Qatar to showcase three venues for February Club World Cup
December 23 – With two World Club Cups to be hosted in Qatar in 2021, venues for the 7-team format have been chosen for the first edition in February 1-11.
FIFA
FIFA delves into history to file new criminal complaint to beat Blatter with
By Paul Nicholson
December 22 – The day after his election to the FIFA presidency in May 2016, Gianni Infantino attended his first official public function in Zurich at the opening of the CHF 140 million ($158 million) FIFA Museum project.
Tuchel questions Marquinos’ FIFA XI omission and wonders what’s best for player health
December 21 – Paris St Germain manager Thomas Tuchel (pictured) has questioned the absence of Marquinhos from last week’s FIFA XI Team of the Year, claiming that the Brazilian should have been included.
IFAB clears way to start tests of new concussion subs rule and protocols in January
December 17 – The potential introduction of concussions substitutes took a step nearer with rulemaking body IFAB fast tracking trials of a new rule to begin in January 2021.
Haiti’s Jean-Bart, banned for sexual abuse, says there are no babies
December 15 – In a remarkable interview with the online version of Britain’s Daily Mail newspaper, the disgraced former head of Haiti’s football federation – banned for life for sexual abuse – has launched a passionate defence of his behaviour by accusing FIFA of being corrupt, declaring he is being used as a scapegoat and arguing that he was given only 10 minutes to respond to the sickening accusations against him.
Infantino on hand to help seal the UAE-Israel football pact
December 15 – Never one to miss out on a photo opportunity to boost his popularity, Gianni Infantino attended the official signing on Monday of a ground-breaking agreement between the football associations of the UAE and Israel.
FIFA take control of Haiti to put end to Jean-Bart interference
December 14 – FIFA has appointed a normalisation committee for the Haitian Football Association after it found “strong indications” that the federation’s disgraced former president Yves Jean-Bart is still exerting his influence despite being banned for life last month following multiple accusations of systematic sexual abuse of female players.
FIFA and Infantino fury at Swiss prosecutor’s referral of private jet flight for criminal probe
By Andrew Warshaw
December 11 – Gianni Infantino’s increasingly bitter war with the Swiss justice authorities over whether he is guilty of corruption has taken another significant twist with a special prosecutor recommending a criminal investigation against the FIFA President for using a private jet in 2017.
Blatter gives witness evidence in Infantino investigation
December 10 – Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter was interviewed yesterday by the Swiss Special Prosecutor Stefan Keller who is investigating the criminal charges against FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
Belgium score Xmas hat-trick at top of World Rankings
December 10 – Belgium have topped the world ranking for a third consecutive year to become the FIFA team of the year, the world governing body said on Thursday.
Infantino tells AFC members CWC in China will be best club competition ever
By Paul Nicholson
December 9 – FIFA president Gianni Infantino has said that the new 24-team format Club World Cup, when it eventually holds its first edition “in China, will be the best club competition in the world.”
Record entrants for FIFAe Club World Cup
December 8 – FIFA is reporting a record 480 teams entered into its FIFAe Club Series, a 150% increase on last season.
News analysis: A year overflowing with Club World Cups
By Paul Nicholson
December 7 – Somewhat incredibly, perhaps incredulously, the much derided and unloved Club World Cup (at least by Europe’s clubs and more recently by FIFA itself), has survived to see another day, in fact two more days, in its current 7-team format.
No return: Infantino defends VAR saying people, not tech, are the problem
By Andrew Warshaw
December 7 – FIFA president Gianni Infantino has leapt to the defence of VAR amid the chaos and confusion over marginal offside decisions and penalised accidental handballs that many feel are ruining the game as a spectacle.