February 10 – Kuwaiti government officials are preparing to tour the world in an effort to persuade FIFA to lift the ban it imposed on the Kuwait Football Association last October – for government interference.
February 5 – Chinese football has smashed its transfer record for the third time in 10 days after yet another much sought-after Brazilian opted to go east instead of remaining in Europe.
February 2 – Qatar have failed to qualify for their first Olympic football tournament since 1992 after losing 2-1 to Iraq, a significant blow to their strategy of developing a credible squad ahead of the 2022 World Cup.
By Samindra Kunti
February 2 – Earlier this month the Olympic dream of the Olyroos, Australia’s U23 team, faded in Doha as they made a backdoor exit from the Asian Cup, collecting a meagre 2-0 victory against Vietnam in group D alongside the UAE and Jordan. Neither the elimination nor the absence of European-based players caused disgruntlement, only the manner of capitulation did.
January 28 – The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has beefed up its agreement with betting fraud prevention and detection specialists Sportradar, singing a two-year deal that will increase the number of games monitored to more than 4,500, a huge increase on the 300 games in the previous deal.
January 25 – In another illustration of growing tensions in the region, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has decided to amend the schedule for the AFC Champions League involving matches between clubs from Saudi Arabia and Iran but has stopped short, pending further checks, of upholding a Saudi request to play fixtures on neutral ground because of safety concerns.
January 21 – The financial and ownership position of leading Chinese Super League (CSL) side Beijing Guoan FC has been clarified with Chinese internet company LeEco (formerly known as LeTV), which operates the Le Sports service, and the club announcing a strategic co-operation.
By Andrew Warshaw
January 20 – Iraq has taken the unusual step of publicly declaring its support of Prince Ali al Hussein in the upcoming FIFA presidency.
By David Owen
January 15 – The wave of Chinese investment in world football has reached Europe’s premier national team competition. Hisense, a white goods and electronics company based in the east-coast city of Qingdao has been unveiled as the 10th global partner of Euro 2016, to be played for the first time as a 24-team tournament in France in June and July.
By Andrew Warshaw
January 13 – In a move that could have potential repercussions in the forthcoming FIFA presidential election, Kuwait’s government has announced it is suing a number of top sports executives, among them FIFA executive committee member Sheikh Ahmad Fahad Al-Sabah, accusing them of causing the suspension of the Gulf state from global sporting competition.
January 12 – La Liga’s Granada has become the latest Spanish club rumoured to be the focus of Chinese investment interest. While back in China, Super League club FC Shijiazhuang Ever Bright has reportedly sold 50% to investment group Hebei Hongsong.
By Mark Baber
January 11 – Rising tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia following the execution of Shia cleric Nimr al-Nimr, are spilling over into the political arena, with Saudi clubs keen for their fixtures against Iranian clubs in the Asian Champions League to be moved to neutral territory, whilst the Iran Football Federation (IFF) insists their country is safe to host matches and they are happy to play in Saudi Arabia.
By Samindra Kunti
January 8 – This weekend the ninth edition of the I-League kicks off with Mohun Bagan facing Aizawl FC in Kolkata, but big questions marks hang over the sustainability of a league with little money and little exposure.
By Paul Nicholson
January 6 – The scramble for football properties and a foothold in China is gathering pace with the winning bid for a 50% stake in Chinese Super League (CSL) side Beijing Guoan expected to be announced in the next few days.
By Samindra Kunti
January 5 – On a Saturday night in December jeeps and cabs briskly maneuvered and zigzagged their way through dense traffic on Hazza Bin Zayed Street, one of Abu Dhabi’s arteries. They were heading for the Al Wahda Mall, an architectural monstrosity in the UAE capital’s Al Nahyan neighborhood. Affluent expats and local Emirati sauntered into the complex to indulge in the luxuries offered by Western brands including Calvin Klein,