Here's a breakdown of the latest football news, covering transfers, Euro 2025, and the crisis at Sheffield Wednesday.
Euro 2025 Underway
The UEFA Women's Euro 2025 tournament has kicked off in Switzerland. The tournament, running from July 2nd to 27th, features 16 nations competing for the title.
In the opening matches, Finland shocked Iceland with a 1-0 victory, marking their first win at the Euros in 16 years. Norway rallied to defeat host nation Switzerland 2-1.
Several teams are considered potential winners, including Spain and Germany. Other teams to watch include Belgium, who have been quietly building their reputation and could surprise some of the big names. Players like Germany's Giulia Gwinn and Netherlands' Wieke Kaptein are also being highlighted as potential stars of the tournament.
Concerns about extreme heat in Switzerland have led teams like England to adopt cooling strategies, including cooling vests and cryotherapy.
Sheffield Wednesday in Crisis
Sheffield Wednesday is currently facing a deepening crisis, with multiple issues plaguing the club.
Six players have reportedly handed in their notices to leave the club due to persistent issues with unpaid wages. The club was meant to pay June's wages at the end of June, but owner Dejphon Chansiri only paid the under-21 players and a portion of the staff salaries. Some players have not been paid for May, either. FIFA regulations allow players to leave if they aren't paid on time for two consecutive months.
The English Football League (EFL) has placed Sheffield Wednesday under a three-window transfer embargo due to late payments between July of last year and June of this year. The club is also reportedly in debt to other clubs, including Norwich City for the transfer of Akin Famewo in 2022 and Southampton for the loan of Shea Charles.
Manager Danny Rohl is reportedly in talks to leave the club early, with his assistant Henrik Pedersen potentially replacing him if certain assurances are met.
The Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) has described the situation at Sheffield Wednesday as "shocking" and "not tolerable". The PFA believes many senior players could terminate their contracts due to the wage issues.
