https://www.scmp.com/rss/319449/feed The Fifa Women’s World Cup began in 1991 and the tournament in Australia and New Zealand in 2023 marks the ninth edition of the quadrennial world championship for women’s football. The USA are the defending champions and have won the competition four times en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Ada Li Ada Li Fifa’s Secretary General said during a visit to China this week that he hoped to see Chinese youth teams competing on the world stage at future World Cups across different age groups – and two of the country’s under-17 teams qualified to do just that this week. Speaking at China’s National Football Youth Training Centre on Tuesday, Mattias Grafstrom said that now there was an under-17 World Cup every year, “we hope to see China there, both the boys and the girls”. Coincidentally, China’s youth... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3353571/youth-teams-make-world-cup-fifa-bigwig-says-he-hopes-see-china-back-world-stage?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3353571/youth-teams-make-world-cup-fifa-bigwig-says-he-hopes-see-china-back-world-stage?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 May 2026 09:53:07 +0000 Reuters Reuters Ante Milicic left Australia during the depths of Covid feeling burnt ‌out after 15 years coaching but will return with new purpose as he leads China into the defence of their Women’s Asian ‍Cup title. Australia will host the March 1-21 tournament in Sydney, Perth and the Gold Coast, four years after Shui Qingxia-coached China shocked South Korea 3-2 in the 2022 final in India to claim their record-extending ninth title. Former Australia women’s coach Milicic replaced Shui in 2024, with the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3342406/womens-asian-cup-china-coach-ante-milicic-overcomes-burnout-lead-teams-title-defence?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3342406/womens-asian-cup-china-coach-ante-milicic-overcomes-burnout-lead-teams-title-defence?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Feb 2026 03:00:37 +0000 Reuters Reuters Bigger does not always mean better but try telling that to those who govern the world’s most popular sport as they reflect on a jam-packed year and begin the countdown to a supersized World Cup that will dwarf previous tournaments. World football’s governing body, Fifa – not to mention continental confederations, national leagues and broadcasters – will argue that the appetite for the “beautiful game” is insatiable and will point to the past 12 months as evidence. Fifa described its expanded... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3337740/year-football-expansion-mismatches-point-direction-fifa-will-take-beautiful-game?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3337740/year-football-expansion-mismatches-point-direction-fifa-will-take-beautiful-game?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 Dec 2025 08:00:42 +0000 Reuters Reuters Defending champions China have been drawn to face North Korea, Bangladesh and Uzbekistan in the group phase of the 2026 Women’s Asian Cup, with hosts Australia opening the three-week-long tournament against the Philippines on March 1 in Perth. The Joe Montemurro-coached Matildas will also take on South Korea and Iran in the 12-nation continental championship, while Japan, currently Asia’s highest-ranked team, will face Taiwan, Vietnam and India in the group phase. “For us to have three games all... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3320035/holders-china-face-north-korea-bangladesh-uzbekistan-2026-womens-asian-cup?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3320035/holders-china-face-north-korea-bangladesh-uzbekistan-2026-womens-asian-cup?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 29 Jul 2025 12:53:06 +0000 The average annual salary for a female professional football player globally is $10,900, Fifa’s annual report on the women’s game has revealed, but that figure is skewed by a small number of top clubs. Among the teams Fifa designated as Tier 1, which includes 41 clubs from 16 countries, the average salary was around US$24,030, although 16 of those top clubs paid an average gross salary of more than US$50,000, according to the “Setting the Pace, Fifa Benchmarking Report on Women’s Football”... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3302777/average-yearly-salary-womens-football-us10900-fifa-says-some-players-paid-half?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3302777/average-yearly-salary-womens-football-us10900-fifa-says-some-players-paid-half?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 18 Mar 2025 03:20:29 +0000 Women’s World Cup winner Yuki Nagasato, who made history with a brief spell playing for a men’s team, said she had given “every last drop” as the Japanese striker announced her retirement from football. The 37-year-old, part of the Japan team that lifted the World Cup in 2011, brought the curtain down on a 23-year career that saw her play in Germany, England, the United States, Australia and her home country. That included a loan stint in 2020 with her brother’s team Hayabusa Eleven, an amateur... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3301112/japan-womens-football-pioneer-yuki-nagasato-retires-after-giving-every-last-drop?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3301112/japan-womens-football-pioneer-yuki-nagasato-retires-after-giving-every-last-drop?