Buffon ends 17-year stay at Juve for final push at PSG
July 9 – He may be 40 and have retired from international football but Gianluigi Buffon is about to enter a new phase of his stellar career.
FIFA convenes panel to share diversity and anti-discrimination learnings of Russia 2018
July 9 – One of the big success stories of the World Cup so far has been the welcome the Russians have given to visitors regardless of nationality, colour or religion.
CAF issues life ban to Kenyan ref Marwa over $600 gift sting
July 9 – The rising career of Kenyan referee Aden Marwa has been terminated after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) on Saturday banned him for life.
North African alliance: Morocco could join with Algeria and Tunisia for 2030 bid
By Andrew Warshaw
July 6 – Morocco’s unexpected recent announcement that it will bid for the 2030 World Cup despite five previous failures can be explained by the fact that it will almost certainly be a joint effort with its north African neighbours.
The cost of going up: Bournemouth settle FFP promotion year breach with £4.75m
July 6 – Bournemouth, about to enter their fourth season in the Premier League, have finally settled with the English Football League (EFL) over a breach of financial fair play (FFP) rules when they were in the Championship in 2014/15.
Serie A says betting sponsorship ban will destabilise Italian football’s economic model
By Paul Nicholson
July 6 – Italian football faces a sponsorship crisis following a government proposal to ban on all gambling advertising, including sponsorship or promotional deals with gambling companies.
Facebook picks up premium Premier League rights market with £260m deal in SE Asia
July 6 – The entry of the giant OTT streaming services into the top tier football rights market is gathering pace with Facebook agreeing an estimated £260 million deal for live Premier League matches in south-east Asia.
SVGFF’s president Coombs banned for touting Brazil 2014 tickets
July 6 – FIFA has slapped St Vincent and the Grenadines Football Federation president Venold Coombs with a two-year ban and a hefty fine after finding him guilty on corruption charges.
Hand of cash: Maradona’s $10k-a-day apology to FIFA and Infantino, but not the match ref
July 6 – After describing Colombia’s World Cup loss to England as a “monumental theft” and being wrapped over the knuckles by FIFA, for whom he is a well-paid ambassador, Diego Maradona has apologised for the comments he made about the refereeing during the last-16 tie.
Why Belgium may be steeled to avenge unlucky Kobe defeat
By David Owen
July 6 – There is World Cup history attached to both of Friday’s quarter-final match-ups in Russia. In the case of France versus Uruguay in Nizhny Novgorod, I do not see it having any particular bearing on this week’s outcome; in that of Belgium versus Brazil, it very well might.
UEFA adopts extra time fourth sub rule for top competitions
July 6 – Clubs who reach the knockout stages of the Champions League and Europa League and other elite competitions will be allowed to make a fourth substitution if the match goes into extra time from next season.
Croatian cup soured by fine for ‘non-authorised beverage products’
July 6 – On the eve of their World Cup quarterfinal against the host nation, Croatia have been fined CHF70,000 for violating media and marketing rules at the tournament.
Marathonbet get deeper into CFG with Girona deal
July 6 – Hard on the heels of Betway having announced two new club betting sponsorship in LaLiga, Marathonbet has taken its first Spanish steps becoming the main sponsor of Girona FC.
Piracy: LaLiga condemns BeoutQ as world tennis bodies demand its shut down
By Paul Nicholson
July 5 – Spain’s LaLiga is the latest football rights holder to condemn the on-going copyright theft by pirate satellite broadcaster BeoutQ that is transmitting sports content it does not own. Separately world tennis’s various governing bodies and major tournaments have combined to issue the strongest demands yet, calling for the “immediate closure” of the channel.
Rangers’ King flirts with contempt proceedings after failure to complete £11m share order
July 5 – The increasingly bitter feud between the chairman of Glasgow giants Rangers Dave King and the club’s so-called Takeover Panel has escalated, with King facing possible contempt of court proceedings for failing to comply with a judge-ordered £11 million bid for the club’s shares.