UEFA releases Kiev Champions League final ticket prices
March 16 – UEFA has released ticketing detail for their showpiece Champions League final in Kiev Ukraine, on May 26.
Ayew and Williams deals float Swans into black
By David Owen
March 16 – The sale of Ashley Williams and the recently-returned André Ayew allowed Swansea City to return to profit last season. A £36.9 million gain on player disposals turned a £23 million operating loss into a £13.4 million profit at the pre-tax level. This compared with a £14.6 million pre-tax loss the previous year.
Infantino pushes FIFA to take ownership of women’s game with new global league
March 16 – FIFA president Gianni Infantino will ask his Council on Friday in Bogota to approve a global women’s league that will strengthen the growth of the women’s game.
Aussies open bidding for two new A-League expansion slots
March 16 – Australian FA (FFA) chief executive David Gallop has confirmed that bidding for places in the expanded A-League will begin by the end of March, with 10 groups having already declared their intention to bid for the extra 2 places which will be on offer.
Rubber stamp at the ready, FIFA Council set to nod through VAR for Russia 2018
March 16 – FIFA’s ruling Council are expected to rubber-stamp video assistant referees being used at this summer’s World Cup at their meeting in Bogota today despite lingering opposition from within the game.
Germany calls up Hrubesch to lead women’s through World Cup qualifiers
March 16 – The German Football Association has parted ways with national women’s team coach Steffi Jones, following a disappointing SheBelieves Cup in the United States. Horst Hrubesch (pictured) will succeed her on an interim basis.
Vancouver dropped from United 2026 bid after city baulks at ‘unpredictable’ costs
By Andrew Warshaw
March 15 – Twenty-four hours after the Canadian government threw its support behind the country co-hosting the 2026 World Cup with the United States and Mexico, the bid suffered a blow with the news that Vancouver, one of North America’s most popular tourist venues, is being dropped as a candidate city.
Royals pardoned. William and Harry relieved of watching England duty
March 15 – No British government ministers or members of the Royal Family will attend the World Cup finals in Russia this summer as part of the retaliation for the poisoning and attempted murder of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia, Prime Minister Theresa May has announced.
FIFA extends Del Nero ban as probe continues, and Brazilian boss lines up his successor
By Samindra Kunti and Andrew Warshaw
March 15 – Having bowed to global pressure and finally banned former Brazilian FA boss Marco Polo Del Nero for 90 days, FIFA’s ethics committee has extended the suspension for a further 45 days while it continues to investigate his alleged role in taking bribes.
Manager merry-go-round. Hughes returns to Premier League at Southampton
March 15 – Mauricio Pellegrino, the ninth manager to be sacked in the Premier League this season, is to be replaced at Southampton by Mark Hughes, the eighth Premier League manager to be sacked this term.
Academies win nothing? Premier League near bottom of Euro locally-trained player ranking
March 15 – Training your own talent is no guarantee of success at club level though the stats suggest that it gives a slight advantage. Players who spent at least three years between the ages of 15 and 21 in the club accounted for almost 25% of champion winning team squads, compared to only about 20% for all clubs surveyed.
Data gurus and bookies to focus on increased stats usage at Betting on Football
March 15 – The use of match stats in broadcast and turning the betting experience into a more immersed entertainment activity will be discussed at the Betting on Football conference, March 20-23, at Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge stadium.
Desports agency to lead expansion in China and Hong Kong
March 15 – France’s leading club, Paris Saint-Germain has signed an exclusive sponsorhip and licensing rights representation deal in both China and Hong Kong with Desports, one of Asia’s leading sports marketing agencies.
New Balance turn FC Porto kit sponsorship into a 10-year deal
March 14 – New Balance has extended its kit supply deal with FC Porto through to the end of the 2024/25, a deal that will see it supply the current Portuguese league leaders for 10 years.
FIFA send emergency delegation to Greece as ECA suspends PAOK membership
By Paul Nicholson and Andrew Warshaw
March 14 – A FIFA delegation has landed in Greece to discuss the chaos of the weekend which has since seen the Greek Superleague suspended indefinitely by the Greek government. Separately the European Club Association has taken the unusual step of provisionally suspending PAOK following the unprecedented events in their match against league title rivals AEK Athens.