September 17 – In the first set of FIFA rankings since the Coronavirus pandemic suspended fixtures globally in March, Belgium have retained their position at the top with Portugal moving into the top five following this month’s Nations League fixtures.
By Paul Nicholson
September 16 – FIFA has signed a memorandum of understanding with anti-corruption agency, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) “to step up their joint cooperation to address threats posed by crime to sport,” said a FIFA press release.
September 16 – FIFA’s former number two Jerome Valcke told the second day of his tv rights corruption trial how he had struggled “with no income” since losing his job as Sepp Blatter’s right-hand man.
September 15 – The so-called “third man” in the corruption trial of FIFA’s disgraced former secretary general Jerome Valcke (pictured) and Paris Saint-Germain chief Nasser Al-Khelaifi failed to show up when the high-profile case began this week in the Swiss city of Bellinzona.
September 11 – First Bern, now Bellinzona. Following the recent court appearances in Switzerland of Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini over that infamous CHF 2 million “disloyal payment”, it’s the turn of two other high-profile footballing figures on Monday to have their cases heard.
September 9 – World governing body FIFA is rolling out a new women’s football development program that will supplement both the Forward Programme and Covid-19 relief measures, allowing all member associations to apply.
September 3 – Venezuela is the latest country to have its affairs run by FIFA after being plunged into yet more turmoil.
September 2 – It was Sepp Blatter’s turn to face the music on Tuesday when he appeared in front of a Swiss prosecutor over the “disloyal payment” of two million Swiss francs made to Michel Platini in 2011.
September 1 – The infamous CHF2 million “disloyalty payment” that helped bring down both Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini’ has taken centre stage once again with both former powerbrokers questioned this week by Swiss federal investigators – five years after a judicial case was opened and nine after the alleged offence took place.
By David Owen
September 1 – It is exactly 100 years since, Spain, nowadays one of the powers of the global game, appeared in its first international football tournament.
By David Owen
August 31 – FIFA invested nearly twice as much in last year’s Women’s World Cup in France as in the tournament’s previous edition in Canada in 2015.
August 28 – Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter, speaking ahead of his Swiss judicial hearing next week says that the whole case was cooked up to prevent former UEFA president Michel Platini taking the FIFA presidency. Blatter is facing charges of “suspicion of unfair management and breach of trust” regarding a CHF2 million payment to Platini.
By David Owen
August 28 – Gianni Infantino’s New FIFA may have enjoyed the odd commercial success, notably with esports, but it has failed to reignite the body’s value as a marketing vehicle for international corporations. This has been treading water since FIFA was engulfed by reputational issues in the final days of the Blatter era.
By Paul Nicholson
August 27 – The soap opera that has become Trinidad and Tobago football took another turn for the worse for the rank and file of the game on the islands yesterday as FIFA issued a deadline, via letter, and a clear warning of suspension. At the same time former TTFA former president William Wallace issued his own warning to FIFA that he and his allies will not back down.
By David Owen
August 25 – Gianni Infantino’s pay has crashed through the $3 million barrier. FIFA’s 2019 annual report has made an appearance on the world governing body’s website, revealing the amounts that the FIFA president and his secretary general were awarded in salary and allowances last year.