September 30 – The tax evasion case involving Lionel Messi and his father Jorge “should not take long” to be resolved, according to the Spanish Superior Court. Both appeared in court last Friday to face charges of evading €4.2 million in tax by filing incomplete returns for the years 2006 to 2009, allegations they deny but which have caused widespread consternation in Spain where the Argentine superstar is currently out injured.
By Andrew Warshaw
September 30 – FIFA has ordered Ukraine to play next month’s potentially decisive World Cup qualifier against Poland in Kharkiv behind closed doors after fans hurled racial abuse during the win over San Marino earlier this month. The country has also been banned from playing in the Arena Lviv stadium for the whole of the 2018 World Cup qualification programme.
By Andrew Warshaw
September 27 – Lionel Messi was in court today (pictured) to face charges of tax fraud that have caused widespread astonishment in Spain and cast a dark shadow over the Argentine superstar’s squeaky clean image as the world’s finest footballer.
By Andrew Warshaw
September 27 – Already thrown out of this season’s Europa League by UEFA over match-fixing, Besiktas have now been ordered by the Turkish football authorities to play four games behind closed doors as a result of the violence which caused last weekend’s Istanbul derby against bitter rivals Galatasaray to be abandoned.
By Mark Baber
September 26 – Cypriot football has been hit by the financial tsunami which has hit the island as the Ministry of Finance is expected to file charges against clubs’ non-payment of taxes, Separately the board of the CFA Championship has decided to cut the league to 12 teams from the current 14.
By Andrew Warshaw
September 26 – The group running the largest fan ownership in English football says it has proved its critics wrong in terms of being able to do the job.
By Andrew Warshaw
September 26 – In a significant breakthrough 20 months after the Port Said stadium disaster, Egypt’s national team will play in Cairo for the first time in two years when they take on Ghana on November 19 in the decisive second leg of their World Cup playoff.
September 25 – The Scottish Football Association say they’d willingly play the 2022 World Cup in winter, even “on the north pole”, if it meant them qualifying.
By Mark Baber
September 26 – Spanish football is developing ties with the Gulf State of Dubai and has announced plans for La Liga to open an office in the Dubai Airport Freezone (DAFZA). Dubai’s bid to host the World Expo 2020 is also being heavily promoted in Spanish stadiums.
By Andrew Warshaw
September 25 – A group of more than 70 players from Brazil’s top two soccer leagues say their health could be at risk because of fixture congestion to accommodate the 2014 World Cup.
By Andrew Warshaw
September 25 – The Malaysian alleged to have been the middle man in Australia’s match-fixing scandal has been denied bail in a Melbourne court for being a possible flight risk, according to local reports.
By Mark Baber
September 25 – Electronic Arts’ (EA) FIFA 14 became available in America on Tuesday. The new version of the game features improved and more realistic physics as well as new team and multi-player modes. Initial market reaction was positive with EA shares up 1.37% on the day to $26.55.
By Andrew Warshaw
September 25 – The recent crackdown on match-fixing by authorities in Singapore has been hailed by Interpol as the biggest breakthrough to date in the global effort to catch the ringleaders. Singapore is one of the Asian nerve centres of the illegal practice from where games around the globe are manipulated.
By Andrew Warshaw
September 24 – In what is being flagged up as a case potentially as far-reaching as the Bosman ruling that changed the face of football, a journeyman English player is considering taking legal action against FIFA over what he claims are unfair restraints on player movement outside the transfer window.
By Mark Baber
September 24 – The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has confirmed the host countries for its upcoming competitions and the Moroccan host cities for the Africa Cup of Nations 2015.