LONDON (AP) ― The UEFA executive committee on Thursday ratified a 10-match minimum ban for racist abuse by players or officials. The changes were first announced last month by UEFA General Secretary Gianni Infantino and will now be included in the disciplinary regulations. While UEFA can only enforce the punishments in its competitions, its 53 members will be asked to adopt the same measures domestically at its congress on Friday. The English Football Association announced last week it will only

LONDON (AFP) ― The home of English football will reverberate to the roar of German voices Saturday when Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund collide at Wembley Stadium in the first all-Bundesliga final in Champions League history.It is only two years since Barcelona confirmed their status as Europe’s preeminent side by outclassing Manchester United in the same arena to win the 2011 tournament, but the way that Bayern and Dortmund have torn through this season’s competition suggests a new continen

The country’s governing body of professional soccer has released its financial statements for the first time, league officials said Thursday.The K League on Thursday posted its financial data for the fiscal year 2012 on its website. The league has never previously gone public with its earnings and expenditures since its inception in 1983.According to the data, the K League recorded a net profit of 504 million won ($449,600) last year. It earned 16.2 billion won from broadcasting rights fees, cor

FC Seoul recovered from going a goal down and missing a penalty to beat Beijing Guoan 3-1 and reach the AFC Champions League quarter-finals in a dramatic last-16 match which saw three red cards on Tuesday.The South Korean champions were stunned by an early strike by Freddie Kanoute, and then watched Serbian dangerman Dejan Damjanovic miss from the spot, before three goals in the final half-hour put them through to the last eight.Ex-Premier League marksman Kanoute was the first to receive his mar

MADRID (AP) ― Jose Mourinho will leave Real Madrid after three years as coach, paving the path for his return to England and a second stint as Chelsea’s manager.Real Madrid president Florentino Perez announced at a news conference following a board meeting Monday that a mutual agreement was reached for Mourinho’s departure.The 50-year-old Portuguese coach has two matches remaining in a season that will end on June 1 without Madrid winning a major trophy.Mourinho will leave having won only two ma

Following their subpar performances last week, two South Korean first-division teams now face must-win situations in AFC Champions League action.FC Seoul and Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, representing the K League Classic, have to win the second legs in their round of 16 series this week to advance at the continent’s premier club tournament.The K League Classic has produced three of the past four AFC champions.FC Seoul will host Beijing Guoan of the Chinese Super League at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Seoul W

Arsenal qualified for the Champions League for the 16th straight season after edging Tottenham to fourth place in the Premier League, as Alex Ferguson bowed out as Manchester United manager with a 5-5 draw against West Bromwich Albion.Laurent Koscielny's 52nd-minute volley sealed an unconvincing 1-0 for Arsenal at Newcastle, rendering Spurs' 1-0 victory over Sunderland _ courtesy of a late screamer from Gareth Bale _ meaningless.“We celebrated a bit like we had won the championship, which was a

Following their subpar performances last week, two South Korean first-division football teams now face must-win situations in AFC Champions League action.FC Seoul and Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, representing the K League Classic, have to win the second legs in their round of 16 series this week to advance at the continent's premier club tournament.The K League Classic has produced three of the past four AFC champions.FC Seoul will host Beijing Guoan of the Chinese Super League at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday a

 David Beckham hugged his teammates with tears in his eyes, then walked off the pitch to a standing ovation  for the last time in front of a home crowd at a football game. 　 A clearly emotional Beckham was mobbed by his teammates on the field when coach Carlo Ancelotti decided to substitute him in the 81st minute of a 3-1 win over Brest on Saturday, giving him a customary sendoff in his last home game before retiring. Even goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu ran out to congratulate the former England ca

Midfielder Kim Nam-il, an integral player in South Korea's historic run to the semifinals at the 2002 FIFA World Cup, is back on the men's national team for the first time in three years.The Korea Football Association (KFA) on Thursday announced a 25-man roster for South Korea's last three matches in the final Asian qualification round for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. Kim, 36, last represented the country at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.South Korea will travel to Beirut to face Lebanon at

Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors have dug themselves into a huge hole in the AFC Champions League after dropping the opening leg at home against their Japanese rival.Kashiwa Reysol of Japan's J. League blanked Jeonbuk of the K League Classic 2-0 in the first leg of their round of 16 series on Wednesday night. At Jeonju World Cup Stadium, about 240 kilometers south of Seoul, Masato Kudo and Tatsuya Masushima each scored for the visiting club.Jeonbuk was the champion in 2006 and the runner-up in 2011 at the