Barca-Osasuna match called off after sudden death of team doctor
March 10 – Barcelona’s home game against Osasuna in the Spanish league was postponed on Saturday after the death of first-team doctor Carles Miñarro Garcia.
World Football
Bulgaria’s Maritsa 1921 Plovdiv applies for Erasmus grant to drive digital learnings
March 10 – Bulgaria’s Maritsa 1921 Plovdiv is applying for a €450,000 Erasmus+ grant. The project, called Maritsa Tech Academy (MTA), aims to demonstrate the impact of technology on football, including AI-based analytics, digital refereeing, wearable GPS technologies, and sustainable sports solutions to improve performance, safety, and athlete development.
Germany launches Women’s EURO 2029 bid under ‘Together WE Rise’ banner
March 8 –The German Football Association (DFB) have chosen International Women’s Day (Saturday March 8) to officially launch their campaign to host the UEFA Women’s EURO 2029 under the campaign banner ‘Together WE Rise’.
As the rich get richer DFL boss Marc Lenz says game is teetering on the edge of competitive balance
March 7 – German Football League (DFL) chief Marc Lenz says global football is at a “crossroads” when it comes to competitive balance and the international calendar.
Back in Brazil, Neymar recalled for national team
March 7 – Brazil manager Dorival Junior has recalled former captain Neymar to the national team for World Cup qualifiers against Colombia and Argentina this month after an absence of more than a year.
Mexico and US plan pre-Gold Cup warm-ups as 14 nations battle for final seven slots
March 7 – Turkey and Switzerland will be the pre-Gold Cup warm-ups for Mexico and the USA before the Concacaf tournament kicks off this summer.
SoFi Stadium tests grass pitch build for Nations League finals ahead of World Cup 2026
March 7 – The SoFi Stadium in Hollywood Park is this week laying grass over the top of the NFL’s Los Angeles Rams pitch in preparation for the Concacaf Nations League finals that kick off March 20.
Toyota aim to drive Canadian women’s game with Northern Super League sponsorship
March 7 – Toyota Canada has joined forces with the Northern Super League (NSL) as its exclusive automotive partner, taking a huge step in supporting the growth of women’s soccer in the region.
Ghana FA renews sponsorship with Decathlon to develop the game from grassroots to elite
March 7 – The Ghana Football Association (GFA) has renewed its partnership with Decathlon Ghana, reaffirming a collaboration that has been a steady pillar of support for football development in the country over the past four years.
US Soccer changes youth age group dates from calendar year to school year
March 7 – Long rumored, and now official, US Club Soccer, US Youth Soccer and the American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO) have announced that they will be transitioning away from a mandated Birth Year age group policy, and into a more flexible policy starting with the 2026-27 season.
Lyon coach Paulo Fonseca banned for 9 months after going head-to-head with ref
March 6 – Referee abuse is on the rise in both professional and youth games, which is why it is imperative that the pros set a good example, however, that message didn’t get through to Lyon head coach, Paulo Fonseca.
Zingarevich, banned from entry to Bulgaria, delivers stinging attack on his losing players
March 7 – Botev Plovdiv owner Anton Zingarevich has published an open letter to players and staff expressing his outrage over the team’s results since the beginning of the year. Botev’s team has not yet won a single league match and was eliminated from the Bulgarian Cup by champions Ludogorets on penalties.
CSKA Sofia blast BFU over lenient punishment of Levski Sofia over Skarsem attack
March 6 – CSKA Sofia have criticised the Bulgarian Football Union’s (BFU) Disciplinary Committee for the “unequal” punishments it handed out following the club’s Eternal Derby with Levski Sofia last weekend, which was marred by misbehaviour by both sets of fans.
CONCACAF clears LAFC’s Palencia of ‘hate speech’ towards Colorado’s Awaziem
March 6 – CONCACAF has cleared LAFC defender Sergi Palencia of using discriminatory language towards Colorado Rapids defender Chidozie Awaziem in last month’s CONCACAF Champions Cup match.
FIFA pens Nouvobanq deal ahead of Beach Soccer World Cup
March 6 – FIFA has partnered with Seychelles banking entity Nouvobanq as a sponsor of this year’s Beach Soccer World Cup in the country.