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Arsenal win English Premier League after Man City draw at Bournemouth

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Arsenal Football Club were crowned English Premier League champions on Tuesday for the first time in 22 years after Manchester City drew 1-1 at Bournemouth’s Vitality Stadium.

Pep Guardiola’s men needed to win on England’s south coast to keep the title race alive but fell short.

Following three runners-up finishes, the Gunners have sealed top spot after Manchester City drew 1-1 at Bournemouth on Tuesday night.

The trophy lift is set to take place at Selhurst Park on Sunday when the North London club play the final game of the season on May 24.

The draw left the North London side mathematically unreachable at the top of the table and triggered historic celebrations among Arsenal supporters, who had not experienced a league triumph since the “Invincibles” season of 2003-04 under legendary manager Arsène Wenger.

A general view of Arsenal Emirates Stadium in London, United Kingdom, on December 2025 (Photo by Mairo Cinquetti/NurPhoto). (Photo by Mairo Cinquetti / NurPhoto / NurPhoto via AFP)

Arsenal have topped the table for much of the season, but their title bid looked to have hit shaky ground in April as Man City started to breathe down their necks.

A 2-1 defeat at the Etihad seemed to hand the title advantage to City but the Gunners rallied and have held off Pep Guardiola’s side to win the league for the first time since the Invincibles in the 2003/04 season.

It ends a six-year period without a trophy and is Arteta’s second major honour as manager at the Emirates Stadium.

Meanwhile, the Arsenal football website has also celebrated the new feat.

A Tuesday night release titled, “Arsenal crowned 2025/26 Premier League champions,” disclosed this.

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“We have been crowned 2025/26 Premier League champions with a game to spare, after an incredible campaign in N5 has ended with us claiming our 14th top-flight championship.

“Following our 1-0 success against Burnley last night, our nearest challengers Manchester City had to beat Bournemouth to force us into a final-day showdown for the title. However, a 1-1 draw at the Vitality Stadium saw us crowned champions.

Arteta
Arsenal Manager, Mikel Arteta

“The silverware sees Mikel Arteta become the first Gunners boss to land English football’s top prize in 22 years, following in the footsteps of Arsene Wenger’s Invincibles who were our last side to win the Premier League after going unbeaten during the 2003/04 campaign,” it read.

Arsenal won 25 of our 37 league games so far, drawing seven and losing just five times to top the pile, having finished runners-up in each of the previous three seasons.

“But a solid defensive platform, which has seen us keep 19 clean sheets and David Raya claim the Golden Glove for the third successive season, has led us to the best defensive record this term, while only City can better our tally of 69 goals scored to this point,” the release further read.

Season’s campaign began at Old Trafford

The North London club began its English league record 100th consecutive campaign with a 1-0 success at Manchester United, and won nine of our first 10 games to hit top spot for the first time at the start of October.

“We led the league for 200 days before Manchester City nudged us off on goals scored late last month. However, we won four successive matches without conceding to reclaim top spot and pave our way to the championship.

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“It is the 14th time we have been crowned champions of England, only behind Manchester United and Liverpool in the all-time rankings, and the 32nd major trophy we’ve claimed.

“We now have the chance to cap one of the greatest seasons in our 140-year history by adding one more to that total when we head to Budapest next week to contest our second-ever Champions League final.

“We will face holders Paris Saint-Germain on Saturday, May 30 as we aim to claim our first European Cup triumph in our 139-year history,” the club wrote.

Bournemouth in Europe

Meanwhile, AFC Bournemouth also “penned a new chapter in the club record books by securing a place in Europe for the first time in their 127-year history,” a post-match release on the club’s website as obtained by our correspondent on Tuesday night stated.

“Junior Kroupi’s superbly-executed first-half goal appeared to have put Andoni Iraola’s team on course for victory, only for Erling Haaland to grab an injury-time equaliser for the visitors.

“Haaland’s dramatic late strike failed to take the gloss off another memorable game under head coach Iraola who will leave the club in the summer following three glorious seasons.

“A share of the points extended the Cherries’ unbeaten run to 17 matches, equalling the club record for a single season which has stood since 1981/82 in Division Four,” the club wrote.

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Somalian referee who was elected best in Africa denied entry to US for World Cup Duties

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World Cup referee Omar Artan has been denied entry to the United States, just three days before the tournament is set to begin. The Somali official was poised to become the first-ever referee from his country to take charge of a match at a Fifa World Cup.

Artan, 34, was named the best African referee for 2025 by the Confederation of African Football and has previously officiated at the Africa Cup of Nations. He reportedly encountered difficulties securing a visa but benefited from support from the Somali embassy in Nairobi, which enabled him to obtain a diplomatic passport.

