Bulgaria’s Hristo Botev stadium revamp achieves UEFA Category IV status
October 10 – Botev Plovdiv’s Hristo Botev stadium has become just the third venue in the country to achieve a category 4 classification by UEFA.
World Football
Klopp returns to football as Red Bull’s head of global soccer
October 9 – Former Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund manager Jurgen Klopp has been appointed global head of soccer at Red Bull as he returns to football just three months after an emotional departure from Merseyside.
Konate supports strike to force a solution to overloaded schedule
October 9 – France and Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate (pictured) has become the latest player to speak out against the packed fixture schedule, saying he supports the right to strike.
Belgian Pro League invests in major data ecosystem to support clubs
October 9 – The Belgian Pro League has announced a series of major technological investments aimed at boosting its position in European football, with innovations focused on semi-automated offside technology, advanced data collection across all levels of the game, and precision limb-tracking.
ECA provides Greeks with support fund to help restore fire-damaged sports facilities
October 9 – The European Club Association (ECA) has organised a charity initiative in collaboration with non-profit organisations Eleven Campaign and Desmos, to support recovery projects for Greek communities and sporting facilities affected by this summer’s wildfires.
Spanish maestro Andrés Iniesta calls time on his world beating career, aged 40
October 9 – Spanish and former Barcelona legend, Andrés Iniesta, 40 has officially announced his retirement after 22 years of playing some of the most artistic football the world has ever seen.
Cleveland favourites to land 16th NWSL franchise
October 9 – The growth of the National Women Soccer League (NWSL) continues at breakneck speed. Hot on the heels of a Boston consortium paying $53 million for the rights to start a franchise in ‘Beantown’, the city of Cleveland is expected to be selected as the league’s 16th team.
Berhalter back in business with MLS’s Chicago Fire
October 9 – Former U.S. men’s national team head coach Gregg Berhalter, who was fired after a disastrous performance by the USMNT in this summer’s Copa America has landed in Chicago.
African officials and member associations warned not to be ‘complicit in the suicide of CAF’
October 7 – A letter sent to members of the executive committee of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and which has been circulated around member associations has caused concern and fear in Africa’s national associations over the ongoing future of CAF, and Africa’s right to govern its own football eco-system within Africa.
LAFC takes an ownership position in stadium sharing NWSL side Angel City FC
October 8 – The two most valuable men’s and women’s soccer clubs in America have joined forces.
MLS attendances break records, busting the 11m barrier with 16 games still to play
October 8 – With 16 matches of the regular season still left to play, Major League Soccer has announced a new league attendance record of more than 11 million fans.
Dutch legend Johan Neeskens dies, aged 73
October 8 – Johan Neeskens, part of the Ajax and Netherlands teams that created “total football” in the 1970s and a key team-mate of Johan Cruyff, has died aged 73.
AC Milan launch Hall of Fame as part of 125th anniversary celebrations
October 8 – AC Milan has announced the launch a Hall of Fame, in tandem with premium sponsor partner Emirates, as part of the club’s 125th-anniversary celebrations.
No Angels. NWSL’s LA powerhouse fined for breaking salary caps, top execs sanctioned
October 8 – Late last week the NWSL (National Women’s Soccer League) announced that Angel City FC would be punished for circumventing the league rules around salary caps.
French fans critical of Mbappe for putting club before country
October 7 – Rarely out of the news, French superstar Kylian Mbappe is facing criticism for skipping Les Bleus’ Nations League games against Israel and Belgium while still being available to play for Real Madrid.