MANCHESTER — UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said he would be “really concerned” if Manchester City’s owners decided to sell the club following an independent commission’s findings that the club breached Premier League financial regulations.

Burnham, speaking to the BBC, acknowledged that Manchester City contests the findings but praised the contribution made by the club’s ownership group since Sheikh Mansour’s takeover in 2008. He highlighted investment not only in Manchester City but also in developments around the Etihad Stadium and the wider Manchester area.

The comments came after an independent commission found Manchester City guilty of the majority of the 115 charges brought by the Premier League. The club has denied wrongdoing and is expected to appeal the decision, with the deadline for submitting an appeal reported as October 2.

The case concerns alleged financial-rule breaches over a number of seasons. The commission’s findings included allegations involving commercial arrangements and financial reporting. The Premier League has described the breaches as systematic, while Manchester City maintains that the allegations are disputed.

The potential consequences have yet to be determined. Possible sporting and financial sanctions have been reported as ranging from a fine or points deduction to more severe measures, although the disciplinary process and any subsequent appeal remain ongoing.

The Independent Football Regulator has also said the case raises serious issues and could consider the suitability of the club’s ownership once the football disciplinary process has concluded.

Burnham said his comments should not be interpreted as an attempt to interfere with the football authorities’ process. His position reflects his view of the ownership group’s wider investment in Manchester, while the legal and disciplinary questions surrounding the club remain unresolved.

BEIJING — Novak Djokovic returned to competitive tennis with a straight-sets victory over Portugal’s Nuno Borges at the China Open, securing his first match win since his Wimbledon campaign in July.

The 39-year-old Serbian defeated Borges 6-3, 7-6(2) in the first round of the Beijing ATP 500 tournament. The victory also extended Djokovic’s perfect China Open record to 30 wins from 30 matches.

Djokovic made a strong start, taking control of the opening set with effective serving and aggressive returns. Borges responded with greater resistance in the second set, forcing several extended rallies before Djokovic eventually prevailed in the tiebreak.

The match lasted approximately one hour and 50 minutes. Djokovic also received treatment during the second set after experiencing discomfort in his right shoulder, but he was able to complete the match and secure the victory.

The result marks Djokovic’s return to the China Open after an 11-year absence. He last competed at the Beijing tournament in 2015 and has previously won the event six times. He is now seeking a seventh China Open title.

Djokovic’s next opponent will be Chinese wildcard Bu Yunchaokete, who advanced to the next round after defeating Argentina’s Juan Manuel Cerundolo.

The victory gives Djokovic an important competitive outing as he continues his 2026 season. He reached the Wimbledon semifinals earlier in the year before losing to Jannik Sinner, and subsequently suffered a first-round defeat at the US Open.

For Djokovic, his return to Beijing has begun with another victory at a tournament where he has never lost a singles match.

A fresh call for a complete overhaul of Ghana’s senior national football team has sparked debate, with calls for the Black Stars to be disbanded and the Ghana Football Association (GFA) leadership removed.

The advocate for the drastic move insists that Ghana should even be prepared to accept a two-year FIFA ban to create enough time to rebuild the national team from the ground up.

In a strongly worded statement, the individual said their position on the Black Stars had remained unchanged, arguing that Ghana must abandon what they described as repeated short-term fixes.

“As for the Black Stars, my position before is my position today. Disband the team. Sack the FA. Let FIFA ban us for two years. Take the time to properly rebuild the team.”

According to the statement, continuing with what was described as a “patchwork” approach would only prolong the problems confronting the national team.

The call for a complete reset comes amid continuing public debate over the performance, management and direction of the Black Stars, with questions frequently raised about player selection, coaching, administration and the broader development of Ghanaian football.

The advocate maintained that Ghana needs to confront the underlying problems rather than continue making temporary adjustments.

“Truth hurts but the patch work is worse,” the statement concluded.

The comments are likely to fuel further debate over whether Ghana’s football authorities should pursue gradual reforms or undertake a more fundamental restructuring of the national team and its administration.

By KPD News Online | September 30, 2026

The 2026 Ballon d’Or race is entering its final stages, with Barcelona and Spain forward Lamine Yamal occupying the top position in a latest power ranking published ahead of the awards ceremony.

The ranking places Yamal ahead of Rodri and Harry Kane, although other recent assessments have placed the three contenders in different positions, underlining how open the race remains.

Yamal’s case is built around his performances for Barcelona and Spain during the 2025/26 campaign. Barcelona says the forward scored 16 La Liga goals and supplied 11 assists, while also being named the league’s Player of the Season. He subsequently helped Spain win the 2026 World Cup.

