Fans spend €1.3bn in Russia during World Cup 2018
By Paul Nicholson
July 20 – Overseas fans in Russia for the World Cup spent about €1.3 billion between June 14 and July 16, according to a report by Russia’s Sberbank.
Russia 2018 scored A+ for medical provision – FIFA
By David Owen
July 20 – The chairman of FIFA’s medical committee has described medical provision during Russia 2018 as the best he has experienced in 10 World Cups.
Amazon builds its football presence with dedicated on-line Napoli store
July 20 – US digital giant Amazon is inserting itself deeper and deeper into football’s economic foodchain with the launch by Serie A’s Napoli of its own store on the ecommerce platform.
Klopp picks through the bones of an increasingly crowded international calendar
July 20 – Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp says the gruelling demands of international football are getting so serious that clubs will soon be “collecting the bones” of overworked players.
FIFA issues fines to non-paying clubs failing to follow the rules, and rulings
July 20 – Clubs from Russia and Qatar, World Cup hosts past and future, are among six fined by FIFA and warned they risk one-year transfer bans for failing to settle debts to players.
Hannover 96 vow to overturn ‘incomprehensible’ 50+1 DFL ruling
July 20 – Hannover 96 failed in its bid to get an exemption from Germany’s 50+1 ruling to allow the Bundlesliga club’s president Martin Kind (pictured) to take control, but has said it will appeal against the German Football League (DFL) ruling.
Israeli siding with Saudi? Politico jumps on wearied anti-Qatar bandwagon
July 20 – An Israeli lawmaker close to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has sent an open letter to FIFA urging it to strip Qatar of 2022 World Cup hosting rights because of its alleged support for Hezbollah and Hamas, regarded by Israel and others as terrorist organisations.
Hong Kong logistics firm Royale admitted to the Crystal Palace
July 20 – Asian sponsors for Premier League clubs have generally been from the betting industry unless local sponsors. Crystal Palace have expanded away from the betting sponsor focus with a global partnership with Hong Kong logistics brand Royale International.
Mbappé tops U21 ranking, more than double the value of Rashford and Jesus
July 19 – France’s standout forward Kylian Mbappé is the most valuable under 21 player in the world, twice as valuable as England striker Marcus Rashford, according to a new report that values Mbappé at £170.2 million.
Ghanaian club boss warns government to stay out of election for new FA chief
July 19 – The head of Ghana’s League Clubs Association (GHALCA), Kudjoe Fianoo (pictured), has urged the government not to attempt to impose its own preferred candidate on the national federation as talks continue to find a successor to disgraced former African powerbroker Kwesi Nyantakyi.
French World Cup win sparks ugly series of racist innuendos
July 19 – France’s victory in the World Cup may have “given the country optimism”, according to President Emmanuel Macron, but elsewhere it has sparked an unsavoury and unnecessary atmosphere of racism.
Chelsea legend Gianfranco Zola returns as Sarri’s assistant
July 19 – Former Chelsea and Italy striker Gianfranco Zola, who made 312 league and cup appearances for the club, has returned as assistant to new manager Maurizio Sarri.
Name drain. £450K and still no sponsor partner for West Ham’s London Stadium
July 19 – Nearly £450,000 of taxpayers’ money has been spent trying to find a sponsor for West Ham United’s London Stadium, formerly the capital’s Olympic stadium, according to reports.
MLS’s D.C. United add USL affiliate Loudoun United for 2019 kick-off
July 19 – The USL has announced a seventh and final new club for the 2019 season. Loudoun United, based in Loudoun County, Virginia, will play in the USL’s Eastern Conference and will be a subsidiary of MLS’s D.C. United which has just signed Wayne Rooney on a three-year deal.
Goals Soccer Centres warns investors UK’s extreme weather will impact year end results
July 19 – Goals Soccer Centres has warned that the impact of extreme weather in the UK in first quarter of 2018 will leave full year financial results “materially below market expectations”.