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MUNICH (AP) — Bayern Munich signaled Friday it will cut down on “Visit Rwanda” branding as it moves “away from a commercial sponsorship” with the African nation facing a backlash over alleged support for rebels in neighboring Congo.

Bayern dismissed allegations of “sportswashing” when it signed a five-year Rwanda deal in 2023. It included advertisements in the stadium and what Bayern called events “to promote tourism and investment opportunities in Rwanda.”

At the time, it replaced a controversial sponsorship deal with Qatar. Rwanda has similar sponsorships with European soccer giants like Paris Saint-Germain, Arsenal and Atletico Madrid.

Some Bayern fans displayed a large banner at a game in February protesting the deal, amid accusations from the United Nations that Rwanda has backed rebels in neighboring Congo.

Now the German soccer champion says it’s reached a new deal with Rwanda which turns the existing sponsorship deal into a three-year agreement focusing on developing young soccer players at a Bayern-affiliated academy in the country.

“In constructive talks about our future direction, we agreed that a very special part of our relationship with (the Rwanda Development Board) was the developmental nature of our work in Kigali through the FC Bayern Academy,” Bayern chief executive Jan-Christian Dreesen said in a statement.

“We are therefore transforming our commercial partnership into a talent programme and expanding the FC Bayern Academy in (Rwanda’s capital) Kigali together with the RDB as both a football and social initiative. This remains perfectly aligned to our strategic objective of developing playing talent in Africa.”

Bayern didn’t specify how soon it would drop “Visit Rwanda” branding as part of the move, which is described as a transition. As of Friday afternoon local time, the branding was still displayed under a section of the Bayern website listing club sponsors and partners.

The RDB’s chief executive, Jean-Guy Afrika, was quoted by Bayern as saying the changes to the partnership aimed to “accelerate sports development,” adding: “This continued partnership with FC Bayern helps ensure that talent development remains anchored in our broader vision to position Rwanda as a global hub for tourism, investment, and high-performance sport.”

Rwanda’s presence in European soccer has grown steadily since 2018, when it first partnered with Arsenal to put “Visit Rwanda” branding on the London club’s shirt sleeves.

An agreement with PSG was signed in 2019 and renewed in April this year. It covers branding in the stadium and included shirt-sleeve sponsorship at the Club World Cup. A three-year deal to sponsor Atletico was agreed in April including branding on training and warm-up shirts.

Rwanda is accused of supporting the M23 rebel group, the most potent of more than 100 armed groups vying for dominance in mineral-rich eastern Congo just across the border with Rwanda. Rwanda also has been accused of exploiting eastern Congo’s minerals, used in smartphones, advanced fighter jets and much more.

However, Rwandan authorities allege some of those who participated in the 1994 Rwandan genocide fled into Congo and are either working with or are being protected by the Congolese army. They have denied involvement in Congo’s minerals sector and said any security action taken is to protect its territory.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Source: https://www.foxsports.com/articles/soccer/bayern-munich-shifts-away-from-visit-rwanda-sponsorship-after-criticism

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The nominees for the 2025 Ballon d’Or award are out, with some of the biggest names in soccer in the running for what effectively serves as the global game’s worldwide “player of the year” honor.

With soccer having literally hundreds of leagues worldwide and national-team play in competitions ranging from experimental friendly matches to do-or-die World Cup qualifiers, determining a single best men’s and women’s player in a calendar year is no easy task. The nominees for the Ballon d’Or are selected by staff from France Football magazine and L’Equipe, a French sports-focused newspaper, setting the field for voters from 100 countries that are FIFA members to pick the winner later this year.

In 2024, both versions on the Ballon d’Or went to Spanish players. Manchester City defensive midfielder Rodri was the men’s recipient, a surprise for a player in a less glamorous role, while Aitana Bonmatí won the women’s Ballon d’Or for the second time.

With the shortlist being assembled by journalists based in Europe, the list of nominees (perhaps unsurprisingly) skews towards players based on European clubs. All 30 nominees for the men’s Ballon d’Or play for European-based teams, with nearly one-third of this year’s list coming from UEFA Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain.

