By Samindra Kunti
March 24 – Brazil’s Lavo Jato scandal is further escalating. This time bribes may have been offered in relation to the construction of Arena Corinthians, a 2014 FIFA World Cup venue.
March 24 – The debate over the future format of the Champions League has taken a new twist, with clubs reported to be proposing a structure that would guarantee more clashes between the giants of the European game.
By Mark Baber
March 24 – Scottish giant Rangers, poised for a return to the Scottish Premier League, have reported operating losses increased by 11% to £9.04 million for the financial year to June 30, 2015. The Rangers Football Club Ltd (TRFCL) audited accounts also show debt owed to their parent company Rangers International Football Club Plc (RIFC) increasing by 16% to £18.1 million (2014: £15.6 million).
March 24 – Colombia’s Gerardo Bedoya, widely regarded as the world’s dirtiest footballer, quickly maintained his bad boy reputation in his first game as a senior coach.
March 24 – Belgium have switched their March 29 home friendly international with Portugal to the Portuguese city of Leiria because of security fears following the Brussels terrorist attacks.
March 24 – UEFA have insisted there are no plans to play matches at Euro 2016 behind closed doors because of the threat of terrorism.
March 24 – Any Americans still smarting from the loss of the 2022 World Cup hosting to Qatar can take solace in the fact that they are still in the international football picture after having hosted the finals of the FIFA Interactive World Cup (FIWC) in New York.
The 2016 Grand Final, the twelfth edition of the tournament, was played out for the first time in New York City at the Apollo Theater .
By Andrew Warshaw
March 24 – Greek football authorities are digging in their heels and refusing to budge despite receiving a letter signed jointly by FIFA and UEFA urging them to reinstate the national cup competition, scrapped by the government earlier this month because of crowd trouble, or risk being thrown out of international football.
March 24 – The Caribbean Cup 2016 kicked off this week with a new format and a new title sponsor in the form of Scotiabank. Cuba, Grenada and Guyana all won their opening games as seven groups begin play to qualify 15 teams for the next round.
March 24 – The International Labour Organisation (ILO), one of the oldest established United Nations agencies with 186 member states, says Qatar is making progress toward ending forced labour and improving conditions for migrant workers but that the real test will be whether it actually enforces new legislation by an ILO-imposed December deadline.
March 24 – Carlsberg have extended the longest running commercial partnership in English Premier League football with a three-year addition to their current 24-year long deal with Liverpool.
March 23 – Beijing, China, is set to host the first Manchester derby with City’s new manager Pep Guardiola in charge and, if rumours are correct, Jose Mourinho having taken over as United’s new manager.
By Andrew Warshaw
March 23 – He may have retired from the international arena as a prominent FIFA member and consistently distanced himself from all manner of allegations about behind-the-scenes wheeler-dealing but is the net finally closing in on the previously untouchable Franz Beckenbauer?
By Andrew Warshaw
March 23 – As next summer’s expanded European Championship finals in France come under increasing scrutiny because of the threat of terrorism, UEFA have been quick to express assurances about safety and security in the wake of Tuesday’s Brussels attacks that killed at least 34 people and left scores more injured, with one high-ranking UEFA official suggesting matches might even have to be held behind closed doors.
March 23 – And then there was one. Costas Takkas, close associate of disgraced ex-CONCACAF president Jeffrey Webb, pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to charges that he participated in bribery schemes under the widespread the-US led football corruption investigation.