By Mark Baber
December 11 – Turkish footballers and fans protested US President Trump’s controversial recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, unfurling pro-Palestine banners at domestic football matches.
By Paul Nicholson
December 11 – Toronto FC have created their own piece of history becoming the first Canadian team to win the MLS Cup and the first team to win the treble of domestic honours. The final also gave the opportunity for the United 2026 World Cup bid of Canada, Mexico and the US to promise a 2026 finals that will be bigger, better and more.
December 12 – Further pressure is growing on Zimbabwean football boss Philip Chiyangwa, an ally of FIFA president Gianni Infantino, after his leadership came under a strongly worded attack from former Zimbabwe FA (ZIFA) chief executive Jonathan Mashingaidze.
By Andrew Warshaw
December 8 – And then there were 12. If UEFA’s decision to drop Brussels as one of the 13 original hosts of Euro 2020 was widely anticipated, handing Wembley the four matches the Belgian capital would otherwise have staged is hard to justify in terms of what the tournament is supposed to stand for.
December 8 – UEFA has set the seedings for the inaugural Nations League draw on January 24 with Germany, Portugal, Belgium and Spain in Pot 1 of League A. England are in Pot 2 of the same league.
December 8 – Cristiano Ronaldo was awarded the Ballon d‘Or for world player of the year on Thursday for a joint-record fifth time, equalling the feat of Lionel Messi.
December 8 – Hope Solo, the United States’ World Cup-winning goalkeeper, has thrown her hat into the ring for presidency of the US Soccer Federation, taking the number of declared candidates to eight.
December 8 – Nottingham Forest have announced they will include as part of their diversity programme an initiative to embrace the Jamaican diaspora in Nottingham and the contribution they have made to the city.
December 7 – The president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Amaju Pinnick, has apologised for neglecting Nigeria’s women national team. The Super Falcons haven’t played a single match since winning the 2016 African Women Cup of Nations (AWCON).
December 7 – Are English transfer fees at last paying off at European level after Premier League clubs made Champions League history?
December 5 – After considerable reflection Sunil Gulati has ruled himself out of contesting the presidential election for the US Soccer Federation (USSF). Gulati is standing aside after the United States’ abject failure to qualify for the 2018 World Cup and having been head of the USSF for 12 years.
December 5 – For the second time this year, a bronze statue of Argentine superstar Lionel Messi has been vandalised in Buenos Aires with the motive unclear.
By Andrew Warshaw
December 4 – Brussels looks set to stripped as a host city for Euro 2020 this week with Stockholm likely to be parachuted in as a replacement.
December 4 – The conduct of Zimbabwean football boss Philip Chiyangwa (pictured), an ally of FIFA president Gianni Infantino, has been called into question in his own country amid allegations of corruption.
December 1 – The African Football Confederation (CAF) has granted financial subsidies of $500,000 to each of its qualified countries to help prepare their teams for the Russia 2018 World Cup.