Sports World: Vinicius now Spanish, frees up non-EU spot

MADRID - Brazil international Vinicius Junior has acquired Spanish nationality, his club Real Madrid announced on Monday, allowing the club to register another non-European Union player.

Under Spanish La Liga rules, there are limits on the number of non-EU players a club can register - up to a maximum of five and only three can be included in the match-day squad.

Vinicius, 22, joined Real in 2018 from Flamengo and became a key player. He scored the winner in last season's Champions League final. He has 14 Brazil caps.

AFP

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Queiroz set for Iran coaching comeback

TEHERAN - Carlos Queiroz is expected to return for a second spell in charge of Iran ahead of the Nov 20-Dec 18 World Cup, the state media reported on Monday.

The 69-year-old Portuguese is due to replace Dragan Skocic, the Croat who was sacked in July before being reinstated less than a week later. Iran will be appearing at their sixth World Cup in Qatar. They begin their Finals campaign against England on Nov 21 and will also play Wales and the United States in Group B.

AFP

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Record $4.3b AFL broadcast rights deal

MELBOURNE - The Australian Football League (AFL) has landed the biggest sports broadcast rights deal in the country's history with a seven-year A$4.5 billion (S$4.3 billion) extension agreed with the Seven Network, Foxtel and Telstra.

The deal, running from 2025 to 2031, covers free-to-air, pay TV and online streaming for the top flight of Australian Rules football, and dwarfs the previous record of A$2.5 billion paid by the same media partners for the 2017-2022 rights.

REUTERS

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Dutch runner Hassan mulls marathon move

ZURICH - Dutch track star Sifan Hassan, who won double Olympic gold in the 5,000 and 10,000m at the Tokyo Olympics, said on Tuesday she is "really planning" to run the marathon.

The 29-year-old said her Tokyo campaign took a toll on her and she needs "a very big challenge to go forward". When asked whether she might have a tilt at the marathon at the 2024 Paris Games, she replied with a laugh: "Why not?"

AFP