Chinese sports ministry sacks FA chief
By Mark Baber
January 17 – Wei Di, the head of the Chinese Football Association (CFA) has been sacked three years after being appointed to the role.
Gold Cup 2025
USA clinch last four slot with penalty win over Costa Rica
USA 2 Costa Rica 2 (USA win 4-3 on pens)
June 29 – You’d hate to use the word ‘sterile’ to describe a Concacaf Gold Cup quarter-final, but following the drama and passion of Guatemala versus Canada, it all felt a little flat as the United States Men’s National Team (USMNT) and Costa Rica kicked off for the right to face Guatemala in St. Louis. After 90 minutes and the drama of penalty kicks,
Six referee system being deployed in Belgium
By Mark Baber
January 17 – Pierluigi Collina, UEFA’s chief refereeing officer, visited Brussels to offer support and encouragement as the Belgium introduces additional assistant referees (AARs).
Mutschke steps up the fight against match-fixers
By Andrew Warshaw
January 17 – FIFA’s new director of security says he trying his best to step up the fight against match-fixing which, he believes, is rife throughout the game with as many as 50 leagues targeted by match fixers.
Guardiola opts for Bundesliga over Premier League
By Andrew Warshaw
January 17 – After months of speculation and innumerable column inches, England’s Premier League clubs have lost out on the services of Pep Guardiola, with the much-touted Spanish coach opting for Bayern Munich next season at the end of his year-long self-imposed sabbatical.
English roll out the great, the good and the grassroots to celebrate their football heritage
By Mark Baber
January 16 – The English Football Association, The FA, launched its 150th year anniversary with a heart-warming display of appreciation to the Football Association and English football by football leaders and legends from around the world, as well as a demonstration by the FA of the great emphasis it places on grassroots football, inclusion and the endeavours of volunteers.
Exclusive: Cypriots prepare to repair football divisions
By Andrew Warshaw, Chief Correspondent, in Nicosia, Cyprus
January 16 – After more than half a century of isolation during which they have become international outcasts, football officials of Turkish-controlled northern Cyprus will sit side-by-side with their Greek counterparts on Thursday for landmark talks aimed at unifying the sport on the deeply divided Mediterranean island.
Fitness test for managers debuts at St George’s
16 January – The League Managers Association (LMA) in the UK and medical provider Perform struck a deal to provide a fitness and wellbeing programme for managers at the new FA training facility at St George’s Park.
Mihir Bose: What has the FA done, Daddy?
The 150th anniversary of the Football Association certainly deserves to be celebrated. Any organisation that has reached such a venerable age has the right to celebrate its birthday and no doubt get a telegram from the Queen, or however Her Majesty marks such occasions these days.
But the tipple for the occasion should not be Krug champagne but a glass of Prosecco. For all the warm words that are now being showered on the FA from far and wide the best thing that can be said about the FA is that it still exists.
The FA launch 150th year celebrations
January 16 – The (English) Football Association, The FA, launched its 150th year anniversary at the Grand Connaught Rooms in London today.
Confederations Cup matches are the hot ticket
By Mark Baber
January 16 – The first public ticket sales phase for the FIFA Confederations Cup, which kicks off on the June 15 in Brasilia, has been a great success, according to FIFA, with 399,525 ticket requests received.
Brasileirao clubs launch fan membership scheme
By Andrew Warshaw
January 16 – Eighteen months before staging the World Cup, Brazil’s Serie A clubs are introducing a club membership scheme supported by the league’s corporate sponsors.
Serie A confirm no action will be taken against Boateng for walk-off
By Andrew Warshaw
January 16 – Kevin-Prince Boateng’s now famous walkoff in protest at being racially abused was technically against the rules, but the Ghanaian will not be punished, Serie A’s disciplinary commissioner has ruled.
Manchester United add new Chinese sponsors
By Mark Baber
January 16 – Manchester United has expanded its commerical its links in China with two three-year sponsorship deals with China Construction Bank (CCB) and soft drinks manufacturer Wahaha.
Indonesian football in chaos as Suryo threatens to disband rival leagues
By Mark Baber
January 16 – Indonesia’s new youth and sports minister Roy Suryo (pictured) has threatened to disband Indonesia’s two rival football factions unless a solution is found their row before a FIFA’s imposed March 16 deadline to settle their differences.
Murdoch banks on power of Bundesliga as News Corp takes control at Sky Deutschland
January 15 – Rupert Murdoch’s NewsCorp has taken a majority stake in German pay-TV company Sky Deutschland in a calculated gamble that will use football as the core content for the acquisition of new subscribers, increased revenues per subscriber and ultimately profitability in 2013.