World Cup bid criteria tightened but 2026 host vote put back to 2020
By Andrew Warshaw
May 11 – The 2026 World Cup hosts will not be chosen until May 2020, three years later than originally scheduled, as FIFA beefs up eligibility rules.
Hammers fans mark final game at Upton Park with attack on Man Utd bus
May 11 – West Ham United’s final match at its iconic Upton Park ground in East London after 112 years may have had the perfect denouement on the field, with an emotional 3-2 come-from-behind victory over Manchester United. But the carnival atmosphere turned distinctly sour courtesy of shameful scenes reminiscent of the dark days of English football.
Scottish League Cup becomes Betfred Cup in £1m deal
By Mark Baber
May 11 – The Scottish Premier Football League (SPFL) has confirmed that Warrington-based bookmaking company Betfred has agreed a three-year deal to become the exclusive title sponsor of the Scottish League Cup which will now be known as The Betfred Cup.
Belgians launch Red Devils app in time for Euro2016
By Samindra Kunti
May 11 – The Belgian FA, the KBVB, has launched an exclusive Red Devils app as coach Marc Wilmots will announce his squad for EURO 2016 on Thursday.
Man City trials first live VR match in London, New York and Melbourne
By Paul Nicholson
May 11 – Manchester City has taken a deep media step into the opportunities of Virtual Reality with a test of last weekend’s game against Arsenal that was broadcast to a select group of fans in London, New York and Melbourne.
Watford think global with FX partner Divisa Capital
May 11 – Premier League Watford has agreed a three-season sponsorship with Divisa Capital who will become the club’s new Official Foreign Exchange Partner. No fugure was announced for the deal.
Pressure on FIFA to revisit Palestine/Israel deal as progress falters
By Andrew Warshaw
May 10 – A group of anti-Israeli activists is urging FIFA not to just bury the plight of Palestinian footballers in the occupied territories when it holds its annual congress in Mexico on Friday.
Infantino ‘sad’ at Platini ban but ‘positive’ about past as he plans FIFA’s ‘new era’
By Andrew Warshaw
May 10 – FIFA president Gianni Infantino has expressed his sadness at Michel Platini failing to overturn his ban for breaching FIFA’s ethics code – hardly surprising given the process by which Infantino landed the top job in world football instead of his former boss.
Gazprom refuels Schalke 04 with €120m shirt deal until 2022
By Mark Baber
May 10 – Schalke 04 and Russian state-owned energy giant Gazprom have agreed to an extension of their shirt sponsorship deal, which had been due to expire in 2017, until 30 June 2022 in a deal reported to be worth at least €120 million.
Romanians suspend ambulance firm as Ekeng autopsy continues
May 10 – Romania’s interior ministry has suspended the licence of a private ambulance company that transported Dinamo Bucharest and Cameroon midfielder Patrick Ekeng to hospital after he collapsed during a match last Friday and died shortly afterwards.
Last man standing falls: Rocha loses appeal and is headed for Brooklyn court
May 10 – The last of the football officials still held in Zurich after the May 2015 raids by Swiss police and US Department of Justice officials, has finally had his extradition to the US finalised.
Giwa plans second shot at Glass House occupation as Pinnick heads for Mexico Congress
By Mark Baber
May 10 – The Chris Giwa faction of the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF), acting in accordance with a widely held interpretation of a recent court ruling, attempted a take-over of the NFF Glass House HQ on Friday, before being asked to help police with their enquiries and then pledging to return on Monday.
Belgium’s Eupen fulfill middle eastern promises with ascent to Pro League
By Samindra Kunti
May 10 – Qatar’s Belgian investment at Eupen has come good with the club’s ascendency to Belgium’s top flight, but only after a farcical kerfuffle of Belgian bureaucracy.
Dembélé and Alli head box-to-box midfielders, Bayern duo top defensive list
May 9 – Tottenham Hotspur’s Moussa Dembélé and Dele Alli come top and fourth in the CIES Football Observatory ranking of ‘box-to-box’ midfielders in Europe’s Big 5 league. The Bayern double act of Arturo Vidal and Xabi Alonso topped the rankings defensive midfielders.
Platini forced out of UEFA and banned from running for FIFA in 2019
By Andrew Warshaw
May 8 – European football is looking for a new leader after Michel Platini announced he was stepping down as UEFA president, albeit under protest, after losing his fight to clear his name for breaching FIFA’s ethics rules.