Atletico Madrid secure Ottawa franchise for CPL’s second season
January 30 – The Canadian Premier League (CPL) has green lighted an Ottawa franchise team run by Spanish club Atletico Madrid.
World Football
Canada’s Sinclair creates history, smashing world scoring record
January 30 – Forget the US women superstars, it is Canada’s Christine Sinclair’s name will now be etched into the record books. On Wednesday, the Canadian striker scored twice in a 11-0 win over Saint Kitts and Nevis in Olympic qualifying to become the all-time top scorer in international football, surpassing previous record holder Abby Wambach of the United States.
Gold Cup 2021 qualifiers see Trinidad, Guatemala and Haiti still battling for slots
January 30 – With 12 teams now qualified for the 2021 Gold Cup – the 16th edition of Concacaf’s blue riband national men’s team competition – the draw for the play-offs for the final four spots has been released. The deciders will be via elimination rounds in the March 2020 international window before a final round of play-offs in June 2020.
Manchester City fans fly into trouble with Munich air crash taunt
January 30 – Manchester’s two rival clubs face being sanctioned after tensions ran high between both sets of supporters during their League semi-final second leg tie on Wednesday.
Samoura unclear of her future as FIFA’s African overseer
January 29 – FIFA Secretary General Fatma Samoura is refusing to say whether her remit for getting African football’s house in order will continue after her six-month contract runs out on February 1.
Belgian corruption probe sees police swoop on home of Standard Liege chairman Venanzi
By Samindra Kunti
January 29 – Belgian police swooped on the home of Standard Liege chairman Bruno Venanzi (pictured) and carried out searches at the club’s stadium Sclessin on Wednesday morning as part of the investigation into football agent Christophe Henrotay.
Cardiff City urge French prosecutor to look into Sala plane crash
January 29 – The repercussions of the tragic death almost exactly one year ago of Argentine striker Emiliano Sala are again making headlines for all the wrong reasons with buying club Cardiff City urging legal proceedings against selling club Nantes.
Bility battles at CAS for appeal hearing dates as CAF Congress nears and FIFA seeks to delay
By Osasu Obayiuwana
January 28 – The fight of Musa Bility, the former Liberia FA President, to overturn his 10-year FIFA ban, at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), has taken a new turn, with both parties yet to agree on a hearing date for the appeal.
Eintracht Frankfurt post-humously strip Gramlich of honorary title over historic Nazi links
January 28 – German top-flight club Eintracht Frankfurt have post-humously stripped their former president Rudolf Gramlich, who was in charge when they won their only league title in 1959 and the following year when they contested the European Cup final, of an honorary title after discovering his involvement with the Nazis before and during the Second World War.
FOX grabs US rights to Concacaf’s top comps, starting with Japan 2020 qualifiers tonight
January 28 – FOX Sports in the US have swept up a premium package of broadcast rights from Concacaf including the Women’s Olympic Qualifiers that kick off tonight with Costa Rica vs Panama and the US vs Haiti.
Chagos Islands face ‘Group of Death’ at World Football Cup in Skopje
By David Owen
January 27 – Holders Kárpátalja face a typically eclectic group as they bid to win a second consecutive World Football Cup later this year in the North Macedonian capital of Skopje.
China’s Ke Hua Sports steps in with cash at Lokeren but deal raises integrity alarm bells
January 27 – Belgian second-division club Sporting Lokeren has partnered with Chinese consortium Ke Hua Sports in a bid to stave off relegation, but the move has raised eyebrows over the integrity surrounding the deal.
Irish call up Quinn for deputy CEO role
January 27 – Former Republic of Ireland striker Niall Quinn (pictured), one of the most respected figures in Irish football, has been appointed as the Football Association of Ireland’s (FAI) interim deputy chief executive as the federation strives to regain its credibility and reputation.
Games postponed after attack leaves semi-pro player dead
January 27 – Three men have been arrested after an English part-time footballer died following an assault in Retford in the east midlands area of the country.
BeneLiga talks progress as report suggests league could generate €400m in rights fees
January 24 – A Deloitte study suggests the BeneLiga could generate up to €400 million, reinforcing the idea of a future merger between the Belgian and Dutch top flights into a single more competitive and powerful league.