Pep Guardiola to Depart Manchester City at Season's End

Guardiola's Exit and Manchester City's Achievements

According to Главком: Spanish manager Josep Guardiola will step down as head coach of English football club Manchester City once the current season concludes. Taking the reins in 2016, Guardiola has overseen a period of remarkable success. Under his leadership, Manchester City has become:

• six-time English Premier League champion;
• five-time English League Cup winner;
• three-time FA Community Shield victor;
• FA Cup winner;
• UEFA Champions League winner;
• UEFA Super Cup winner;
• and FIFA Club World Cup champion.

This season alone, Manchester City has already secured the FA Cup and the English League Cup. The team currently sits second in the Premier League standings, trailing Arsenal by two points. The penultimate league match will be played away against Bournemouth on May 19, 2026, with the season finale scheduled for May 24, 2026, when Manchester City hosts Aston Villa.

Ukraine's Defeat and 2026 World Cup Group Draw

Meanwhile, the Ukrainian national football team lost to Sweden 1-3 in the semifinal playoff for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Ponomarenko scored for Ukraine in the 91st minute, while Sweden's Gyökeres netted a hat-trick in the 6th, 51st, and 72nd minutes.

The composition of the 2026 World Cup groups has also been announced. Group A will feature:

• Mexico;
• South Africa;
• South Korea;
• Czech Republic.

Group B consists of:

• Canada;
• Bosnia and Herzegovina;
• Qatar;
• Switzerland.

Group C includes:

• Brazil;
• Morocco;
• Haiti;
• Scotland.

Group D: USA, Paraguay, Australia, and Turkey. Group E features Germany, Curaçao, Ivory Coast, and Ecuador. Group F consists of the Netherlands, Japan, Sweden, and Tunisia. Group G will see Belgium, Egypt, Iran, and New Zealand compete, while Group H is made up of Spain, Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, and Uruguay. Group I includes France, Senegal, Iraq, and Norway; Group J features Argentina, Algeria, Austria, and Jordan; Group K comprises Portugal, DR Congo, Uzbekistan, and Colombia; and Group L includes England, Croatia, Ghana, and Panama.

Under the tournament regulations, the top two teams from each group, along with the eight best third-placed finishers, will advance to the Round of 16.

Guardiola's departure could significantly impact Manchester City, given his immense contributions to the team's development and trophy haul. With the season still in progress, the squad must focus on the Premier League title race and finish the campaign on a high note. As for Ukraine, the playoff semifinal loss underscores the challenges the team faces on the international stage and highlights the need for continued growth and tactical refinement ahead of future competitions.

As Manchester City prepares for the season's conclusion, the focus also shifts to the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup. With the recent announcement of the tournament's group compositions, fans are eager to see how their national teams will perform. For a detailed breakdown of the favorites and the full lineup of teams competing in the World Cup, check out this insightful analysis on the 2026 World Cup participants.