New football governing body for Australian national league teams
By David Gold
March 30 – Football Federation Australia (FFA) and Hyundai A-League clubs have agreed to form a new governing body for the national league.
Blatter steals Pieth’s thunder on eve of FIFA reform proposals
By Andrew Warshaw
March 29 – FIFA President Sepp Blatter, in classic tactical mode, says he is looking forward to hearing what recommendations will be made to clean up his organisation after the most scandal-tainted couple of years in its history.
Anti-corruption expert expected to demand FIFA World Cup bid review
By Andrew Warshaw
March 29 – Anti-corruption expert Mark Pieth tomorrow publishes his eagerly awaited report into the way FIFA operates amid growing concern he will recommend a review into the process that led to the 2018 and 2022 World Cups being awarded respectively to Russia and Qatar.
Al-Ahly boycott Egyptian football after Al-Masry receive two year ban
By David Gold
March 29 – Al-Ahly have vowed to boycott Egyptian football in protest at the decision of the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) to ban Al-Masry from the game for two years.
Don’t delay in giving Redknapp the England manager’s job, warns Terry Venables
By Andrew Warshaw at Soccerex in Manchester
March 29 – Former England manager Terry Venables (pictured) has added his voice to the clamour to give the England job to Harry Redknapp in succession to Fabio Capello.
Jeffrey Webb to stand unopposed for CONCACAF Presidency
By Andrew Warshaw
March 29 – Jeffrey Webb, President of the Cayman Islands Football Association (CIFA), will stand alone for the Presidency of the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) at its annual Congress on May 23 in Budapest, the confederation has confirmed.
UEFA set to ignore goalline technology approval
By Andrew Warshaw at Soccerex in Manchester
March 29 – UEFA have given the biggest hint yet that it may ignore goalline technology, even if it is brought into law on a global level.
Blatter scrapped whistle blowing initiative, FIFA’s head of security reveals
By Andrew Warshaw at Soccerex in Manchester
March 29 – FIFA President Sepp Blatter suddenly halted a much-lauded whistle blowing programme designed to weed out match-fixing and illegal gambling before it even got off the ground, it has emerged.
English Championship clubs are a scene of carnage, admits Portsmouth administrator
By Andrew Warshaw at Soccerex in Manchester
March 29 – The man charged with saving crisis-stricken English Championship club Portsmouth painted a bleak picture of all second tier teams by describing them as “a scene of carnage” in terms of their finances.
FIFA Executive Committee step in to save Brazil 2014 World Cup
By Andrew Warshaw
March 29 – In an unprecedented move, FIFA has put its entire Executive Committee on its own organising body for the 2014 World Cup amid growing concern about Brazil’s ability – or lack of it – to stage the event.
Honduras secure semi-final place in CONCACAF London 2012 qualifiers
By David Gold
March 29 – Honduras have booked their spot in the semi-finals of the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) men’s Olympic football qualifiers.
England plays delay game over centralised media rights, insists UEFA
By Andrew Warshaw at Soccerex in Manchester
March 28 – England is the only country among UEFA’s 53 members to be dragging its feet over thrashing out final details covering centralised media rights for national matches, according to the organisation’s general secretary, Gianni Infantino.
Rainforests in focus as Brazil votes on World Cup law
By David Gold
March 28 – Rainforests will come under the microscope today with Brazil due to vote on World Cup law once again.
Women’s W-League can look forward to sunny future, insist Australian football chiefs
By David Gold
March 28 – Football Federation Australia (FFA) chiefs have pledged to continue supporting the W-League – insisting they see “blue sky not storm clouds”, as speculation mounts over its future.
Eight South African cities bid for 2013 African Nations Cup matches
By David Gold
March 28 – Eight cities – Johannesburg, Bloemfontein, Port Elizabeth, Durban, Cape Town, Polokwane (pictured), Rustenburg and Nelspruit – have bid to host matches at next year’s African Nations Cup, hosted by South Africa.