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 05 Mar 2025 04:55:48 +0000 A radio host in Australia who made “unacceptable” and “disgusting” comments about the national women’s football team was taken off air on Wednesday, local media reported. Marty Sheargold was widely criticised after saying on nationwide radio station Triple M on Monday he “would rather hammer a nail” through his penis than watch the Matildas at next year’s Asian Cup at home. “Got any men’s sport?” he added, to laughter from his co-hosts, and among other barbs said the team – who lost to Japan and... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3300232/disgusting-australian-womens-football-team-condemn-misogynistic-comments-radio-host?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3300232/disgusting-australian-womens-football-team-condemn-misogynistic-comments-radio-host?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 26 Feb 2025 09:37:24 +0000 Spain’s High Court has found former soccer federation boss Luis Rubiales guilty of sexual assault for kissing player Jenni Hermoso without her consent and fined him more than €10,000 (US$10,434) in a case which caused a nationwide furore. It acquitted him of a charge of coercion, the court said in a statement on Thursday. Rubiales said he would appeal the ruling. Prosecutors had sought a prison sentence for Rubiales, 47, over the incident that provoked a heated debate in Spain about sexism in... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3299503/spains-rubiales-guilty-sexual-assault-fined-world-cup-kiss?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3299503/spains-rubiales-guilty-sexual-assault-fined-world-cup-kiss?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 20 Feb 2025 14:16:11 +0000 Spain forward Jenni Hermoso testified at Luis Rubiales’ trial on Monday that she did not consent to being kissed by the country’s former top football official after winning the 2023 Women’s World Cup. On the first day of Rubiales’ trial, Hermoso also said she felt coerced to publicly exonerate the former president of Spain’s Football Federation after the incident in Sydney. “I felt disrespected,” Hermoso said. It “stained one of the happiest days of my life”. When Rubiales kissed her at the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3297227/i-felt-disrespected-hermoso-world-cup-kiss-former-spain-football-boss-rubiales?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3297227/i-felt-disrespected-hermoso-world-cup-kiss-former-spain-football-boss-rubiales?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 03 Feb 2025 18:16:57 +0000 New coach Nils Nielsen declared on Wednesday that Japan could win the Women’s World Cup for a second time and vowed to restore the 2011 champions to their former glories. The 53-year-old Dane becomes Japan’s first foreign-born women’s coach and succeeds Futoshi Ikeda, who left at the end of his contract in August. Nielsen led Denmark to the 2017 European Championship final and takes over a Japan team that has not reached a World Cup or Olympic semi-final since 2015. He said he was inspired by... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3291404/get-japan-back-top-new-coach-dane-nils-nielsen-targets-more-womens-world-cup-glory?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3291404/get-japan-back-top-new-coach-dane-nils-nielsen-targets-more-womens-world-cup-glory?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Dec 2024 15:00:08 +0000 Nils Nielsen of Denmark has been appointed as the first foreign manager of Japan women’s team, the Japan Football Association said on Thursday. Nielsen, 53, replaces Futoshi Ikeda, who led former world champions Japan to the quarter-finals of the Women’s World Cup last year as well as the last eight of the 2024 Paris Olympics. Until June of this year, Nielsen was the technical director at English club Manchester City, home to the Japanese contingent of keeper Ayaka Yamashita, defender Risa... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3290671/japan-name-dane-nils-nielsen-first-foreign-manager-national-womens-football-team?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3290671/japan-name-dane-nils-nielsen-first-foreign-manager-national-womens-football-team?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Dec 2024 09:00:11 +0000 Talent, discipline and a desire to please leader Kim Jong-un have helped propel North Korea’s youth footballers to two Women’s World Cup crowns in a matter of weeks, experts say. Nuclear armed but impoverished, North Korea is more often in the news for sanctions-busting ballistic missile launches. But after winning the under-17 Women’s World Cup in the Dominican Republic on Sunday, state media proclaimed that the country’s teenage players had “the attention of football experts, fans and... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3285388/womens-world-cup-talent-toil-and-pleasing-kim-jong-un-bring-north-korea-football-glory?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3285388/womens-world-cup-talent-toil-and-pleasing-kim-jong-un-bring-north-korea-football-glory?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 Nov 2024 06:37:48 +0000 A leading figure from the junior partner in Spain’s minority government is under investigation following accusations of sexual abuse, officials said on Friday, a day after he suddenly resigned in a blow to the fragile coalition. In a letter posted on X on Thursday, Inigo Errejon, the main spokesperson of leftist platform Sumar, said he was leaving politics. He did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the allegations. On Tuesday, an anonymous account on social media had accused a... