New Zealand FA builds grassroots links with Māori Football Aotearoa
January 2 – New Zealand Football (NZF) have partnered with Māori Football Aotearoa to support the development of the game.
News
FIFA makes temporary transfer rule change, but Fifpro objects
January 2 – FIFA has adapted its transfer regulations on an interim basis after the recent Lassana Diarra case described by some legal experts as Bosman Mark 2 – but accepts it could be open to immediate challenge.
Former Russian defender Aleksei Bugayev killed fighting in Ukraine
January 2 – Aleksei Bugayev, a former member of Russia’s national team who played at Euro 2004, has been killed in the war in Ukraine, Russian media quoted his father and agent as saying.
Match day 19: Hammers nail season’s lead at top of capacity table
January 2 – The Premier League closed out the year with another strong attendance showing, leaving just 6,000 seats empty across 10 matches – a score significantly above the seasonal average. Four clubs hit the coveted 99% capacity mark, equalling the record for most clubs in this range during a single gameweek.
Arise Sir Gareth
January 2 – Former England manager Gareth Southgate has been given a knighthood in the UK’s annual New Year Honours list.
West Ham fundraiser raises £60k for NHS charities
January 2 – West Ham United are set to donate nearly £60,000 to NHS charities and Air Ambulance UK following an auction of match-worn items from their recent Premier League fixture against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Souloukou rejoins Marinakis at high flying Nottingham Forest
January 2 – Lina Souloukou will take over as the new CEO of Nottingham Forest on January 5, the Premier League club have confirmed.
Euro 2024 tops ranking of world’s most streamed sports events in 2024, beating Paris Olympics
January 2 – UEFA’s Euro 2024 championships were the most streamed sports event in 2024, with a cumulative global audience of more than 5 billion globally, comfortably beating the 2024 Paris Olympics that was streamed by more than 3 billion.
Concacaf picks Tigres’ Estadio Universitario for inaugural W Champions Cup finals
December 27 – Tigres’ historic Estadio Universitario stadium in Nuevo Leon, a suburb of Monterey, Mexico, will host the final four of the inaugural Concacaf W Champions Cup Finals in May 2025.
Match day 18: Boxing Day cheer boosts Premier League clubs
December 28 – The festive season delivered not only goals but packed stands across the Premier League, with Boxing Day fixtures recording an impressive average capacity of 98.12%, comfortably exceeding the season’s overall average. Fans turned out in droves to support their teams, though a few notable clubs struggled to fill their seats.
ECA and PSG boss Al-Khelaifi brands A22 Unify League a greed-driven publicity stunt
December 23 – The European Club Association, the influential body representing hundreds of clubs across Europe, have dismissed the latest plans to launch a 96-team breakaway league.
Stoke, England and human rights champion George Eastham passes, aged 88
December 23 – Former England midfielder George Eastham, a member of the country’s 1966 World Cup-winning squad who became equally well known for blazing a trail for player freedom of movement, has died aged 88.
Fox out in the cold as Netflix grab rights to 2027 and 2031 Women’s World Cups
December 23 – FIFA and Netflix have inked a deal for the exclusive rights in the US to the 2027 and 2031 Women’s World Cups, marking another significant streaming deal for a major tournament.
MLS unveils 2025 schedule; Leagues Cup waits until FIFA have left town, Inter Miami open in NY
December 23 – Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami will be the first MLS team in action in 2025 – of course – kicking off the season on February 22 at home to New York City FC at the Chase Stadium.
Bumper Christmas opening for Premier League clubs as nine clubs go over 98%+ capacity
December 23 – The Premier League has shaken off any talk of a pre-festive slump, proving once again that it thrives in the winter spotlight. Attendance figures this week revealed a remarkable overall stadium capacity of 98.3%, comfortably above the season’s average.