By Andrew Warshaw
August 2 – England has moved a step closer to deciding whether to bid for the 2030 World Cup even though they would face strong opposition from a joint South American bid as well as one from north Africa.
By Paul Nicholson
August 1 – One of the most politically driven and controversial decisions of FIFA’s ethics body has been revisited by the FIFA Appeal Committee. Gordon Derrick, the former general Secretary of the Antigua & Barbuda Football Association and President of the Caribbean Football Union, has had his ban reduced from six to four years.
August 1 – While most French fans in Moscow were able to celebrate their team’s World Cup triumph, one supporter was apparently not so lucky after being detained allegedly for simply displaying a Tibetan flag.
July 25 – FIFA has named its 10 shortlisted nominees for Best Men’s and Women’s players for the year. The men’s award – usually a run-off between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo – for the first time in many years looks wide open.
July 20 – Clubs from Russia and Qatar, World Cup hosts past and future, are among six fined by FIFA and warned they risk one-year transfer bans for failing to settle debts to players.
By Andrew Warshaw
July 18 – With attention now switched to Qatar 2022 following the World Cup in Russia, FIFA president Gianni Infantino has again provided an indication of where his thinking lies with regard to future bids.
July 16 – Nigeria will be kicked out of FIFA unless they comply with strict regulations over government interference in the affairs of their national association, FIFA president Gianni Infantino has confirmed.
July 12 – It will hardly register amid the disappointment of semi-final elimination but the English FA has been fined CHF70,000 after three players – Dele Alli, Eric Dier and Raheem Sterling – wore unauthorised equipment at the World Cup.
July 11 – FIFA is investigating a new video of Croatia defender Domagoj Vida’s comments in the wake of his side’s quarterfinal World Cup victory over Russia.
July 9 – One of the big success stories of the World Cup so far has been the welcome the Russians have given to visitors regardless of nationality, colour or religion.
July 6 – FIFA has slapped St Vincent and the Grenadines Football Federation president Venold Coombs with a two-year ban and a hefty fine after finding him guilty on corruption charges.
July 6 – After describing Colombia’s World Cup loss to England as a “monumental theft” and being wrapped over the knuckles by FIFA, for whom he is a well-paid ambassador, Diego Maradona has apologised for the comments he made about the refereeing during the last-16 tie.
By Andrew Warshaw
July 3 – No sooner has the national team returned from the World Cup after exiting at the group stage than Nigerian football has been plunged into crisis off the field over the presidency of the federation (NFF).
June 29 – FIFA’s strict rules on government interference in the affairs of its member federations has been called into question in Ghana where reports suggest only government representatives – and not footballing officials – were called to today’s meeting in Zurich to discuss the corruption crisis in the African country.
June 28 – Former Ghana Football Association chairman Nana Sam Brew-Butler has pulled out of crisis talks with FIFA over the future of the game in the African country.