Saudi’s MBS says no deal on Man Utd £3.8bn takeover rumour
February 19 – Saudi Arabia Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman is not planning a £3.8bn takeover of Manchester United according to his media minister.
Esports betting to hit $12.9bn in 2019, revenues to reach $1.38bn in 2021
February 19 – Betting on esports is estimated to grow to a massive $12.9 billion by the end of this year. That is more than double the figure of $5.5 billion in 2016 and puts the esports business firmly in competition with other forms of online betting.
US set to get new third-tier pro league as NISA provisionally given OK
February 19 – The US looks set to get a second third tier professional league after the United States Soccer Federation provisionally sanctioned the National Independent Soccer Association (NISA) as a Professional Soccer League.
Italy’s Pro Piacenza kicked out of Serie C after 7-man farce
February 19 – An Italian third division club which cobbled together a seven-man team in order to avoid being thrown out of the league and promptly lost 20-0 has been booted out anyway despite fulfilling their promise to fulfil the fixture.
EFL fines Leeds £200K over spy captured by Derby’s intelligence services
February 19 – English second tier front-runners Leeds United have been fined £200,000 by the English Football League and given a formal reprimand over the so-called ‘spygate’ affair in January.
EFL lands Thai Airways extension to cover Wembley finals
February 19 – The English Football League (EFL) has extended its partnership with Thai Airways of the EFL’s five finals, the first of which – the Carabao Cup – will be played between Chelsea and Manchester City next weekend at Wembley.
Ahmad dismisses Bility accusations saying only he is ‘mandated’ to make the big decisions
By Andrew Warshaw
February 18 – Under-fire Confederation of African Football president Ahmad has broken his silence over the fierce criticism levelled at him by former Liberian FA boss Musa Bility.
CAS ruling prevents UEFA reopening FFP case against Galatasary
By Andrew Warshaw
February 18 – In a potentially significant ruling in terms of UEFA’s determination to make sure clubs balance their books, Galatasaray have won a landmark appeal to block a further investigation of their compliance with financial fair play.
With Miami deadline approaching Infantino keeps up drum roll for 48-team 2022
February 18 – Gianni Infantino is repeating the same rhetoric ahead of next month’s decision-making FIFA Council session in Miami saying he is “optimistic” about expanding the 2022 World Cup in Qatar to 48 teams but warned that it would “not be easy”.
UEFA lodges Nations League trademarks in the US and Europe
February 18 – UEFA has registered a logo and a trademark related to the Nations League in its ongoing feud with FIFA over new competitions that would reshape the football landscape.
Real Madrid secure €575m loan to redevelop Bernabeu stadium
February 18 – Real Madrid have taken a step closer to redeveloping the Santiago Bernabeu stadium after Merrill Lynch and JP Morgan agreed loans of €575 million ($650 million) for the project.
Barca and Real Madrid rank top for developing players, Man Utd 4th
February 18 – Players who have developed through the Barcelona or Real Madrid academies are far more likely to have careers in Europe’s Big 5 leagues than players developed anywhere else in Europe.
Qatar-shirt wearing British fan returned to UK from UAE to lick his wounds
February 18 – A British fan who was detained whilst on holiday in the United Arab Emirates for wearing a Qatari football shirt says he was convinced he was going to be killed.
Premier League clubs sign up for sponsorship evaluation conference
February 18 – More than half of the English Premier League clubs have signed up to the first SPONSORSHIP ROI EXPOSED conference dedicated to understanding how to report the value of partnerships and sponsorship.
FIGC fury as Pro Piacenza’s unlucky 7 lose 20-0 in Italy’s third tier
February 18 – A financially destitute Italian third-tier club is under fire for fielding just seven players at the weekend and losing 20-0 in the process – the worst trouncing in the league’s history.