November 27 – The Italian city of Genoa has offered to host the twice-postponed Copa Libertadores final between River Plate and Boca Juniors, stressing the role immigrants from the city had in founding the two Buenos Aires arch rivals.
By Paul Nicholson
November 27 – Sometimes life can really get you down. Arrest in your tax haven home, suspicion you have been turned over to the tune of $1 billion in a series of fraudulent art deals, and seeing the football club you rescued from bankruptcy sitting next to bottom of a league you were at the top of a year ago would be enough to make even the most happy clappy Russian billionaire a little fed up.
By Andrew Warshaw
November 26 – It should have been a celebration of the most prestigious and important club match of the entire South American football calendar, eagerly anticipated by millions of armchair television viewers as well as fans those of the two teams involved.
November 26 – Can there ever be redemption after losing a World Cup semi-final 7-1 on home soil? Perhaps not, but Luiz Felipe Scolari must have felt a measure of satisfaction as he led Palmeiras to the Brazilian championship on Sunday, just months after having joined the Sao Paulo club.
November 26 – Mali progressed to the knockout phase of the women’s African Cup of Nations for the first time in seven attempts at the expense of hosts Ghana in group A. Reigning champions Nigeria, South Africa and Cameroon complete the semi-final line-up.
By Paul Nicholson
November 23 – Dutch clubs in the Eredivisie have agreed a package of reform measures that will increase the revenue distribution amongst its clubs and a requirement for them to invest deeper in youth training programmes.
November 23 – On Saturday Argentina will come to a standstill as River Plate host Boca Juniors in the second leg of the Copa Libertadores final. A fortnight ago, the teams shared the spoils, 2-2.
By Andrew Warshaw
November 23 – One of Cyprus’ most iconic and celebrated players, Sevim Ebeoglu, who perhaps more than anyone epitomised what it would have meant for football on both sides of the divided island to be re-integrated, has died at the age of 87.
By Andrew Warshaw
November 22 – Evidence that Vitaly Mutko is back in favour within the Russian Football Union (RFU) hierarchy has been given further credence by the fact that he was present at the RFU’s executive committee meeting this week, having stepped aside from his role as president late last year.
November 22 – The Premier League is opposing a post-Brexit proposal by the English Football Association limiting the number of non-homegrown players clubs can include in their senior squads.
November 22 – English football’s players’ union boss Gordon Taylor has responded to growing criticism of his leadership by announcing “a full and open review” into his organisation.
By Andrew Warshaw
November 21 – Europe’s new Nations League competition, designed to do away with meaningless friendlies, has proven far more successful than UEFA imagined, according to UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin.
November 21 – UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has admitted that “weak” aspects of Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules are potentially allowing clubs to exploit loopholes and says the system will be tightened up.
November 21 – NISA – the National Independent Soccer Association – which will operate a third-tier professional league in the US, has announced a fourth club which will be based in Atlanta.
November 21 – UEFA looks set to fast-track the implementation of video assistant referees (VAR) for the knockout stages of this season’s Champions League after growing pressure to fall into line with most of Europe’s domestic leagues and following the system’s success at the World Cup.