Garber tells Beckham to speed up his Miami MLS franchise plans
December 4 – David Beckham has been urged by Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber to start making firm progress over establishing his Miami-based franchise.
World Football
AFCON draw turns focus back on to CAF’s January showpiece
December 4 – After months of turmoil and tension surrounding the venue for January’s Africa Cup of Nations, the tournament has finally got down to the real business of the draw, throwing up a juicy group of death.
Bayern is world’s biggest club, by membership
December 4 – FC Bayern Munich is the world’s biggest club if you take into account membership numbers only. Portugal’s Benfica comes second, followed by FC Barcelona, Schalke 04 and Borussia Dortmund.
UEFA meet to decide National League format
December 3 – The exact format of UEFA’s new Nations League competition tops the agenda at this week’s executive committee meeting at their Swiss headquarters.
Greek tragedy adds new twist with FIFA and UEFA warning to clubs
By Mark Baber
December 3 – FIFA and UEFA have reportedly sent a joint letter to the Hellenic Football Federation (EPO) warning that proposed government legislation, which is aimed at tackling the serious problem of corruption and match-fixing in Greek football, constitutes an unacceptable involvement of the state in football and would lead to the country being banned from international competitions.
Spanish promise crackdown to expel Ultra groups from stadiums
By Mark Baber
December 2 – The death of Deportivo de La Coruña fan Francisco José Romero Taboada before the match between and Atlético de Madrid on Sunday has dominated Spain’s news agenda, with the Spanish government saying the death marks a watershed and Ultra groups will be banned from stadiums.
Bayern Munich’s Andreas Jung on business, Dortmund and Hoeness
By Mathias Frohnapfel
December 2 – In an interview with our associated company, SPORT1, Bayern Munich’s commercial chief and board member Andreas Jung spoke about shirt sales, the Dortmund rivalry, the rise of Leipzig and Uli Hoeness. Jung was speaking before the meeting of Bayern club members last week.
Slovakia’s AS Trencin eyes new €6.3m stadium
By Jaroslaw Adamowski
December 2 – Slovakian top tier club has started demolishing work at its stadium to make space for a new ground. The total cost of the redevelopment is estimated to be about €6.3 million.
Now who’s sacking who? Leeds’ maverick owner Cellino kicked out by league
By Andrew Warshaw
December 2 – The turmoil that surrounds Leeds United, one of the most iconic clubs in English football, has deepened further after Italian entrepreneur Massimo Cellino was disqualified from owning the club – seven months after taking over.
Emirates boards AC Milan for another 5 years and €85m
By Paul Nicholson
December 2 – AC Milan have renewed their shirt sponsorship deal with Emirates airline in a five-year deal reported to be worth €85 million.
Niersback pushes Qatar on labour reform and hints at UEFA challenger to Blatter
December 1 – Wolfgang Niersbach, the German FA president who is being touted as a future president of UEFA or FIFA, has called for a deadline to be placed on 2022 World Cup hosts Qatar to prove it is making progress with reforming its workers’ rights policy.
Salman to support Blatter next May and reminds AFC to follow
By Andrew Warshaw
December 1 – Asian football’s entire membership has been urged by their president to vote for Sepp Blatter at next year’s FIFA election despite the deepening crisis over the 2018 and 2022 World Cup anti- corruption probe.
Fan violence in Madrid leads to death of Deportivo fan
December 1 – Spanish football is reeling from the death of a Deportivo La Coruna fan after violent clashes ahead of the weekend visit to champions Atletico Madrid.
Palestine’s Rajoub says it’s time to red card Israel from world football
By Andrew Warshaw
December 1 – The head of Palestinian football has gone back on the offensive against Israel, calling on FIFA to issue sanctions following last week’s raid on the West Bank offices of the Palestinian federation.
Exclusive: AFC letter warns candidates off electioneering at 60th celebrations
By Andrew Warshaw
November 28 – Delegates attending this weekend’s 60th anniversary of the Asian Football Confederation have been banned from any political electioneering at the gala celebrations to which all 47 federations have been invited, along with FIFA president Sepp Blatter and a host of other dignatories.