Man City, Real Madrid and Spurs top FIFA 2018 World Cup club payouts
By Paul Nicholson
December 5 – FIFA has released details of more than $209 million in payouts to clubs worldwide for use of their players at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
Ceferin anti cross-confed bids for 2030; slams Aubameyang banana incident as ‘a disaster’
By Andrew Warshaw
December 4 – The race to host the 2030 World Cup, still in its early stage, has taken a potentially important twist with UEFA chief Aleksander Ceferin saying he would be against a cross-continental bid between, Spain, Portugal and Morocco.
Otro launches world’s biggest player driven digital fan club and content platform
December 4 -A new digital platform has launched curating content from some of the world’s biggest players that focusses on their lives off the pitch.
River Plate coach Gallardo adds voice to discontent over Copa Libertadores switch to Madrid
December 4 – As the search for a solution to the contentious Copa Libertadores second leg rumbles on, River Plate coach Marcelo Gallardo (pictured) has accused Conmebol of “robbing the fans” with its decision to move the twice postponed fixture to Madrid.
Barca and Liverpool lead ball-in-play stats but Bundesliga heads Big 5 league average
December 4 – Fans who want to see the ball in play get the best value of money in Europe’s Big 5 leagues if they watch the Bundesliga where the ball is in play on average 58.5% of the time. Sweden’s Allsvenskan tops the list of European leagues though with the ball in play 60.2% of the time.
Bundesliga’s Seifert takes chair from Premier League’s Scudamore at World League Forum
December 12 – Christian Seifert (pictured), CEO of the Bundesliga, is the new Chairman of the World Leagues Forum, appointed at the organisation’s annual meeting in Mexico City in succession to Richard Scudamore.
Modric doubles up with prestigious Ballon d’Or world, Ronaldo second, Messi 5th
December 4 – Real Madrid’s Croatian captain Luka Modric followed up his FIFA best player award by winning the prestigious Ballon d’Or on Monday, becoming the first player other than Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo to claim the award in more than a decade.
England to host Women’s Euro 2021
December 4 – UEFA has awarded the hosting of the Women’s Euro 2021 to England who were the only bidders for the tournament that was last held in France in 2017.
LaLiga and Chinese FA hook up to create permanent Madrid training centre
December 4 – The Chinese Football Association (CFA) has expanded its player development activity outside the country with the set up of a permanent training centre in Santo Domingo, Madrid, for its men’s and women’s teams.
Twerp Solveig asking Hegerberg to Twerk goes down like a lead Ballon d’Or
December 4 – As faux pas go, it was right up there with the most awkward. Monday’s Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris was in full swing and Norway forward Ada Hegerberg had just won the inaugural award for the best player in women’s football when the moment was tarnished by a moment of chauvanistic indiscretion.
‘Inshallah’ Gianni bangs his drum for expanding Qatar 2022 at G20 summit
By Paul Nicholson
December 3 – FIFA president, Gianni Infantino, addressed the G20 summit of world leaders at the weekend as a self proclaimed “simple citizen of the World” and proceeded to expound the virtues of football’s unifying powers and how great it would be if the Qatar 2022 World Cup could be expanded to more countries in the region, inshallah.
Nations League finalists drawn; UEFA confirms VAR I coming for Champion League last 16
December 3 – England will play the Netherlands and hosts Portugal take on Switzerland in the semi-final of the inaugural Nations League following the draw made today.
CAF strip Cameroon of AFCON 2019 hosting; Morocco and SA want the gig
By Andrew Warshaw
December 3 – After insisting there was no plan B and promising only last month that his organisation had “never thought about” an alternative venue, African football chief Ahmad Ahmad has bowed to growing pressure and stripped Cameroon of hosting rights for next year’s African Cup of Nations.
UEFA expands European horizons with go-ahead for third club competition from 2021
December 3 – UEFA have confirmed plans for a ground-breaking third club competition to sit below the Champions League and Europa League from 2021.
AFC widens investigation into abuse of Afghan women national team players
December 3 – The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has widened its investigation into complaints of discrimination within the Afghanistan Football Federation (AFF) following new allegations of sexual and physical abuse.