Round-up); see every League Cup result (More)
• The men’s Champions League draw will take place on Thursday (Aug 27); everything you need to know (More)
• Manchester City have signed midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi from Lille in a £85.6m deal, making him the Premier League’s most expensive teenager (More) | Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes and Manchester City forward Khadija Shaw have won the Professional Footballers' Association’s men's and women's player of the year awards (More)
• Barcelona plays Athletic Club on Thursday (Aug 27) in their second La Liga game of the season at 20:00 BST (15:00 ET) | Kylian Mbappe scored a hat-trick in Jose Mourinho’s return to the Bernabeu in a 4-1 win over Real Sociedad (Match Report); see the La Liga table (More)
Americas
• Two Leagues Cup quarter-finals — Toluca vs Austin & Club America vs Columbus Crew – conclude shortly after publication (Live results)
• Eight NWSL Sunday night matches will be exclusively streamed by Roku over the remainder of the season (More)
Rest of the World
• Al Hilal are finalising an agreement with Aston Villa to sign striker Ollie Watkins for £50m and small add-ons (More/paywall)
• Vietnam retained the ASEAN Championship after drawing 2-2 with Thailand in the second leg of the final at Mỹ Đình National Stadium in Hanoi, securing a 4-2 aggregate victory (More)
ROUTERS’ VOICE
Note: Yesterday’s poll question accidentally left out the word ‘well’ in the question. We appreciate the readers who inferred the question and, equally, those who replied literally. The responses made our day.
Yesterday’s Poll: Do you think Jose Mourinho will do well at Real Madrid?
🟩 🟩 🟩 🟩 🟩 🟩 👍 Yes (52%)
🟨 🟨 🟨 🟨 ⬜️ ⬜️ 🙅♂️ Nope (40%)
⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ✍️ Other (8%)
Your punditry takes:
👍 T.F: “As always, he will be great the first season, OK the second, and then his relationship with the players and owners will degrade in the third.”
🙅♂️ M.B: “He’s a dinosaur. And toxic as soon as he doesn’t get his way. He’s not a developer of talent. He just wants the best players to coach.”
✍️ D.W: “It would all depend on the players. Far too many egos vying for individual stardom. If he manages this issue and the team start well and get results, then he’ll succeed. If they start as they did under Alonso, then the Jose tenure could be short-lived.”
EXTRA TIME
Opta’s pre-season Bundesliga projections.
What is the earliest goal of the season to be scored?
The problem with Roberto De Zerbi's football. (video)
Will a Premier League club break the record for transfer sales in one window?
Xavi’s awkward first questions as Netherlands’ coach.
RefCam of Real Madrid’s first game of the season.
GAME FACE ON
Question: Who was the last Premier League manager to be hired?
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.
Listen, I just lost 3-0 in the first game in the Premier League. Do you think it's a problem for me if it's Savinho or Savio?
Answer
Matthias Jaissle (Newcastle United)