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3283944/sexual-abuse-allegations-humiliating-practices-rock-spains-ruling-sumar-coalition?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3283944/sexual-abuse-allegations-humiliating-practices-rock-spains-ruling-sumar-coalition?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Oct 2024 14:15:24 +0000 American actress Judy Reyes and her partner, film director George Valencia, might be the latest to beat a path from Hollywood to British football but the couple’s investment in Watford Women has the grander purpose of tackling a lack of Latina representation. Reyes, who as the daughter of Dominican immigrants is passionate about representation, and Valencia, who is of mixed Ecuadorian and Colombian descent, want to build a bridge between Watford and underserved Latina players in the United... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3282397/hollywood-duo-hope-open-latina-pathway-football-investment-watford-women?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3282397/hollywood-duo-hope-open-latina-pathway-football-investment-watford-women?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 15 Oct 2024 12:00:09 +0000 Asian sides will qualify for the 2031 Women’s World Cup via a stand-alone competition for the first time, the continent’s governing body said on Friday. The Asian Football Confederation announced it would create a three-round preliminary competition starting in 2027 to determine the continent’s qualifiers for the finals. The host nation for the 2031 tournament has yet to be decided. Participants had previously been decided by performances at the Asian Games or Women’s Asian Cup, with Japan,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3278435/womens-world-cup-asian-confederation-launches-stand-alone-route-determine-qualifiers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3278435/womens-world-cup-asian-confederation-launches-stand-alone-route-determine-qualifiers?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Sep 2024 09:56:53 +0000 Thierry Henry’s France are hoping a home crowd at the Parc des Princes can drive them on to win Olympic men’s football gold but an impressive Spain side will attempt to deny them in Friday’s final. Henry, a France legend as a player, has led his country to the brink of their second football gold medal – 40 years after they won the title in Los Angeles. That victory over Brazil came just a few weeks after the full French national team lifted their first major trophy by beating Spain on home soil... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3273758/paris-olympics-formidable-spain-aim-deny-thierry-henrys-france-gold-mens-football?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3273758/paris-olympics-formidable-spain-aim-deny-thierry-henrys-france-gold-mens-football?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Aug 2024 16:00:10 +0000 It felt highly symbolic that the United States’ win over Germany in their Olympic women’s football semi-final on Tuesday should come a year to the day after their humbling early exit from the World Cup. Precisely 12 months on from a defeat on penalties against Sweden in the last 16 that ended the US’s grip on the World Cup trophy and definitively marked the end of an era, a fresh young team is through to the Olympic final. They will be favourites to beat Brazil on Saturday and win a... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3273602/paris-olympics-coach-emma-hayes-new-stars-point-usas-football-women-back-towards-summit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3273602/paris-olympics-coach-emma-hayes-new-stars-point-usas-football-women-back-towards-summit?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Aug 2024 16:00:22 +0000 A 20-minute drive separates the historic Maracana Stadium from the Complexo do Alemao, one of Rio de Janeiro’s most impoverished and violent favelas. One of its residents, 15-year-old soccer player Kaylane Alves dos Santos, hopes her powerful shots and impressive dribbles will allow her to cover that short distance from slum to stadium in three years to play for Brazil’s national team in the final of the 2027 Women’s World Cup. That chance, once remote, became more realistic on Friday when Fifa... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3263205/rio-de-janeiro-young-women-favela-hope-overcome-slum-violence-play-2027-womens-world-cup?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3263205/rio-de-janeiro-young-women-favela-hope-overcome-slum-violence-play-2027-womens-world-cup?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 May 2024 11:13:36 +0000 China have charged Ante Milicic with turning around the fortunes of their women’s national team, naming the 50-year-old Australian as successor to Shui Qingxia over the weekend. Milicic takes over a squad that slumped out of last year’s Women’s World Cup in the group stage with one win and two losses, and missed out on qualification for the Paris Olympics. Shui was sacked because of the failure to qualify for the Olympics last November, less than two years after she had led the Steel Roses to a... