Qatar may reduce the number of stadiums proposed for World Cup 2022
By Mark Baber
April 24 – According to Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Qatar may reduce the number of stadiums for the 2022 world cup from the widely expected 12 to 8 or 9.
Beckenbauer signs up for Gazprom social project
April 24 – Former German icon and FIFA administrator Franz Beckenbauer has signed a personal endorsement deal with Russian gas giant Gazprom designed to promote football as a tool for social integration among children.
Another one bites the dust, Leoz exits FIFA citing health reasons
By Andrew Warshaw, chief correspondent
April 24 – Here we go again. Veteran FIFA powerbroker, about to be exposed, quits citing health reasons. The figure this time is 84-year-old Nicolas Leoz, head of CONMEBOL, who has announced he is stepping down as well as relinquishing his place on FIFA’s executive committee, held since 1998.
Judge threatens Deportivo liquidation unless deal struck over Media Pro cash
By Monica Villar
April 23 – A Spanish judge has threatened Deportivo de La Coruña with liquidation unless an agreement can be found between the banks and the club over the share out of the Media Pro money held in escrow buy the court.
Twitter hack rebounds around the world
By Andrew Warshaw
April 23 – Surely it couldn’t possibly be genuine? After all, April 1 was three weeks ago. Sepp Blatter, according to Twitter, was sensationally stepping down as FIFA president and the decision to award Qatar the 2022 World Cup involved money illegally changing hands.
Spanish consider passing law to force collective sale of TV rights
By Gareth Messenger
April 23 – The on-going Spanish debate over the collective sale of club TV rights could be ended by the government if a new law is passed to force the teams into group sales.
Builder guarantees Brasilia airport will be complete for 2014
April 23 – Work upgrading the Juscelino Kubitschek International Airport in Brasilia has been guaranteed to be completed on time for the World Cup in June 2014, as negotiations for new retail concessions get under way.
Wrage quits FIFA’s governance committee over watered-down reforms
By Andrew Warshaw, chief correspondent
April 23 – Just weeks after complaining that anti-corruption proposals to clean up FIFA had deliberately been “neutered”, one of the reform process’s key advisers has quit in protest.
Lee Wellings: Biting the hand that feeds you. Are fans cheering the indefensible?
The chances are that at least one of those eleven footballers you are cheering is what English people might call a wrong’un. A ne’er do well. A nasty piece of work. Increasingly you suspect it’s far more than the odd bad apple, but half the team.
I raise this of course because of Luis Suarez, arguably the third best player in the world and with a charge sheet longer than the bite marks in Branislav Ivanovic’s arm.
Sevilla chief del Nido says everyone is for sale and that the LFP must change
By Monica Villar
April 23 – Controversial Sevilla president José María del Nido has said that although they are still chasing a European place, the club’s financial crisis is such that every player has a price on his head and any of them could leave in the summer.
Bite-night 2: Suarez may have bitten off more than he can chew this time
By Andrew Warshaw
April 22 – Luis Suarez, one of world football’s most gifted and exciting strikers but with a hot-headed temperament that undermines his brilliant talents, faces a lengthy ban after biting an opponent in Sunday’s Premier League showdown with Chelsea.
Voice of God insists USA meet Costa Rica at the Monster’s Cave
By Mark Baber
April 22 – In a move that is being presented in some quarters as retaliation for their loss to USA in a blizzard in Colorado and in others as expected, the Costa Rican football federation has asked FIFA permission to play the return leg at the Saprissa Stadium which is known as “the Monster’s Cave”.
Cash-strapped Egyptians seek $17m+ for TV rights
By Mark Baber
April 22 – The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) aims to raise at least $17.3m by auctioning off the premier league’s television broadcast rights for the next three years.
Exclusive: Leaked letter warns AFC members against accepting bribes
By Andrew Warshaw, chief correspondent
April 22 – The entire membership of Asian football has been officially warned against accepting bribes or backhanders in the build-up to the forthcoming presidential election. Less than two weeks before the eagerly awaited vote, InsideWorldFootball has been leaked a confidential letter that urges delegates to behave properly and not discredit their already corruption-tarnished confederation.