Pussy Riot pitch invaders jailed for 15 days for human rights protest
July 17 – Four members of the Russian punk activist group Pussy Riot have been jailed for 15 days for disrupting the World Cup final by running on to the pitch.
AS Roma stream pre-season friendly live on Twitter
July 17 – Twitter, which has ruthlessly axed hundreds of football accounts without explanation or recourse to appeal, has broadcast its first full match live with a team from Italy’s Serie A.
Plug pulled on Arsenal’s BYD deal after sponsor intermediary turns out to be a fraud
July 17 – Premier League Arsenal look set to lose their recently announced sponsorship by Chinese electric vehicle makers BYD. The club appear to have been caught in a suspected sponsorship fraud after the carmaker announced that a suspect had been arrested for securing fraudulent deals.
Qatar takes learnings from Russia 2018 and is ‘open’ to 48-team discussion
By Samindra Kunti in Moscow
July 16 – Qatar’s Deputy Secretary-General for Tournament Affairs Nasser Al Khater has repeated FIFA stance’s that the 2022 World Cup hosts will have the final decision-making power over the number of participants in four years time.
UEFA boss Ceferin emphasises grant money to FA’s must be properly governed
By Andrew Warshaw
July 16 – UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has issued a veiled swipe at FIFA for not sufficiently scrutinising how their development grants are being used by member federations.
Saudis ‘welcome’ FIFA legal action in KSA as beoutQ piracy continues
By Paul Nicholson
July 16 – Saudi Arabia quickly responded to FIFA’s statement that it was to take legal action in Saudi Arabia against pirate television channel beoutQ that broadcast every match of the World Cup in Russia illegally to the kingdom, saying that it welcomed the FIFA action.
Game changer? VAR turns from hero to villain on World’s biggest football stage
By Andrew Warshaw
July 16 – Long before the World Cup got under way, FIFA president Gianni Infantino was unequivocal. It was unthinkable, he said, for the destiny of the world’s greatest sporting occasion to be decided by a refereeing mistake.
Nigeria risks FIFA expulsion unless Pinnick is restored as FA boss, says Infantino
July 16 – Nigeria will be kicked out of FIFA unless they comply with strict regulations over government interference in the affairs of their national association, FIFA president Gianni Infantino has confirmed.
Relevant expands with US Club Soccer sanctioned ICC Futures tournament
July 16 – International Champions Cup organisers Relevant, has expanded its tournament footprint into youth competition with the ICC Futures event that kicks off today at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida.
West Ham trade up with Basset & Gold as new shirt sleeve sponsor
July 16 – Premier League West Ham United is swapping its MRF Tires sleeve sponsor for financial services firm Bassett & Gold. No term or value was given for the deal that sees an expanded sponsorship package than the previous one-year deal with MRF.
Russia 2018 opened doors, eyes and opinion as it welcomed the world, says LOC
By Samindra Kunti in Moscow
July 14 – Local organisers followed in the footsteps of FIFA president Gianni Infantino to heap praise on their own World Cup organisation and the results it has delivered. They said that the month-long event has changed Russia’s image and shown the true character of the nation – both to the football and the wider world.
Infantino sings Russian praises and says VAR is making football ‘honest’
By Andrew Warshaw
July 13 – After a tournament that has succeeded all expectations on and off the field, Gianni Infantino wasn’t going to waste the opportunity to heap praise on Russia’s World Cup organisers.
Renault test drive first football sponsorship with 3-year PSG deal
By Paul Nicholson
July 13 – French champions Paris Saint-Germain have signed a three-season official partnership with French motor manufacturer Renault.
Next stop Qatar 2022, as Infantino keeps doors open to expansion to 48 teams
By Samindra Kunti in Moscow
July 13 – FIFA president Gianni Infantino on Friday repeated his position that the Qatar 2022 World Cup will be played in a 32-team format, but has left open the door for an expanded 48-team tournament in four years time. The North American 2026 World Cup is the first World Cup to have the confirmed participation of 48 teams.
Chelsea finalise Conte’s long goodbye with Sarri set to takeover
July 13 – It’s been one of the biggest open secrets of the footballing summer. But it still begs the question as to why a club would sack a manager who, in his first season, wins the Premier League and in his second the FA Cup.