January 31 – The Official Poster of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, the final visual icon to be launched for the 2014 World Cup, has been unveiled in Rio de Janeiro as part of FIFA’s ‘500-day’ visit to Brazil.
January 30 – UEFA President and FIFA Executive Committee member Michel Platini has moved quickly to defend his decision to vote for Qatar as 2022 World Cup host and refute any implication of outside influence on his vote.
By Mark Baber
January 28 – FIFA has become the first gaming brand to top £1 billion in UK retail sales according to the latest figures from GFK Chart-Track.
Andrew Warshaw in Doha
December 17 – Pinned to a wall in the engine room of Qatar’s 2022 World Cup headquarters in downtown Doha is a detailed planner outlining what is headed “Programme Wide Masterplan: Stage One Draft.”
By Andrew Warshaw in Doha
December 14 – It is just over two years since that momentous December day when Qatar stunned the footballing world by winning the race to stage the 2022 World Cup by a landslide.
By Andrew Warshaw at the Doha Goals conference in Qatar
December 11 – Britain’s Sports Minister Hugh Robertson met for the first time today with organisers of the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup and pronounced planned facilities as “mind-blowing”.
By Andrew Warshaw at the Doha Goals conference in Doha
December 11 – Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy added his voice to the growing calls to switch the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup to the winter when he made his first public speaking appearance since May today by addressing the conference here.
By Tom Degun
December 11 – Architecture firm Populous, who created the London 2012 Olympic Stadium in Stratford, has won the contract to design the Rostov-on-Don Stadium in Russia, which is one of twelve venues that will be used at the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
By Andrew Warshaw in Doha
December 11 – Senior officials from the Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee (Q22) – organisers of the World Cup in 10 years’ time – have met with FIFA to update football’s world governing body on strategy and infrastructure plans.
By Tom Degun
December 10 – The magnificent new 60,000 capacity Arena Grêmio has opened in Porto Alegre in Brazil despite the fact that it was controversially overlooked for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
By Andrew Warshaw
December 6 – Blighted by an alarming crime rate, Brazil is boosting its 2014 FIFA World Cup security budget to 1.879 billion Brazilian real (£560 million/$900 million/€680 million) to make sure the event is “one of the most protected sports events in history,” the Government has announced.
By Andrew Warshaw
December 5 – Brazilian football authorities should have kept faith with Mario Menezes instead of sacking him just 18 months out from the FIFA World Cup, according to Mário Zagallo, one of Brazil’s greatest names.
By Duncan Mackay
December 4 – A massive infrastructure project has been launched in Russia to ensure that the country is ready to host the 2018 World Cup.
By Duncan Mackay
December 1 – A protest march has been held against the privatisation of Rio de Janeiro’s Maracanã Stadium, which is currently being redeveloped for the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 Olympics and Paralympics.
By Andrew Warshaw
November 30 – Considerable work still needs to be done to bring Brazil up to speed for both next summer’s Confederations Cup and the 2014 World Cup, according to FIFA secretary general Jérôme Valcke.