By David Gold
April 18 – Up to 10 of the 13 Brazilian airports currently being upgraded for the 2014 World Cup, are unlikely to be ready on time or able to cope with the volume of air traffic during the tournament, a report by the country’s Institute for Applied Economic Research shows.
By David Gold
April 18 – Japan’s plans to take part in the Copa America are facing another threat after German clubs including Borussia Dortmund announced that they were unwilling to release their players for the tournament, taking place in Argentina this July.
By David Gold
April 18 – Thailand Football Association President and FIFA Executive Committee member Worawi Makudi (pictured) believes that Southeast Asia could host the World Cup in 2030.
By David Gold
April 18 – Russia’s Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko has announced that approximately $5 billion (£3 billion) would be required for the construction of new stadiums and upgrades to the country’s infrastructure for the World Cup in 2018.
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Soap operas dressed up as morality tales do not come any better than the American Stan Kroenke’s take-over of Arsenal. The official word from Arsenal made the latest arrival of a foreign owner sound like the welcome a 19th century father might have given a man seeking the hand of his daughter.
This is what Peter Hill-Wood, the long serving chairman of the club, said: “The board of directors and I consider it a key responsbility to protect the ethos and spirit of the club.
By Andrew Warshaw
April 18 – A Swiss television network is to launch an official complaint to FIFA after two of its journalists were detained in Qatar for 13 days for filming a report on the 2022 World Cup hosts.
By Andrew Warshaw
April 17 – FIFA President Sepp Blatter believes he has the support of seven Central American federations for his re-election campaign.
By Andrew Warshaw
April 16 – Lennart Johansson, the former UEFA chief humbled by Sepp Blatter for the Presidency of FIFA 13 years ago, has called for a fair fight when Blatter stands for a fourth term of office.
By David Gold
April 15 – Kiev and Warsaw have been told to strengthen anti-terrorism plans for the European Championships, being held jointly by Ukraine and Poland in 2012, by Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov.
By Andrew Warshaw
April 15 – A galaxy of footballing legends past and present, led by Pele and Franz Beckenbauer (pictured), meet next month to start to find ways of improving the game as a result of some of the sterile encounters at last year’s World Cup.
By David Gold
April 15 – Carling Cup winners Birmingham City could be denied entry to the Europa League next season due to concerns over the club’s finances.
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By David Gold
April 18 – Ukraine is confident that Euro 2012, being hosted jointly with Poland, will be free of racism and violence, in response to a report documenting a number of such crimes at football games in the two countries during the last 18 months.
By Andrew Warshaw
April 14 – Mohamed Bin Hammam wound up a two-day visit to India today by saying he had a “50 per cent chance” of unseating Sepp Blatter at the FIFA Presidential election on June 1.
By Andrew Warshaw
April 14 – Leyton Orient have followed Tottenham Hotspur by applying to the High Court for a judicial review to try and prevent West Ham United moving to the Olympic Stadium after next year’s summer Games, club chairman Barry Hearn revealed today.
By David Gold
April 14 – Arsenal director Danny Fiszman, a lifelong fan of the Premiership club and a driving force behind the club’s move from Highbury to the Emirates Stadium, has died at the age of 66.