September 30 – The tax evasion case involving Lionel Messi and his father Jorge “should not take long” to be resolved, according to the Spanish Superior Court. Both appeared in court last Friday to face charges of evading €4.2 million in tax by filing incomplete returns for the years 2006 to 2009, allegations they deny but which have caused widespread consternation in Spain where the Argentine superstar is currently out injured.
By Andrew Warshaw
September 30 – FIFA has ordered Ukraine to play next month’s potentially decisive World Cup qualifier against Poland in Kharkiv behind closed doors after fans hurled racial abuse during the win over San Marino earlier this month. The country has also been banned from playing in the Arena Lviv stadium for the whole of the 2018 World Cup qualification programme.
By Mark Baber
September 27 – Manchester City Football Club has expanded its global social media presence by launching ten new international Twitter accounts whilst, 27 miles away, Liverpool has outlined further plans to expand its global digital offering.
September 27 – Qatar has joined forces with the US to develop new food and water security solutions off the back of the technology and infrastructure developed for the 2022 World Cup.
By Mark Baber
September 27 – FIFA and INTERPOL have launched a series of e-learning programmes aimed at educating players, coaches and referees on the dangers of match-fixing which it is hoped will help them avoid becoming victims of match-fixing attempts.
It surprised me that Luis Suarez didn’t mark his return to playing for Liverpool against Manchester United after a 157 day absence with a match winning performance. It’s so often the way with comebacks from self-inflicted adversity.
The returning ‘bad boy’ is welcomed gratefully back into the fold straight into the spotlight, and quickly reminds everyone of how much they’ve been missed with a flash of genius.
Most memorably Eric Cantona at Manchester United,
By Andrew Warshaw
September 27 – Lionel Messi was in court today (pictured) to face charges of tax fraud that have caused widespread astonishment in Spain and cast a dark shadow over the Argentine superstar’s squeaky clean image as the world’s finest footballer.
September 27 – FIFA have overturned a provisional suspension handed down to an unnamed Bulgarian international for a failed drugs test.
By Andrew Warshaw
September 27 – Already thrown out of this season’s Europa League by UEFA over match-fixing, Besiktas have now been ordered by the Turkish football authorities to play four games behind closed doors as a result of the violence which caused last weekend’s Istanbul derby against bitter rivals Galatasaray to be abandoned.
By Andrew Warshaw
September 27 – Qatar authorities say they are “appalled” by reports of severe mistreatment of migrant workers that have heaped further pressure on organisers of the 2022 World Cup. The Qatari government has opened an immediate inquiry into the reports.
By Mark Baber
September 26 – FIFA has confirmed that representatives from the Dutch Football Association (KNVB), and the English Football Association (The FA) will be participating in a podium discussion on the future of artificial turf in football at this year’s IAKS (International Association for Sports and Leisure Facilities) congress in Cologne.
By Mark Baber
September 26 – Cypriot football has been hit by the financial tsunami which has hit the island as the Ministry of Finance is expected to file charges against clubs’ non-payment of taxes, Separately the board of the CFA Championship has decided to cut the league to 12 teams from the current 14.
By Alexander Krassimirov
September 26 – The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has provisionally suspended a Bulgarian international footballer for an initial period of 30 days following an adverse drug test conducted after a World Cup qualifier played in Valletta, Malta, on September 10.
By Andrew Warshaw
September 26 – The group running the largest fan ownership in English football says it has proved its critics wrong in terms of being able to do the job.
By Andrew Warshaw
September 26 – In a significant breakthrough 20 months after the Port Said stadium disaster, Egypt’s national team will play in Cairo for the first time in two years when they take on Ghana on November 19 in the decisive second leg of their World Cup playoff.