International Football
DENMARK WITHDRAWS FROM WORLD CUP
Pay disputes involving national teams’ players which are common occurrences in Africa have seeped into Europe. Denmark has been forced to cancel a women World Cup qualifying match against Sweden following pay dispute the Danish football federation has with members of its national team.
The federation has already informed the continental body, UEFA as well as FIFA over the decision to scrap from the match that is expected to hold this Friday.
Denmark will most likely be slammed with a fine and suspension from the next edition of the competition.
According to information from AP, the Danish football federation had set Wednesday morning as deadline for the women players to return to negotiation table but that did not happen.
“Many things are dividing us,” the federation’s spokesman Kim Hallberg told Denmark’s TV2.
In Sweden, the country’s national soccer federation said its women would continue to prepare for the match hoping it would eventually take place.
“It is a really special situation in which we never have been before,” Swedish federation general secretary Hakan Sjostrand said.
The Danish federation said it had offered to increase the annual investment to the women’s team by 2 million kroner ($316,000) to 4.6 million kroner ($727,000) to be used on higher salaries, among other things.
In September, the DBU cancelled a friendly rematch of the Women’s European Championship final between Denmark and the Netherlands after wage talks collapsed.
The Netherlands beat Denmark 4-2 to win its first European women’s title. Denmark knocked out six-time defending champion Germany in the quarterfinals and reached its first final after losing in five previous semi finals.
After cancelling the friendly, the two sides reached a partial agreement, allowing the women to play a World Cup qualifier against Hungary. However, differences between the DBU and the Danish Football Players’ Association remain. It was uncertain whether the Danish side would play Croatia on Tuesday in another World Cup qualifier.
In neighboring Norway, the soccer association became the first national federation to say their women’s team will now be paid the same as their men’s side.
In April, the U.S. women’s team struck a new collective bargaining agreement with its federation, ending more than a year of at times contentious negotiations, with players seeking comparable compensation to the men’s team.
UEFA, which is responsible for European qualifying games for the women’s World Cup, said any disciplinary case could only be opened after Friday’s match date.
World Cup regulations allow for punishments including disqualification — wiping previous Denmark results from the group — withholding of payments from TV rights and paying compensation to opponents.
International Football
Two Moroccan football players lost at sea, says club official
![](https://www.sportsvillagesquare.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Abdellatif-Akhrif.png)
Two Moroccan players from top-flight soccer side Ittihad Tanger have been missing at sea since Saturday after strong currents drifted their small yacht, a club official said on Sunday.
They were in a group of five players from the club who went cruising off the northern city of Tangier when strong currents and heavy winds drifted their yacht away as they were swimming in deep waters, club deputy president Anass Mrabet told Reuters.
“Three players have already been rescued on Saturday, while research is still ongoing for the missing Salman Harraq and Abdellatif Akhrif,” he said.
The players did not have buoys on them when they jumped from the small yacht to swim, he said citing recounts by rescued players.
While Akhrif, 24, is already a full member of the squad, Harraq, 18, was about to move up to the senior team this year, Mrabet added.
Ittihad Tanger have been in the Moroccan top flight since 2015 and won the league title for the first and only time in their history in the 2017-18 season. However, they have struggled in the lower half of the standings in recent years.
-Reuters
International Football
FIFA launches ‘Football Manager’ World Cup with $100,000 in prize money
![](https://www.sportsvillagesquare.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/arsene-wenger.jpg)
FIFA will host its first ever FIFAe World Cup of Football Manager this year to crown the best virtual manager on the highly-popular video game, world soccer’s governing body said on Thursday.
FIFA is partnering with Sports Interactive, the developers of the game that has sold millions of copies and has also been used by several football clubs to scout players and opponents thanks to its extensive database.
Players will compete for $100,000 in prize money in the final event from Aug. 29 to Sept. 1.
“This competition requires participants to demonstrate a profound understanding of football strategy and tactics,” said former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, who is the ambassador for the esports event.
“Success demands not only mastery of game mechanics but also in-depth football knowledge, making this format a fascinating blend.”
FIFA said in the inaugural year of the event, selected member associations will be invited to be represented at the final event.
Member associations from all six confederations are expected to be invited while players can sign up on FIFA’s website.
-Reuters
International Football
Former Italy international Roberto Baggio robbed at gunpoint
![](https://www.sportsvillagesquare.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/baggio.jpg)
Former Italy international Roberto Baggio was assaulted and robbed at gunpoint at his home in northern Italy while watching his country’s match against Spain in the Euro 2024 tournament on Thursday, local police said.
Burglars broke into Baggio’s house near Vicenza, hit him on the head with a gun butt and locked him and his family in a room while they stole jewellery, watches and cash, daily Il Corriere della Sera reported. It said he suffered a deep wound.
“Luckily, the violence I suffered only resulted in a few stitches, bruises and a lot of fear. Now it is to overcome the fear,” Baggio was quoted as saying by Italian news agency ANSA.
Baggio, 57, played for clubs including Juventus (JUVE.MI), opens new tab, AC Milan and Inter Milan. He also played 56 times for Italy, scoring 27 goals, and is widely seen as one of his country’s all-time greats.
After the robbery, Baggio, widely known as the “divine ponytail”, was treated at a local hospital where he received stitches for the head wound, Italian media reported.
Italy lost to Spain 1-0 on Thursday and now must avoid defeat by Croatia to guarantee progression in the tournament.
-Reuters
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