By Andrew Warshaw
September 12 – Belgium became one of the last countries to throw their hat into the ring to stage matches at Euro 2020, proposing Brussels as a venue on the eve of today’s deadline day for applications to host the revolutionary pan-European finals.
By Paul Nicholson
September 12 – FIFA President Sepp Blatter has further clarified his comments regarding the Qatar 2022 World Cup, first reported in Insideworldfootball. Speaking to reporters at the International Olympic Committee Congress in Buenos Aires he again confirmed the right of Qatar to hold the World Cup in 2022.
By Andrew Warshaw
September 12 – The most powerful footballing voice in the United States, controversially beaten by Qatar to stage the 2022 World Cup, has spoken out about the growing momentum to switch the tournament to winter.
September 12 – Jordan are the latest team to stake a surprise claim for a first ever place in next year’s World Cup in Brazil after winning a dramatic penalty shootout in their Asian play-off in Uzbekistan.
By Mark Baber
September 12 – The Belgian Football Association has extended its sponsorship deal with the Belgian arm of Dutch financial services firm ING for a further five years, taking the partnership through to the 2018 FIFA World Cup. The deal includes sponsorship of the Belgian national team – the Red Devils – and continues INGs partnership with Belgian referees.
By Andrew Warshaw
September 12 – Afghan fans are celebrating their war-torn country making football history following a 2-0 win over India on Wednesday that clinched the South Asian Football Federation Championship.
By Andrew Warshaw
September 12 – FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke is expecting a decision, in principle, for a switch to a Winter World Cup in 2022, which he says wlll in turn spark a round of intense discussion with all parties to find the best solution.
By Mark Baber
September 11 – According to figures collated by the English Premier League, last season’s season ticket sales at both junior and adult level achieved new records.
By Paul Nicholson
September 11 – The ASPIRE4SPORT Congress and Exhibition is expected more than 3,000 attendees and is already close to beating last year’s exhibitor numbers. Taking place November 16-19 at the Aspire Dome in Doha, the organisers are reporting a diverse set of registrants spanning geographies and business disciplines looking to tap into expanding sports business sectors including construction, sports medicine and sports technology.
By David Owen in Buenos Aires
September 11 – The new President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has revealed in Buenos Aires that he is a keen football fan, even, as a youngster, preferring the sport to fencing, the activity in which he went on to win an Olympic gold medal.
By Alexander Krassimirov
September 11 – Bulgarian international Valeri Bojinov and his agent Gennaro Palomba have initiated proceedings against Portuguese giants Sporting Lisbon. The footballer has filed a complaint to FIFA after the Portuguese club sacked him disciplinary and terminated his 3-year contract.
By Mark Baber
September 11 – As the deadline for candidates to inform UEFA of their candidacy to host matches of the 2020 European Championships beckons, Istanbul, Budapest and Belgrade have officially thrown their hats into the ring.
By Andrew Warshaw
September 11 – While the United States and Costa Rica celebrated qualification for next year’s World Cup finals, perennial powerhouses Mexico have been plunged into further anguish after a dramatic night of action in the CONCACAF region.
By Andrew Warshaw in Geneva
September 11 – European clubs are refusing to condone UEFA’s efforts to shorten the summer transfer window but hope to find common ground to avoid the disrupting scenario of star players being bought and sold when league seasons are already well under way.
By Andrew Warshaw, chief correspondent, in Geneva
September 10 – Europe’s leading clubs today urged FIFA not to rush into moving the 2022 Qatar World Cup to winter as debate intensified over Sepp Blatter’s support for an unprecedented switch. Twenty-four hours after the FIFA president re-iterated, an exclusive interview with Insideworldfootball, that he would seek approval in principle for a one-off winter World Cup from his executive committee next month, the European Club Association,