UEFA draws groups for 2023 Women’s World Cup qualifiers
April 30 – A record number of 51 nations were in the the European qualifying draw for the 2023 Women’s World Cup held at UEFA headquarters in Nyon today.
World Football
Players’ union boss says Champions League reform creates too many extra games
April 29 – Having managed to fight off threats of a European Super League, UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin now faces having to convince the rest of football’s stakeholders that his Champions League reforms are the best way forward.
UEFA commits to €24m for Women’s Champions League teams
April 29 – Outlining a new financial model for the Women’s Champions League, UEFA will pour €24 million into the competition for redistribution to teams, the continental governing body announced on Wednesday.
Advantage Man City and Chelsea as Istanbul Champions League final comes into view
April 28 – Will Istanbul play host to an-all English Champions League final at the end of May? On Wednesday, Manchester City inched closer to elusive glory after exploiting Paris Saint-Germain’s defensive lapses in a high-octane semi-final of the competition. In the other last four game, Chelsea held Real Madrid to a 1-1 draw on Tuesday.
DFB chief Keller under pressure after Nazi reference
April 29 – Just when you thought the administration of German football had cleaned up its act after a series of scandals in recent years, it is back in the news for all the wrong reasons with the president of the DFB Fritz Keller publicly apologising for making a Nazi reference.
Tongue-twister? Agnelli drives into new storm over Suarez language test
April 29 – Fresh from seeing his European Super League dreams crushed by fan power and political intervention, Andrea Agnelli, the under-pressure president of Juventus, is already back in the spotlight – this time apparently telling an Italian prosecutor that he was not responsible for rigging an Italian language exam taken by Luis Suárez last year.
Angel City FC hires Rabbatt’s WSG to build brand globally
April 28 – Angel City FC who made headlines worldwide at their launch with their big hitting all-female ownership group, has hired the UK-based Women’s Sports Group (WSG) to work with club to build the brand.
The real revolution comes now. Macedo de Medeiros says door must open to wider reform
By Paul Nicholson
April 27 – “This is a true revolution. This is do or die now. If they don’t chop their heads off they will become victims again within a few years time.” Emanuel Macedo de Medeiros, former European Leagues boss and head of global integrity group SIGA is unequivocal in his assessment of what needs to be done next following the collapse of the European Super League.
AC Milan and Juve face being kicked out of Serie A under new laws
April 27 – AC Milan and Juventus will be thrown out of Serie A if they continue their association with the ill-fated European Super League project after Italian Football Federation (FIGC) approved new legislation.
eFootball needs more ‘football’ governance, Konami PES leads EA’s FIFA – finds report
April 27 – A survey of eFootball activity within 35 European federations has found that 92% of FAs plan to field their own eNational teams in 2021 with 83% planning their own tournaments and leagues.
UEFA probes reports of Ibrahimovic stake in online betting site
April 27 – Veteran Swedish international striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic is facing a UEFA probe into “alleged financial interest in a betting company” and could face a three-year ban if found guilty.
FC Cincinnati signs TQL as naming rights partner for new $250m stadium
April 27 – MLS side FC Cincinnati has sold naming rights to their new $250 million stadium to Total Quality Logistics (TQL), a Cincinnati business.
Agnelli rumoured to have stopped player wages as Juve crisis deepens and ESL windfall lost
By Paul Nicholson
April 23 – Juventus boss Andrea Agnelli, a key leadership figure in the failed European Super League breakaway, has allegedly deferred his players’ salaries, according to a well-informed Insideworldfootball source.
ESL: Ceferin warns of sanctions, lauds fans and slams ‘liars’
By Andrew Warshaw
April 26 – UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin is keeping up the pressure on the 12 clubs who sought to set up the European Super League as English fans maintained their opposition to the aborted project.
Greed isn’t good. JP Morgan apologises for role in facilitating ESL fiasco
April 26 – US bank and Super League backer JP Morgan has apologised for its role in the European Super League (ESL) fiasco, admitting that it misjudged the reaction from fans.