Cruyff elected to Ajax Board
By David Gold
June 7 – Johan Cruyff has been elected to the Ajax Board of directors as the club hope to rediscover the glory days of the 1970s.
UEFA confirms award of Champions League and Europa League rights in Asia
By David Gold
June 7 – UEFA has confirmed that the award of rights to broadcast Champions League and Europa League games between 2012 and 2015 to various media outlets in Asia.
Venue for Euro 2012 final way off target for completion
By Andrew Warshaw in Kiev
June 7 – Kiev officials went firmly on the defensive as it emerged the venue for the final of next year’s Euro 2012 Championships is lagging well behind schedule.
Edusport Travel appointed as exclusive South African hospitality agent for Brazil 2014
By David Gold
June 7 – Edusport Travel has been appointed as the exclusive South African agent of MATCH hospitality, the rights holder of the FIFA hospitality programme, to sell the packages for the 2013 Confederations Cup and 2014 World Cup, taking place in Brazil.
Euro 2012 organisers aiming to show world that they will be ready in time
By Andrew Warshaw in Donetsk
June 6 – Organisers of Euro 2012 in Ukraine and Poland are cranking up the publicity machine a year ahead of the finals with an intensive show of force aimed at showcasing the positive elements of the controversial joint hosts.
Manchester United name DHL as 2011 US tour sponsor
By Emily Goddard
June 6 – DHL, Manchester United’s Official Courier and Logistics Partner, has been announced as the title sponsor of the club’s summer tour of the United States.
Exclusive: We have to strengthen the framework within FIFA but it must be to serve football, says Prince Ali
By Andrew Warshaw
June 6 – The newest and youngest member of FIFA’s inner sanctum says everyone within the organisation’s hierarchy must now be held accountable for their actions following the biggest bribery scandal in the history of world football.
Russia’s 2018 stadia should be flexible, says Wembley director
By David Gold
June 6 – Wembley Stadium’s group events director David Thomson, who will be speaking at the Inside World Football Moscow Forum, says that Russia’s new stadia for the 2018 World Cup must be flexible enough to host various types of events if they are to be a success beyond the tournament and provide a lasting legacy for the country.
Yemen violence forces switch of London 2012 qualifying match against Australia
By Duncan Mackay
June 6 – Australia will host both legs of their Olympic football qualifier against Yemen later this month because of the political turmoil in the Middle Eastern state, Football Federation Australia (FFA) announced today.
We want Russia 2018 stadia to capture feel of the country, says Populous principal
By David Gold
June 5 – Tom Jones, the Associate Principal of Populous, the global design specialists whose Senior Principal John Barrow will be speaking at the Inside World Football Moscow Forum in June, says that Russia should think about the wider infrastructure required for the 2018 World Cup, and learn some lessons from the experience of South Africa in preparing to host a successful World Cup.
Warner backs down from reading out Blatter e-mails after legal warning
By Duncan Mackay
June 5 – Legal reasons today prevented suspended FIFA vice-president Jack Warner from publicly revealing details of e-mail correspondence between himself and Sepp Blatter, the President of football’s world governing body.
Coe claims FIFA scandal could have been avoided if they had listened to him
By Duncan Mackay
June 5 – Sebastian Coe, the chairman of the London 2012 Olympics, has claimed that many of the problems that have overwhelmed FIFA and its President Sepp Blatter recently could have been avoided if they had adopted anti-corruption World Cup bidding reforms he had proposed more than two years ago.
Galal urges Russia 2018 to get public-private investment balance right
By David Gold
June 5 – Hazem Galal (pictured), a partner at PwC Brazil and a speaker at the Inside World Football Moscow Forum, has told insideworldfootball that Russia can learn from Brazil’s 2014 World Cup preparations, and in particular that it needs to get the balance between public and private investment right by providing the appropriate incentives and regulatory frameworks.
England FA chairman writes to Blatter to find way forward
By Duncan Mackay
June 5 – English Football Association chairman David Bernstein has written to FIFA President Sepp Blatter to reassure him that they want to continue working with the world governing body but also to protest at some of the comments made by senior officials, including Argentina’s Julio Grondona and Spain’s Angel Maria Villar-Llona.
Iran in new London 2012 row after women’s footballers banned because of dress
By Duncan Mackay
June 5 – Iran’s women’s football team are involved in a new row over their dress after they were banned from playing their second qualifying round of the London 2012 Olympics against Jordan in Amman because, it was claimed, they were wearing “inappropriate” clothing.