By Paul Nicholson
January 4 – The Liberian FA (LFA) and its president Musa Bility have hit back saying that the pre-Christmas visit to their country by a FIFA team of financial investigators was in fact a compliance audit and not a forensic audit tasked with investigating financial corruption in Liberian football.
January 4 – Runaway English Premier League leaders Manchester City have more financial clout than any other club in world football, according to a new study commissioned by global sports event organisers Soccerex.
By Mark Baber
January 4 – The Russian Football Union (RFU) is to nominate Moscow as host of the 2021 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup, according to deputy president Sergei Anokhin.
January 4 – In what they describe as a “unique partnership”, Leeds United, one of English football’s most iconic clubs striving to return to the top flight from the second-tier Championship, have joined forces with Qatar’s famed Aspire Academy in order to bring about “long term benefits to the club’s on the field performance.”
January 4 – Here we go again. Juventus reached the Coppa Italia semi-finals on Wednesday with a 2-0 win over neighbours Torino who were incensed at yet another example of video technology seemingly going wrong.
January 4 – FIFA have launched an investigation into racial discrimination after England under-17 striker Rhian Brewster made a complaint about a teammate being abused in the under-17 World Cup final.
January 3 – Grigory Rodchenkov, the whistle-blower whose revelations led to the explosive doping scandal that rocked Russian sport, is now free to talk to FIFA about the extent to which football was involved according to agency reports.
January 3 – In a repeat of the final a decade ago and of this year’s Group A opener, the United Arab Emirates and Oman will meet in the climax of the 23rd Gulf Cup on Friday in Kuwait after both squeezed through in their respective semi-finals.
January 3 – An Egyptian court has sentenced 28 fans to jail for one year for paying tribute to those killed in the infamous Port Said disaster five years ago, accusing them of incitement.
January 3 – SportPesa are withdrawing from all Kenyan football sponsorships after failing to win a legal case that would have halted the Kenyan government’s move to increase the tax rate on gross profit on all gambling activities to 35%.
By Samindra Kunti
January 3 – Roland Duchatelet is to sell Charlton Athletic and end his troubled near four-year reign at the Addicks. His CEO Katrien Meire has joined Sheffield Wednesday.
By David Owen
January 3 – It looks like Premier League champions Chelsea have their former Brazilian star Oscar – and by extension China – largely to thank for turning a profit in their latest financial year.
January 3 – Everton CEO Robert Elstone has confirmed the costs of the club’s proposed new stadium at Bramley Moore Dock have “escalated significantly”. Target date for opening of the new 50-55,000 capacity stadium is the 2022-23 season.
January 3 – Chinese beer brand Yanjing has renewed its title sponsorship of the Chinese Football Association Cup (CFA Cup) for another four years from 2018 to 2021.
January 2 – With Premier League clubs currently in the midst of their fourth fixture in 11 days, a look at attendances over the holiday programme show every club bar Spurs showing attendances over 90% of their ground capacity. Santa has again delivered for English clubs.