Governing Bodies
CBF favour Ancelotti to bag Brazil’s job
Real Madrid boss, Carlo Ancelotti would be the obvious choice to become the new manager of Brazil, according to the president of the country’s football association.
Ancelotti has been tipped to become the next manager of Brazil ever since they parted ways with Tite after their quarter-final exit to Croatia at the World Cup.
The Italian, who works with Brazilian players including Vinicius Jr and Rodrygo at the Santiago Bernabeu, has previously dismissed speculation linking him with the job.
However, Brazilian FA president Ednaldo Rodrigues, has admitted that he is the favoured option among players and supporters, and has spoken of his own personal admiration for Ancelotti.
He told Reuters: ‘I really admire him for his honesty in the way he works and how constant his work is. He needs no introductions.
‘He is really a top coach who has several achievements and we hope he can have even more.
‘Ancelotti is not only the players’ favourite but it seems the fans’ too. Everywhere I go in Brazil, in every stadium, he is the first name the supporters ask me about.
‘They talk about him in a very affectionate way, in recognition of the exemplary work he has done in his career.
‘Let’s have faith in God, wait for the appropriate time and we’ll see if we can make it happen as we look for the new coach of the Brazilian national team.’
Rodrigues’ comments will only add fuel to the fire to speculation that Ancelotti will leave Real Madrid at the end of the season.
Despite speaking highly of the Italian, Rodrigues pointed out that Brazil must be careful to respect the due process as Ancelotti is under contract with Real Madrid until 2024.
He said that no formal contact or approach has so far been made by the Brazilian FA with Ancelotti or any other manager and that they will start to talk to the candidates in mid-April with the objective of announcing their new coach by the end of May.
‘We will be very ethical in our approach and respect the contracts that are in place. We also greatly respect the work that is done by any coach and his club to get there and make any kind of approach, it would be a lack of respect for the president of the clubs in question,’ Rodrigues said.
‘Therefore, we have the patience to wait for the right moment so that we can hold these conversations.
‘Nothing is really defined yet to say the name (of the next coach) for sure, but it’s within this line, you understand? We need a coach who has the players’ respect and admiration.’
Ancelotti, whose only previous experience of international management came as an assistant with Italy in the 1990s, said last month that it was his intention to see out his present deal with the Spanish giants.
‘My situation is pretty clear. I have a contract until 2024,’ said Ancelotti ahead of their Club World Cup win over Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal.
World football governing body, FIFA, today clocks its 122nd anniversary, celebrating more than a century of overseeing and expanding the global game.
Founded on May 21, 1904, in Paris, France, FIFA began with just seven member associations — France, Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
From that modest beginning, the organisation has grown into the most influential sports governing body in the world, with 211 member associations spread across all continents.
Over the decades, FIFA has transformed football into a truly global phenomenon through competitions such as the FIFA World Cup, Women’s World Cup, Club World Cup, youth tournaments, and developmental programmes aimed at growing the game worldwide.
The organisation has also witnessed remarkable milestones, including the expansion of the men’s World Cup from 13 teams in 1930 to 48 teams beginning from the 2026 edition to be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
FIFA’s journey has equally reflected football’s growing influence beyond sport, with the game becoming a major tool for diplomacy, social inclusion, youth empowerment, and economic development across the world.
As FIFA celebrates 122 years of existence, attention is now focused on the future of the game, technological innovations, expanded competitions, women’s football growth, and the continued globalisation of football.
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UEFA has issued a lifetime ban to Petr Vlachovsky, a Czech women’s soccer coach who secretly filmed his players, the governing body announced on Tuesday.
Czech media reported that the coach was convicted in May 2025 and initially received a suspended one-year prison sentence and a five-year domestic coaching ban for filming FC Slovacko’s players in changing rooms, the youngest of whom was 17.
In a statement, UEFA’s Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body (CEDB) said it had decided to ban Vlachovsky “from exercising any football-related activity for life” following the appointment of an Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector to investigate allegations of potential misconduct.
“The CEDB further decided to request FIFA to extend the abovementioned ban on a worldwide level and to order the Football Association of the Czech Republic to revoke Mr Petr Vlachovsky’s coaching licence,” the statement added.
FC Slovacko did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.
Football players’ union FIFPRO welcomed the ban as well as UEFA’s request for world soccer governing body FIFA to impose an international ban on Vlachovsky.
“This outcome sends a strong and necessary message that abusive and inappropriate behaviour has no place in football and that safeguarding the well-being of players must remain a priority at every level of the game,” FIFPRO added in a statement.
Vlachovsky had also previously served as coach of the Czech women’s Under-19s team.
RELATED STORY: https://sportsvillagesquare.com/2026/04/08/outrage-as-male-coach-who-secretly-filmed-women-players-still-free-to-work-in-football/
-Reuters
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Southampton have been kicked out of the Championship playoff final after being found guilty of spying on semi-final opponents Middlesbrough, the English Football League said on Tuesday.
Middlesbrough, who lost 2-1 to Southampton on aggregate in the semi, have been reinstated and will face Hull City on Saturday in what is dubbed the world’s richest soccer match.
Promotion to the Premier League, even with an immediate relegation, is estimated to be worth in the region of 200 million pounds ($268.10 million) over three seasons.
Southampton, who admitted the charges, were also found guilty of filming training sessions involving Oxford United in December and Ipswich Town in April during the regular season.
They have also been deducted four points from the start of next season in England’s second tier.
“An Independent Disciplinary Commission has today expelled Southampton from the Championship play-offs after the club admitted multiple breaches of EFL regulations related to the unauthorised filming of other clubs’ training,” the EFL said.
“Southampton admitted breaches of Regulations requiring Clubs to act with the utmost good faith and prohibiting the observation of another Club’s training session within 72 hours of a scheduled match.
“The effect of today’s order is that Middlesbrough are reinstated into the 2026 play-offs and will proceed to the play-off final against Hull City. The final remains scheduled for Saturday 23 May, with the kick-off time to be confirmed.”
The EFL confirmed that Southampton could appeal against the decision and that “parties are working to try and resolve any appeal on Wednesday 20 May.
“Subject to the outcome, it could result in a further change to Saturday’s fixture,” the statement said.
‘BORO CALLED FOR SOUTHAMPTON EXPULSION
Middlesbrough had called for Southampton’s expulsion after having a training session at their Rockliffe Park site filmed 48 hours ahead of the first leg of their playoff semi-final with Southampton which ended 0-0.
The north-east club said they welcomed the decision.
“We believe this sends out a clear message for the future of our game regarding sporting integrity and conduct,” the north Middlesbrough said in a statement.
“As a club, we are now focused on our game against Hull City at Wembley on Saturday.”
Southampton were relegated from the Premier League last season and were struggling in the early part of this campaign until a storming finish in which they went unbeaten in 19 league games to finish fourth and enter the playoffs.
The south-coast club are the first to fall foul of the Football League’s regulation 127 — brought in after Leeds United were found guilty of spying on Derby County seven years ago, an offence for which they were fined 200,000 pounds.
-Reuters
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