By Mark Baber
April 29 – The national football associations of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Iraq and Yemen have agreed to reinstate Kuwait as hosts of the 23rd Gulf Cup from December 15-29, 2016, if FIFA lift the ban on the country.
By Andrew Warshaw
April 29 – Asako Takakura has been appointed the first ever female coach of Japan’s senior women’s national team, hailed as an important breakthrough in promoting gender equality and the skills of women coaches globally.
By Samindra Kunti
April 29 – The Brazilian parliamentary inquiry (CPI) into corruption in football – actually called CPI da Mafia de Futebol – has requested interviews with former president of the Brazilian FA Jose Maria Marin (pictured) and Traffic founder Jose Hawilla, both currently confined to the United States as part of their agreements with the US Department of Justice as it continues its football corruption prosecutions.
By Samindra Kunti
April 29 – Latest financial reports show how the metamorphosis of Paris Saint-Germain’s into the powerhouse of French football has continued off the pitch. In 2015 PSG had a revenue of €484 million, more than the combined total of 14 other clubs in France’s Ligue1.
April 29 – Tottenham Hotspur’s faint hopes of winning their first English league title since 1961 have been given an untimely setback after their exciting midfielder Dele Alli, almost certain to line up for England at this summer’s Euros, was banned for three games for violent conduct and will miss the rest of the season.
April 29 – With just 11 weeks to go before the start of the Glasgow 2016 Homeless World Cup, July 10-16, organisers have released a team ranking with Brazil and Mexico topping the 48-team Men’s positions and Mexico and Chile heading the 16-team Women’s.
By Paul Nicholson
April 29 – Liverpool could pay up to £8 million for Danny Ings, the out-of-contract striker they gained from Burnley last season, ruled a Professional Football Compensation Committee (PFCC) tribunal. It is a record fee ordered by a tribunal.
By David Owen
April 29 – Iranians have taken over from Brazilians as the worst football offenders in a new report on anti-doping rule violations in the World Cup year of 2014 compiled by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
April 28 – France and Liverpool defender Mamadou Sakho has been suspended for 30 days by UEFA after it opened disciplinary proceedings against him following a failed drugs test, ruling him out of the rest of the season.
By Andrew Warshaw
April 28 – Eager to put down a marker and enhance his reputation in the early days of his FIFA presidency, Gianni Infantino has taken the somewhat bold step of suggesting a goodwill friendly between North and South Korea amid escalating tensions between the two countries.
By Paul Nicholson
April 28 – The cost of winning has caught up with Chinese Super League giant Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao FC who have revealed a staggering loss of RMB953 million ($147 million) in their year ended 2015 accounts.
By Mark Baber
April 28 – The board of one of Turkey’s biggest clubs – Galatasaray FC – have terminated their kit sponsorship deal with Dumankaya Construction for seemingly pro-Erdogan government reasons. The company’s owners have been listed as suspected of having provided charitable donations to the moderate Islamic, US-based, Gülen Movement.
By Paul Nicholson
April 28 – Football focus may be on end season results and the upcoming Copa America and European Championships, but behind the scenes the Women’s game is making its own mark breaking new ground in unusual places.
April 28 – Sepp Blatter has reportedly been requested to attend Michel Platini’s eagerly awaited Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) appeal hearing on Friday as a witness in a last-ditch attempt by the Frenchman to clear his name.
April 28 – The head of the British police force at the centre of the 1989 Hillsborough stadium disaster has been suspended following this week’s sensational verdict that the 96 victims were unlawfully killed.