Archive September 1, 2025

Morocco Set To Be First African Qualifiers For 2026 World Cup

This week, Morocco, which is led by Ballon d’Or nominee Achraf Hakimi, could become the first African team to qualify for the World Cup in 2026.

Without the Atlas Lions’ unassailable lead in Group E, which would only exist if they won on matchday 7 against Niger in Rabat.

However, a triumph for Tanzania will most likely only cause Morocco to finish in the 2022 World Cup semi-finals.

In Ndola, Morocco will travel to the country on September 8 for a match against Zambia, and if they win, they will need just one point to win the expanded 48-nation global showpiece.

The Moroccans are top of the table with 15 points from five matches in a mini-league that was reduced from six to five before matchday 1.

Without any use, Tanzania has nine points, followed by Zambia and Niger, who each have six, and Congo, who temporarily withdrawn after violating government orders to give them three walkovers.

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Hakimi, a Paris Saint-Germain defender who enjoys combining attacking and defensive play, is considered one of the best right-backs in the world.

In the 5-0 win over Inter Milan in the Champions League, he scored the opening goal for PSG to win the 2024-25 competition. Hakimi also played for the team that won the Club World Cup after finishing second to Chelsea.

Prior to the final club season, Hakimi led Morocco to bronze at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games men’s football competition in third place and third place.

One of the 30 nominees for the 2025 Ballon d’Or is him along with Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah and Borussia Dortmund’s Serhou Guirassy.

He told the Moroccan media, “My dream is to win a trophy with Morocco, either the World Cup or the Africa Cup of Nations.”

Morocco will begin hosting the 2025 Cup of Nations on December 21 as the hosts of the first-ever African Cup of Nations held there since 1976.

a good fit for Egypt

Egypt, led by Salah, is yet another excellent candidate to join the top 48 nations traveling to the US, Canada, and Mexico in June.

First place would be secured by Group A victories over Burkinabe in Ouagadougou and Ethiopia in Cairo.

After FIFA approved renovations to the national August 4 stadium, Burkinabe will look to recent Brentford signing Dango Ouattara for goals.

Nigeria, which qualified for the World Cup with a proud record, has only missed two editions since making their 1994 US debut, when they dominated a group before losing to Italy in the second round.

Three years ago, the Super Eagles lost a play-off game to fierce rivals Ghana thanks to away goals, but they were unable to win the previous World Cup in Qatar.

The star-studded Super Eagles have lost just one of their six games and are now fourth in Group C, six points clear of South Africa’s pacesetters.

Victor Osimhen, a star striker and former African Footballer of the Year, told reporters, “We are desperate to qualify this time.”

If we are unable to feature in a World Cup, Nigerians will still be praising us for being a talented generation.

Our squad is full of stars from Europe’s top leagues, but that alone does not guarantee success. There must be merit to be earned.

Nigeria travels to South Africa for a showdown that will likely have a significant impact on the final placings, hosting Rwanda, the only nation they have defeated so far.

Ghana are enjoying a successful World Cup campaign following their humiliating elimination from the Cup of Nations qualifying group and their failure to advance to the 2025 competition.

The Black Stars will face bottom-placed Chad and host Mali in Group I, and if they win, they could make it to the second World Cup.

Inaki Williams of Athletic Bilbao and Antoine Semenyo of Bournemouth are among Coach Otto Addo’s embarrassment at attacking wealthy people.

With only six matches left, Mali were seeded to win the group and enter the World Cup for the first time, but they only managed six victories overall and are six points clear of Ghana.

Matchday 7 begins on Wednesday, followed by Matchday 8 from Sunday. October 8 through October 14 is when the final two rounds are scheduled. The World Cup will be held for each of the nine group winners.

Ukraine arrests suspect in former parliamentary speaker’s murder

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has announced that a suspect has been arrested in the murder of former parliamentary speaker Andriy Parubiy, who was killed in an attack over the weekend.

In a post on Telegram early on Monday, Zelenskyy wrote that the suspect had given an “initial testimony” and “urgent investigative actions are currently underway to establish all the circumstances of this murder”.

“I thank law enforcement for their swift and coordinated work. All the circumstances of this horrific murder must be uncovered”, he said.

On Saturday, Parubiy, 54, who served as speaker from April 2016 to August 2019, was shot dead in the western city of Lviv. He was one of the protest leaders in 2013-14, calling for closer ties with the European Union.

A police officer guards the spot where Andriy Parubiy was killed in Lviv, Ukraine, August 30, 2025]Roman Baluk/Reuters]

Internal Affairs Minister Ihor Klymenko wrote on Telegram on Sunday night that dozens of police officers and security officers had been involved in the operation to arrest the suspect in the Khmelnytsky region of western Ukraine.

According to Klymenko, the crime was “carefully prepared: the schedule of the deceased’s movements was studied, the route was laid, and an escape plan was thought out”.

