Belgian FA sees no problem with FIFA’s Qatar report and congratulates Saudi 2034
December 6 – The Belgian FA (RBFA) has defended FIFA’s position about compensation (or the lack of it) to migrant workers in Qatar.
News
Sketch: Painfully brilliant, or a shameless sham?
December 6 – The Club World Cup draw presentation yesterday in Miami was a very Latin American themed event with a sprinkling of Italians in the audience and Italian legend Alessandro Del Piero acting as master of ceremonies (co-conductor in FIFA-speak) – an elegant ringmaster on the football pitch but one who was a little wooden under this big top.
Ecuadorian police rescue kidnapped national team player after jungle gunfight
December 6 – An Ecuadoran international held hostage for three days has been rescued after a firefight between police and his captors in the jungle near the border with Colombia.
Miele becomes national sponsor of Switzerland 2025 Women’s Euros
December 6 – UEFA has announced that Miele Switzerland, a leading home appliance manufacturer, has joined as a national partner for the UEFA Women’s EURO 2025.
Saudi Arabia in talks with Concacaf about guesting at 2025 Gold Cup in US
December 6 – Three-time winner of the Asian Cup, Saudi Arabia are in talks about competing in next summer’s Concacaf Gold Cup to be held in the United States and Canada.
Romanian FA president Răzvan Burleanu sends political message urging country to stay ‘European’
December 6 – Amid the political upheaval in Romania, FA president Răzvan Burleanu (pictured) has come out in defense of a pro-European future.
Match day 14: Mid-week fixtures see drop in Premier League attendances
December 6 – Manchester City recorded the most empty seats of any Premier League team this season as revealed by Inside World Football’s Capacity Tracker for matchweek 14, despite Pep Guardiola’s side turning around their losing form with a much-needed victory on Wednesday night.
FIFA Museum launches Football Fever exhibition
December 26 – The FIFA Museum will unveil a new exhibition space December 17, titled ‘Football Fever: Play. Compete. Repeat’.
Bulgarian FA joins Johan Cruyff Institute’s network to train next generation of leaders
December 6 – The Bulgarian Football Union (BFU) has signed a cooperation agreement with the Johan Cruyff Institute, the educational institution founded by Dutch great Johan Cruyff, aimed at educating athletes, sport and business professionals in the field of sport management.
NWSL’s newest club BOS Nation recruits Barca’s Domènec Guasch to build team
December 6 – The newest National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) team, BOS Nation FC, who will officially begin play in 2026, has hired, Domènec Guasch as their first general manager.
DAZN steps up to fill CWC broadcast gap with reported $1bn rights buy
December 5 – On the eve of the draw for the Club World Cup, FIFA at last found a broadcast partner, announcing streaming platform DAZN as the exclusive rights holder for the 32-team tournament in a deal reportedly worth $1 billion.
Human rights pressure keeps building on FIFA’s 2034 Saudi rubber-stamping
December 5 – With precision timing, Human Rights Watch has renewed its offensive against FIFA for awarding the 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia.
Death toll from Guinea stadium stampede has risen to 135, says human rights group
December 5 – Human rights groups in Guinea say they believe the death toll from the stadium crush last Sunday that killed more than 135 spectators, most of them children, is far higher than the official 56 figure announced by the military-led government.
West Ham boss Karen Brady warns government that lack of clarity over ownership test is harming new investment
December 5 – Clubs from across the English football pyramid are “alarmed” by the lack of consultation on legislation which could “fundamentally affect the future” of the game, West Ham United vice-chairwoman Karren Brady has warned.
Saudi web of sponsorships has ‘reshaped the sports world’, says report
December 5 – Saudi Arabia’s network and influence in global sports and football keeps growing. With the Arab kingdom’s coronation as host of the 2034 World Cup just days away, a new report details a web of Saudi sponsorship deals, but cautions that good governance could suffer as a result.