He travelled from Kenya through Turkey to Miami, after FIFA confirmed last week that his visa situation had been “fully resolved” and that he would be available to officiate at the tournament. Denied entry to the US, he has now returned to Istanbul.

The Somali is one of eight referees from CAF selected by FIFA to officiate at the World Cup. There are also eight from the AFC, nine from Concacaf, one from the OFC, 12 from Conmebol, and 15 from Uefa. Those from Uefa countries include Poland’s Szymon Marciniak, who refereed the 2022 World Cup final, as well as England’s Anthony Taylor and Michael Oliver. In total, 170 referees, assistant referees, and video assistant referees will take charge of the record 104 matches across the three host nations.

It currently remains unclear what will happen if Artan is not permitted entry in time for the tournament. The Somali FA and FIFA have been contacted for comment.

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The US travel ban has already caused issues for some players expected to feature in the World Cup. Despite not qualifying for the tournament, Somalia features on the travel ban list. Switzerland striker Breel Embolo was initially barred from flying to the country due to travel issues related to a 2018 court ruling; he was convicted in 2023 of making multiple threats and handed a suspended fine. Those issues have since been resolved, and he has arrived in San Diego.

Iran have been forced to change their plans for the tournament and will now be based in Mexico. The squad will only be allowed into the US on matchdays and must leave on the same day.

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Galatasaray ask Osimhen to lure Lookman

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Galatasaray have enlisted the help of Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen in their pursuit of fellow Nigerian forward Ademola Lookman, asking the striker to use his influence to convince his international teammate to make the move to Istanbul this summer, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

According to Turkish football outlet Fotomac, the Turkish champions are understood to be seriously interested in signing Lookman from Atlético Madrid, where the 28-year-old has been one of the club’s most impressive performers since joining from Atalanta in a deal worth €35m in the January transfer window. Lookman contributed five goals and four assists in 24 appearances for Diego Simeone’s side, helping them reach the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League and the final of the Copa del Rey with crucial goals against Barcelona in both competitions.

Galatasaray’s decision to approach Osimhen as an informal mediator reflects the scale of the challenge they face in pulling off the transfer.

Atlético Madrid, who have already lost Antoine Griezmann and are navigating exit talks involving Julian Álvarez and Alexander Sørloth, would be deeply reluctant to sanction another high-profile departure.

Lookman’s versatility and productivity make him precisely the type of player Simeone is unlikely to release without significant resistance.

The financial obstacle is equally daunting.

Lookman’s salary in Spain is understood to be considerably higher than what Galatasaray currently pay most of their players outside of Osimhen’s exceptional €21m-per-year arrangement, and closing that gap would require a creative financial structure.

Osimhen’s relationship with Galatasaray is no secret. The 27-year-old has spoken warmly of the club and its supporters since arriving on loan in 2024/25 before his €75m permanent move was completed last summer.

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Lookman has previously been linked with Inter Milan, Fenerbahçe and Galatasaray at various points in his career. Whether Galatasaray can structure an offer compelling enough to turn Atlético Madrid’s head, with or without Osimhen’s persuasion, remains the central question of what appears a complex and difficult deal.

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Leao set to miss Eagles friendly after red card

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Portugal winger Rafael Leão is expected to miss his country’s final World Cup build-up game against Nigeria on Wednesday after being sent off in Saturday’s friendly against Chile, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

Leão was dismissed shortly before half-time for punching Chile defender Ivan Román in the face.

Despite being reduced to 10 men, Portugal secured a 2-1 victory courtesy of second-half goals from Gonçalo Guedes and Bruno Fernandes before Román halved the deficit in stoppage time.

The AC Milan forward was handed a starting berth after missing several of the club’s recent matches through suspension and selection decisions by coach Max Allegri.

As a result of his latest dismissal, Leão is expected to miss Wednesday’s friendly against Nigeria if handed the standard one-match suspension.

His suspension could however extend into their group games at the World Cup, potentially missing the games against DR Congo and Uzbekistan.

The clash against Nigeria at the at the Estádio Dr. Magalhães Pessoa in Leiria will be Portugal’s third tune up game before departing for the World Cup having won 2-0 against co-hosts USA and Chile as well.

For Nigeria, it will mark the end of a rebuilding window under coach Eric Chelle.

Last Wednesday, the Super Eagles were held to a 2-2 draw by Poland in Warsaw.

Before then, they had beaten Zimbabwe and Jamaica enroute to retaining the Unity Cup title in London.

The last time both countries met before the 2022 World Cup, Portugal beat Nigeria 4-0.

Like it was four years ago, the Super Eagles have missed out on another edition of the tournament, marking their first time they will be missing consecutive tournaments since their first appearance in 1994.

See also  Uganda coach unfazed by Nigerian stars ahead AFCON

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