Salman signs human rights pledge
February 12 – FIFA presidential candidate Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa has signed an amended version of an Amnesty International pledge to end human rights abuses and corruption in the sport.
FIFA
Infantino feels the Miami heat as FIFA hopefuls chase American dreams
By Andrew Warshaw
February 12 – If Africa is regarded as the main battleground to pick up votes in the forthcoming FIFA presidential election, then CONCACAF runs a close second.
Swiss paper uncovers Aussie-led group funding campaign to destroy FIFA
February 11 – Swiss weekly newspaper Weltwoche has published damning detail of an Australian-led campaign to attack Qatar, destabilise FIFA and fund a disinformation campaign against FIFA election candidate Shaikh Salman bin Al-Khalifa.
Prince Ali plays fear card warning FIFA will be held hostage unless he wins election
By Andrew Warshaw
February 11 – Describing the upcoming election as “perhaps the most crucial date in the history of football governance”, FIFA presidential candidate Prince Ali bin al-Hussein took a swipe at his rivals today as he outlined a detailed plan of action for his first year in charge of world football’s scandal-plagued governing body.
Gianni’s jet goes social as it lands in Juba racking up another €40k+ off UEFA’s budget
By Paul Nicholson
February 11 – The intensive lobbying of African federations for their vote in the upcoming FIFA presidential elections last week saw more use of the ‘Gianni Jet’. This time it was spotted on a Facebook post delivering UEFA-funded candidate Gianni Infantino to Juba in South Sudan.
Costa Rica’s Li asks to be given ‘a chance’ as judge denies bail
By Andrew Warshaw
February 11 – One of the original ‘Zurich Seven’ detained in the first wave of arrests in May that kicked off the biggest corruption scandal in the history of FIFA has been refused bail in a Brooklyn court.
Russian diplomacy: Eastern promises show signs of shifting to Salman
By Andrew Warshaw
February 10 – Despite publicly pledging its support for Gianni Infantino at the forthcoming FIFA presidential election, is Russia secretly planning to switch sides and back Bahrain’s Asian football chief Shaikh Salman instead?
Exclusive: FIFA halted $20m funding to bad-boy American confeds last December
By Andrew Warshaw
February 10 – FIFA’s decision to block $20 million of funding to CONMEBOL and CONCACAF, the two confederations at the centre of football’s worst ever corruption crisis, was implemented late last year and approved by acting general secretary Markus Kattner as well as members of the executive committee, Insideworldfootball has learned.
Prince Ali backs Bility and questions Scala’s nationality ‘conflict’
By Andrew Warshaw
February 9 – The increasingly fraught relationship between FIFA presidential candidate Prince Ali bin Al Hussein and the official overseeing fair play in the electoral process, Domenico Scala, has come under further strain with the Jordanian demanding Scala steps down because of conflict of interest over nationality.
Europe’s clubs slam Infantino proposals to take World Cup to 40 teams
By Andrew Warshaw
February 9 – FIFA presidential candidate Gianni Infantino’s controversial World Cup expansion plan has suffered its first significant setback, with Europe’s major clubs coming out firmly against any change to the status quo.
An African general secretary? Could Fahmy be Infantino’s man?
By David Owen
February 9 – FIFA Presidency candidate Gianni Infantino hinted last week that if successful in his quest for the top job he might appoint an African general secretary.
Bility takes aim at Scala threatening to take him back to CAS
By Andrew Warshaw
February 9 – Musa Bility, Liberia’s football leader who was excluded from being a candidate for FIFA president because he failed strict integrity checks, seems determined to do everything in his power to make life difficult for the official who barred him from taking part.
Exclusive: Enemy at the gates? Blatter will be blocked from attending Congress
By Andrew Warshaw
February 8 – Banned FIFA president Sepp Blatter will be turned away from the upcoming election to replace him, as well as risk an even more severe sanction, if he dares attend the congress on February 26, Insideworldfootball has learned.
FIFA presidential race: Sexwale still in it, but losing chances to win it
February 8 – Tokyo Sexwale may be clutching at straws but he refuses to give up hope ahead of the FIFA presidential election – for the moment at least.
FIFA candidates wait for white smoke from the CAF exco powwow
By Andrew Warshaw
February 5 – African football officials are due to announce later today whether they will formally endorse the only candidate from their Continent in the FIFA presidential race, Tokyo Sexwale, or to back one of the other contenders.