By Andrew Warshaw
June 2 – France’s attempt at a harmonious build-up to the start of Euro 2016 has been rocked after star striker Karim Benzema lashed out at coach Didier Deschamps for “bowing to the pressure of a racist part of France” when omitting him from the hosts’ squad.
June 2 – Chinese retailer Suning Commerce is reportedly close to buying a 60% stake in Inter Milan, the latest foray into European football by Chinese investors.
By David Owen
June 2 – Aggregate revenues of clubs in the Big Five European leagues are expected to exceed €15 billion by the end of next season due in part to the new cycle of Premier League TV deals, according to the latest Annual Review of Football Finance just published by Deloitte, the professional services firm.
By Samindra Kunti
June 1 – Argentina will be playing in the Copa Centenario this month after the federation withdrew a threat that it will pull its team out in protest against government intervention in the running of the country’s football association. Argentina FA (AFA) president Luis Segura, speaking in Buenos Aires, said that the team would remain in its California training base and would not be flying home.
June 1 – England fans have reacted with bemusement – some with incredulity – after Danny Drinkwater, one of the stars of Leicester City’s miraculous title-winning season, was left out of the England squad for Euro 2016 whilst a player who managed just three league games because of injury was included.
June 1- The Kick It Out anti-discrimination body is calling on fans at Euro 2016 to flag up any abuse of players on social media. Dubbed ‘Klick It Out’, the campaign is seeking to raise awareness of online abuse within football.
By Paul Nicholson
June 1 – The newly launched Elite National Premier League (ENPL) will complement the newly activated USSF Development Academy (DA) programme and league, not detract from it, says Kevin Payne, CEO of US Club Soccer, one of the founding organisations of the new national league alongside the Elite Clubs National League (ENCL).
May 31 – Racial tension is building in Germany ahead of next month’s Euros in France after a right-wing politician’s incendiary comments about international defender Jerome Boateng whose father is from Ghana.
By Samindra Kunti
May 31 – Austrian topflight club FC Admira Wacker Mödling and Swiss start-up kickrs.net have teamed up to crowd-fund the development of the club’s youth academy.
By Paul Nicholson
May 30 – The Elite Clubs National League (ECNL) and US Club Soccer have combined to launch a new national competition platform for boys that will challenge the national US Academy competition that the US Soccer Federation has been promoting to clubs across the country.
By Andrew Warshaw
May 30 – Nobody remembers the losers. Real Madrid may have collected Europe’s elite club trophy for the 11th time on Saturday but for millions of neutrals watching round the world on television, the sight of Atletico Madrid’s crestfallen supporters in the San Siro told a far more potent story.
By Samindra Kunti in Milan
May 27 – By the end of Saturday night the Champions League trophy will be returning to the Spanish capital as Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid contest club’s football richest game. The winner will bank a cool €15 million; the runner-up €10.5 million. The champions will also earn a ticket to the FIFA World Club Cup in Japan in December, where another €4.5 million is on offer for the winning finalist.
May 27 – UEFA Champions League sponsor Nissan have again delved into their ‘Excitement Index’ data to come up with a list of the most exciting moments and players so far this campaign.
May 27 – Unlike FIFA’s surprise announcement of its never-before-heard-of new general secretary recruited single-handedly by new president Gianni Infantino, CONCACAF’s new general secretary announced yesterday comes out a more rigorous recruitment process led by an executive search firm.
May 27 – Liverpool have been hit with a second UEFA fine in less than a week, this time for their fans letting off fireworks during their Europa League quarterfinal against Borussia Dortmund in April.