French Ligue 2 games were manipulated, finds report
March 10 – A report into a swathe of alleged rigged Ligue 2 games in France last season has concluded that one match was subject to “an understanding” between the two clubs concerned.
AFC to take 2019 Asian Cup to UAE
March 10 – The Gulf region has struck yet another blow for staging major tournaments with the news that The United Arab Emirates has been awarded hosting rights to the 2019 Asian Cup.
Saints lead academy sales, Real and Barca in top 10, Bayern and Man Utd trail
March 10 – New data from the CIES, the Swiss-based Centre for Sports Studies, finds that €1.072 billion has been generated from sales of academy players by clubs in Europe’s Big 5 leagues. Topping the chart is Premier League club Southampton earning €90.2 million from sales since July 2012.
Lee Wellings: Champions League – In it to win it?
The Champions League. The pinnacle of European and indeed world football. Oh the glory. That music. Popular in all parts of the globe. And it’s all about winning isn’t it? Isn’t it?
Foster wins Qatar’s Lusail Stadium design contract
March 10 – Qatar has awarded the Design Architect contract for its showpiece Lusail Stadium to UK firm Foster + Partners. The stadium is the proposed venue for the opening ceremony and the final of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Matt Scott: Leo Messi and his successors can ensure Adidas’s star will rise again
“To be a well-favoured man is the gift of fortune.” William Shakespeare, Much Ado About Nothing.
What sets the superstars of today apart from their forebears of football’s past? Is it their talent? Their drive and determination, perhaps? Or is it something more modern? I for one cannot believe that Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are any more driven than were Pelé or Diego Maradona. Nor indeed that the latter pair’s talent would not transcend the generations and light up the sky as brightly as those stellar rivals from Barcelona and Real Madrid.
New dawn for Chinese football as 2015 Super League kicks-off after €122m spend
By Mark Baber
March 9 – China’s domestic league kicked off this weekend, with the clubs having spent twice as much as ever before during the winter transfer window, with a major infusion of foreign talent and with the country’s political leadership committed to a reform programme to achieve the triple aims expressed by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2011: for the People’s Republic to qualify for, host and finally win the World Cup.
Talk shop lobbies for quotas to boost female football execs
March 9 – Quotas should be introduced to increase the number of women in top football positions according to panelists who attended the first FIFA Women’s Football and Leadership Conference.
Capello’s long wait is over as Russians stump up $6m back pay
March 9 – Russian national team manager Fabio Capello and his compatriot Oreste Cinquini, the team’s general manager, have at last been paid the outstanding salaries owed to them going back to June of last year. Reports are that the Russian Football Union (RFU) has now paid the outstanding $5.96 million up to February.
Van Praag calls for one candidate only in Euro-bid to upset Blatter
By Andrew Warshaw
March 9 – FIFA presidential candidate Michael van Praag says he and fellow contender Luis Figo have no chance of dethroning Sepp Blatter unless one of them pulls out of the running in the weeks ahead.
Wamback says women players needs more cash support to play
March 9 – Abby Wambach, the United States’ best-known women’s player who led the ultimately unsuccessful bid to play next year’s women’s World Cup on natural grass, says FIFA and its national federations should do more to help female players become self-sufficient.
Zwanziger focuses in on Platini with Qatar 2022 criticism
March 9 – Germany’s outgoing FIFA executive committee member Theo Zwanziger is back on the offensive over the award of the 2022 World Cup to Qatar.
Villa pitch invasion and violent fans spark FA investigation
March 9 – English football authorities are investigating disgraceful scenes at the end of an FA Cup quarterfinal between arch-rivals Aston Villa and West Bromwich Albion that were reminiscent of the dark days of the domestic game.
New Rangers board call for fans to return now Ashley has been sidelined
By Paul Nicholson
March 9 – Rangers’ new board had a slow start to their tenancy with a lifeless 0-0 draw away to Cowdenbeath on Saturday. Now the directors are hoping their promised revolution will get a kick start with a packed Ibrox this Tuesday in their first home Championship match under the new regime against Queen of the South.
Exclusive: Ker-ching! 2013-14 was a barnstorming year for Premier League profits
By David Owen
March 8 – The 2013-14 season is set to go down as a major milestone in the business annals of the Premier League, with the 20 clubs on course to record an aggregate pre-tax profit – perhaps a substantial one – for the first time in over a decade.