FIFA-forgotten Pacific Islands plan new regional tournament
February 14 – A new competition for non-FIFA affiliated Oceania regions is in the pipeline according to local reports.
World Football
Pay pals: US men call on federation to ‘triple’ women’s wages
February 12 – In a significant escalation of the gender equality pay dispute in the United States, the US men’s national team has leaped to the defence of their female counterparts, urging their federation to triple the pay of the women’s team and accusing the federation of “working very hard to sell a false narrative” in an effort to limit the wages of the reigning women’s world champions.
CAF signs 10-year deal with Egyptian government to keep HQ in Cairo
February 13 – The Confederation of African Football (CAF) may be in reputational crisis over the revelations in the PwC audit, but it hasn’t stopped it from signing a 10-year hosting agreement to keep its headquarters in Egypt, in a deal that gives the regional governing body diplomatic status in the country.
UEFA and Conmebol buddy up for referee and new competition talks
February 13 – UEFA has renewed its Memorandum of Understanding with South American confederation Conmebol covering collaboration across a number of areas from education to refereeing and new competitions.
Savvidis feels the heat as UEFA and FIFA prepare new delegation to enter the Greek fray
February 12 – FIFA and UEFA will be making what has become a regular trip to Athens to attempt to progress solutions to yet another Greek football crisis.
Headbutting Italian ref given year ban
February 12 – An Italian referee has been banned for a year for losing his cool and headbutting a goalkeeper he had sent off during a minor league game.
Belgium’s top tier leagues report combined clubs losses of €87m
February 11 – Belgium’s professional clubs suffered a combined record loss of €87 million in the 2018-19 season, the Belgian FA (KBVB) has revealed. Anderlecht incurred the lion’s share with €25 million.
Pele too ‘embarrassed’ by ill health to make public appearances
February 11 – The world’s most famous footballer, Pele, has become a virtual recluse according to his son because he cannot walk unaided.
CAF audit: Former finance boss disputes PwC’s ‘vague assumptions’ on 2015 accounts
By Osasu Obayiuwana
February 10 – Suketu Patel, who was CAF’s first Vice-President and the Chairman of the body’s Finance Committee in 2015, says Price Waterhouse Coopers (PwC) did not contact him, concerning its recent forensic audit of the African football governing body’s accounts and professional practices.
CAF in crisis: PwC audit report finds financial records ‘untrustworthy’ and full of holes
By Osasu Obayiuwana
February 10 – The Confederation of African Football (CAF) is said to have financial records that are “unreliable and not trustworthy” by Price Waterhouse Coopers (PWC), the international accounting and management consulting firm, which completed its forensic audit of African football’s governing body in November 2019.
The ‘looting’ of CAF: PwC audit shows ‘daylight robbery’ and ‘crimes against humanity’, says Bility
By Paul Nicholson
February 8 – Early reports of the independent audit of Confederation of African Football (CAF) finances for the period 2017 to 2019 looks likely to be the long overdue dynamite that explodes both the term of CAF president Ahmad Ahmad, as well as many of his most trusted and protected lieutenants.
Flamengo shuts victims’ families out of remembrance events
February 10 – On Saturday, on the first anniversary of the fatal fire at Flamengo’s training complex that killed 10 youth players, the Rio club excluded families of the victims from participating in remembrance events. Flamengo fans today will protest at the club’s headquarter to express their disapproval.
Brazil squeeze through qualifiers to defend Olympic title in Japan
February 10 – Defending champions Brazil have qualified for the Olympic Games in Tokyo this summer after overcoming rivals Argentina 3-0 in a crunch qualifier. The Argentineans had already booked their ticket.
Portuguese police probe Mendes for tax fraud, say reports
February 10 – Portuguese super-agent Jorge Mendes (pictured), who represents some of football’s biggest names, is among a number high-profile figures being investigated in his homeland for alleged tax fraud and money laundering according to Portuguese publication Sabado.
Flamengo’s grieving families go uncompensated as club rakes in record revenues
By Samindra Kunti
February 7 – A year after the fatal fire at the Ninho do Urubu, Flamengo’s training centre, the families of seven victims remain entangled in a legal battle over compensation.