By Paul Nicholson
October 29 – When the Qatari national U19 team stepped off their plane to a red carpet and heroes’ welcome it marked a new level of football achievement for the Gulf state that is reinventing itself through sport. It also marked another step on the development path set by the Aspire Academy.
By Andrew Warshaw
October 21 – Yet another Asian country has become embroiled in corruption allegations as the fallout from the Mohamed bin Hammam era continues. Nepal’s football association (ANFA) is implementing “corrective measures”, say FIFA, amid claims by some of its own senior officials regarding embezzlement of funds.
By Mark Baber
October 21 – The executive committee of the 123-year old Mohammedan Sporting Club, a Kolkota club with a glorious history, made the decision on Saturday to disband their football team for an indefinite period after failing to find a sponsor and being unable to pay salaries to players and coaching staff for the last 3 – 4 months.
October 21 – Indian football, which has just launched its much-touted Super League in an attempt to bolster interest, has suffered an untimely blow with a fatal tragedy as a result of a goal celebration in a state-level league game that went tragically wrong.
October 20 – The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has ordered Myanmar to play its next competitive game behind closed doors, suspended for two years, and has fined the national federation $24,000 as a result of a pitch invasion following last week’s 1-0 AFC under-19 Championship quarter-final win over the United Arab Emirates in Yangon.
By Andrew Warshaw
October 17 – The race in Asia for a place at FIFA’s top table has been stepped up with the announcement that Malaysian FA president Prince Abdullah Shah will contest next year’s election for a position on FIFA’s executive committee.
By Andrew Warshaw
October 16 – Asian football has been rocked by yet another scandal, with the fallout from former AFC president Mohamed bin Hammam’s disgraced legacy snaring another culprit.
By Mark Baber
October 15 – Continental Tires, Official Sponsor of the AFC Asian Cup Australia 2015 wrapped up its Asian Cup Trophy Tour in Shanghai on Monday after bringing the trophy to Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Chengdu in an event looking forward to next year’s tournament and celebrating the recent signing of a four year collaboration with the Chinese Football Association.
By Mark Baber
October 14 – The Indian Super League held an extravagant Bollywood/footballing extravaganza on Sunday to open the long-awaited start of the new competition which aims to awaken the “sleeping giant” of Indian football. Amidst all the hype, voices of caution advised of the difficulties involved in building fan bases from scratch, in a cricket obsessed country and warned of the historical precedent of similar ventures in the USA.
By Andrew Warshaw
October 13 – Asian football has chosen the first week of May next year for its eagerly anticipated presidential election, ending months of uncertainty about a firm date.
By Andrew Warshaw
October 8 – The head of Asian football and one of FIFA’s most powerful administrators, Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al-Khalifa, was conspicuous by his absence as the Leaders Sport Business Summit, attended by a raft of the game’s movers and shakers, opened today.
By Andrew Warshaw
October 6 – Arguably the most powerful official in Asian sport says he will not allow opponents in the media to railroad Qatar’s right to stage the 2022 World Cup.
October 3 – The Asian Football Confederation is looking into reports of possible match-fixing at the Asian Games.
By Mark Baber
September 26 – At a meeting at the FIFA headquarters in Zurich, Chinese Football Association Vice Chairman and Secretary-General Zhang Jian (pictured) and FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke have signed a technical cooperation agreement aimed at improving the technical level of Chinese football coaches, referees, and managers, improving the national team at all levels of achievement, and promoting the development of youth and women’s soccer.
September 25 – The 2014 World Cup in Brazil reported a doping-free championship, but the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has had to step in with a suspension following a positive test at the Asian games currently taking place in Incheon, South Korea.