By Andrew Warshaw
March 31 – The man poised to take over the running of German football has pledged to clean up his corruption-tainted federation after Franz Beckenbauer, the country’s most iconic sporting figurehead, found himself embroiled in an official FIFA inquiry into the hosting of the 2006 World Cup.
March 30 – If the best players play in the biggest leagues for the most amount of time and win the most matches, then the winner of the 2016 European Championships will likely be France, Italy or Spain. England and Germany are in contention but probably lagging just behind, depending on how you interpret the stats from the CIES Football Observatory.
By Andrew Warshaw
March 29 – On the eve of a potentially pivotal visit by a joint FIFA/UEFA delegation, Greek authorities have stepped up the rhetoric in an attempt to avoid being thrown of international football.
By Andrew Warshaw
March 24 – Genius is an over-used word in football – but few have laid claim to that description with more justification than Johan Cruyff. The football world was stunned into collective grief today with the announcement that the great Dutch icon had died of lung cancer aged 68.
By Mark Baber
March 24 – Scottish giant Rangers, poised for a return to the Scottish Premier League, have reported operating losses increased by 11% to £9.04 million for the financial year to June 30, 2015. The Rangers Football Club Ltd (TRFCL) audited accounts also show debt owed to their parent company Rangers International Football Club Plc (RIFC) increasing by 16% to £18.1 million (2014: £15.6 million).
March 24 – Belgium have switched their March 29 home friendly international with Portugal to the Portuguese city of Leiria because of security fears following the Brussels terrorist attacks.
By Andrew Warshaw
March 24 – Greek football authorities are digging in their heels and refusing to budge despite receiving a letter signed jointly by FIFA and UEFA urging them to reinstate the national cup competition, scrapped by the government earlier this month because of crowd trouble, or risk being thrown out of international football.
By Andrew Warshaw
March 23 – As next summer’s expanded European Championship finals in France come under increasing scrutiny because of the threat of terrorism, UEFA have been quick to express assurances about safety and security in the wake of Tuesday’s Brussels attacks that killed at least 34 people and left scores more injured, with one high-ranking UEFA official suggesting matches might even have to be held behind closed doors.
By Andrew Warshaw
March 23 – German football has a new general secretary as it endeavours to tackle the fallout from the 2006 World Cup corruption controversy.
By Samindra Kunti
March 23 -The arbitration committee of the Belgian FA, the KBVB, has decided that Royal Antwerp FC must repay €4.9 million to its former chairman Eddy Wauters. The verdict leaves Antwerp gasping for air.
By Samindra Kunti
March 22 – Next week’s friendly international Belgium – Portugal at Brussels’s King Baudouin Stadium may be cancelled after the Belgian capital was hit by terrorist attacks.
By Andrew Warshaw
March 21 – FIFA and UEFA have joined forces to warn Greece to reinstate the national cup competition, scrapped by the government earlier this month because of crowd trouble, or risk being thrown out of international football.
March 21 – The most dangerous league in Europe to be a manager – in terms of job security in the Big 5 leagues – is Italy’s Serie A. Managers last on average just 9 months, compared to 14.5 months in England’s Premier League.
March 21 – One of European football’s most bitterly contested derbies was called off Sunday when Turkish authorities cancelled the Galatasaray-Fenerbahçe clash in Istanbul about two hours before kickoff citing an unspecified threat.
By Samindra Kunti
March 18 – The construction of Brussels’s EURO2020 stadium has hit a new snag: a public road on the lot bookmarked for the venue may cause a delay of six months. UEFA wants construction to start this year.