On the women’s side, the global balance of power is rather different, with five NWSL players and one from Brazilian side Palmeiras nominated to go with 24 based in Europe. The gold medal-winning U.S. women’s national team saw two standouts nominated, with team captain Lindsey Heaps (who plays for French power OL Lyonnes) and defender Emily Fox (Arsenal) on the Ballon d’Or shortlist.

Here’s what to know about the 2025 Ballon d’Or, including every player nominated to win this year’s award:

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Men’s Ballon d’Or nominees 2025

• Ousmane Dembélé (Paris Saint-Germain)
• Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain)
• Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid)
• Désiré Doué (Paris Saint-Germain)
• Denzel Dumfries (Inter Milan)
• Serhou Guirassy (Borussia Dortmund)
• Erling Haaland (Manchester City)
• Viktor Gyökeres (Arsenal)
• Achraf Hakimi (Paris St-Germain)
• Harry Kane (Bayern Munich)
• Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Paris Saint-Germain)
• Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona)
• Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool)
• Lautaro Martínez (Inter Milan)
• Scott McTominay (Napoli)
• Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid)
• Nuno Mendes (Paris Saint-Germain)
• João Neves (Paris Saint-Germain)
• Pedri (Barcelona)
• Cole Palmer (Chelsea)
• Michael Olise (Bayern Munich)
• Raphinha (Barcelona)
• Declan Rice (Arsenal)
• Fabián Ruiz (Paris Saint-Germain)
• Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)
• Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
• Vinícius Junior (Real Madrid)
• Florian Wirtz (Liverpool)
• Vitinha (Paris Saint-Germain)
• Lamine Yamal (Barcelona)

Women’s Ballon d’Or Feminin 2025

• Lucy Bronze (Chelsea)
• Barbra Banda (Orlando Pride)
• Aitana Bonmatí (Barcelona)
• Sandy Baltimore (Chelsea)
• Mariona Caldentey (Arsenal)
• Klara Bühl (Bayern Munich)
• Sofia Cantore (Washington Spirit)
• Steph Catley (Arsenal)
• Melchie Dumornay (OL Lyonnes)
• Temwa Chawinga (Kansas City Current)
• Emily Fox (Arsenal)
• Cristiana Girelli (Juventus)
• Esther González (NJ/NY Gotham FC)
• Caroline Graham Hansen (Barcelona)
• Patri Guijarro (Barcelona)
• Amanda Gutierres (Palmeiras)
• Hannah Hampton (Chelsea)
• Pernille Harder (Bayern Munich)
• Lindsey Heaps (OL Lyonnes)
• Chloe Kelly (Arsenal)
• Marta (Orlando Pride)
• Frida Leonhardsen Maanum (Arsenal)
• Ewa Pajor (Barcelona)
• Clara Mateo (Paris FC)
• Alessia Russo (Arsenal)
• Claudia Pina (Barcelona)
• Alexia Putellas (Barcelona)
• Johanna Rytting Kaneryd (Chelsea)
• Caroline Weir (Real Madrid)
• Leah Williamson (Arsenal)

Source: https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/soccer/2025/08/07/ballon-dor-nominees-2025-when/85564452007/

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Snoop Dogg’s mind isn’t just on money — it’s on his soccer club as well.

On Thursday, “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” actor Rob Mac collaborated on an Instagram reel with rapper Snoop Dogg and retired three-time NFL MVP Tom Brady on what they called a “Championship Owners” call, where the three gathered to talk soccer.

Snoop Dogg, whose real name is Calvin Broadus, joined the ownership group of Welsh club Swansea City on July 18 as a “co-owner and investor.”

“Welcome to the beautiful world of English football, where grown men cry over ties,” Brady jokingly said.

“I’m here for the culture, passion and the chaos, and to get Brady back for all those damn Super Bowls he hit my team with,” Snoop said.

On Aug. 3, 2023 — which happens to be Brady’s birthday — the seven-time Super Bowl champion joined ownership ranks in the sport, becoming a minority owner and chair of the advisory board of English side Birmingham City. He entered the partnership with Birmingham’s owners, Knighthead Capital Management LLC.

