Hot football news afternoon 24/7: Dinh Bac praised by Singapore newspaper ahead of AFF Cup 2026

Dinh Bac honored by Singapore newspaper ahead of AFF Cup 2026, Thailand determined to win on opening day, along with a series of notable developments regarding FIFA, the Australian national team, and the European transfer market.

Dinh Bac highly rated by Singapore media

the The Straits Times of Singapore has put Nguyen Dinh Bac on the list of 5 most promising young players at AFF Cup 2026, alongside top regional talents such as Marselino Ferdinan (Indonesia), Sandro Reyes (Philippines), Yotsakorn Burapha (Thailand), and Ubaidullah Shamsul (Malaysia).

Singapore newspaper called the striker born in 2004 a rising domestic star of Vietnam, and also praised his impressive performance at the 2026 Asian U23 Championship, where Dinh Bac won the top scorer title. His outstanding form in the CAHN shirt and his recent goal against Myanmar have also helped the 21-year-old striker be expected to become a trump card of coach Kim Sang Sik at AFF Cup 2026.

Thailand determined to win on opening day

Ahead of the opening match of AFF Cup 2026 against Laos, striker Seksan Ratree asserted that the Thai national team has prepared thoroughly and is determined to take all three points. The 23-year-old striker emphasized War Elephants will not be complacent despite being rated higher, because the AFF Cup always holds many surprises and every opponent has great motivation.

"We will not underestimate any team and will prepare well for each match", Seksan shared. After failing to defend the title in the most recent AFF Cup, Thailand aims to regain its status as the number one team in Southeast Asia, with a win over Laos seen as a crucial first step in the ambition to go far in the tournament.

Norway requests FIFA explanation

The Norwegian Football Federation (NFF) confirmed it will send a letter to the FIFA Ethics Committee to seek clarification on the case of Folarin Balogun still being allowed to play in the round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup despite receiving a red card in the match against Bosnia & Herzegovina. NFF president Lisa Klaveness believes this decision could set a dangerous precedent, affecting the fairness and transparency of football.

The controversy escalated when FIFA converted Balogun's suspension into a conditionalform, in the context of US President Donald Trump revealing that he directly contacted FIFA to protest the red card. The incident raises many questions about the independence of FIFA's disciplinary work at the 2026 World Cup.

Australia midfielder embroiled in off-field scandal

Australia midfielder Cristian Volpato is facing a major problem after being stopped by New South Wales police for driving at 109 km/h in a section with a limit of 60 km/h. During the check, the 22-year-old player was found positive for cocaine through a rapid test, before a second oral fluid sample was sent for analysis to confirm the result.

The incident occurred shortly after the 2026 World Cup, where Volpato played impressively for the Socceroos. If the final test result does not change, the Sassuolo star could face serious consequences for his career and his position in the Australian national team.

Transfer news

Manchester United are reportedly backing out of the Alex Scott deal after Bournemouth demanded over 70 million pounds, opening the door for Arsenal. Meanwhile, Chelsea are close to signing central defender Maxence Lacroix from Crystal Palace for a fee of over 55 million pounds and could include Axel Disasi in the deal. Additionally, Arsenal are preparing to send a bid worth 70 million pounds for Bruno Guimaraes, although Newcastle are only considering selling the Brazilian star for a price above 80 million pounds. In MLS, Atlanta United are negotiating to bring former Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez away from Al Hilal.

At the national team level, the Italian Football Federation is reportedly in contact with Carlo Ancelotti and Pep Guardiola to find a new head coach.