Some tributes from Ukrainian officials to Parubiy hinted at suspicions of Russian involvement in the killing. Since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, both sides have accused each other of assassinations of key political and military leaders.

According to the Russian state media, Parubiy had been wanted by Russian authorities since 2023.

As a young man, he had campaigned for Ukraine’s independence from the Soviet Union. He was also a key supporter of promoting the use of Ukrainian over the Russian language – a highly politicised issue.

During the 2014 Maidan protests, following then-Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych’s decision to cancel a planned association agreement with the EU due to intense pressure from Moscow, Parubiy was the “commander” of the opposition’s self-defence forces.

Olivia Attwood’s husband Bradley Dack makes statement as she ditches wedding ring

Bradley Dack’s marriage to Olivia Attwood has heightened his feelings for the actress after she was seen this weekend without her wedding rings.

Bradley Dack has made his feelings very clear after allegedly being left ‘livid’(Image: ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

Olivia Attwood’s husband, Bradley Dack, has made a bombshell statement over the state of their marriage. In recent days, fans of the former Love Island star have been concerned about her marriage.

It comes after Olivia, 34, was seen with her close friend Pete Wicks during a work trip to Ibiza, when the reality stars were seen looking close with one another. However, sources have insisted that the pair are merely close friends and that they were merely enjoying their time abroad.

Reports claimed that Olivia was ‘in the doghouse’ with Bradley after the pictures of herself and Pete partying at Ocean Beach and later on a yacht emerged. Pete was seen with his arm around Olivia, with Bradley allegedly being left “livid” after his Gillingham FC teammates shared the snaps in a WhatsApp group.

Olivia recently admitted to having a “ferral summer” before she returned to the UK to present her KISS radio programme with former The Only Way Is Essex star Pete. Now, Bradley has been seen after the pictures emerged, and it’s clear he’s made a strong statement on the future of their marriage.

Bradley Dack was seen with his wedding ring on full display on Sunday
Bradley Dack was seen with his wedding ring on full display on Sunday (Image: Mancpicss66 / BACKGRID)

Bradley was still sporting his golden wedding band as he took off with his teammates to meet fans, which was visible to everyone in the bravery he displayed. Olivia was seen arriving at her place of employment on Sunday without her wedding band, though.

However, Olivia frequently renounces her ring, despite a source close to her saying that she frequently does so. On this occasion, Olivia had a valid reason: she cleaned it after applying sun cream while enjoying her “ferral” time in Ibiza.

Olivia was seen without her wedding ring on the same day
Olivia was seen without her wedding ring on the same day(Image: JAMES CURLEY AND MAGICMOMENTSUK)

Olivia has also spoken out on the backlash which she has found herself at the centre of. One fan said on her Instagram page: “I’m afraid for your marriage.” But Olivia, known for not holding back instantly responded: “Don’t be. Worry about your own.”

However, she acknowledged her marriage three weeks prior to the drama and admitted she had been her “bad girlfriend” to Bradley. She claimed to be “could be on Bad Wives” while promoting her new show, Bad Boyfriends.

I had the upper hand over our relationship for ages. She stated to the press, “He’s coming for my throne, and I carried him on my back for a long time. He was always out in the beginning and was playing football. And now he needs to assist me more because I’m the one who is filming seven days per week. Because I work, I miss my football games. I’m evil.

It was claimed that Olivia was in the 'dog house' with Bradley following her trip with Pete
It was claimed that Olivia was in the ‘dog house’ with Bradley following her trip with Pete(Image: Instagram/olivia_attwood)
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“He says, ‘You save all your nice personality for work and then you come in like, ‘Where’s my dinner?'” Meanwhile, she has also said that their marriage is far from perfect. Speaking to the Mirror, Olivia said: Brad and I do have a lovely relationship. But also, I’m not perfect, he’s not perfect, it’s not the perfect relationship. But it’s a good relationship.

We all learn that, to put it mildly. There is no such thing as perfect. You’ll find someone with a new set of issues if you leave someone because of a particular set of issues.

Suarez appears to spit at opposition coach after melee

Images courtesy of Getty

Following their 3-0 League Cup final defeat, Inter Miami forward Luis Suarez made an offensive spit at a member of the Seattle Sounders’ coaching staff.

Following a melee involving both sets of players that the Uruguayan had sparked, the incident occurred shortly after the full-time whistle.

Before team-mate Sergio Busquets struck the Mexico international on the chin, Suarez, 38, grabbed Sounders midfielder Obed Vargas around the neck.

After being held back by team-mate Oscar Ustari, Suarez appeared to spit in the direction of the coach after an altercation with a Sounders employee moments later.

Seattle manager Brian Schmetzer responded to the question about the melee by saying, “Unfortunately, that is going to take some of the attention away from a Seattle Sounders performance.

Their players were irritated, which caused some unfortunate things to happen on the field.

“I’m going to stop there because that shouldn’t be the story,” she said. The game’s story is different from what transpired after it.

