AFC says no ‘done deal’ on marketing rights contract

AFC headquarter KL

By Paul Nicholson
October 21 – The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has released a statement rebutting reports that it has concluded an agreement with Lagardère Sports for an eight-year extension of their broadcast and marketing contract held via their World Sport Group agency.

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Scala turns up FIFA reform heat and asks the SFr2m question

Domenico Scala3

By Andrew Warshaw
October 21 – Domenico Scala, the increasingly influential official who has the ultimate say in who can and can’t run for FIFA president, has delivered a potentially fatal blow to Michel Platini’s hopes of taking over from Sepp Blatter at the end of February in the event the Frenchman’s 90-day suspension is lifted.

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Matt Scott: Home comforts are stifling for Englishmen’s football ambitions

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“Ah! There is nothing like staying at home for real comfort.” Jane Austen, Emma

Jane Austen’s fourth novel was published on Christmas Day in 1815 the Vienna peace accord had brought the Napoleonic wars to a close. With it began a century-long era of British commercial dominance through an empire whose roots had already begun to take hold with territories in Newfoundland, the Caribbean, west and South Africa, India and Australia.

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Kuwait pulls out of Gulf Cup hosting, threatening tournament future

Gulf Cup

By Mark Baber
October 20 – Kuwait’s cabinet, hosted by His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, have decided the city-state will not host the 2015 edition of the Gulf Cup, whilst describing FIFA’s decision of last week to ban the country from all international football citing government interference as “arbitrary and hasty.”

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