Federal judge approves $2.8 billion settlement, paving way for US colleges to pay athletes millions

Federal judge approves $2.8 billion settlement, paving way for US colleges to pay athletes millions
The NCAA headquarters in Indianapolis is seen on March 12, 2020. (AP file photo)
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Updated 07 June 2025
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Federal judge approves $2.8 billion settlement, paving way for US colleges to pay athletes millions

Federal judge approves $2.8 billion settlement, paving way for US colleges to pay athletes millions
  • The sweeping terms of the so-called House settlement include approval for each school to share up to $20.5 million with athletes over the next year and $2.7 billion that will be paid over the next decade
  • The agreement brings a seismic shift to hundreds of schools that were forced to reckon with the reality that their players are the ones producing the billions in TV and other revenue, mostly through football and basketball, that keep this machine humming

NEW YORK: A federal judge signed off on arguably the biggest change in the history of college sports Friday, clearing the way for schools to begin paying their athletes millions of dollars as soon as next month as the multibillion-dollar industry shreds the last vestiges of the amateur model that defined it for more than a century.

Nearly five years after Arizona State swimmer Grant House sued the NCAA and its five biggest conferences to lift restrictions on revenue sharing, US Judge Claudia Wilken approved the final proposal that had been hung up on roster limits, just one of many changes ahead amid concerns that thousands of walk-on athletes will lose their chance to play college sports.

The sweeping terms of the so-called House settlement include approval for each school to share up to $20.5 million with athletes over the next year and $2.7 billion that will be paid over the next decade to thousands of former players who were barred from that revenue for years.

The agreement brings a seismic shift to hundreds of schools that were forced to reckon with the reality that their players are the ones producing the billions in TV and other revenue, mostly through football and basketball, that keep this machine humming.

The scope of the changes — some have already begun — is difficult to overstate. The professionalization of college athletics will be seen in the high-stakes and expensive recruitment of stars on their way to the NFL and NBA, and they will be felt by athletes whose schools have decided to pare their programs. The agreement will resonate in nearly every one of the NCAA’s 1,100 member schools boasting nearly 500,000 athletes.

“Approving the agreement reached by the NCAA, the defendant conferences and student-athletes in the settlement opens a pathway to begin stabilizing college sports,” NCAA President Charlie Baker said.

The road to a settlement

Wilken’s ruling comes 11 years after she dealt the first significant blow to the NCAA ideal of amateurism when she ruled in favor of former UCLA basketball player Ed O’Bannon and others who were seeking a way to earn money from the use of their name, image and likeness (NIL) — a term that is now as common in college sports as “March Madness” or “Roll Tide.” It was just four years ago that the NCAA cleared the way for NIL money to start flowing, but the changes coming are even bigger.

Wilken granted preliminary approval to the settlement last October. That sent colleges scurrying to determine not only how they were going to afford the payments, but how to regulate an industry that also allows players to cut deals with third parties so long as they are deemed compliant by a newly formed enforcement group that will be run by auditors at Deloitte.

The agreement takes a big chunk of oversight away from the NCAA and puts it in the hands of the four biggest conferences. The ACC, Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC hold most of the power and decision-making heft, especially when it comes to the College Football Playoff, which is the most significant financial driver in the industry and is not under the NCAA umbrella like the March Madness tournaments are.

Roster limits held things up

The deal looked ready to go since last fall, but Wilken put a halt to it after listening to a number of players who had lost their spots because of newly imposed roster limits being placed on teams.

The limits were part of a trade-off that allowed the schools to offer scholarships to everyone on the roster, instead of only a fraction, as has been the case for decades. Schools started cutting walk-ons in anticipation of the deal being approved.

Wilken asked for a solution and, after weeks, the parties decided to let anyone cut from a roster — now termed a “Designated Student-Athlete” — return to their old school or play for a new one without counting against the new limit.

Wilken ultimately agreed, going point-by-point through the objectors’ arguments to explain why they didn’t hold up.