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3262448/china-women-hire-ex-assistant-tottenham-boss-ange-postecoglou-manager-ahead-2026-asian-cup-and-2027?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3262448/china-women-hire-ex-assistant-tottenham-boss-ange-postecoglou-manager-ahead-2026-asian-cup-and-2027?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 May 2024 07:30:17 +0000 Marta, Brazil’s all-time top goal scorer, announced she will retire from international football at the end of the year. The six-time Fifa World Player of the Year has made 175 appearances for the Selecao and scored 116 times. Now 38, she made her international debut in 2002 but announced her Brazil career will end after 22 years. “If I go to the Olympics [in Paris], I will enjoy every moment because, independent of whether I go or not, this will be my last year with the national team,” she told... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3260619/olympics-brazil-legend-all-time-top-scorer-marta-retire-international-football-after-paris-games?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3260619/olympics-brazil-legend-all-time-top-scorer-marta-retire-international-football-after-paris-games?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 27 Apr 2024 07:00:12 +0000 A prosecutor at Spain’s High Court is seeking a prison sentence of two-and-a-half years for former football federation chief Luis Rubiales over his unsolicited kiss on player Jenni Hermoso, a court document seen by Reuters on Wednesday showed. Prosecutor Marta Durantez charged Rubiales with one count of sexual assault and one of coercion for his alleged actions in the aftermath of the kiss, offences carrying jail terms of one year and 18 months, respectively. Rubiales, 46, unleashed a furore... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3256995/spains-ex-football-chief-rubiales-faces-two-and-half-years-prison-over-world-cup-kiss?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3256995/spains-ex-football-chief-rubiales-faces-two-and-half-years-prison-over-world-cup-kiss?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 Mar 2024 18:20:55 +0000 Emma Hayes, the incoming coach of the US women’s national team, said player-to-player relationships on teams were “inappropriate” because they present extra challenges to manage, although she acknowledged that “we’re dealing with human beings”. Hayes is finishing out the season as manager of Chelsea in the Women’s Super League and is expected to make her debut leading the US national team in a pair of friendly matches against South Korea in June. Hayes spoke at a press conference on Thursday... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3255488/new-usa-womens-boss-emma-hayes-says-player-player-relationships-teams-inappropriate-because-hard?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3255488/new-usa-womens-boss-emma-hayes-says-player-player-relationships-teams-inappropriate-because-hard?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 Mar 2024 05:53:02 +0000 If Kevin De Bruyne goes back to his old haircut, he will make a perfect Tintin at the soccer European Championship this summer. The Belgium Football Association unveiled the new home and away kits for its male and female internationals on Thursday. The home kit continues with the traditional red colour worn by the national teams, whose players are nicknamed the Red Devils and Red Flames. But the away kit is a tribute to Belgian cartoonist Hergé and the character that made his fame: Tintin, the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3255415/belgium-football-teams-new-away-kit-tribute-comic-book-legend-tintin-blue-jersey-brown-shorts-white?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3255415/belgium-football-teams-new-away-kit-tribute-comic-book-legend-tintin-blue-jersey-brown-shorts-white?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 Mar 2024 14:30:13 +0000 Australia’s Matildas look set for a 13th successive home sell-out after 30,000 tickets for a friendly against China in Adelaide in May were snapped up in four hours, Football Australia said on Tuesday. The team captured the hearts of the nation with their run to the semi-finals of the Women’s World Cup on home soil last year and the love affair is showing no sign of flagging. The streak of sell-outs started when 50,629 fans packed into Melbourne’s Docklands Stadium for a pre-World Cup friendly... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3255099/tickets-watch-chinas-friendly-against-australias-matildas-sell-out-four-hours-30000-fans-expected?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3255099/tickets-watch-chinas-friendly-against-australias-matildas-sell-out-four-hours-30000-fans-expected?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 Mar 2024 09:24:29 +0000 Hong Kong, Macau and cities in the Greater Bay Area should launch a bid to co-host the Fifa Women’s World Cup in 2031, Kenneth Fok Kai-kong told the National People’s Congress (NPC) on Tuesday. Fok, one of the city’s delegates to China’s top legislature, said Saudi Arabia’s position as sole bidder for the men’s version in 2034 made a joint bid “more feasible”, and highlighted the facilities already available in the region. China has hosted the tournament twice before; the inaugural competition... