The horror, the horror. The FA’s fluffed paperwork halts Afobe’s Congo expedition
November 25 – English football authorities do not appear to be too strong on their African geography.
FIFA
Infantino claims majority support for his expanded World Cup plans
November 24 – Gianni Infantino says the majority of FIFA members are in favour of his plans to expand the World Cup finals to either 40 or 48 teams.
Sexwale demands ‘movement’ as pressure builds on six Israeli clubs in West Bank
By Andrew Warshaw
November 24 – An increasingly frustrated Tokyo Sexwale, FIFA’s top mediator in the Middle East, has called on the relevant parties to show some movement on the “headache” of the six Israeli clubs based in settlements in the occupied West Bank who play in Israel’s lower leagues.
Fifth time lucky? Morocco mooted for 2026 World Cup bid
November 24 – Will CONCACAF have to fight off an African bid to stage the 2026 World Cup? Although the confederation of north and central America is widely considered a shoo-in to stage the event – whether in the United States, Mexico or Canada, or a combination of all three – the head of African football says his body will support Morocco, which has tried and failed four times, should it launch a counter-bid.
Respect? FIFA go poppy crazy and charge Wales and NI over fans wearing poppies
By Andrew Warshaw
November 24 – Just how petty can you get? In what must surely rank as one of its most nonsensical decisions, verging on the autocratic, FIFA have opened disciplinary proceedings against Wales and Northern Ireland after fans were spotted wearing poppy symbols in the recent World Cup qualifying campaign.
Samoura offers peace gift of U17 Women’s world cup to Sierra Leone
November 23 – Sierra Leone has officially been given the thumbs up by FIFA secretary general Fatma Samoura to bid for the right to host the Under-17 Women’s World Cup in the near future.
David Owen: Super-sized Club World Cup, or FIFA’s quest for a second leg to its stool
I know what you’re all thinking: it’s hard to imagine anything the world needs more right now than a new 32-team international club football competition. Believe it or not, however, there are two entities that need this innovation even more than you do: one is FIFA, the world football body; the other is Gianni Infantino, its bashful new President.
FIFA declare war on England and Scotland for remembering their dead
November 18 – FIFA has opened disciplinary proceedings against England and Scotland after both countries defied football’s world governing body by wearing poppy emblems on black armbands in last week’s World Cup qualifier to commemorate Armistice Day which ended World War One.
Plots thicken as Al-Mohannadi given FIFA ban. Who is closing ranks on who?
By Paul Nicholson and Andrew Warshaw
November 16 – Saoud Al-Mohannadi, the Qatari official who FIFA disqualified at the last moment from standing as an Asian member of its ruling Council, has now been banned by FIFA’s ethics committee for one year for failing to cooperate as a witness with a FIFA investigation.
Greeks apologise after Srebrenica massacre banner sparks outrage
November 15 – As if Greek football didn’t have enough serious problems, the national federation has now been forced to apologise to Bosnia-Herzegovina after offensive banners were displayed at a World Cup qualifier last Sunday referring to the infamous 1995 Srebrenica massacre.
Video ref trials continue tonight with Italy vs Germany friendly
November 15 – The use of video replays will be given another trial when Italy take on world champions Germany in tonight’s prestige friendly in Milan.
FIFA Ethics open formal case on Chirakal’s role in cash paid to football officials
November 15 – FIFA ethics judges have opened formal proceedings against Najeeb Chirakal, a former aide to disgraced ex-Asian football chief Mohamed bin Hammam, based on the final report submitted by ethics investigators who recommended a life ban.
Samoura to drop in on Sierra Leone president to fix football rifts
November 11 – FIFA secretary-general Fatma Samoura is personally intervening to help bring an end to the ongoing dispute between Sierra Leone’s football association (SLFA) and local authorities.
Dvorak’s FIFA exit reveals open wounds of Infantino’s hiring and firing policy
By Andrew Warshaw
November 14 – Any suggestion by the regime of Gianni Infantino that the exit of FIFA’s long-time medical director Jiri Dvorak (pictured) was by mutual consent has been well and truly countered by the Czech-born neurologist’s reaction to leaving the organisation after 22 years.
FIFA museum racks up $30m loss as future debated
November 11 – FIFA’s lavish new museum, which opened earlier this year in Zurich, has already recorded a loss of CHF30 million, according to Swiss reports.