Turf war hostilities ease as players propose compromise
By Andrew Warshaw
Jnauary 13 – Players at this year’s women’s World Cup in Canada appear close to conceding that they will lose their battle to compete on natural grass.
FIFA
Ronaldo’s landslide vote wins hat-trick of Ballon D’Or titles
By Andrew Warshaw
January 13 – As usual there were a few bizarre voting patterns but in the end the favourite won hands down as Christiano Ronaldo was crowned world player of the year for the second straight time and the third time in his career on Monday night.
Matthäus says it is between Cristiano and Neuer for Ballon d’Or
January 12 – Lothar Matthäus was the last German to win the World Player of the Year award -in 1991 title in front of Jean-Pierre Papin and Gary Lineker. Tonight Manuel Neuer, Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo will be crowned. Matthäus spoke to SPORT1. By Reinhard Franke
Champagne loses fizz as he searches for nominations to enter FIFA race
By Andrew Warshaw
January 12 – Are the cracks beginning to show in Jerome Champagne’s bid for the FIFA presidency? Champagne, the former FIFA deputy general secretary regarded as an outsider even before Prince Ali bin al-Hussein announced his bid to enter the fray – even though he is the only candidate to have issued a firm election manifesto – has admitted for the first time that he may not be able to fulfil the criteria for standing.
Prince Ali promises 10-year plan but first he will listen
By Andrew Warshaw
January 12 – FIFA presidential candidate Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein says he will launch a 10-year programme of reform and change if he manages to unseat Sepp Blatter in May.
FIFA presidential race: Champagne calls on Prince Ali to deliver a ‘concrete’ manifesto
By Andrew Warshaw
January 7 – FIFA presidential candidate Jerome Champagne insists he will not pull out of the contest as a result of Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein’s decision to run – and has called on the Jordanian to reveal the actual changes he wants to implement.
FIFA visit Gaza to support Palestinian right to play and pledge rebuilding funds
By Mark Baber
January 6 – On the eve of Palestine’s participation in the Asian Cup finals, a FIFA delegation arrived in Gaza on Monday to witness at first hand the long struggle of Palestinians to realise their right to play football, in the face of the conflicts with Israel and the bombing of playing fields and stadiums.
Prince Ali takes the plunge and takes Blatter on for FIFA presidency
By Andrew Warshaw
January 6 – After months of speculation, Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein of Jordan has announced he will stand against Sepp Blatter for the presidency of FIFA in May, bringing to three the number of candidates vying for the top job in world football. His likely challenge was first revealed by Insideworldfootball last October.
Time is running out for UEFA to find a credible candidate to take on Blatter in May
By Andrew Warshaw
December 30 – Candidates for FIFA president have exactly one month from yesterday to decide whether or not to go for the most powerful job in world football.
Swiss giant Blatter aces Swiss legend Federer on Twitter
December 29 – Global popularity can be a fickle friend when it comes to press coverage – just ask FIFA president Sepp Blatter. But it seems that Twitter popularity doesn’t discriminate in quite the same way when it comes to building a global following.
FIFA gives $1.3 million Christmas bonus to its national federations
By David Owen
December 23 – FIFA has moved quickly to spell out how much in one-off financial contributions each if its 209 member associations will next year be entitled to, and the answer is $1.05 million. Adding in a first $250,000 bonus already made available, it means that each association will be eligible for $1.3 million of one-off payments over the 18 months from June this year. The overall bill for this comes to $271.7 million.
FIFA drops age limits for whistleblowers (the ones on the pitch)
December 23 – FIFA has announced that it is abolishing age limits for international referees. The previous rule forced match officials to leave its international list before the turn of their 46th birthday.
FIFA bans TPO to European relief and South American disbelief
By Andrew Warshaw
December 22 – FIFA’s ban on third-party ownership will start on May 1 next year, ending a practice that has gone on for years despite prompting widespread international anxiety over the way hundreds of transfers are conducted.
FIFA closes Garcia era with promise to publish redacted report, but no revote
By Andrew Warshaw, chief correspondent, in Marrakesh
December 19 – It led to the resignation of its author and involved months and months of chaos and confusion. But FIFA finally agreed today to publish what Sepp Blatter described as the “famous” Michael Garcia report into possible corruption in the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bid process.
Garcia report to be published, no grounds to strip Russia or Qatar
By Andrew Warshaw in Marrakesh
December 19 – FIFA will publish the investigative report by its former chief investigator Michael Garcia into the bidding for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups that were awarded to Russia and Qatar. But president Sepp Blatter said there will be no revote.