Europa Cup final corporate tickets still available
February 19 – Corporate hospitality packages for the UEFA Europa League final at the Amsterdam ArenA on May 15 are still available, 2 months after the sales programme was launched.
Author: Paul Nicholson
Harris sweetens his bid by opening to Pompey fans trust
By Andrew Warshaw
February 18 – A consortium led by Keith Harris, former chairman of the Football League but in recent years a leading football financier acting for a number of high-profile clients, has not given up taking over Portsmouth in yet another new twist to the biggest soap opera in English football ownership.
UEFA issues tender for big event ticketing
February 18 – UEFA has issued another tender for suppliers, this time a request for IT proposals for ticketing and hospitality solutions for its major events.
FIFA debate harder line on racism ahead of Congress
February 18 – Fresh moves to combat the worrying resurgence of racism in football are being discussed by FIFA with a view to firm proposals for tougher sanctions being added to the agenda at May’s increasingly significant annual congress in Mauritius.
Serbian U21 penalties increased, slightly, after UEFA appeals racism ruling
February 18 – UEFA have increased the penalty on Serbia following the explosive Euro 2013 under-21 play-off match against England in October.
Blazer is latest Exco member to call it a day, after 16 years
By Andrew Warshaw, Chief Correspondent
February 18 – Chuck Blazer, the larger-than-life whistleblower who sparked the infamous cash-for-votes scandal that led to a spate of resignations and suspensions among senior figures at FIFA, is stepping down from the world governing body’s executive committee after 16 years.
DR Congo hope to make it third time lucky with 2019 AFCON bid
18 February – The Democratic Republic of Congo is the latest African nation to announce their candidacy for hosting the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.
Reds prove devilishly hard to beat on and off the pitch
By Paul Nicholson
February 15 – Manchester United’s corporate investors are having as happy a time off the pitch as the team is currently having on it. The two are linked.
IFAB to discuss player heart-chip monitors
February 15 – Football’s lawmakers are to consider allowing players to wear electronic chips to avoid heart failures such as the one suffered by Fabrice Muamba last year.
FIFA commits to biological profiles for all players at 2014 World Cup
February 15 – Anti-doping authorities and FIFA have not always been comfortable bedfellows but both sides put on a positive spin after meeting at the headquarters of world football’s governing body on Thursday.
PFA chief Taylor says he is not the Pompey pooper
By Andrew Warshaw
February 15 – Professional Footballers’ Association chief Gordon Taylor has angrily denied claims his organisation is scuppering a bid by Portsmouth fans to take over the ailing English club.
Barça chase former board members for €23m deficit
By Andrew Warshaw, chief correspondent
February 15 – Barçelona, with their fan membership scheme, have often been trumpeted as the ideal model for running a football club but even they are now embroiled in an off-the-field dispute making headlines in Spain.
INSIDE World Football Relaunched
February 15 – The leading web-based magazine for the business and politics of football, INSIDE World Football, IWF, is being relaunched today, after a change of ownership.
Berlusconi feels the economic pinch and warns Milan may be for sale
February 14 – AC Milan supremo Silvio Berlusconi has again hinted strongly that the iconic Italian club could be sold to outside investors as a result of the economic climate.
Keshi: He wins, he quits, but now he’s back … we think
By Andrew Warshaw
February 14 – Just days after announcing he was resigning having led Nigeria to African Nations Cup glory, Stephen Keshi has performed a u-turn after an apparent meeting with high-ranking political officials.