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3254261/hong-kong-should-bid-co-host-2031-fifa-womens-world-cup-macau-and-greater-bay-area-cities-fok-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3254261/hong-kong-should-bid-co-host-2031-fifa-womens-world-cup-macau-and-greater-bay-area-cities-fok-says?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 Mar 2024 00:00:14 +0000 A Spanish High Court judge proposed on Thursday that former football federation chief Luis Rubiales stand trial over the kiss he planted on player Jenni Hermoso’s lips after Spain’s victory in the Women’s World Cup. Judge Francisco de Jorge ruled that his probe points to Rubiales’ kiss “being unconsented and carried out unilaterally and in a surprising fashion,” the court said. State prosecutors have accused Rubiales of sexual assault and for allegedly coercing Hermoso to publicly support him in... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3249790/spains-luis-rubiales-face-trial-kissing-jenni-hermoso-without-her-consent-womens-world-cup?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3249790/spains-luis-rubiales-face-trial-kissing-jenni-hermoso-without-her-consent-womens-world-cup?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Jan 2024 12:48:58 +0000 China women’s football coach Shui Qingxia has been sacked for failing to guide them to next year’s Paris Olympics, the football association said on Monday. The former international player, the first woman to take charge of the Steel Roses, was named the Asian Football Confederation’s women’s coach of the year for 2022 just a few weeks ago. But she has paid the price after a qualifying campaign for Paris 2024 ended in failure earlier this month, with fans turning on the coach. “The contracts of... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3242250/china-womens-football-coach-shui-sacked-over-olympic-failure-weeks-after-winning-afc-award?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3242250/china-womens-football-coach-shui-sacked-over-olympic-failure-weeks-after-winning-afc-award?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Nov 2023 01:26:20 +0000 Chelsea’s Emma Hayes was formally named the new head coach of the US women’s team on Tuesday, but she will not take over the four-time Women’s World Cup winners until May, leaving her a short time with the team before they begin play in the Paris Olympics in late July. Interim coach Twila Kilgore will continue to lead the team until Hayes’ arrival after the Women’s Super League season ends, and then she will become one of her assistants. “This is a huge honour to be given the opportunity to... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3241587/chelseas-emma-hayes-named-coach-us-team-set-become-highest-paid-womens-football-coach-world?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3241587/chelseas-emma-hayes-named-coach-us-team-set-become-highest-paid-womens-football-coach-world?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Nov 2023 03:07:58 +0000 Plagued by corruption and unpaid wages scandals, China’s football scene hit a new low recently as fans withdrew their support after the national team’s embarrassing draw against a much lower-ranked Malaysia in a friendly game. Clearly, reforms are needed if China is to keep its 2026 World Cup dream alive – after failing to qualify for more than 20 years. The focus so far has been on ridding the sport of corruption with little attention paid to how China’s football performance can be improved.... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3235099/achieve-its-football-goals-scandal-hit-china-can-learn-japan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3235099/achieve-its-football-goals-scandal-hit-china-can-learn-japan?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 Sep 2023 01:30:10 +0000 Football star Jenni Hermoso has accused the Spanish federation of seeking to “intimidate and threaten” the World Cup champion players by calling them up against their will for two Nations League matches. The Spain international, who was kissed by former Spanish football federation (RFEF) president Luis Rubiales following her team’s triumph in Sydney on August 20, was not included in the squad but expressed her support for the rest of her teammates. “The players are certain that this is yet... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3235033/world-cup-kiss-jenni-hermoso-accuses-spanish-football-federation-trying-threaten-players?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3235033/world-cup-kiss-jenni-hermoso-accuses-spanish-football-federation-trying-threaten-players?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 Sep 2023 06:00:50 +0000 Spain’s High Court on Friday imposed a restraining order to prevent former soccer chief Luis Rubiales approaching national team player Jenni Hermoso, as he appeared in court to be investigated for sexual assault for kissing her on the lips. The incident, which occurred at the medal ceremony after Spain’s women’s team won the World Cup in Sydney, Australia, on August 20, has triggered a furore over sexism in Spanish sport and society and prompted protests similar to the “Me Too”... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3234762/restraining-order-imposed-ex-spain-football-boss-he-testifies-assault-probe-over-kiss?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3234762/restraining-order-imposed-ex-spain-football-boss-he-testifies-assault-probe-over-kiss?