March 4 – FIFA’s decision to allow South America a possible six slots at the 2014 World Cup has been blasted as “completely ludicrous” by Chuck Blazer, the FIFA Executive committee member from the United States and secretary general of CONCACAF.
March 4 – England’s failed 2018 football World Cup bid tried to use Prince Andrew’s relationship with the Qatari royal family to secure a voting alliance, it was claimed tonight.
By Andrew Warshaw
March 3 – Football’s world governing body today decided not to change the allocation of places for the 2014 World Cup finals despite several regions clamouring for more representation.
By Andrew Warshaw
February 28 – Sepp Blatter faces one of the most politically sensitive weeks of his FIFA Presidency when he tries to keep all his members happy over the controversial issue of 2014 World Cup berths.
February 23 – British Prime Minister David Cameron has said that hosting the 2022 World Cup in Qatar could help to improve attitudes towards homosexuality in the Middle East during an official visit to the Gulf state.
By Andrew Warshaw
February 7 – Sepp Blatter appears to have performed a major U-turn over the 2022 Qatar World Cup, now declaring the tournament will be held in summer after all.
By Mike Rowbottom in Abu Dhabi
February 6 – Sir Bobby Charlton, part of England’s delegation which supported the failed bid for the 2018 World Cup finals in December, has spoken out here against the decision to award the 2022 tournament to Qatar.
By Andrew Warshaw
January 29 – The row over the Qatar 2022 World Cup looks set to escalate after Asian Football Confederation (AFC) chief Mohamed bin Hammam (pictured) rejected UEFA President Michel Platini’s suggestion that the tournament should be spread across the entire region.
By Andrew Warshaw
January 26 – UEFA President Michel Platini (pictured) has re-iterated his idea of playing the Qatar 2022 World Cup in several Gulf countries for the good of the entire area.
January 26 – FIFA has signed its first broadcasting contract for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups with Qatar-based Al Jazeera Sport, football’s world governing body announced today.
By Duncan Mackay
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
January 24 – England’s campaign to host the 2018 World Cup failed so spectacularly because its bid team had such poor relations with senior members at FIFA, a senior member of its management team admitted today.
By Andrew Warshaw
January 23 – Russia’s first milestone on the road to the 2018 FIFA World Cup was reached today in Saint-Petersburg when the country was officially given host status.
January 20 – Russia look set to unveil details of their Organising Committee for the 2018 World Cup in St Petersburg on Sunday (January 23).
January 20 – Companies looking to capitalise on Qatar’s infrastructure spending spree for the 2022 World Cup could learn valuable lessons from London’s preparations for the 2012 Olympic Games.
By Andrew Warshaw
January 17 – The idea of staging the 2022 World Cup during the winter if Qatar became hosts was discussed weeks before last month’s vote, according to a senior member of the FIFA Executive Committee.