Disgraced Ronaldinho cuts $200K deal to return home
August 25 – Brazilian footballer Ronaldinho has been released from house arrest in Paraguay after his detention for holding a forged passport after a local court accepted a plea deal.
South America
Calendar crunch: Brazil will not break club season for World Cup qualifiers or Copa America
By Samindra Kunti
August 24 – Next season’s Brazilian top flight will not pause for the 2021 Copa America, the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) has revealed after releasing next year’s calendar.
Brazil’s CBF play Russian Roulette with Covid as infected player numbers balloon
August 13 – Brazil’s CBF was forced to modify its medical protocol after positive coronavirus tests rocked the opening weekend of the country’s top flight, but, on Tuesday, four infected players were granted permission to play.
Concacaf gets creative with club competition restart dates, formats and venue options
August 10 – Concacaf has unveiled a plan to resume its suspended club competitions, though the exact dates and venue(s) for the final 11 games of the Champions League remain in limbo.
Conmebol secures cross border travel waivers facilitating Copa Libertadores and Sudamericana restart
August 7 – The coronavirus is still raging in South America, but clubs traveling for Copa Libertadores and Copa Sudamericana matches will not have to quarantine when crossing borders.
Colombian government says its ticket touting FA execs should be kicked out
July 23 – Colombia’s government says the national FA should kick out any officials deemed to have been found guilty of wrongdoing following a two-year investigation by the country’s business regulator into the resale of tickets for World Cup qualifiers at inflated prices.
Globo’s power under threat as CBF match schedule sees TV rights split
July 23 – The Brazilian FA (CBF) has published a tentative match calendar for the Brazilian top flight with a TV schedule that will intensify the on-going domestic TV rights battle.
Conmebol timetable Copa Libertadores for September behind closed doors
July 21 – The Copa Libertadores will return to action behind closed doors in September, six months after South America’s flagship competition was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic, Conmebol has announced.
Positive tests force Paraguay to delay restart of top league
July 20 – The long-awaited return of football in Paraguay has been set back after players from three different club tested positive for the coronavirus.
Colombian court fines FA bosses $4.6m over World Cup ticketing scam
July 7 – The Colombian Football Federation (FCF) and a raft of its most influential officials – including FIFA Council member Ramon Jesurun (pictured) – have been fined $4.6 million over a scam involving selling 2018 World Cup qualifying tickets at inflated prices.
Flamengo’s Youtube broadcast challenges law but pushes Globo to cancel Carioca contract
By Samindra Kunti
July 3 – In an unprecedented move, Brazilian broadcasting behemoth TV Globo has rescinded its contract with Rio de Janeiro’s state football federation after Flamengo streamed their match against Boa Vista on Youtube under a temporary federal rule introduced by Jair Bolsonaro.
Brazil’s Serie A schedules August start and unveils plans to play a full season
June 26 – The Brazilian FA (CBF) and local clubs are projecting an early August start and February finish for the national championship. The coronavirus pandemic prevented the top flight league from kicking off in May.
With Covid-19 rampant, Rio sports tribunal orders Fluminense and Botafogo to play
June 24 – Fluminense and Botafogo will return to action this weekend after accepting the decision of a local sports tribunal to reschedule the clubs’ matches to Sunday.
Rio mayor halts Carioca restart but Flamengo play on as Covid-19 deaths mount in Maracana field hospital
June 22 – Rio de Janeiro’s mayor Marcelo Crivella has suspended the local state championship until June 25 after Flamengo defeated Bangu and Portuguesa drew with Boavista in the middle of Brazil’s self-inflicted struggle with the coronavirus pandemic.
Flamengo and Rio mayor push on with restart despite other clubs refusing to play
June 18 – What Flamengo wants, Flamengo gets. The Brazilian champions have pressed on with ‘Project Restart’ for weeks and on Thursday they will play Bangu at the Maracana in the Carioca championship after the city’s mayor green-lighted the resumption of play.