“The modifications provide Designated Student-Athletes with what they had prior to the roster limits provisions being implemented, which was the opportunity to be on a roster at the discretion of a Division I school,” Wilken wrote.

Her decision, however, took nearly a month to write, leaving the schools and conferences in limbo — unsure if the plans they’d been making for months, really years, would go into play.

“It remains to be seen how this will impact the future of inter-collegiate athletics — but as we continue to evolve, Carolina remains committed to providing outstanding experiences and broad-based programming to student-athletes,” North Carolina athletic director Bubba Cunningham said.

Winners and losers

The list of winners and losers is long and, in some cases, hard to tease out.

A rough guide of winners would include football and basketball stars at the biggest schools, which will devote much of their bankroll to signing and retaining them. For instance, Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood’s NIL deal is reportedly worth between $10.5 million and $12 million.

Losers, despite Wilken’s ruling, figure to be at least some of the walk-ons and partial scholarship athletes whose spots are gone.

Also in limbo are Olympic sports many of those athletes play and that serve as the main pipeline for a US team that has won the most medals at every Olympics since the downfall of the Soviet Union.

All this is a price worth paying, according to the attorneys who crafted the settlement and argue they delivered exactly what they were asked for: an attempt to put more money in the pockets of the players whose sweat and toil keep people watching from the start of football season through March Madness and the College World Series in June.

What the settlement does not solve is the threat of further litigation.

Though this deal brings some uniformity to the rules, states still have separate laws regarding how NIL can be doled out, which could lead to legal challenges. NCAA President Charlie Baker has been consistent in pushing for federal legislation that would put college sports under one rulebook and, if he has his way, provide some form of antitrust protection to prevent the new model from being disrupted again.


Oman hire Carlos Queiroz as coach in push for World Cup qualification

Oman hire Carlos Queiroz as coach in push for World Cup qualification
Updated 15 July 2025
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Oman hire Carlos Queiroz as coach in push for World Cup qualification

Oman hire Carlos Queiroz as coach in push for World Cup qualification
  • The veteran Portuguese tactician led Iran into the 2014 and 2018 World Cups
  • The 72-year-old Queiroz has also coached Real Madrid, Portugal, Egypt, Colombia and Qatar

MUSCAT: Oman hired Carlos Queiroz as their national-team coach Tuesday ahead of autumn games that will determine if the country advances to the World Cup for the first time.

The veteran Portuguese tactician led Iran into the 2014 and 2018 World Cups and will take over with immediate effect.

Oman and five other countries — Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Indonesia, United Arab Emirates and Qatar — have reached the fourth round of qualifying. From groups of three, the two winners will qualify for the 2026 World Cup next summer in the United States, Mexico and Canada.

The fourth-round draw will be on Thursday in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The matches are in October. After those, there’s one additional round — the second-place finishers square off in November for a spot in a playoff tournament.

“This comes as part of efforts to improve the team’s performances for upcoming games,” the Oman Football Association said in a statement.

Queiroz replaces Rashid Jaber, who led Oman to a fourth-place finish in the third round to keep qualification hopes alive.

The 72-year-old Queiroz has also coached Real Madrid, Portugal, Egypt, Colombia and Qatar.
Queiroz was fired as Qatar coach in December 2023 after 11 games in charge.


Barcelona star Yamal faces backlash for reportedly hiring people with dwarfism for birthday party

Barcelona star Yamal faces backlash for reportedly hiring people with dwarfism for birthday party
Updated 15 July 2025
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Barcelona star Yamal faces backlash for reportedly hiring people with dwarfism for birthday party

Barcelona star Yamal faces backlash for reportedly hiring people with dwarfism for birthday party
  • Yamal, 18, could face an investigation for reportedly hiring people with dwarfism
  • Spain’s Ministry of Social Rights said such hirings ‘take us back to the Middle Ages’

