By Paul Nicholson
May 30 – The Elite Clubs National League (ECNL) and US Club Soccer have combined to launch a new national competition platform for boys that will challenge the national US Academy competition that the US Soccer Federation has been promoting to clubs across the country.
By Andrew Warshaw
May 30 – Nobody remembers the losers. Real Madrid may have collected Europe’s elite club trophy for the 11th time on Saturday but for millions of neutrals watching round the world on television, the sight of Atletico Madrid’s crestfallen supporters in the San Siro told a far more potent story.
May 30 – Tottenham Hotspur will play their Champions League home games next season at the national stadium at Wembley because of reduced capacity at the north London club’s already limited 36,000-seater ground.
May 30 – FIFA has punished seven nations – including Mexico, Chile and Croatia – for discriminatory behaviour from supporters, including homophobic chants.
Croatia, whose fans have a track record of incurring the wrath of the authorities, have been ordered to play their first two 2018 World Cup qualifiers behind closed doors and have been fined SFr150,000 for incidents which took place in friendly matches against Israel and Hungary last month.
Chile have been barred from playing at their Estadio Nacional Julio Martinez Pradanos home for two official matches,
May 30 – Hull City have secured a quick return to the English Premier League after winning what has traditionally been billed as the most financially lucrative game in world football, the English Championship play-off, joining already promoted Burnley and Middlesbrough in the top flight next season.
May 30 – England Under 21 beat France 2-1 Under 20s to win the Toulon Tournament their first win since 1994, having qualified for the third place play-off for the past two years.
May 30 – West Ham have planning approval to instal Europe’s largest in-stadium digital screen at the Olympic Stadium as part of a wrap around the stadium carrying the club’s colours and logo.
By Paul Nicholson
May 27 – Details are slowly emerging that as many as 16 bank accounts were held by FIFA officials at Swiss private bank Julius Baer, with at least four of them held by officials indicted by the US Department of Justice in its investigation into FIFA corruption and money laundering.
By Samindra Kunti in Milan
May 27 – By the end of Saturday night the Champions League trophy will be returning to the Spanish capital as Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid contest club’s football richest game. The winner will bank a cool €15 million; the runner-up €10.5 million. The champions will also earn a ticket to the FIFA World Club Cup in Japan in December, where another €4.5 million is on offer for the winning finalist.
May 27 – Romanian football, already rocked by a cash crisis that led to a number of clubs being docked points and barred from European competition, has been plunged into further turmoil with bans imposed on three coaches and 14 players at second division Gloria Buzau over match-fixing allegations.
May 27 – UEFA Champions League sponsor Nissan have again delved into their ‘Excitement Index’ data to come up with a list of the most exciting moments and players so far this campaign.
By Andrew Warshaw
May 27 – The self-styled Special One is back – officially. Jose Mourinho has signed a three-year contract to become Manchester United’s new manager, already setting up a mouth-watering 2016-17 Premier League season with the last campaign only just out of the way.
May 27 – Unlike FIFA’s surprise announcement of its never-before-heard-of new general secretary recruited single-handedly by new president Gianni Infantino, CONCACAF’s new general secretary announced yesterday comes out a more rigorous recruitment process led by an executive search firm.
May 27 – Liverpool have been hit with a second UEFA fine in less than a week, this time for their fans letting off fireworks during their Europa League quarterfinal against Borussia Dortmund in April.
May 27 – Fixture congestion has finally taken its toll on the world’s oldest and most revered domestic knockout competition with English FA Cup quarter-final replays to be scrapped from next season.