By Andrew Warshaw
May 23 – The great survivor has done it again. Angel Maria Villar, one of the last remaining members of FIFA’s old guard, has been re-elected as head of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) for the eighth consecutive time after standing unopposed.
May 23 – UEFA have confirmed that the Europa League final between Manchester United and Ajax in Stockholm on Wednesday will go ahead and that there is no intelligence to suggest that the showpiece fixture could be targeted following the bomb blast in Manchester that tragically killed at least 22 concert-goers.
By Samindra Kunti
May 23 – The New York Cosmos drew scoreless with Al-Hilal FC in a controversial friendly in Saudi Arabia that coincided with Donald Trump’s visit to the Arab kingdom.
By Andrew Warshaw
May 23 – In a major development apparently linked to the ongoing United States probe into football-related corruption, former Barcelona president Sandro Rosell has been arrested, along with his wife, as part of a money laundering investigation.
May 23 – The German top-flight team owned by Volkswagen face relegation for the first time in 20 years as the carmaker continues to suffer from the fallout of the emissions scandal.
May 23 – Qatar 2022 organising chief Hassan Al Thawadi has been explaining the impact and scale of his country’s World Cup project at the World Economic Forum in Jordan.
May 23 – Alexey Sorokin, the public face of next year’s World Cup in Russia, seems almost certain to be nominated for a place on the FIFA Council in place of the barred Vitaly Mutko in order to ensure his country retains a powerful voice at FIFA’s top table.
May 23 – American billionaire businessman Michael Eisner is poised to take control of Portsmouth, one of English football’s most iconic but, in recent years, troubled clubs after its Supporters Trust (PST), which took control in 2013, voted to sell its 48.5 per cent share.
May 23 – The United Soccer League (USL), the recently re-categorised and rapidly expanding Division II professional league in the US, is reporting record attendances for the first nine week of its season.
May 23 – Manchester United have added a seventh game to what is starting to look like a pre-season globetrotting marathon. They will play against Sampadoria in Dublin on August 2 at the Aviva stadium.
By Paul Nicholson
May 21 – Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) president David Chung has responded to accusations that he rigged his re-election to the Papua New Guinea FA presidency via a statement saying that the election was held according to the statutes. He also refutes allegations that he used FIFA funds to incentivise votes for his candidacy.
By Andrew Warshaw
May 21 – Morocco has not ruled out bidding for the 2026 World Cup with a fellow African nation – or two – now that it has been made clear that Europe will not be allowed to bid.
By Samindra Kunti
May 21 – Venezuela won the opening match at the FIFA U20 World Cup in South Korea with a 2-0 victory over Germany. England got their campaign underway with a 3-0 win against Argentina.
May 21 – Real Madrid have secured the Spanish league title for the first time in five years after winning 2-0 at Malaga to finish three points clear of arch-rivals Barcelona.
May 21 – Despite a late run of six wins from their final seven games, Arsenal have failed to reach the Champions League for the first time since manager Arsene Wenger took over a generation ago.