BARCELONA: Barcelona star Lamine Yamal has been criticized and could face an investigation for reportedly hiring people with dwarfism as entertainers during his lavish 18th birthday party this weekend.
Spain’s Ministry of Social Rights has asked prosecutors to open a probe into the hiring and exposition of the entertainers. Ministry director Jesús Martín Blanco told Europa Press that such hirings “take us back to the Middle Ages.”
A local association for people with disabilities had already condemned the alleged hirings, saying it would take action “legally and socially” against those responsible for promoting such actions.
Spanish radio station RAC1 published an interview with one of the entertainers who said he was in the party. The man said they were all treated with respect. He complained about the reaction against Yamal for hiring them.
Yamal celebrated his birthday with a party filled with celebrities. It also included some of his Barcelona teammates.
In May, Yamal signed a contract extension to stay at Barcelona until 2031. He helped the Catalan club clinch a domestic treble — La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup. His big season came after he helped Spain win the European Championship in the summer of 2024.


South African Mokwena to coach Algerian champions Mouloudia

South African Mokwena to coach Algerian champions Mouloudia
Updated 15 July 2025
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South African Mokwena to coach Algerian champions Mouloudia

South African Mokwena to coach Algerian champions Mouloudia
  • His move to Algiers follows one season with Moroccan outfit Wydad Casablanca
  • Mokwena will come up against two other former South African Premiership coaches in the Algerian championship

JOHANNESBURG: South African Rulani Mokwena was named coach of Algerian champions Mouloudia Alger on Monday, ending weeks of speculation as to where the 38-year-old would work in the 2025/26 season.

His move to Algiers follows one season with Moroccan outfit Wydad Casablanca. He left after finishing third in the national league and failing to qualify for the CAF Champions League.

Here, AFP Sport also reports on a setback for Sudanese giants Al Hilal as they chase a place in the forthcoming Champions League in the latest football news across Africa.


Mokwena will come up against two other former South African Premiership coaches in the Algerian championship.

German Josef Zinnbauer, the former Orlando Pirates tactician, guided JS Kabylie to second place behind Mouloudia last season and qualification for the Champions League.

Another German, Sead Ramovic, led Chabab Belouizdad to third place and entry to the second-tier CAF Confederation Cup. His previous clubs include TS Galaxy in South Africa.

Young Orlando Pirates forward Mohau Nkota is joining Saudi Pro League club Ettifaq, the Soweto club announced.

Last season was his first with the Buccaneers first team and he scored 12 goals in 39 appearances, including three in Champions League victories over Belouizdad and Mouloudia in Algeria.

The 20-year-old will join fellow African Wissam Chaouali, a Tunisian defender, at a club that finished seventh in the Pro League last season, 33 points behind champions Al Ittihad.

Al Hilal, who have featured in every Champions League since 2004, suffered a setback in their bid to qualify for the 2025/26 edition of the premier African club competition.
The Sudan Elite League pacesetters lost 1-0 to Al Amal Atbara in the fourth round of a mini-league and remain top of the table only on goal difference from Al Zamaleh Umm Ruwaba.

Only two points separate seven of the eight contenders and 16 matches have produced just 18 goals as clubs chase top-four finishes and places in the Champions League and Confederation Cup.

Angolan champions Petro Luanda have hired 48-year-old Spanish coach Franc Artiga as they prepare for their Champions League campaign.

Former Angola forward Flavio Amado had been in charge of the record 19-time national champions, but lacks the necessary coaching qualifications for Confederation of African Football competitions.

Petro have twice reached the Champions League semifinals, losing to Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa in 2001 and Wydad Casablanca three years ago.

Namibia, one of many African countries lacking a FIFA-approved stadium, will play their remaining 2026 World Cup home qualifiers against Malawi and Sao Tome e Principe in neighboring Botswana.

The matches in September are earmarked for Francistown, 440 kilometers (274 miles) northeast of the capital Gaborone. They previously hosted qualifiers in Soweto near Johannesburg.

Namibia are unbeaten in Group H after three victories and three draws and lie second, four points behind six-time World Cup qualifiers Tunisia.


