International referee Alan Lewis has announced his intention to retire from refereeing at the end of this season.

Connacht entertain the Porutgal national team, in their first match between the sides, at The Sportsground on Sunday in what is a continuation of a long standing tradition of international sides coming to Galway (6pm).

LUKE FITZGERALD is likely to discover after a scan today the extent of a knee injury which forced him off in Leinster’s 27-3 defeat to Ospreys in the RaboDirect PRO12 on Friday.

Martin Keown has been called into the England squad for Wednesday's friendly against Paraguay.

William Hill today said the World Cup was one of the best for bookmakers in 40 years after the tournament helped drive a 7% hike in half-year sales at its betting shops.

Coach Guus Hiddink was giving nothing away regarding his future as his Russia side were denied a place at the World Cup finals by Slovenia.

Chuck Blazer was banned for life by Fifa’s ethics committee for widespread corruption, finally ending the career of the long-time most senior American in world football.

Mick McCarthy urged his Republic of Ireland battlers to ‘‘finish the job off’’ and clinch a second-round place at the World Cup finals after Robbie Keane’s last-gasp goal stole a 1-1 draw against Germany.

One of the World Cup’s main sponsors has urged FIFA to properly investigate allegations of corruption being involved in Qatar’s successful bid to host the 2022 tournament.

"I and others on the FIFA executive committee agreed to accept bribes in conjunction with the selection of South Africa as the host nation for the 2010 World Cup."

Rangers defender Madjid Bougherra is sweating over his fitness ahead of the World Cup finals in South Africa this summer.

WORLD football chief Sepp Blatter is under pressure after it emerged he oversaw the award of a €350 million World Cup contract to a company part-owned by the firm his nephew runs.

An overpass in Brazil that was part of the World Cup infrastructure plan has collapsed on to vehicles below.

Irish pair Gareth Maybin and Michael Hoey share the lead at the halfway stage of the World Cup qualifying tournament in Aruba.

Spain’s World Cup winners enjoyed a heroes’ reception as jubilant supporters took to the streets of Madrid in their droves to welcome home Vicente Del Bosque’s history-makers today.

Half the World Cup venues are now under police control after the local organising committee confirmed the force had stepped in at Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg following strike action by workers for a private security firm.

All Blacks superstar Dan Carter admits that expectation comes with the territory for World Cup favourites New Zealand.

The Minister for Enterprise Micheál Martin, has announced the signing of a new contract between ESB International and Eskom, the South African electricity company in Johannesburg during the Irish trade mission to South Africa.