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 Sep 2023 15:09:06 +0000 Former Spanish football chief Luis Rubiales will appear before a judge on Friday over a complaint of sexual assault stemming from his allegedly unsolicited kiss on the lips of player Jenni Hermoso that has triggered a furore over sexism in Spanish sport and society. The events of August 20 eclipsed the national women’s team’s World Cup victory in Sydney and led to protests similar to the #MeToo movement, prompting other women to come forward with reports of sexist treatment and assaults. It also... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3234721/womens-world-cup-kiss-spains-former-football-boss-luis-rubiales-appear-court-sexual-assault?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3234721/womens-world-cup-kiss-spains-former-football-boss-luis-rubiales-appear-court-sexual-assault?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 Sep 2023 10:01:32 +0000 Suspended Spanish football federation president Luis Rubiales said on Sunday he will resign from his post because of the scandal caused by his kiss on the lips of a Women’s World Cup player. “I’m going to (resign), yes, because I cannot continue my work,” said Rubiales in an interview with television programme Piers Morgan Uncensored. “(Family and friends) say to me ‘Luis, you need to focus on your dignity and continue your life. If not you are going to damage people you love and the sport you... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3234064/womens-world-cup-kiss-luis-rubiales-resign-president-spanish-football-federation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3234064/womens-world-cup-kiss-luis-rubiales-resign-president-spanish-football-federation?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 10 Sep 2023 21:03:37 +0000 The Spanish football federation (RFEF) fired women’s national team coach Jorge Vilda on Tuesday, less than three weeks after his team won the Women’s World Cup title and amid the controversy involving suspended federation president Luis Rubiales. The RFEF has appointed Montse Tome to succeed Vilda as coach, making her the first woman to manage the side, it said on Tuesday. Tome had been Vilda’s assistant coach since 2018 and has since “established herself as a key player in the national team’s... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3233530/womens-world-cup-kiss-spain-womens-coach-jorge-vilda-fired-amid-rubiales-controversy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3233530/womens-world-cup-kiss-spain-womens-coach-jorge-vilda-fired-amid-rubiales-controversy?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 Sep 2023 16:47:06 +0000 While women’s football negotiates a man-made storm over Spanish federation chief Luis Rubiales kissing World Cup winner Jenni Hermoso, the men’s game is very slowly seeing more women in prominent roles – and striker Michael Udebuluzor welcomes it. The Hong Kong-born teenager has played for a woman manager at his German club Ingolstadt, and said he anticipated a woman taking charge of a top-tier men’s team in a major European league within three years. Having left Hong Kong aged 14 to board at... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3233185/world-cup-kiss-luis-rubiales-row-rages-striker-predicts-woman-boss-top-european-mens-football-club?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3233185/world-cup-kiss-luis-rubiales-row-rages-striker-predicts-woman-boss-top-european-mens-football-club?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 Sep 2023 03:46:08 +0000 The Fifa Women’s World Cup was a big success, boosting the global image of the sport and showcasing the rapid development of female football. But the controversy that has engulfed winners Spain after their impressive victory suggests there is still much work to be done. A kiss was the cause of the crisis. Spanish Football Federation President Luis Rubiales kissed star player Jenni Hermoso on the lips during the medal ceremony. He claimed the embrace was “spontaneous, mutual, euphoric and... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3233008/foul-play-spanish-football-chief-spoils-game?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3233008/foul-play-spanish-football-chief-spoils-game?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 31 Aug 2023 17:00:43 +0000 Spanish regional soccer chiefs demanded federation boss Luis Rubiales resign for grabbing and kissing World Cup winner Jenni Hermoso, as the country’s caretaker government promised on Tuesday to ensure women play a bigger role in running sports. Prosecutors have opened a preliminary investigation into whether Rubiales might have committed an act of sexual aggression when he grabbed Hermoso and kissed her on the lips after Spain’s victory in the women’s World Cup in Sydney on August 20. The... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3232740/womens-world-cup-kiss-spain-promise-larger-role-women-sport-rubiales-asked-resign?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3232740/womens-world-cup-kiss-spain-promise-larger-role-women-sport-rubiales-asked-resign?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 29 Aug 2023 18:20:09 +0000 The Spanish football federation’s regional presidents asked suspended president Luis Rubiales to resign on Monday in the furore after he kissed Women’s World Cup player Jenni Hermoso on the lips. “After recent events and the unacceptable behaviour that has seriously damaged the image of Spanish football, the presidents request that Luis Rubiales resign immediately as president of the RFEF,” said the federation (RFEF) in a statement following a meeting between the regional presidents. The... