Aussies target hosting of 2023 World Cup, and winning it
June 13 – Australia is to launch a bid to host the 2023 Women’s World Cup after the country’s federal government has pledged its support to stage the tournament.
FIFA
Xi Jingping and Infantino meeting ignites more 2030 World Cup bid speculation
By Mark Baber
June 13 – As China continues to increase its investments in football, at home and abroad, Wednesday’s meeting between President Xi Jinping and FIFA President Gianni Infantino in Beijing has ignited speculation on a potential Chinese World Cup bid for 2030.
Infantino backs Qatar 2022 saying there is plenty of time for diplomacy to work
By Paul Nicholson
June 12 – FIFA president Gianni Infantino has expressed confidence that the diplomatic crisis surrounding Qatar in the middle east will not threaten the 2022 World Cup, but that FIFA is monitoring the situation closely.
England defeat Venezuela to claim U20 World Cup title in Korea
June 12 – England won their first FIFA world title for 51 years in Suwon, South Korea after their U20s overcame Venezuela in the final 1-0. Venezuela, in their first ever FIFA World Cup final, had a 75th minute penalty saved in the second half that would have levelled the game.
Samoura steps into Sudan FA row to protect local proxies
By Andrew Warshaw
June 9 – One month after suspending the elections of the Sudan Football Association (SFA) at the request of the incumbent SFA officals, FIFA have now threatened to throw out the African country altogether if a controversial government decree is not revoked within the next 24 hours.
US corruption probe closes in Swiss bank Julius Baer, Swiss open banker case
June 9 – Executives of Swiss bank Julius Baer have told US prosecutors that a former employee acted alone when he allegedly helped funnel kickbacks and bribery payments to a soccer official in the Americas, according to Reuters.
The Cameroon team at the Confederations Cup are imposters, says club letter to FIFA
By Paul Nicholson
June 8 – With the opening of the Confederations Cup tournament in Russia just nine days away, FIFA have received a letter from a Cameroon club claiming that the African team competing in Russia is not the country’s ‘legal’ representative at the tournament, and should not be recognised by the world governing body as such.
Russian disappointment over weakened German team being sent to Confed Cup
June 8 – With Confederation Cup ticket sales slow to take off, Russia’s World Cup chief Alexei Sorokin has bemoaned Germany’s decision to send a weakened squad to the traditional warmup tournament which begins on June 17.
Russia boosts Confederations Cup security but ticket sales fail to ignite
By Samindra Kunti
June 7 – Confederations Cup host Russia has boosted security ahead of the tournament’s kick-off on June 17. Russian president Vladimir Putin has approved legislation to curb violence and hooliganism at football games after violent clashes between Russian and English fans in Marseille at Euro 2016.
U20 World Cup set for Europe vs South America showdown despite video ref failure
June 6 – The U20 World Cup progressed to the semi-final stages in South Korea with England, Italy, Uruguay and Venezuela ensuring that it will be a Europe vs South America final. But not before there was proof that video technology is still very much at the experimental stage and needs fine-tuning after an incident that saw Italy’s Giuseppe Pezzella shown his marching orders in controversial circumstances.
FIFA keeps dialogue focussed on football as Qatar’s politics pushed into the game
By Andrew Warshaw
June 6 – FIFA has been drawn into the escalating diplomatic crisis surrounding Qatar as speculation intensifies over the extent, if any, to which the rift with its neighbours and other Arab nations might impact on preparations to stage the 2022 World Cup.
Trujillo pleads guilty to wire fraud and agrees not to contest any sentence over 4yrs 9mths
June 6 – Former Guatemalan FA general secretary Hector Trujillo, arrested in the US while on a Disney cruise ship with his family in Florida, has pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud in the Brooklyn federal court, New York. Trujillo was arrested in the US Department of Justice probe into corruption in football.
Transparency: UEFA boss Ceferin tells FIFA it must open its information channels
By Andrew Warshaw
June 5 – FIFA’s controversial decision to replace its ethics and governance chiefs has burst back into the public arena, with UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin revealing that an official letter has been sent by his organisation to world football’s governing body complaining about the lack of communication over the decision-making process.
IFAB steps in to curb video ref decision power
June 2 – Football’s lawmaking body wants to keep the use of video replays to a minimum if they become standard practise for deciding contentious refereeing decisions.
Ceferin says China must wait as 2030 World Cup should be in Europe
By Andrew Warshaw
June 1 – In his first public comment on the issue, UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin says the 2030 World Cup should go to Europe and that China should not be allowed to jump the queue and must abide by current regional hosting rules.