“I’ve won a lot of Super Bowls. … Quick crash course — win enough games, you move up to the next league, lose too many, you drop. It’s ruthless,” Brady said.

Snoop Dogg then posed a challenge to Brady and Mac, who has served as the co-owner of Welsh squad Wrexham since Sep. 2020 with actor Ryan Reynolds.

“Let me know when y’all want to roll through Swansea. I’ll have the kids pressed up and the playlist loaded, locked and loaded,” Snoop said with a wink.

Safe to say, there’s a high possibility of seeing the West Coast-born record producer, NFL great and actor clash from opposing sides in the future.

Source: https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/45921785/snoop-dogg-tom-brady-rob-mac-minority-owner-birmingham-city-swansea-city-wrexham-challenge

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – Coming off its national championship run in 2024, North Carolina has been selected as the favorite in the annual Preseason Atlantic Coast Conference Women’s Soccer Coaches Poll, announced Thursday by the conference office. In addition, the 2025 Preseason Women’s Soccer All-ACC Team was also unveiled.

Extending the streak of eight consecutive seasons in which an ACC team has played in the national championship match, the Tar Heels claimed their nation-best 23rd title and first since 2012. UNC defeated in-state rival Wake Forest, 1-0, in the title match after the Women’s College Cup featured four ACC teams for the first time in league history.

The Tar Heels topped the poll with a league-best 10 first-place votes and 246 total points, finishing 17 points ahead of second-place Notre Dame, which earned a pair of first-place votes. Defending ACC champion Florida State landed third in the poll with four first-place votes and 225 points, as the Seminoles seek their sixth straight conference title this season.

Fellow Women’s College Cup participants Duke (208 points), Stanford (201 points) and Wake Forest (172) followed in the poll in fourth, fifth and sixth, respectively. Virginia, which received the final first-place vote, placed seventh with 169 points, while in-state rival Virginia Tech landed eighth with 162 points.

Clemson (132 points) claimed the ninth spot, with California (124) rounding out the top 10. The remainder of the poll includes Pitt (111 – 11th), SMU (83 – 12th), Boston College (81 – 13th), Louisville (67 – 14th), Miami (44 – 15th), NC State (40 – 16th) and Syracuse (18 – 17th).

Of the 14 players on this year’s Preseason All-ACC Team, 10 were named to the 2024 All-ACC team, including first-team selections Cameron Roller (Duke), Jordynn Dudley (Florida State), Kate Faasse (North Carolina), Izzy Engle (Notre Dame) and Leah Kelnke (Notre Dame). Faasse became the fifth straight ACC player to win the MAC Hermann Trophy, the most coveted individual honor in NCAA Division I soccer. was named the ACC Defensive Player of the Year, while Engle was tabbed the ACC Freshman of the Year.

In the Preseason United Soccer Coaches Poll, eight ACC teams landed in the top 25, tying for the most of any conference. All eight ranked ACC teams were slotted in the top 15, with North Carolina (No. 1), Notre Dame (No. 2), Florida State (No. 3) and Duke (No. 4) holding the top four spots.

The 2025 season gets underway on Thursday, August 14, with all 17 ACC teams in action. The opening day slate is headlined by a top-15 matchup when No. 11 Penn State visits No. 4 Duke at 7 p.m. ET on ACC Network Extra.

2025 Preseason ACC Women’s Soccer Coaches Poll

1. North Carolina (10), 246
2. Notre Dame (2), 229
3. Florida State (4), 225
4. Duke, 208
5. Stanford, 201
6. Wake Forest, 172
7. Virginia (1), 169
8. Virginia Tech, 162
9. Clemson, 132
10. California, 124
11. Pitt, 111
12. SMU, 83
13. Boston College, 81
14. Louisville, 67
15. Miami, 44
16. NC State, 40
17. Syracuse, 18

