Benzema wins appeal in sex tape case, opening potential route back to French team
July 12 – French international forward Karim Benzema has won a crucial ruling in his bid to clear his name in a long-running sex tape scandal.
Iranian players call for lifting of ban on women spectators at men’s matches
July 12 – Two high-profile Iranian footballing figures have called for the ban on women attending major men’s sports events to be lifted.
FIFA steps into Sierra Leone politics to support Johansen and suspend elections
By Andrew Warshaw
July 11 – Six months after FIFA secretary general Fatma Samoura visited the country on a mission to resolve a festering internal dispute, the annual congress of Sierra Leone’s FA, scheduled for Friday to pave the way for elections, has been suspended by FIFA.
Portuguese prosecutors crack down on politicians accepting gifts to Euro 2016 finals
By Andrew Warshaw
July 11 – Three high-ranking Portuguese politicians have resigned “to avoid harming the government” amid an investigation into allegations that they took all-expenses-paid trips to Euro 2016 from sponsors of the national team.
Man Utd cut reliance on Sky and Virgin to launch TV channel on the web
July 11 – Manchester United has launched a new streaming service at mutv.com which will enable subscribers to sign up to the channel without having to go through a satellite subscription. The channel will only be available to subscribers in the UK and Ireland at the start.
Transfer spend: Everton’s £85m guarantees them Top 6 finish, say stats
July 11 – Everton’s transfer spend already guarantees them a top six Premier League finish according to stats research. On average top 6 clubs spend £65.1 million per year. Everton have already spent £85 million on five new players.
Gianni’s legends called up for an evening with Infantino in Brig, and a match
July 11 – FIFA president Gianni Infantino, whose first act in his new job 18 months ago was to host a star-studded Legends match at his new office in Zurich, something of a vanity project, organised a similar event last week after inviting some of the world’s finest ex-players (and one of two present ones) to dust off their boots for an exhibition game in his home town of Brig.
Shanghai Shenhua call for ‘trust’ as club threatens legal action over match-fixing claims
July 11 – Chinese Super League club Shanghai Shenhua have threatened to take legal action over match-fixing claims.
SIGA sets agenda for Sport Integrity Forum in Portugal
July 11 – The Sport Integrity Global Alliance (SIGA) have announced session detail and speakers for their Sport Integrity Forum in Lisbon, Portugal on July 26.
Kashima to stage Olympic football in 2020
By David Owen
July 11 – The city of Kashima was endorsed as a Tokyo 2020 football venue at Monday’s meeting of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board.
Mexico kick off Gold Cup defence with a bang but Osorio ban leaves him watching from the stands
July 10 – Mexico, hard on the heels of their Confederations Cup semi-final and third place play-off appearances in Russia earlier this month, have opened their CONCACAF Gold Cup defence in the US with a resounding 3-1 win against El Salvador.
Morocco keeps up outreach strategy with Zambian development deal
By Mark Baber
July 10 -The Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) has signed a two-year cooperation agreement with the Royal Football Federation of Morocco (FRM) which will see the two associations partner in football development.
McDonald’s adds to FIFA sponsor concerns with rumours it is going cold on Russia 2018
July 10 – With the World Cup in Russia less than a year away, one of FIFA’s top front-line sponsors, McDonald’s, have been in discussions about a possible withdrawal due to ethical concerns.
Ajax’s Nouri is out of danger after heart attack in Werder Bremen friendly
July 10 – Ajax midfielder Abdelhak Nouri is “out of danger” but remains in intensive care after collapsing during a pre-season friendly against Werder Bremen, the latest case highlighting the dangers of cardiac arrest amongst professional footballers.
Storm after the calm. Deal falls apart as FIFA suspend Sudan for government meddling
July 10 – FIFA has suspended the Sudan Football Association (SFA) with immediate effect after the government refused to reinstate FIFA-recognised SFA president Dr Mutasim Gaafar ahead of the Sudan Ministry of Justice recognised General Abdel Rahman Sir Elkatim.