Aussies deny bid rules were broken with its financial support programme
By Andrew Warshaw
June 4 – The Australian football federation (FFA) has denied any wrongdoing in its failed bid for the 2022 World Cup, insisting it broke no FIFA rules.
World Football
Platini dismisses reports linking him to Qatar 2022 vote buying allegations
By Andrew Warshaw
June 4 – UEFA president Michel Platini has hit back forcefully at reports linking him to corruption allegations over Qatar’s victorious 2022 World Cup bid. Hours after INSIDEworldfootball exclusively quoted a source close to Platini that discussions the Frenchman held with disgraced former Qatari powerbroker Mohamed bin Hammam were solely about bin Hamman’s efforts to secure a rival to Sepp Blatter for the FIFA presidency and nothing to do with 2022,
Barcelona back in Spanish court over Neymar tax evasion case
June 4 – Spanish tax authorities have re-opened the Neymar tax case by claiming Barcelona have evaded a payment of €9.2 million in the signing of Brazilian World Cup superstar.
Czech league swaps beer brand Gambrinus for betting brand Synot as title sponsor
By Jaroslaw Adamowski
June 4 – Czech football association FACR has signed a sponsorship deal with betting operator Synot which will replace the Gambrinus beer brand as the title sponsor of the country’s top tier league.
It worked for Stade, now Real Madrid pick a pink away strip
By David Owen
June 3 – Real Madrid appear to have taken a leaf out of French rugby club Stade Français’s marketing handbook, introducing a pink change strip for the 2014-15 season.
FIFA match-fixing report slams South Africa over pre-2010 deal
June 3- A investigative report by FIFA has found that at least five international friendlies in South Africa just before the 2010 World Cup were fixed, according to the New York Times.
Hoeness starts his jail sentence for tax evasion
By Andrew Warshaw
June 3 – Former Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness, whose fall from grace as one of European club football’s most influential administrators has been well chronicled, has begun serving his three years and six months jail sentence for tax evasion.
Bulgarian industrialist saves CSKA Sofia from the brink of bankruptcy
By Alexander Krassimirov
June 3 – After its failed attempt at becoming a publicly-owned company on the Bulgarian Stock Exchange, CSKA Sofia looks to have dragged itself away from the possibility of bankruptcy with the appointment of one of Bulgaria’s biggest businessmen, Petar Mandjukov (pictured), to the board.
Palestinians win AFC Challenge Cup but still battle for the right to play
By Mark Baber
June 2 – Palestine’s national football team won their first ever international trophy on Friday – lifting the Asia Challenge Cup in the Maldives after defeating the Philippines 1-0. The win secures a place in next year’s AFC Asia Cup to be held in Australia and underlines the urgency of FIFA efforts to ensure an accommodation is reached between Israel and Palestine in order to allow Palestinian football to be played,
Pele’s son jailed, pending appeal, for 33 years for money laundering
June 2 – One of Brazilian football legend Pele’s seven children has been sentenced to 33 years in prison for laundering money for drug traffickers. Edson Cholbi Nascimento, known as Edinho, denies the charges, which date from 2005, and will reportedly be allowed to remain free pending appeal.
Chileans mine rich seam of World Cup support
By David Owen
June 1 – Chile is better known for its copper than its football. So it is fitting that the industry should be providing a rich seam of support for Alexis Sánchez and the rest of the country’s World Cup squad as they make final preparations for Brazil.
Winning is good but World Cup runner up is bad for business, says Goldman Sachs
By Ben Nicholson
May 30 – Investment bank Goldman Sachs has produced a report, entitled ‘The World Cup and Economics 2014′. The report analyses the previous stock performance of host, winning, and runner-up World Cup nations, as well as providing a statistical review of each teams’ chances of progressing.
Puma: ‘World’s Fastest’ brand holds back for post-World Cup ad campaign
By Mark Baber
May 30 – With Adidas an official sponsor of the World Cup and Nike topping the viral charts with its video marketing campaign, Puma have taken a different track to global domination – their World Cup marketing will get underway AFTER the tournament is over, and just prior to the start of the school year.
Inaugural CFU Women’s Cup lays groundwork despite unforeseen setbacks
By Paul Nicholson
May 30 – Group 4 of the Women’s CFU Cup, the inaugural Caribbean Football Union event for senior women, kicks off today in Haiti. To date the tournament is being hailed a success despite the unforeseen withdrawals of Dominica, Guadeloupe and now Anguilla.
Belgium’s Zulte-Waregem preps for Euro competition with stadium refurb
By Jaroslaw Adamowski
May 30 – Zulte-Waregem has launched a construction project to modernise and expand its Regenboogs stadium in the Belgian city of Waregem. Zule-Waregem finished the Jupiler League in fourth place, beaten by RSC Anderlecht, Standard Liege and FC Bruges.