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3232624/womens-world-cup-kiss-spain-opens-sex-assault-investigation-suspended-football-chief-luis-rubiales?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3232624/womens-world-cup-kiss-spain-opens-sex-assault-investigation-suspended-football-chief-luis-rubiales?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 Aug 2023 18:55:54 +0000 The mother of Spanish soccer federation chief Luis Rubiales who faces a backlash for his unsolicited kiss on player Jenni Hermoso on Monday locked herself inside a church and announced a hunger strike to protest her son’s “inhumane treatment”, EFE news agency reported. Angeles Bejar said her strike would last “until a solution is found to the inhumane and bloody hunt they are carrying out against my son with something he does not deserve”, according to EFE. Rubiales was suspended on Saturday by... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3232598/mother-spains-football-chief-hunger-strike-amid-world-cup-kiss-furore-she-calls-inhumane-treatment?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3232598/mother-spains-football-chief-hunger-strike-amid-world-cup-kiss-furore-she-calls-inhumane-treatment?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 Aug 2023 13:09:46 +0000 Fifa suspended Luis Rubiales as president of Spain’s football federation on Saturday for kissing Spanish Women’s World Cup player Jenni Hermoso on the lips, and banned him from making contact with her. “[We] decided today to provisionally suspend Mr Luis Rubiales from all football-related activities at national and international level,” said world football’s governing body in a statement, explaining it would last 90 days, pending its disciplinary proceedings. The Spanish football federation... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3232414/womens-world-cup-kiss-spanish-football-federation-threatens-legal-action-over-jenni-hermoso-lies?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3232414/womens-world-cup-kiss-spanish-football-federation-threatens-legal-action-over-jenni-hermoso-lies?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 26 Aug 2023 11:58:33 +0000 Dozens of members of the Spanish Women’s national team said on Friday they would not play any matches for the country until football federation chief Luis Rubiales has been removed from his job in a scandal over kissing player Jenni Hermoso on the lips after Spain’s World Cup victory. Rubiales refused to quit earlier on Friday, fuelling anger among players and government ministers who decried his actions as unacceptable misogynist behaviour. A total of 56 players, including Hermoso and all of... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3232380/spanish-womens-team-refuse-play-until-football-boss-luis-rubiales-removed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3232380/spanish-womens-team-refuse-play-until-football-boss-luis-rubiales-removed?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Aug 2023 18:05:29 +0000 The 2023 Women’s World Cup came to a close on Sunday, as Spain clinched victory over England, securing the trophy and bragging rights until 2027. Although the women’s event hasn’t yet reached the same level of global fanfare as the men’s World Cup, it has shattered previous records, with the final game outpacing high-profile events, like the men’s Wimbledon final, in viewership, as per BBC. This surge in popularity signifies a new chapter for women’s sports fuelled by passionate fans and... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3232154/5-highest-paid-womens-world-cup-2023-footballers-megan-rapinoes-millions-and-aston-villas-alisha?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3232154/5-highest-paid-womens-world-cup-2023-footballers-megan-rapinoes-millions-and-aston-villas-alisha?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Aug 2023 11:00:13 +0000 Spain’s women’s football league has demanded Spanish federation president Luis Rubiales be sacked for kissing star player Jenni Hermoso on the lips after the country’s World Cup victory, describing his behaviour as “disgusting”. Spanish football federation (RFEF) chief Rubiales, 46, has been heavily criticised for planting a kiss on the lips of Hermoso following her team’s 1-0 triumph over England in the Women’s World Cup final in Sydney on Sunday. Rubiales initially attacked his critics before... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3232135/spains-world-cup-win-tainted-kiss-countrys-womens-league-says-it-demands-football-boss-luis-rubiales?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3232135/spains-world-cup-win-tainted-kiss-countrys-womens-league-says-it-demands-football-boss-luis-rubiales?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Aug 2023 06:41:17 +0000 Spanish football federation chief Luis Rubiales’ apology for kissing star player Jenni Hermoso on the lips after Spain won the Fifa Women’s World Cup is “insufficient,” Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Tuesday. Rubiales, 45, kissed Hermoso as he handed the Spanish team gold medals after they beat England 1-0 in the final on Sunday in Sydney, provoking outrage in Spain. He kissed other players on the cheek or embraced them. “What we saw was an unacceptable gesture,” Sanchez told a... