World Cup Final: Germany v Argentina, match preview stats
July 11 – South America vs Europe, The two dominant confederations have found their regional representatives for the final winner takes all match-up in the Maracana this Sunday.
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3rd Place Play Off: Brazil v Netherlands match preview stats
July 11 – It wasn’t meant to be like this. The World Cup was planned to be a triumphal march through Brazil for the Seleção, ending at the Maracana for the grand finale at the grandest of football venues. Instead they meet Holland in Brasilia for the third placed play off Saturday. Wake, party or just time for Brazil to wake up?
Marta calls for ‘cultural’ change and for Brazil to invest in women’s game
July 11 – Still reeling from its World Cup humiliation, Brazil now has its most iconic female player demanding greater emphasis on the women’s game in the country.
FIFA take interim charge in Gambia after CAF suspension and GFF ‘malpractice’
July 11 – FIFA will appoint a temporary “normalisation” committee to run Gambian football until new federation elections are held. The move comes after the current Gambian Football Federation (GFF) board “lost the confidence of several major stakeholders.”
Serbs hold talks on privatisation of Partizan and Red Star Belgrade
By Jaroslaw Adamowski
July 11 – Serbian Minister of Youth and Sports Vanja Udovicic has held discussion with the management of the country’s leading football sides Partizan Belgrade and Red Star Belgrade on the possible privatisation of the state-owned clubs.
Whelan evades arrest as Brazilian police close in on ticket tout ring
By Andrew Warshaw
July 11 – The World Cup tickets scandal plaguing FIFA in the build-up to Sunday’s showpiece final is further intensifying with Brazilian police now treating the figure at the centre of their inquiries, Ray Whelan (pictured), who works for one of FIFA’s key associate companies, as a fugitive while his employers insist he is totally innocent of any wrongdoing.
CSKA line up second attempt at public listing on Bulgarian stockmarket
By Alexander Krassimirov
July 11 – CSKA Sofia is to have a second attempt at launching on the Bulgarian stock exchange. The club has said that a second public offering of shares is being prepared and that more details will be made available at a general meeting of the board later this month.
FIFA rejects Suarez appeal, but CAS option is still open
By Andrew Warshaw
July 11 – Not surprisingly Luis Suarez and the Uruguayan football federation have had their protest against his ban for that notorious World Cup bite rejected by the FIFA appeals committee.
Russia suspends alcohol ad ban as World Cup focus switches to 2018
By Mark Baber
July 10 – Russia’s Federation Council on Wednesday passed a bill which will suspend the ban on alcohol advertising which had initially been brought in to help tackle the country’s most acute public health crisis – alcohol abuse. The new measure allows TV advertising of alcohol, but only in conjunction with sports events.
Macron expands into Bulgaria with Ludogorets deal
By Alexander Krassimirov
July 10 – Bulgarian champions Ludogorets Razgrad have signed a new kit deal with Italian sports apparel firm Macron replacing German giants Adidas as main technical sponsor. The sponsorship is for three years and starts from the 2014/2015 season.
FIFA lays out rules of engagement in the battle for the presidency
By Andrew Warshaw
July 10 – FIFA have released their eagerly awaited regulations to make sure there is no foul play at next year’s presidential election campaign. The detailed 20-point set of rules follows the establishment at the FIFA Congress in May of a three-member Ad Hoc panel set up to supervise the process of the election.
Adidas poach Slask from Puma as it builds its Polish portfolio
By Jaroslaw Adamowski
July 10 – Slask Wroclaw is poised to sign a new technical sponsorship contract with Adidas, replacing German rivals Puma which has been the Polish club’s kit sponsor since the 2009/2010 season.
Pele’s son starts 33-year jail term for money laundering
July 10 – The son of Brazilian legend Pele has begun a 33-year jail sentence for money laundering, according to Brazilian reports.
Rangers case rumbles on as taxman loses appeal over player ‘loans’
July 10 – British tax authorities have lost their argument that payments made to players and other employees under the old Rangers football club should be taxable.
Hungary and Eurosport ready for UEFA U19 finals kick off
July 10 – While the world’s senior men have been spent the last month in the Brazilian spotlight fighting for World Cup supremacy, in Europe the U19s have been battling for a place in the UEFA U19 finals to be held in Hungary starting July 19.