Politics

Lawyers are gearing up to do battle over the estate of Diego Maradona, estimated at between $10 million and $40 million and disputed by the soccer great's children, ex-partners and many others.

The legal wrangling began within days of Maradona's death from a heart attack in Buenos Aires on Nov. 25.

"I do not know if they are not hurting sufficiently or if they wanted to be the first in line, but it's insane because everyone will be able to participate," said lawyer Mauricio Dalessandro, who worked with Maradona for several years.

The Football Association on Monday said it is investigating crowd-related incidents at Millwall and Colchester United that involved supporters booing players taking a knee during their games on Saturday.

The head of African football, Ahmad Ahmad, has been banned from football for five years by FIFA following an ethics investigation by world soccer's governing body.

Ahmad, who is president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), had intended to stand in an election in March in which he would have faced a number of challengers. FIFA said in a statement the independent Ethics Committee has found Ahmad guilty of offering and accepting gifts and other benefits, and misappropriation of funds.

Lionel Messi must stay at Barcelona so he can lead the team for the remainder of his career and play a strategic role when he retires, the club's presidential candidate Victor Font told Reuters.

The six-times World Player of the Year and Barca’s all-time top scorer came close to leaving the Catalans in August after his relationship with then president Josep Maria Bartomeu turned sour. But the Argentine can leave the club, where he has spent his entire career, for free at the end of this season unless he pens a new contract before the end of June.

Leeds United players have donated $33,000 to a campaign providing free school meals to children in Britain after being inspired by Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford's efforts, captain Liam Cooper said.

On Thursday, Rashford urged local businesses to tweet using the hashtag #endchildfoodpoverty, which would allow the 22-year-old to locate them. Several have come forward to supply free school meals during half term in the United Kingdom.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino said on Thursday he is not interested in a European Super League amid reports that some elite clubs were in talks to set up a breakaway competition with the backing of the global soccer body.

In an interview published by German-language newspaper Aargauer Zeitung and other regional Swiss media, Infantino said FIFA was focused on the success of the revamped Club World Cup, which will feature 24 teams and be held for the first time in China in 2022.

Radical proposals to change English football backed by heavyweights Liverpool and Manchester United have been met with swift criticism but Football League (EFL) chairman Rick Parry insists he will push forward with the plan.

German prosecutors and tax authorities searched offices of the German Football Association (DFB) as well as private homes of current and former officials on suspicion of serious tax evasion, the Frankfurt prosecutors' office said on Wednesday.

It said six unnamed former and current officials of the DFB were suspected of having intentionally falsely declared income from advertising in soccer stadiums during home games of the national team in 2014 and 2015 as income from asset management, leading to $5.5 million in unpaid taxes.