Breathing life into the World Cup: Is 40 really the new 32?
By Andrew Warshaw
October 4 – FIFA president Gianni Infantino’s plan to expand the World Cup finals to 40 teams has drawn a mixed reaction from Europe and Asia.
FIFA
City money man and former presidential candidate Vega sees little progress in FIFA
By Andrew Warshaw
September 30 – Ramon Vega may be better known as a former international footballer and highly successful financial asset management guru than an influential voice on FIFA matters.
African race for FIFA Council narrowed after two pull out
By Andrew Warshaw
September 29 – Following the stunning abandonment of the Asian Football Confederation’s extraordinary congress in Goa, sparked by FIFA’s ban of Qatari Saoud Al-Mohannadi from standing for election to join its new ruling council because of an ongoing ethics investigation, attention has switched to Africa where another candidate has suddenly withdrawn from that region’s Council election being held today.
Is FIFA’s personnel purge backfiring? Kattner to sue FIFA for unfair dismissal
By Andrew Warshaw
September 28 – Markus Kattner (pictured), FIFA’s former secretary general who was sacked in highly controversial circumstances by the new administration of Gianni Infantino, has reportedly begun legal action to challenge the “unjustified” move.
Slum Soccer wins first Diversity Award in a FIFA Fellini-moment in Manchester
By Paul Nicholson
September 27 – “This is the first award FIFA has given to India,” said Abhijeet Barse, CEO of Slum Soccer in accepting the inaugural FIFA Diversity Award at the Soccerex Convention in Manchester from FIFA’s general secretary Fatma Samoura.
Van Basten drifts from outside to inside as comments on Infantino are forgotten
By Andrew Warshaw
September 27 – When FIFA announced last week that Marco van Basten had been appointed as chief technical officer to help raise coaching standards, there were understandably few dissenting voices.
Prince Ali slams FIFA decision to kill-off anti-racism Task Force as ‘shameful’
By Andrew Warshaw
September 27 – Former FIFA vice president Prince Ali bin al-Hussein has issued a furious attack on the organisation that not so long ago he hoped to lead, describing the decision to disband its anti-racism Task Force as “shameful”.
Samoura recovers to manage a goalless draw on her Manchester debut
By Andrew Warshaw
September 26 – You had to feel somewhat sorry for FIFA’s new Secretary General Fatma Samoura when the former United Nations administrator made her first official overseas public address in her new role today.
Innocent until proven guilty? FIFA bans Qatari from AFC elections at last minute
By Paul Nicholson
September 26 – FIFA has stepped into the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) elections for the FIFA Council and banned Qatari FA vice president Saoud Al-Mohannadi (pictured) from standing. The last minute intervention will again raise questions about the FIFA politics in play as FIFA’s new mandarins and president Gianni Infantino surround themselves with people who can be aligned to their interests.
FIFA scrap anti-discrimination task force. Job done?
By Andrew Warshaw
September 26 – You couldn’t really make it up. Well maybe you could. After all, this is FIFA. Ever since football’s world governing body launched its much-trumpeted reform programme, one of the key messages it has been so keen to promote is that it will no longer tolerate racism and discrimination. A major priority. Zero tolerance. No more prevarication.
FIFA ethics accused of political agenda as AFC elections to Council heat up
By Paul Nicholson and Andrew Warshaw
September 23 – One of Qatar’s highest-ranking officials is persuing his bid to join FIFA’s inner circle, despite having a FIFA ethics investigation recommending a two-year ban imposed on him and a verdict on his proposed sanction still to be handed down.
A question of compliance. Did FIFA’s new audit chief Vesel fail eligibility rules?
By Andrew Warshaw
September 23 – Doubts have been raised over whether FIFA’s new audit and compliance chief Tomaz Vesel is eligible for the job and whether FIFA president Gianni Infantino may have worked behind the scenes to manoeuvre the Slovenian into the role vacated in May by Domenico Scala.
Iran end Brazil’s Futsal hopes at World Cup, Spain march on
By Samindra Kunti
September 22 – Iran knocked out defending world champions Brazil after a penalty shoot-out in the second round of the 2016 Futsal World Cup in Colombia. The surprise elimination brought to an end the international career of Falcao, arguably the greatest futsal player of all-time.
Kali becomes first sending off victim of video ref in Dutch Cup trial
September 22 – The Dutch FA, the KNVB, have completed their first official ‘live’ test of the Video Assistant Referees (VAR) during the Dutch Cup game between Ajax Amsterdam and Willem II. The Tilburg midfielder Anouar Kali became the first player to get sent off via a ruling from the ‘video assistant referee’ (VAR).
Infantino’s ethics hire and fire rule unpopular as Hansen calls for UEFA bid transparency
By Andrew Warshaw
September 20 – Gianni Infantino’s regime has come under renewed criticism over the already infamous ruling allowing members of FIFA’s new-look Council, supposedly a key element of FIFA’s reform process, to hire and fire independent governance officials.