By Mark Baber
July 8 – In a decision hailed as a sign of decreased tensions, South Korea’s Unification Ministry has given the go-ahead for the North Korean women’s national team to participate in the Women’s East Asian Cup which kicks off on July 20.
July 8 – A new initiative to promote integration and social awareness was unveiled by CONCACAF prior to the Gold Cup’s first game at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena — a direct follow-up to Fifa’s Anti-racism and Discrimination campaign approved at its recent congress in Mauritius.
By Andrew Warshaw
July 8 – On a truce mission some might describe as mission impossible, FIFA president Sepp Blatter has promised to do everything he can to ease travel restrictions placed on Palestinian footballers by the Israeli authorities and to help resolve the differences between the two sides.
By Andrew Warshaw
July 8 – The in-fighting surrounding the future of Thai football and its controversial boss Worawi Makudi has taken another twist with Makudi cancelling a news conference at which he was expected to outline his position and how the impasse could be resolved.
By Andrew Warshaw
July 8 – FIFA wants the centenary World Cup in 2030 to be jointly staged by Uruguay and Argentina, the countries who met in the final of the inaugural tournament, according to Argentine FA (AFA) president and Fifa senior vice-president Julio Grondona.
By Paul Nicholson in Pasadena
July 8 – CONCACAF’s blue riband event the Gold Cup opened here yesterday with a double-header in the Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California – both upsets as Canada lost to tiny Martinique and Mexico were edged out by Panama – plus a new world record for the largest ever Mariachi serenade with over 500 performers taking to the field at half-time.
赔了夫人又折兵的足球赞助
卡马乔悄悄地走了，正如他悄悄地来。他连衣袖都懒得挥一下，因为他腋下汗渍惊人，更因为他可以轻松卷走645万欧元。
卡马乔连临别赠言都没有，因为他压根就没有”临别”过。输给泰国青年队后，卡马乔回到了西班牙，和中国足协所谓”双方同意结束合作关系”后，他的律师7月1日来到北京，轻松利落地拿下未来一年半卡马乔和他教练团队全额薪资——这是国内媒体的报道。中国足协连一个官员都没有出面和对方律师面谈，只是派出了三个律师，其中一人为中国足协工作人员。大连万达集团代表石雪清也参加了会谈。
By Paul Nicholson
July 6 – An amateur game in the Maranhão region of north eastern Brazil turned violent last weekend resulting in the death of a player and the match referee. Reports are that 30-year-old Josenir dos Santos Abreu approached the referee, 20-year-old Otávio Jordão da Silva (pictured), arguing about a decision. When da Silva then red carded Abreu, he reportedly threw a punch at da Silva, who then took out a pocket knife he was carrying with him,
By Mark Baber
The new FIFA/Coca Cola world rankings, whilst delivering their usual set of surprises and statistical quirks, will be welcomed across the world of football for returning Brazil – still the world’s most charismatic team – to the top ten, following their victory in the Confederations Cup.
By Mark Baber
July 5 – The 12th edition of the CONCACAF Gold Cup kicks off on Sunday at the Pasadena Rose Bowl in California as 12 nations from the confederation that covers North, Central America and the Caribbean compete for the region’s greatest prize culminating on July 28 at Chicago’s Soldier Field.
By Andrew Warshaw
July 5 – The nine-month ban imposed on Paris Saint-Germain’s Brazilian sporting director Leonardo for barging into a referee last season has been extended by five months and will now run until June 30, 2014, ruling him out of next season entirely, following a French Football Federation appeals hearing.
July 5 – The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has ordered the Togo Football Federation to pay former national team coach Jean Thissen 200 million Swiss francs ($400,000) for “abusive termination of contract”. The Belgian was appointed in 2008 and but was ousted in October the following year and went to the CAS citing breach of contract and reportedly claiming $800,000. Togolese officials claimed he had health issues and was no longer capable to work.
By Andrew Warshaw
July 5 – Cameroon’s hopes of competing at next year’s World Cup finals have been dealt a potentially damaging blow after the country’s national federation, FECAFOOT, was suspended by FIFA in the latest case of football’s world governing body clamping down on government interference, an issue that shows no sign of abating, especially in Africa.
By Paul Nicholson
July 5 – Premier League giants Liverpool have announced a pre-season schedule that will see them play in Indonesia, Australia, Thailand, Dublin and Norway – topped and tailed with an opener in nearby Preston and Steven Gerrard’s testimonial game at Anfield, a fixture that has extra special significance since it will also be the first live match aired on the new BT Sport TV channel.
By Gareth Messenger
July 5 – Spanish Segunda B division side Albacete Balompié S.A.D. have avoided automatic relegation – courtesy of World Cup superstar Andrea Iniesta. Albacete has now paid all outstanding player wages, the money coming via an increase in the capital of the club, rather than as a loan, thanks to its main shareholder, Barcelona, and Iniesta.