UEFA nations in Nyon for Emergency session to decide leadership

UEFA3

By Andrew Warshaw
October 15 – European football’s full membership is meeting in emergency session at UEFA headquarters today to decide whether to drop support for their leader’s bid to succeed Sepp Blatter as FIFA president in February – and what to do about the immediate future of their own organisation.

Read more …

Infront under scrutiny as Italian police raid Serie A offices

Serie A tv

By Mark Baber
October 14 – Italy’s financial police raided Italian League and club offices as part of an investigation into alleged irregularities in the assignment of TV broadcasting rights involving rights agency Infront, Sky Italia and Mediaset, Italian media reported on Tuesday. Bari and Genoa also allegedly received irregular help in meeting the financial criteria for Serie B and Serie A.

Read more …

Belgium break through to top FIFA rankings and earn big-money friendlies

Kevin de Bruyne

By Samindra Kunti
October 14 – Last night Belgium’s ascendency to the top of world football culminated in an unprecedented number one spot on the FIFA ranking with a 3-1 win over Israel in Brussels. The result also ensured Belgium will be seeded at the EURO2016’s final draw in the French capital in December. In November the Red Devils will face Italy in Kuwait in a friendly.

Read more …

Dortmund tops Euro attendance table followed by Barca and Man Utd

Dortmund fans

By Paul Nicholson
October 14 – Fan attendances at top division matches in Germany, France and Spain have increased for the opening games of this season compared to last. But in Italy and France matchday attendances have dropped, according to data from Benchmark Sports, the data and analysis arm of KPMG’s Sports practice. Overall the ‘big five’ leagues have a combined attendance increase of 1.3%.

Read more …

Albanian fans stone Serbian team coach, but match is played without incident

Albania vs Serbia policing

By Mark Baber
October 9 – Serbia’s team coach was attacked by stones, smashing one of the windows, ahead of Thursday’s Euro2016 qualifier in the central Albanian town of Elbasan. Violence was predictable following the abandonment of the earlier fixture in which a drone with a Greater Albania flag was flown over the stadium in the Serbian capital causing crowd trouble and the Albanian team to refuse to continue the match.

Read more …