2025 Preseason All-ACC Team

• Teagan Wy, Sr., GK, California
• Mia Minestrella, Jr., F, Duke
• Mia Oliaro, Jr., M, Duke
• Cameron Roller, Jr., D, Duke
• Jordynn Dudley, Jr., F, Florida State
• Heather Gilchrist, Sr., D, Florida State
• Tessa Dellarose, Sr., M/D, North Carolina
• Kate Faasse, Sr., F/M, North Carolina
• Olivia Thomas, Jr., F, North Carolina
• Linda Ullmark, So., M, North Carolina
• Izzy Engle, So., F, Notre Dame
• Leah Klenke, Sr., D/M, Notre Dame
• Andrea Kitahata, R-Sr., F, Stanford
• Maggie Cagle, Sr., F, Virginia

Source: https://www.soccerwire.com/news/acc-womens-soccer-2025-preseason-poll-and-all-conference-team-revealed/

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Harry Kane enjoyed an eventful reunion with his former club, scoring a goal and missing a penalty in Bayern Munich’s 4-0 friendly win over Tottenham Hotspur at the Allianz Arena on Thursday.

England striker Kane, who ended his 19-year association with Spurs when joining Bayern two summers ago, opened the scoring in the 12th minute following a precise long pass over the top of the defence from Michael Olise.

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Just three minutes later, he had the chance to double the German champions’ lead.

Midfielder João Palhinha, playing his first game in a Spurs shirt since joining on loan from Bayern, brought down Josip Stanisic in the penalty area and the referee pointed to the spot. But Kane slipped as he approached the ball and sent his penalty kick high over the crossbar.

Kingsley Coman, Lennart Karl and Jonah Kusi-Asare all found the net in the second half as Bayern stepped up preparations for the defence of their Bundesliga crown, which begins on Aug. 22 with the visit of RB Leipzig.

“We’ve got to stay calm, there’s still a lot of work to do,” Bayern head coach Vincent Kompany said. “The fact is the team is getting better and they are improving.

“I’m a bit surprised that the lads are at this level of performance this early. I didn’t expect that.”

It was far from the ideal outcome for new Tottenham manager Thomas Frank in what was their final preseason action, ahead of the Europa League victors facing off with Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain in Wednesday’s UEFA Super Cup.

Frank, though, insisted he was not worried about their final warm-up match.

“We will 100 percent be ready for that game, I’m not in doubt about that,” he told Tottenham’s website. “There are six days ahead, we have a normal week for the first time in the last two weeks so with everything — just getting down, less travel, energise [the players], three or four good sessions — then we will be ready against PSG.”

Source: https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/45921185/bayern-munich-tottenham-hotspur-harry-kane-goal-friendly

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VILLARREAL, Spain (AP) — Spanish soccer club Villarreal signed midfielder Thomas Partey on Thursday, two days after he was granted bail on rape charges in England.

Villarreal said the 32-year-old Ghana international, who became a free agent when his Arsenal contract expired in June, has joined “for the 2025-26 season.”

The club’s announcement touted Partey’s on-field attributes before turning to his legal case.

“The player firmly maintains his innocence and denies all charges against him. The club respects the fundamental principle of the presumption of innocence and will await the outcome of the judicial process, which will be responsible for clarifying the facts of the case,” Villarreal’s statement said. “Due to the law in England in relation to ongoing proceedings the club is unable to comment further.”

Partey was granted bail Tuesday after appearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London charged with five counts of rape. He has also been charged with one count of sexual assault. The alleged offenses, between 2021-22, relate to three women.

Villarreal added that it “wishes to clearly reiterate its strong commitment to respect and diversity and firmly condemns any act of violence in all its forms, including gender-based violence, discrimination, racism, xenophobia, or any behavior that undermines the dignity of individuals.”

The midfielder was expected to join the team at its training ground on Friday, said Villarreal, which didn’t specify if the contract extends beyond one season.

Arsenal hosted Villarreal in a pre-season friendly on Wednesday at Emirates Stadium. Partey had joined Arsenal nearly five years ago from Atletico Madrid.

Partey’s lawyer, Jenny Wiltshire, has previously said he “denies all the charges against him.”

Police said the investigation was opened in February 2022 when it first received a report of rape. Partey was charged July 4 — days after his Arsenal contract expired.

He is due to appear at the Old Bailey on Sept. 2.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Source: https://www.foxsports.com/articles/soccer/villarreal-signs-midfielder-thomas-partey-after-he-gets-bail-on-rape-charges

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