South Africa, bitten by the big event bug, bids for more championships
June 4 – South Africa, host of the 2010 World Cup and the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations, have seemingly got the bug for hosting big football events.
Stock tippers predict a doubling of Manchester United share value
By Mark Baber
June 4 – Manchester United shares are getting positive recommendations from stock tippers with the club generating increased revenue from television and merchandising and having reduced interest payments on its longer term debts. This is despite an expected loss of $1.50 per share for the quarter.
Tahiti prepares its world football coming out party with Beach Soccer draw
June 4 – When the official draw for September’s FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Tahiti 2013 is streamed lived tomorrow on FIFA.com, the Pacific islanders will take another significant step in the world of international football, putting hosting credentials alongside a growing list of playing achievements.
World Cup qualifiers return to Libya after two year gap
June 4 – Libya will stage its first competitive home international in over two years on Friday amid boosted security measures. Despite still being embroiled in violence following the 2011 uprising, the country had its ban lifted by FIFA in April and will play the Democratic Republic of Congo in a World Cup qualifier in the capital Tripoli.
Exclusive: Webb slams legacy of past but looks to build trust and structure
By Andrew Warshaw, chief correspondent
June 4 – One year after becoming CONCACAF president amid the most turbulent period in its history, Jeffrey Webb says the confederation has already started to clean up its act and regain confidence after being brought to its knees by scandal and in-fighting.
CAS rules Nantes and Bangoura must pay €4,5m sanction
June 3 – France’s FC Nantes and Ismael Bangoura will have to pay Dubai’s Al Nasr Sports Club €4.5 million after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) rejected their appeal and upheld a FIFA sanction from November of last year.
Emirates fishes “outside Europe” for next big football deal
June 3 – Dubai’s Emirates Airline expects to be signing its next big football sponsorship with a club outside Europe, according to Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, the airline’s chairman and chief executive.
Pieth: progress would have been greater if politics hadn’t ‘hijacked’ the agenda
By Andrew Warshaw, chief correspondent, in Mauritius
June 3 – Mark Pieth, the Swiss governance advisor whose strongly-worded intervention at last week’s FIFA congress put a spanner in the works of Sepp Blatter’s reform measures, has taken another swipe at the FIFA president, this time accusing both him and UEFA boss Michel Platini of jointly “hijacking” the entire process in Mauritius for political gain.
Optus blames hard times as it pulls out of Aussie football after five years
June 3 – Optus, Australia’s second biggest telecommunications company, has made a strategic decision to withdraw from major sports sponsorships and will not be renewing sponsorship and digital content rights deals with Football Federation Australia (FFA).
Belles appeal ‘relegation’ for non-sporting reasons amid a storm of protest
By Mark Baber
June 3 – Leading English women’s team Doncaster Belles are appealing the decision to place them in FA Women’s Super League 2 (FA WSL 2) from next season, amidst a growing storm of protest over the allocation of licences in the FA Women’s Super League.
Beckham hits Miami to discuss new MLS franchise options
By Paul Nicholson
June 3 – England football icon David Beckham’s love affair with the US continues. He was back in America this weekend visiting Miami and discussing the opportunity for an MLS expansion team in South Florida.
LFP elects Villaverde and Martin as vice presidents for two year terms
By Gareth Messenger
June 3 – Atletico Madrid director Clemente Villaverde and CEO of Numancia, Victor Manuel Martin, have been elected as the first and second vice presidents, respectively, of Spain’s Liga de Fútbol Profesional (LFP) for two year terms.
Qatar has no case to answer, hints FIFA investigator Garcia
By Andrew Warshaw in Mauritius
May 31 – FIFA’s top corruption buster has hinted for the first time that 2022 World Cup hosts Qatar have no corruption case to answer and says a statement of intent of some kind should be made by his department by September or October. Ever since Qatar were awarded the tournament with a landslide victory despite FIFA’s official inspection team flagging up several negative aspects of their bid,
Nsekera wins post, Dodd fans cry foul but women get a stronger voice
By Andrew Warshaw in Mauritius
May 31 – Lydia Nsekera of Burundi became the first ever elected female member of FIFA’s executive committee today but her victory was shrouded in alleged politics despite football’s world governing body striving for new transparency and openness.
FIFA passes reforms but not before Pieth and the Europeans demand more
By Andrew Warshaw, chief correspondent, in Mauritius
May 31 – FIFA’s much-trumpeted reform measures, designed to improve the battered image of world football’s governing body and herald in a new era of transparency, were approved by a landslide majority of members today – but not before Mark Pieth, the governance advisor charged with drawing up the original proposals, caused a huge stir by challenging Sepp Blatter and his colleagues to reveal their salaries.