ITV looks to Euro 2016 to boost flat advertising performance
By Mark Baber
March 3 – UK broadcaster ITV is banking on the Euro 2016 Tournament in France to boost its ad revenues after a flat performance in the first quarter.
World Football
Match-fixing suspicions grow in Belgium as second game is identified
By Samindra Kunti
March 3 – A Belgian top-flight match between KV Oostende vs Waasland-Beveren has been identified in a German TV documentary as showing signs of betting related match-fixing. The new revelations cast what is becoming a growing shadow over Belgium’s Jupiler Pro League.
Leaderless UEFA needs Platini to step aside, says Germany’s Rauball
By Andrew Warshaw
March 3 – Michel Platini should throw in the towel and step down as UEFA president as soon as possible in order to avoid a leadership vacuum, according to the boss of the German FA.
UEFA bans Galatasaray from Europe after failure to meet FFP rules
March 3 – In a firm statement of intent, UEFA have thrown Galatasaray out of European competition for a year for breaching financial fair play rules.
English clubs hold Super League breakaway talks in London with US backer
By Andrew Warshaw
March 3 – The spectre of a breakaway European super league has been rekindled after reports that secret talks had taken place on a new closed-shop competition featuring the Continent’s biggest clubs.
100-day countdown to EURO2016 begins with French focus on security and legacy
By Samindra Kunti
March 2 – EURO2016 preparations are gaining speed across France as the hosts celebrate a milestone 100 days to go until the kick-off of this summer’s big football tournament, but security remains a top concern for the organisers.
Guatemala send on-the-run football boss Jimenez to face US justice over $200K bribes
By Mark Baber
March 2 – Former Guatemalan Football Federation president and member of FIFA’s Committee for Fair Play and Social Responsibility Brayan Jimenez was extradited on a commercial flight from La Aurora airport to the US on Tuesday to face charges of corruption, money laundering, fraud and embezzlement.
Belgian club calls for betting investigation after players admit to gambling
By Samindra Kunti
March 1 – Belgian top-flight club Oud-Heverlee Leuven has demanded that UEFA monitor a number of its games after a number of its players were named as having potentially gambled on matches.
Russian roulette? How FIFA dodged the Kuwait/Indonesian vote bullet
By Andrew Warshaw
March 1 – What would have happened if only one or two votes had separated the winner and runner-up in Friday’s FIFA election vote?
Sandrock quits German FA as DFB prepares for new president and 2006 bid report
By Andrew Warshaw
March 1 – Just a few days before the release of an eagerly awaited internal report into slush fund allegations surrounding Germany’s successful 2006 World Cup bid, another senior German FA official has left his position, fuelling speculation that the report could produce explosive findings.
Greece’s Theodoridis favourite to reach Olympian heights at UEFA
By Andrew Warshaw
March 1 – UEFA are set to appoint Theodore Theodoridis as their interim general secretary to replace Gianni Infantino later this week, a somewhat controversial choice given his family’s alleged links with match-fixing.
Spurs’ Dele Alli racks up the mileage to head his year group across Europe
February 29 – A ranking of the players who have made the most domestic league appearances since the start of their adult career shows English Premier League players occupying 15 of the 20 age group categories.
Olympiacos in suspicious Europa League match as RTL ask the Marinakis-question
By Matt Scott
February 29 – The Northern Irish referee Arnold Hunter has been drawn in to the match-fixing scandal surrounding Olympiacos over his performance in Anderlecht’s 2-1 Europa League win over the Greek champions last Thursday night.
Infantino sticks by non-European as his number two
By Andrew Warshaw in Zurich
February 26- New Fifa president Gianni Infantino says he will stick to his manifesto pledge to appoint a non-European as his general secretary – throwing into question the position of Markus Kattner who is currently doing the job.
World League Forum is born and immediately heads for the top table
By Paul Nicholson in Zurich
February 26 – FIFA found out yesterday that it had a new stakeholder. The World League Forum officially announced its formation with French Football League President Frédéric Thiriez (pictured), saying: “We want to participate constructively in the reconstruction of FIFA.” The new groups aim is a seat on FIFA’s new governing council.