By Andrew Warshaw
December 9 – Former South African Football Association (SAFA) president Kirsten Nematandani (pictured) has been banned for five years by FIFA’s ethics committee in connection with a match-fixing scandal involving the national team in the build-up to the 2010 World Cup which it hosted.
December 9 – It is common knowledge that Sepp Blatter and his successor Gianni Infantino were not exactly bosom buddies. But now the ex-FIFA president has laid bare the tensions that pervade their relationship by accusing Infantino of a lack of respect by not returning phone calls.
December 9 – Even the great survivor is now calling it a day. Delia Fischer, almost part of the furniture in FIFA’s media department who worked tirelessly for the organisation for 15 years, often having to balance her commendable loyalty with answering the most sensitive of questions – increasingly during the ongoing corruption scandal – is finally on her way out, the latest stalwart to leave following Gianni Infantino’s election.
By Andrew Warshaw
December 8 – It will not be formally agreed by the FIFA Council until early January but it now seems likely future World Cup finals after 2022 will feature 16 groups of three in a 48-team tournament if Gianni Infantino obtains sufficient support for the idea.
December 8 – Julio Rocha, one of the original un-magnificent Zurich Seven, who was responsible for overseeing FIFA’s development programme in Central America, pleaded guilty on Wednesday to his role in the US-led global football bribery investigation.
By Andrew Warshaw
December 6 – Here we go again. Just when the spotlight was on Sepp Blatter’s ultimate failed attempt to clear his name, with precision timing Blatter’s successor Gianni Infantino swept another senior old-era appointment out of office.
By Andrew Warshaw
December 5 – Some will mourn his departure, others will rejoice. Sepp Blatter has finally lost his bid to clear his name over ethics violations after the Court of Arbitration for Sport today upheld the former FIFA president’s six-year ban from the game.
December 2 – The president of the German Football Federation (DFB), Reinhardt Grindel (pictured), says it is time to do away with the Confederations Cup, the traditional World Cup warm-up tournament, to ease fixture congestion and allow elite players to have a decent rest the summer before the World Cup itself.
December 2 – The 55-player shortlist for the FIFA/FIFpro world eleven for 2016, to be announced in early January at a gala ceremony in Zurich, is as expected dominated by Barcelona, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich players with England captain Wayne Rooney left off the list for the first time in the award’s history.
By Andrew Warshaw
December 2 – Six months after making his final appeal against being punished for ethics violations, Sepp Blatter will learn on Monday whether he has successfully cleared his name or will for ever be tarnished by his ban from the game.
By Andrew Warshaw
December 1 – The Swiss criminal investigation into corruption allegations over the awarding of the 2006 World Cup to Germany has been broadened to include former FIFA general secretary Urs Linsi (pictured) who served under Sepp Blatter.
By David Owen
November 28 – Patrons wishing to hire a private suite for next year’s Confederations Cup final in Saint Petersburg face prices of up to almost $50,000 under packages being advertised by Match Hospitality, exclusive rights-holder of FIFA’s hospitality programme at the eight-team competition.
November 25 – FIFA is facing a lawsuit in a Zurich court over its ban on transferring players under the age of 18, one of its most contentious rules that has already led to severe sanctions imposed on Spain’s three largest clubs.
November 25 – English football authorities do not appear to be too strong on their African geography.
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.