Turki Alalshikh announces tickets for blockbuster Canelo vs. Crawford fight

Turki Alalshikh announces tickets for blockbuster Canelo vs. Crawford fight
Updated 15 July 2025
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Turki Alalshikh announces tickets for blockbuster Canelo vs. Crawford fight

Turki Alalshikh announces tickets for blockbuster Canelo vs. Crawford fight
  • Riyadh Season event features 2 of boxing’s biggest names of a generation on Sept. 13
  • Tickets go on sale July 18, with the bouts set to stream on Netflix

LAS VEGAS: Two of boxing’s most dominant forces, undisputed super middleweight champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (63-2-2, 39 KOs) and undefeated four-division superstar Terence Crawford (41-0, 31 KOs) are set to face off in a Riyadh Season fight for the unified super middleweight championship at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Sept. 13, with tickets to go on sale later this week.

Start of ticket sales were announced Turki Alalshikh, chairman of the General Entertainment Authority and president of the Saudi Boxing Federation, who is collaborating with UFC President and CEO Dana White and Sela to promote the highly anticipated showdown.

Canelo is looking to add Crawford to his legendary resume. Capturing a multitude of titles across multiple weight divisions, and defeating the likes of Shane Mosley, Gennady Golovkin and Miguel Cotto, Alvarez has done more than enough to solidify himself as one of the best to ever do it. The proud native of Guadalajara, Mexico, now turns his attention to the undefeated challenger, Terence Crawford, to cement his legacy even further.

Omaha, Nebraska’s Crawford, meanwhile, is setting out to show why he believes he’s the No.1 pound-for-pound boxer in the world with a defining win against Alvarez. The current WBA and interim WBO middleweight champion, Crawford has become a household name by defeating Ricky Burns, Jose Benavidez Jr., Amir Khan, Shawn Porter and Errol Spence Jr. After moving up in weight to 154 pounds against Israil Madrimov, Crawford now sets his sights on Canelo to secure the biggest win of his career.

Canelo vs. Crawford tickets will go on sale July 18 and are available for purchase at Ticketmaster.com. Ticket sales are limited to eight per person. Presales will begin July 17.


Man City sign kit deal worth reported £1 billion

Man City sign kit deal worth reported £1 billion
Updated 15 July 2025
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Man City sign kit deal worth reported £1 billion

Man City sign kit deal worth reported £1 billion
  • City’s extension of their contract with Puma ranks as the largest kit manufacturing partnership
  • “We joined forces with Puma with the ambition to challenge ourselves and go beyond the expectations,” City Football Group chief executive Ferran Soriano said

LONDON: Manchester City have signed a blockbuster new kit deal with Puma worth a reported £1 billion ($1.34 billion) over the next 10 years.

City’s extension of their contract with Puma ranks as the largest kit manufacturing partnership in Premier League history.

Having agreed a £65 million per year deal with the German company in 2019, City’s new arrangement is believed to be worth a £100 million per year until 2035, according to British media reports.

That figure shatters the £90 million per year deal signed by Manchester United with Adidas in 2023.

Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona are both reported to have kit deals worth in excess of £100 million per year.

“We joined forces with Puma with the ambition to challenge ourselves and go beyond the expectations. We have achieved this and more over the last six seasons,” City Football Group chief executive Ferran Soriano said.

“Puma have seamlessly integrated into our organization, and we have enjoyed many historic moments together, engaging fans globally.”

Puma chief executive Arthur Hoeld added: “Puma’s partnership with Manchester City has been a great success both on and off the pitch.

“Trophies, a perfect stage for our performance products and commercial success were exceptional.”

City’s massive deal comes after the club’s first season without major silverware since 2016-17.

Pep Guardiola’s men finished third in the Premier League after winning the title for the previous four seasons.

They also suffered a shock FA Cup final defeat against Crystal Palace and crashed out of the recent Club World Cup in the last 16 against Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal.