Ipswich Town are close to appointing Gary O’Neil as their new head coach following the surprise departure of Kieran McKenna from Portman Road.

Compensation with Strasbourg is yet to be finalised but is not expected to be a stumbling block for the Premier League side.

The 43-year-old will return to English football for the first time since departing Wolverhampton Wanderers in December 2024.

Tim Jenkins and Neil Critchley are also anticipated to make the move to Suffolk, having assisted the manager during his recent stint in France.

Strasbourg success and Premier League return

The former Bournemouth boss has long been admired by the Ipswich hierarchy and previously worked with chief executive Mark Ashton at Bristol City.

His current employers had initially been confident of retaining his services following a highly successful campaign in Ligue 1.

The French outfit secured an eighth-place league finish and remarkably reached the Europa Conference League semi-finals before being eliminated by Rayo Vallecano.

Former Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was also considered for the vacancy this week before the club opted to pursue their primary target.

McKenna’s remarkable Portman Road legacy

The incoming manager faces the daunting task of following McKenna, who miraculously guided the Tractor Boys to three promotions in just four seasons.

The 40-year-old stepped down last week to spend more time with his family, despite successfully securing top-flight status by finishing second in the Championship.

He had been heavily linked with the vacant managerial role at Fulham following Marco Silva’s exit before ultimately choosing a complete break from the game.

“I feel this is the right time for me to step aside,” McKenna stated upon confirming his exit.

“I do so with great pride at the incredible progress we have made and with huge hope and optimism for the future of the club.”

The Suffolk club will begin their latest Premier League campaign at home against Sunderland on 22 August.

Spain forward Lamine Yamal has declared himself fit for Sunday’s crucial World Cup group match against Saudi Arabia, though the teenager admits he is not yet ready to complete a full 90 minutes.

The Barcelona winger was limited to a 19-minute substitute appearance during La Roja’s shock goalless draw with Cape Verde in their tournament opener following a hamstring injury.

“I feel really good,” the teenager told Spanish television.

“I’m excited above all, I’ve been off the field for a long time.”

Careful adaptation process

“I feel good physically, I’m ready for whatever the boss wants,” added the gifted attacker.

“It’s very early, it’s unnecessary to play 90 minutes, I have a process of adaptation, it isn’t the moment to play a full game but I’ll play the minutes the boss wants.”

Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente acknowledged that his side were severely hampered by the youngster’s restricted game time in their opening fixture.

“As soon as Lamine came on, he changed how Cape Verde were playing,” noted the manager.

Must-win encounter

The 2010 world champions dominated the Cape Verde match with 27 shots and an expected goals tally of 2.29, but were repeatedly thwarted by inspired goalkeeper Vozinha.

Consequently, the pressure has mounted significantly ahead of their second group stage encounter against the Green Falcons.

Fellow Barcelona prodigy Pau Cubarsi believes the squad possesses enough depth to secure a vital victory even if their star winger cannot start.

“We all know how good Lamine is, so if he can get in, he will help us a lot,” said the defender.

“But I think those who can make up for it will do it just as well or better.”

“We have to give our all, because it’s like a final and the whole team knows the importance of this match,” Cubarsi concluded.

Fifa has replaced group goal difference with head-to-head records as the primary tiebreaker for teams level on points ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

The global governing body has implemented this subtle yet significant structural change to align its tournament regulations with Uefa standards.

Since 1970, overall goal difference has served as the deciding factor when multiple nations finished a group stage with identical points.

Prior to that, tournament organisers relied on a goal ratio system, which divided a team’s total goals scored by their goals conceded.

Removing freak results from the equation

Football’s world governing body believes that assessing direct performance between two tied nations provides a fairer reflection of their comparative quality.

This updated metric prevents heavily skewed outcomes, such as Germany’s 7-1 victory over Curacao, from artificially deciding tournament progression.

Officials successfully trialled the system during last year’s Club World Cup, where Flamengo progressed ahead of eventual champions Chelsea after two matches.

Dead rubbers and early qualification

The most immediate impact of the revised tiebreaker is a significantly increased likelihood of teams securing top spot before their final group fixture.

Under the previous format, a country required a four-point advantage over second place to guarantee group victory after just two games.

Now, a three-point cushion is sufficient to lock down first place, provided the leaders have already defeated the chasing team.

Mexico have already demonstrated this mathematical advantage in Group A, securing an unassailable lead over South Korea to guarantee a last-32 tie in Mexico City.

Potential imbalances in final fixtures

Because El Tri hold the head-to-head advantage over the Asian side, they cannot be overtaken even if both countries finish the group on six points.

This early confirmation allows managers to rest key players during matchday three, effectively leaving the group winners with nothing to play for in their final test.

The Czech Republic could directly benefit from facing a heavily rotated Mexican squad next Wednesday, though their automatic progression still relies on South Korea losing to South Africa.

Similar early qualification scenarios could soon unfold across other pools, with Scotland and the United States both capable of wrapping up their respective groups on matchday two.

Manuel Neuer has urged Germany to secure their place in the World Cup knockout stages with a game to spare when they face Ivory Coast on Saturday.

Julian Nagelsmann’s side started their Group E campaign with a commanding 7-1 victory over Curacao in Houston.

They now sit level on points with their upcoming opponents, who defeated Ecuador in their opening fixture.

The four-time world champions suffered humiliating group-stage exits in the previous two tournaments.

The veteran goalkeeper is determined to prevent a third consecutive early departure from football’s biggest stage.

Focus firmly on Ivory Coast

A victory in Toronto would guarantee progression to the last 32 before their final group match.

“That’s our aim, and it’s all in our own hands,” said the Bayern Munich stopper.

“We made a good start and we don’t want to look back at previous tournaments.”

Speculation is already mounting about a potential knockout clash with France.

However, the 38-year-old insists the squad is not looking past their imminent African opposition.

“We’ll be facing a very strong side in Toronto, but we’re really well prepared,” he added.

“There’s already a lot of talk about France, but we’re not looking at that. We just want to focus on the next game.”

Napoli president tracks Belgian duo

Elsewhere at the tournament, Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis is set to attend Belgium’s match against Iran.

The Italian executive will be monitoring Romelu Lukaku and Kevin De Bruyne amid uncertainty over their club futures in Naples.

The towering striker managed just 64 minutes of domestic action last season due to injury and faced disciplinary action in March.

Meanwhile, his midfield compatriot recently expressed relief over the departure of former Napoli manager Antonio Conte, citing overly defensive tactics.

De Laurentiis recently addressed both players’ comments during a press conference.

“We’ll see what the new coach thinks of it. If someone has to leave, they will leave,”

Aurelio De Laurentiis

Belgium recently secured a point against Egypt following a late own goal forced by a substitute appearance from their physical centre-forward.

Scotland will attempt to reach the World Cup knockout stages for the first time in their history when they face Morocco following an opening victory over Haiti.

A single point from their remaining group matches against the North African side or Brazil could guarantee progression in the newly expanded tournament format.

However, supporters of the national team remain cautious after enduring a series of painful near-misses on the global stage.

Overcoming decades of heartbreak

The Scots famously suffered group-stage elimination on goal difference at three consecutive tournaments in 1974, 1978 and 1982.

Manager Steve Clarke insists his current squad are entirely focused on the immediate challenge rather than complex qualification mathematics.

“You just have to play the game. Permutations and whatever that’s for you guys and the punters, not for us,” said Steve Clarke.

Tartan Army leaves a positive mark

While the players prepare in the seclusion of their Charlotte training base, Scottish supporters have been making a significant cultural impact across the United States.

The travelling fanbase has donated generously to local charities, including a recent $30,000 contribution to causes in Providence.

Their exuberant presence even prompted Massachusetts governor Maura Healey to sign an unofficial executive order legalising haggis in the state.

Chasing unprecedented success

Midfielder John McGinn described the atmosphere within the training camp as strictly business despite the ongoing celebrations outside.

The squad are acutely aware of the unique opportunity that lies ahead of them as they prepare for this crucial fixture.

“I don’t think any of the lads have shied away from it: we want to be the first team to reach the knockouts for our country,” captain Andy Robertson stated. “It’s a nice feeling to try and do that.”

A positive result against the Atlas Lions would write a new chapter in Scottish footballing lore and finally banish the ghosts of previous campaigns.

Thousands of football fans have been left stranded outside World Cup venues, including Atlanta Stadium, as a ticketing dispute between Fifa and third-party resale platforms prevents supporters from accessing matches.

The global tournament has been marred by an escalating technological conflict between world football’s governing body and industry giant StubHub.

Supporters who purchased seats through secondary markets are finding their digital passes cannot be transferred to the official application.

Frustration outside Atlanta Stadium

Bina Ramroop and her 13-year-old grandson were among those locked out of Spain’s goalless draw against Cape Verde on Monday.

The grandmother had spent $485 (£380) per ticket months in advance as a birthday present for the teenager.

Despite hours of phone calls outside the turnstiles, representatives from both the resale site and the tournament organisers refused to take responsibility.

“I didn’t want a refund, I didn’t want my money back,” Ramroop said. “I wanted to go to the game.”

A widespread technological failure

The Atlanta incident is not an isolated case, with a wave of similar grievances flooding social media throughout the group stages.

Customers using alternative ticketing competitors such as SeatGeek and Vivid Seats have reported identical last-minute cancellations.

Industry experts suggest the chaos stems from severe technical glitches during the transfer process between external vendors and the proprietary mobile system.