Javier Mascherano, the coach for Inter Miami, said, “I have nothing to say because I was far away and did not understand what transpired.”

Nobody wants these kinds of actions to occur. I’m not sure what happened, but there might have been provocation.

Suarez has had a number of contentious encounters with controversy throughout his career.

After being found guilty of racially abusing Manchester United’s Patrice Evra, he was given an eight-game ban at Liverpool in 2011.

He also received bans for three different biting incidents while playing for Uruguay, Liverpool, and Ajax.

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Loose Women star Olivia Attwood’s job shock as she’s caught on camera

Olivia Attwood, the star of Loose Women, has admitted that she arrives at work with hungover and is shocked when she examines video that has been made available to the public.

Loose Women star Olivia Attwood has admitted that she turns up to work hungover (Image: Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock)

Former Love Island star Olivia Attwood is busier than ever – presenting hit TV shows, making documentaries and hosting a KISS radio show every weekend. But the TV star, 34, still loves to fit in the occasional big night out, telling Mirror she’s even been known to take to the airwaves with a sore head on a Sunday afternoon.

“I am very professional and I don’t go to work hungover, apart from the radio – and I need to stop doing that,” she reveals. “Even though the radio is recorded live, there’s this weird feeling that you’re not being watched. At the time the listeners are not watching, but then they put the clips out. I’m thinking, ‘Oh, my God!’”

She continues, “When I go out, I don’t want it to end.” My friends will be saying, “We should go, please.” at 6am in Soho. I’m like, ‘ No, one more! ‘ They say, “There is nowhere to go,” and they are right.

oLIVIA attwood on kiss radio
Olivia co-hosts a Kiss radio show alongside close pal pete Wicks(Image: Kiss FM)

As well as co-hosting The Sunday Roast on KISS with Pete Wicks, Olivia made her presenting debut on This Morning this summer, and a new series of Olivia Attwood’s Bad Boyfriends is about to return to our screens.

In the show, a group of unsuspecting men are brought to a luxury retreat and put through a series of challenges by their girlfriends – with a little help from Olivia. Featuring a surprise appearance from former Celebrity Big Brother winner David Potts, it seems we can expect this series to reach explosive new heights.

Olivia chuckles, “They are a rowdy bunch.” Sometimes I had to exert control over them on the ground. All these people have relationship histories, which makes them stand out as being full of tension.

And there’s a twist this time. She claims that in this series, we “give the girlfriends a little bit of light.” Why are you with them if I asked them to do a soul scavenging and said, “You brought this guy here and they don’t seem to have any redeemable qualities.

Olivia Attwood's Bad Boyfriends poster
Her ITV show Bad Boyfriends is returning for a second season this month(Image: ITV)

She claims that there are actually a number of people and stories. You’ll have a sister or friend who has gone through it, or you’ll relate to someone in that show. It’s “the closest you’re going to get to old-school reality,” the author says. It’s campaign and silly, and there’s drama and heart. You travel somewhere with each episode.

Nothing is also prohibited for the cameras. We make the most of raw moments. We take care of someone if they need a five-minute break. You can observe what might happen in some situations, but the majority of what happens happens is seen.

Olivia’s romantic relationship with footballer husband Bradley Dack, 31, is a little less dramatic than that of the series. Fans of her ITVBe series Olivia Marries Her Match followed the couple’s stunning wedding in 2023.

Olivia Attwood and Bradley Dack
Olivia has been married to footballer Bradley Dack since 2023(Image: Dave Benett/Getty Images)

She’s the first to acknowledge that married life isn’t always so blissful, despite the dreamy wedding at London’s swanky Bulgari Hotel.

“Brad and I do have a lovely relationship, but he and I are not perfect, too. Although it’s not a perfect relationship, it’s still a good one. There is no such thing as perfect, which is the lesson we all have.

The couple’s careers have changed as a result of her being one of the hardest-working women in television. He used to play football and was always out, and now I’m the one who filmes seven days a week, and he has a lot of help from him. Because I work, I miss his football games. He replies, “You save all your nice personality for work and then you come in and say, “Where’s my dinner?”

Olivia claims that Brad accepts her for who she is. “I’m still going to a roo in Ibiza and don a bikini,” I said. She claims that’s who I am. He never attempts to depress me. When a guy has done that in a relationship, it’s very liberating when they embrace you for who you really are.

Olivia left the Love Island villa almost ten years ago, finishing third behind Chris Hughes. You get a crash course on dealing with being in the public eye when you leave, she says, but you can’t actually recall the experiences of life before.

Olivia maintains a refreshingly grounded mindset despite her success. She says, “I still don’t consider myself to be famous.” “Mariah Carey is well-known. Although I may be familiar to you if you live in the UK, my life is fairly normal.

She continues to grow in no time with her career on the up. She exclaims, “I’ve been working since I left that villa.” They can’t eliminate me, they say.

On September 14, Olivia Attwood’s Bad Boyfriends airs again on ITVX.

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