Premier League
IFAB Proposes New Penalty and VAR Adjustments Ahead of 2026 World Cup
IFAB considers new rules on penalties and VAR to refine football ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
The International Football Association Board (IFAB) is considering rule changes that could reshape some key aspects of football before the 2026 World Cup. These proposals, while not revolutionary, aim to address ongoing concerns about fairness and officiating in the sport.
One of the most significant changes IFAB is exploring relates to penalty kicks. Currently, after a goalkeeper saves a penalty, the attacking team can attempt to score from any rebound. IFAB’s potential new rule would declare the ball “dead” immediately after the goalkeeper makes a save, removing the chance for follow-up attempts. This would isolate penalties as single, decisive moments, also eliminating disputes related to players encroaching in the penalty area during kicks.
In addition to the penalty modifications, IFAB is reviewing the scope of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system. Presently, VAR can intervene only in cases involving goals, penalties, and direct red cards. IFAB is considering expanding this to include other critical decisions such as corners and second yellow cards, thereby giving VAR greater influence over game-defining moments.
While these proposed adjustments have not found universal approval—UEFA has already expressed reservations—they underscore the ongoing evolution of football rules. The goal remains to refine the game without complicating its fundamental simplicity, famously noted by Liverpool legend Bill Shankly: “football is a simple game complicated by idiots.”
These ideas will be closely watched as football prepares for one of its biggest global stages.
Analytics & Stats
CIES Model Names Predicted Champions Across Europe’s Top 15 Leagues for 2025-26
CIES predictions list winners for Europe’s top 15 leagues in 2025-26, showing wide probability spread.
The CIES Football Observatory has applied a statistical model that combines sporting, economic and demographic variables to forecast the winners of Europe’s top 15 divisions for the 2025-26 season. The study focuses on competitions ranked by UEFA coefficient, excluding Norway’s Eliteserien, which began in March.
England’s Premier League remains the continent’s most prominent competition in the dataset. The model gives Liverpool a 28.9% chance to defend their title, with Arsenal forecast as the principal challengers at 18.8%. That 28.9% figure is the third lowest probability among the top 15 leagues in the analysis.
Italy’s Serie A proved difficult to call. Napoli arrive as reigning champions, but Inter are tipped to take the crown, assigned a 25.6% probability despite a change of management over the summer.
In Spain, the CIES model favours Real Madrid to reclaim La Liga. Barcelona, who won the title last season, are given 29.6% compared to Real Madrid’s 40.6%. The report notes the arrival of Xabi Alonso as a factor that could help Los Blancos recover from an underwhelming 2024-25 campaign.
Germany and France appear more predictable. Bayern Munich are projected to win the Bundesliga with a 61.4% chance, while Paris Saint-Germain are heavily favoured in Ligue 1 with a 73.0% probability. The study points out PSG have won 11 of the last 13 French first division titles and that only Red Star Belgrade in Serbia registers a higher single-league percentage in the analysis.
Elsewhere, Feyenoord are backed to reclaim the Dutch title with 28.6%, overturning PSV Eindhoven’s recent run. Club Brugge are expected to surpass Union Saint-Gilloise in Belgium with a 36.3% chance. Sporting CP, Galatasaray, Slavia Prague, Olympiacos, Copenhagen and Basel are each tipped to repeat last season’s triumphs. The model also predicts Legia Warsaw will usurp Lech Poznań in Poland and that RB Salzburg will overthrow Sturm Graz in Austria.
Manchester United
Onana Moves to Trabzonspor on Season-Long Loan as United Issue Parting Message
André Onana joins Trabzonspor on a season-long loan from Manchester United ahead of Sept 12 deadline
André Onana has joined Trabzonspor on a season-long loan for the 2025–26 campaign, temporarily leaving Manchester United for a fresh start in Türkiye. According to The Athletic, the deal does not include a fee or option to buy.
The transfer was completed ahead of the Turkish transfer window closing on Friday, Sept. 12. Manchester United released a brief farewell: “We would like to wish Andre good luck.”
Onana’s time at Old Trafford had been difficult in 2024–25, a season affected by errors between the posts. Former Red Devil Nemanja Matić even labelled the 29-year-old “one of the worst goalkeepers in Manchester United’s history” back in April. Ruben Amorim overlooked Onana in Manchester United’s opening three matches in the Premier League this season, instead opting to start Altay Bayındır. The Cameroon international only got the nod in the Red Devils’ shocking defeat to Grimsby Town in the Carabao Cup.
Across his spell with Manchester United the goalkeeper made 102 appearances. He arrived from Inter in July 2023 for an initial €51 million (£43.9 million, $57.4 million) and played a part in United’s 2–1 victory over Manchester City in the 2024 FA Cup final.
Although his contract with Manchester United runs until 2028, Onana will spend at least this season hunting for silverware in the Süper Lig. Trabzonspor framed the move positively on social media: “A new adventure, a new challenge,” Trabzonspor wrote on X . “Welcome to the world’s greatest city team, André Onana!”
The loan gives Onana an opportunity to reset his career with regular minutes in Turkey while Manchester United move forward without the Cameroon international for the 2025–26 season.
Chelsea
Dário Essugo to Miss Early 2025–26 Months After Thigh Surgery
Dário Essugo faces at least three months out after thigh surgery, delaying his Premier League debut.
Chelsea confirmed that Dário Essugo will be sidelined for an extended period after the 20-year-old required surgery following a thigh injury sustained during the September international break. The club said the midfielder underwent successful surgery in the days after the problem occurred while representing Portugal’s U-21 squad.
Essugo has begun his recovery work at Cobham but faces a lengthy absence. Reports in The Athletic place the layoff at a minimum of 12 weeks, with the wider estimate around three months. The same reporting suggests the summer signing will likely not be available for selection until 2026, a development that leaves Enzo Maresca with another injury issue to manage in the opening months of the 2025–26 season.
Chelsea signed Essugo from Sporting CP in June for £18.5 million ($23.9 million). The midfielder was always intended to add depth to Maresca’s options in central areas and was not expected to displace Moisés Caicedo or Enzo Fernández from the starting XI. Nevertheless, his absence removes a rotational option for the manager at a point when squad resources are valuable.
Following his move to west London, Essugo featured three times in Chelsea’s FIFA Club World Cup campaign, picking up his first trophy in a blue shirt within weeks of his transfer. He then made two preseason appearances, logging a total of 63 minutes. Maresca had not yet given Essugo a Premier League debut, keeping the Portugal international on the bench for Chelsea’s opening three matches of the season.
Given the projected recovery timeline, Essugo will most likely have to wait until next year to make his first appearance in the English top flight. The club will continue to monitor his rehabilitation at Cobham as they prepare for the early months of the 2025–26 campaign.
