Ghana have parted ways with coach Otto Addo, with 72 days remaining until the kickoff of the 2026 World Cup, the country’s football association (GFA) announced. The decision came a few hours following a 2-1 defeat by Germany in Stuttgart during their preparation for the tournament which will be held in North America next summer. Ghana also lost 5-1 in Austria on Friday.
Former Borussia Dortmund player Otto Addo, appointed for a second stint in March 2024, failed to qualify Ghana for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations despite having Premier League players Antoine Semenyo and Mohammed Kudus in his squad. The German-born coach won eight matches and lost nine in 22 games in charge of the West African nation.
Otto Addo, 50, led Ghana at the 2022 World Cup, after previously working as an assistant to Milovan Rajevac. They recorded a 3-2 win over South Korea in Qatar but exited at the group stage after defeats by Portugal and Uruguay. Ghana, who reached the World Cup for the fifth time, are in Group L along with Croatia, England and Panama.
Daylight offside rule to begin trial in Canadian Premier League
The Canadian Premier League (CPL) will become the first professional competition to stage an official pilot of the alternative offside law during the 2026 season, the league said in a statement. The revised interpretation, proposed by former Arsenal manager and current FIFA Chief of Global Football Development Arsene Wenger, is aimed at boosting attacking play and improving the flow in competitive matches, the statement added.
Under the new approach, an attacking player will be ruled offside only if there is clear gap, or “daylight”, between the attacker and the defender, meaning the attacker will be considered onside if any part of the body that can legally score is level with or behind the second-to-last defender.
The CPL said the trial will be conducted in close collaboration with FIFA, which will oversee the research and evaluation framework, while working with Canada Soccer to prepare match officials, players and clubs. Alongside the offside experiment, the CPL will also introduce FIFA-designed and IFAB-approved measures, including Football Video Support, aimed at cutting down time-wasting and improving match efficiency.
Ancelotti says Danilo certain to be part of Brazil World Cup squad
Brazil head coach Carlo Ancelotti has backed veteran defender Danilo to be part of his final 26-man squad for this year’s World Cup in North America, adding that his squad is largely settled. Brazil have been drawn in Group C alongside Morocco, Haiti and Scotland for the June 11 to July 19 tournament, with Ancelotti set to announce his final squad by May 18.
“Danilo is a very important player, not only on the pitch but also off it,” Ancelotti told reporters in Orlando, ahead of his side’s warm-up friendly game against Croatia. “Danilo is certain to be in the final 26-man squad because I like him... his character, his personality, his style of play. He can play in all defensive positions. I have a fairly clear idea of the starting line-up for the first match, and the final squad is also pretty much set.”
Former Real Madrid and Manchester City defender Danilo, 34, is currently at Brazil club Flamengo. He has played 67 internationals for Brazil across all competitions so far. Ancelotti said a strong defensive foundation would be essential for Brazil to win a sixth World Cup.
San Siro sale to Inter and AC Milan probed for bid rigging: media
The sale of the San Siro stadium by the city of Milan to Italian football giants Inter Milan and AC Milan is being investigated for bid rigging, Italian news reports.
Nine people are under investigation after Italy’s financial police carried out searches at Milan City Hall and the company owned by Inter and AC Milan which manages the San Siro, according to media reports.
Those being investigated include the former CEO of Inter, Alessandro Antonello, representatives from both clubs and the city of Milan’s general manager, Christian Malangone, who has been described as Mayor Giuseppe Sala’s right-hand man.
Accusations of bid rigging centre on the manner in which the 197mn euros ($227mn) sale of 28 hectares (70 acres) of public land on which the San Siro sits was approved in late September. Inter and AC Milan are planning to knock down the San Siro after having built a new 70,000-capacity arena on the land immediately to the west of the current stadium.