There are also unverified claims that some secondary sellers listed inventory they did not actually possess prior to the fixtures.

Organisers and platforms clash

Fifa has repeatedly urged travelling supporters to exclusively use its official resale marketplace to avoid fraudulent transactions.

However, the internal platform imposes a hefty 30% surcharge that is split evenly between the buyer and the seller.

Many followers of the sport naturally gravitated towards familiar third-party sites to secure cheaper entry and navigate a simpler interface.

StubHub has vehemently denied any platform-side irregularities while launching a fierce critique of the global federation.

The American ticket exchange company blamed the transfer difficulties squarely on the governing body’s poor technology infrastructure.

Representatives highlighted late transfer restrictions and the delayed rollout of the new digital entry system as the primary catalysts for the disruption.

They have also accused the Swiss-based organisation of employing anti-competitive tactics designed to monopolise the multi-million pound ticketing market.

United States striker Folarin Balogun has illuminated the World Cup with a debut double against Paraguay, despite his American citizenship being the exact type targeted by President Donald Trump’s proposed immigration bans.

The 24-year-old scored twice for the co-hosts during their opening victory, cementing his status as a crucial asset for the national side.

However, the former Arsenal academy product only represents the Americans due to a geographical quirk surrounding his birth in 2001.

A fateful trip to New York

His Nigerian parents were visiting London before travelling to New York, where his mother was subsequently barred from her return flight due to being heavily pregnant.

Consequently, the dynamic forward was born in Brooklyn rather than the English capital, automatically granting him American nationality under the 14th Amendment.

This constitutional right is currently at the centre of a fierce political debate in Washington.

President Trump’s executive order seeks to deny citizenship to the children of individuals on temporary tourist visas or those residing in the country illegally.

Supreme Court decision looms

With the US Supreme Court expected to rule on the controversial executive order within weeks, the political backdrop has cast a unique shadow over the tournament.

The administration insists the immigration overhaul is necessary to combat perceived threats to national security and public safety.

Yet, on the pitch, there is absolute certainty about the immense value the Brooklyn-born star brings to his birth nation.

Speaking after the dominant opening victory, AC Milan midfielder Christian Pulisic admitted the co-hosts are incredibly fortunate to possess such a potent weapon.

“The kid’s insane. He’s lethal right now in front of goal. Let’s just hope it keeps going like this.”

Confidence soaring ahead of Australia clash

The prolific frontman could have pledged his international future to either England or Nigeria before officially committing to the Stars and Stripes.

Now, he is preparing to lead the line in a crucial second group stage fixture against Australia in Seattle this Friday.

Former international Kenny Cooper believes the current squad can embark on a historic tournament run with a proven finisher spearheading the attack.

“He’s obviously a really special talent and he showed that with two exceptional goals. He has been so impressive.”

Fans across the country have quickly rallied behind the young talisman, with thousands gathering at watch parties in Texas to witness his spectacular arrival on the global stage.

Arsenal have received a significant boost in their pursuit of Lille midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi after the Confederation of African Football confirmed the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations will take place during the summer.

Mikel Arteta has held initial discussions regarding a transfer to bolster his midfield options ahead of the new Premier League campaign.

The highly-rated 18-year-old recently signed a contract extension keeping him at Stade Pierre-Mauroy until 2029.

Lille have reportedly set a £70m valuation for their promising academy graduate.

Summer scheduling benefits Premier League clubs

Should the Gunners complete the deal, they will not lose the player mid-season to international duty.

The next edition of the continental tournament will be co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda at the end of the domestic season.

This marks a significant operational shift, avoiding the mid-season disruption that characterised previous winter tournaments.

A CAF statement confirmed the dates for the historic East African tournament.

“The competition will begin on Saturday, 19 June 2027, with the opening match. The final will be played on Saturday, 17 July 2027.”

“These dates give the tournament a clear one-month window and allow CAF, the hosts, teams, broadcasters and supporters to plan well in advance.”

International allegiance switch

The talented teenager represented France throughout the youth age groups, eventually captaining their Under-21 side.

However, the robust midfielder opted to switch his international allegiance to Morocco last month.

He subsequently made his senior debut for the Atlas Lions in a pre-World Cup friendly against Burundi.

Morocco must now navigate a qualification group containing Gabon, Niger and Lesotho to secure their place at the 2027 finals.

Wider transfer market impact

The revised summer schedule offers an immediate operational advantage to several English top-flight sides.

Liverpool are actively exploring a deal for Ivory Coast winger Yan Diomande and would benefit from similar uninterrupted availability.

Meanwhile, Manchester United will avoid losing players such as Amad Diallo and Noussair Mazraoui to mid-season call-ups, with stars like Bryan Mbeumo similarly available for uninterrupted domestic duty.