The 19-year-old has also been a major figure in the Ballon d’Or conversation for the second consecutive year. He finished second behind Ousmane Dembélé in the 2025 voting and is among the nominees for the 2026 award.

Yamal has publicly backed his own candidacy. In September, he said he believed he deserved the award based on what he had won, while identifying Kylian Mbappé as another leading contender.

Rodri’s World Cup impact

Rodri has also emerged as a major contender following Spain’s World Cup triumph. The midfielder was named the tournament’s Golden Ball winner and has been included among the leading candidates in several recent rankings.

His 2025/26 campaign was affected by his recovery from a serious knee injury, but his performances during Spain’s World Cup run significantly strengthened his position in the Ballon d’Or debate.

Rodri is also among Barcelona’s three Ballon d’Or nominees alongside Yamal and Pau Cubarsí.

Kane brings extraordinary scoring numbers

Harry Kane remains another central figure in the contest. The Bayern Munich striker produced a prolific 2025/26 season, with several rankings highlighting his goalscoring output and domestic success.

The Guardian reported that Kane scored 61 goals in 51 matches for Bayern Munich, while other assessments have placed his total even higher depending on the competitions and matches included. He also played a significant role in England’s World Cup campaign.

Kane’s domestic achievements with Bayern have strengthened his individual case, while his England performances have kept him firmly in the discussion.

A race without a consensus

The different rankings show that there is no universal order among the leading candidates. One recent assessment placed Kane first, Yamal second and Rodri third, while another had Yamal ahead of Kane and Rodri.

The official 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony is scheduled for October 26 in London, when the final voting outcome will be announced.

Until then, Yamal, Rodri, Kane, Mbappé and other shortlisted players remain part of a closely watched contest for football’s most prominent individual award.

By KPD News Online | September 30, 2026

FIFA has accused UEFA of conducting a “misinformation campaign” and attempting to influence the organisation’s upcoming presidential election, as a legal dispute over an abandoned commercial proposal involving World Cup rights intensifies.

The accusation was made in a filing to a U.S. federal court in Florida, where FIFA is opposing UEFA’s request to obtain testimony and documents connected to the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal.

FIFA rejects UEFA allegations in escalating football governance dispute

Dispute centres on abandoned FIFA commercial plan

The controversy surrounds a proposal to establish FIFA Forward Enterprise as a commercial subsidiary that could have allowed private investors to acquire an interest in commercial rights connected to major FIFA competitions, including the World Cup.

The proposal was abandoned in July following opposition from several football bodies, including UEFA. UEFA subsequently sought access to documents and evidence that it said could support a planned criminal complaint in Switzerland concerning FIFA President Gianni Infantino and the handling of the FFE proposal.

UEFA has alleged that the proposal was developed without adequate consultation and questioned the valuation of the proposed enterprise. FIFA has rejected those allegations.

UEFA seeks FIFA documents as Infantino faces fresh scrutiny

FIFA rejects allegations against Infantino

In its court response, FIFA said UEFA had made what it described as “false or misleading statements” concerning FIFA and Infantino.

FIFA specifically rejected the suggestion that Infantino sought personal financial benefit from the FFE proposal. The organisation said the plan would have required approval from FIFA’s member associations and the FIFA Council, with oversight from those bodies.

FIFA also challenged UEFA’s interpretation of the proposed enterprise’s valuation, arguing that UEFA had confused the project’s equity value with its overall enterprise value. FIFA said documents provided to member associations placed the enterprise value above $30 billion.

FIFA links UEFA legal action to upcoming presidential election

UEFA has defended its concerns

UEFA has previously said the proposal raised serious questions about the ownership and future commercialisation of FIFA competitions.

In a July statement, UEFA and its 55 national associations rejected the plan to transfer ownership interests in the World Cup and other FIFA competitions to private investors. UEFA said significant decisions affecting the sport should involve meaningful consultation with football’s stakeholders.

UEFA has not commented on FIFA’s latest court filing, according to Reuters.

Election adds another dimension

FIFA’s response also links the dispute to the organisation’s next presidential election, scheduled for March 2027.

FIFA argued that UEFA’s legal action could influence the election campaign. Infantino is expected to seek another term, while potential challengers have until November 18 to enter the race, according to reports published this week.

The dispute now involves both the legal questions surrounding the abandoned FFE proposal and a broader disagreement over FIFA’s governance, commercial strategy and decision-making processes.

Infantino has separately proposed an independent review of FIFA’s decision-making procedures, according to Reuters.

The court proceedings are expected to determine whether UEFA will gain access to the evidence and documents it is seeking. The allegations made by either organisation have not, by themselves, established wrongdoing by the other side.