Albania’s Skenderbeu set for further CL ban as match-fixing probe continues
December 14 – UEFA is preparing to impose another Champions League ban on Albanian club Skenderbeu because of an ongoing match-fixing investigation.
Europe
Ballon d’Or warms into another Ronaldo vs Messi shoot-out
December 13 – Their rivalry off the field remains just as intense as on it as Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo beat rival Lionel Messi to win the prestigious Ballon d’Or for a fourth time.
Ceferin snuffs out ‘hosting-for-favours’, Mutko aims for FIFA Council
By Andrew Warshaw
December 12 – For the first time, UEFA are to employ a formal bidding process for the venues of the Champions League and Europa League finals following accusations of a purely ad hoc procedure in the past.
English civil war: former FA gurus say it is just the Premier League’s puppet
December 12 – The English Football Association, already buffeted by the sex abuse scandal that has rocked the sport, has come under further attack after five of its most senior former executives wrote a damning letter to Parliament saying the organisation was unfit for purpose, self-serving and consumed by vested interests.
Turkish bomb attacks leaves nation stunned as mourning begins
December 12 – The twin bombs that were exploded two hours after the end of the Besiktas vs Bursapor Turkish Super Liga match in Istanbul on Saturday were not targeted at football fans but were aimed at police on match-day security duty.
Laudrup denies creaming off cash from transfer deals at Swansea City
December 8 – Former Swansea City manager Michael Laudrup and the club itself have denied he was sacked – mysteriously at the time – because of concerns that he and, primarily, his agent stood to profit from player transfers.
Celtic back in UEFA’s sights after fans flare up in Manchester
December 8 – UEFA have opened disciplinary proceedings against Celtic following crowd disturbances and fireworks set off by fans in this week’s Champions league meeting with Manchester City.
Abandoned Walloon derby forces Standard Leige to stop selling away tickets
By Samindra Kunti
December 6 – Belgian topflight club Standard Liege wants to ban their supporters from travelling to away matches after their match with Charleroi was abandoned due to crowd trouble.
UEFA poised to return to Champions League battleground
December 2 – The UEFA executive committee holds its final meeting of the year next Friday and is scheduled to address European football’s most burning issue: the proposed new Champions league format.
Feyenoord take aim at €400m redevelopment of De Kuip
By Samindra Kunti
December 2 – Dutch club Feyenoord has unveiled ambitious plans for a new stadium, part of a larger Feyenoord City campus in the south of Rotterdam. The future venue has a projected price tag of €400 million.
Chelsea sex scandal cover-up details released as more players come forward
December 2 – British football’s child abuse scandal has taken another unsavoury twist with reports that a former Chelsea player was paid £50,000 by the Premier League club not to go public with allegations that he was sexually abused by the club’s former chief scout Eddie Heath.
Child sex abuse cases multiply as 15 police forces across Britain open investigations
December 1 – British football’s historical child sex abuse scandal has taken a “staggering” turn for the worse, with 15 police different regional police forces now pulled in as part of nationwide inquiries after several former players made allegations of abuse against one-time coaches.
Brussels Eurostadium controversy as public costs rise and lease awarded for €1
By Samindra Kunti
November 30 – Belgium’s proposed Brussels-based stadium for EURO2020 has landed in the middle of another storm of controversy after the city of Brussels gave the projected building site of the stadium in leasehold to building consortium Ghelamco for a symbolic euro.
English FA in sexual abuse ‘crisis’ as cover-up suspicions grow
By Andrew Warshaw
November 30 – The chairman of the English Football has labelled the on-going child sex abuse scandal as one of the biggest crises in the history of the governing body.
Convicted child sex abuser Bennell faces 8 charges of abusing youth players
November 29 – A British former coach has been charged with eight historical offences of sexual assault against a boy under the age of 14 in the latest development in the abuse scandal that has shocked the country.