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3231946/fifa-womens-world-cup-spain-pm-says-football-boss-apology-over-unsolicited-kiss-insufficient?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3231946/fifa-womens-world-cup-spain-pm-says-football-boss-apology-over-unsolicited-kiss-insufficient?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 22 Aug 2023 12:56:18 +0000 The Spanish football federation president has been criticised by government ministers for kissing player Jenni Hermoso on the lips during the celebrations of their women’s World Cup victory. Hermoso was heard telling teammates afterwards in the locker room she “didn’t like it” in a video posted on Instagram and YouTube by El Mundo newspaper and other media outlets. The kiss happened as Luis Rubiales, the president of the Spanish soccer federation, distributed gold medals among the team following... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3231827/spanish-ministers-slam-unconsented-kiss-world-cup-winner-jenni-hermoso-aggression?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3231827/spanish-ministers-slam-unconsented-kiss-world-cup-winner-jenni-hermoso-aggression?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Aug 2023 11:54:11 +0000 Olga Carmona, whose goal won the Women’s World Cup for Spain on Sunday, learned after the final of her father’s death, the Spanish football federation said. The federation did not say when Carmona’s father died or give a cause of death. It also did not say exactly when Carmona was informed about her father’s death or who told her. “And without knowing it, I had my Star before the game started,” Carmona said on X, formerly known as Twitter, along with a photo of her kissing her winners’ medal. “I... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3231736/olga-carmona-scored-spains-1-0-womens-world-cup-win-then-she-learned-her-father-had-died?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3231736/olga-carmona-scored-spains-1-0-womens-world-cup-win-then-she-learned-her-father-had-died?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Aug 2023 01:59:53 +0000 England captain Millie Bright said the Lionesses were left heartbroken by a 1-0 defeat to Spain in the Women’s World Cup final on Sunday despite not being at their best in Sydney. Olga Carmona scored the only goal as Spain kept the European champions at bay and could have won by a bigger margin had England goalkeeper Mary Earps not saved Jennifer Hermoso’s second-half penalty. “We’re heartbroken. We gave everything, unfortunately we just weren’t there today,” said Bright. “The girls are... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3231709/fifa-womens-world-cup-spain-beat-england-1-0-thrilling-final-lift-trophy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3231709/fifa-womens-world-cup-spain-beat-england-1-0-thrilling-final-lift-trophy?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 20 Aug 2023 12:09:22 +0000 The Women’s World Cup has been the biggest and most successful yet. It has, rightly, been hailed as a game changer both for football and for women’s sport. Record crowds flocked to stadiums in Australia and New Zealand to watch teams compete for a place in Sunday’s final as World Cup fever took hold. Hong Kong’s bars are expecting a busy evening, as fans gather to watch England and Spain fight for the ultimate prize. The global TV audience for the tournament is expected to reach 2 billion. The... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3231664/womens-world-cup-has-attracted-new-generation-football-fans?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3231664/womens-world-cup-has-attracted-new-generation-football-fans?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 20 Aug 2023 00:30:19 +0000 The final of football’s Women’s World Cup, to be played in Sydney on Sunday, will bring the landmark sporting event to a thrilling conclusion. European champions England will face Spain. Both teams are highly rated, but neither has reached the final before. This is the biggest Women’s World Cup ever staged. The excitement it has generated around the world bears testimony to a rapid rise in popularity. The number of teams was increased to 32 this time, for a 62-match tournament in Australia and... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3231662/womens-football-biggest-winner-world-cups-success?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3231662/womens-football-biggest-winner-world-cups-success?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 19 Aug 2023 14:11:52 +0000 Sweden picked up their fourth Women’s World Cup bronze medal on Saturday after beating co-hosts Australia 2-0 in the third-place playoff match at Lang Park in Brisbane. The Swedes, ranked third in the world, were awarded a penalty in the 28th minute after a VAR review showed Australia’s Clare Hunt clipped Stina Blackstenius’ heels, and Fridolina Rolfo slotted home the resulting spot kick. Sweden captain Kosovare Asllani doubled their lead just after the hour mark, rifling a sweet strike from the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3231652/fifa-womens-world-cup-sweden-beat-england-2-0-third-place-win?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3231652/fifa-womens-world-cup-sweden-beat-england-2-0-third-place-win?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 19 Aug 2023 10:56:20 +0000