UEFA sets election date with van Praag early favourite for presidency
By Andrew Warshaw
May 18 – Michel Platini’s successor as UEFA president will be elected on September 14, with veteran Dutch FA chief Michael van Praag already in the frame.
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Villar Llona facing lawsuit in Spain as challenges to his rule mount
By Paul Nicholson
May 18 – Angel Villar Llona (pictured), Spain’s controversial FIFA vice-president and the man currently in charge at UEFA following the sanctioning of Michel Platini, is facing legal action at home from rival candidate for the Spainish federation presidency Miguel Angel Galan.
Prince Ali slams Infantino’s ‘betrayal’ of football that leaves FIFA exposed
By Andrew Warshaw
May 18 – Two-time FIFA presidential candidate Prince Ali bin al-Hussein of Jordan has angrily condemned Gianni Infantino for a “complete betrayal” of FIFA’s membership following Infantino’s controversial power grab at last week’s Congress in Mexico.
Corinthians close in on naming rights deal to ease debt pressure
By Samindra Kunti
May 19 – Brazilian club Corinthians are closing in on a naming rights deal for their stadium, but which could maintain the name ‘Arena Corinthians’.
FIFA picks Wambach, Hitzelsperger and Seedorf for jury for first Diversity Award
FIFA picks its jury for first Diversity Award
May 18 – The last jury members have been named for the first FIFA Diversity Award, which will be presented in July 2016. US World Cup winner Abby Wambach, former captain of the German national team Thomas Hitzlsperger, and former Dutch international Clarence Seedorf are the big name players to join the 11-person jury.
French strikes could derail fans travelling for Euro 2016
By Samindra Kunti
May 17 – Nationwide strikes in France against the ‘Loi Travail’ labour laws threaten to disrupt the smooth running of the Euro 2016 Championship this summer, particularly when it comes to travelling around the country.
Samoura says she will put football right with Infantino, but she needs time to do it
By Andrew Warshaw
May 17 – FIFA’s first ever female secretary general, Fatma Samoura, has vowed “to help football restore its tarnished image” and says she should be given time to make her mark despite having negligible footballing experience.
New FIFA, old heads. Legends to make their mark on FIFA thinking?
By Paul Nicholson
May 17 – Seemingly at the centre of everything FIFA president Gianni Infantino did during the FIFA Congress in Mexico City last week were his band of legends. Whether it was accompanying him on his whistle stop visits to confederations, being introduced one-by one and embraced at the opening ceremony, sitting in the front row of the Congress itself, or Infantino sitting on the bench while the icons played 9-a-side knockabout matches in the iconic Azteca Stadium,
England back youth in bid for Euro 2016 glory
May 17 – Manchester United’s 18-year-old striker Marcus Rashford (pictured) is the surprise selection in England manager Roy Hodgson’s initial 26-man squad for next month’s European Championship finals in France that will be trimmed to 23.
Brugge top Anderlecht to win Belgian title after 11-year wait
By Samindra Kunti
May 17 – Club Brugge have been crowned Belgian champions for the first time since 2005 after hammering arch-rivals Anderlecht 4-0 with two match days to spare.
FIFA desperately closes ranks to save ‘independent’ face and Infantino’s reputation
By Andrew Warshaw
May 16 – FIFA have gone into overdrive in an attempt to play the victim following the rift between Gianni Infantino and his independent financial watchdog Domenico Scala that led to Scala’s dramatic resignation less than 24 hours after the FIFA Congress in Mexico.
Indonesians back in the game but Kuwaitis cry political foul play
May 16 – Indonesia’s suspension from international football over government interference in the country’s national federation has ended after almost a year.
Gibraltar and Kosovo prepare for World Cup qualification debuts
By Andrew Warshaw
May 16 – Kosovo and Gibraltar seem certain to be fast-tracked into the 2018 World Cup qualifying campaign starting in September after being accepted as the 210th and 211th members of FIFA even though Serbia says it will fight Kosovo’s entry by legal means.
Top Euro cop says France 2016 faces huge security challenges
May 16 – The head of the European Union’s police agency says he is “extremely concerned” about a possible attack on Euro 2016 in France, saying the tournament is an “attractive target” for terrorists.
Fake bomb costs Man Utd £3m as season potentially blows up in Van Gaal’s face
May 16 – A suspicious package that led to the evacuation of Manchester United’s Old Trafford stadium on Sunday and the postponement of the club’s final Premier League game of the game ended up being a fake device accidentally left behind by a private firm after a training exercise.