By Duncan Mackay
November 26 – England’s bid to host the 2018 World Cup will today switch temporarily from the boardroom politics that are threatening to undermine the campaign when 15 cities from across the country will travel to Wembley Stadium to submit their cases to be included as part of the plans.
November 25 – John Delaney, the chief executive of the Football Association of Ireland (FAI), tonight claimed that FIFA President Sepp Blatter had deliberately avoided getting involved in the debate over Thierry Henry’s handball (pictured) because he did not having to make a tough decision.
By Duncan Mackay
November 25 – Danny Jordaan (pictured), the chief executive of South Africa 2010, has hit out at the British Government for warning fans travelling to next year’s event to be aware of car-jackers.
November 25 – CONMEBOL, South America’s governing body, has backed a plan by Argentina and Uruguay to launch a joint bid to host the 2030 World Cup to commemorate the centenary of the first-ever tournament that was also held in Uruguay.
By Duncan Mackay
November 25 – Richard Caborn, the former Sports Minister, has effectively called for Lord Triesman to be sacked as head of England’s bid to host the 2018 World Cup and replaced by Gary Lineker (pictured), the country’s second-highest international goalscorer who is now a presenter with BBC Television.
November 25 – Nikita Simonian (pictured) will serve as interim President of the Russian Football Union (RFU) until February after Vitaly Mutko officially stepped down.
Thierry Henry’s “handled” assist in the recent match against the Republic of Ireland, which led to an “illicit” equaliser raises again the issue about the use of technology in football.
By Duncan Mackay
November 24 – Portsmouth City Council tonight voted against putting itself forward as a host city if England’s bid to stage the 2018 World Cup is successful after they said they were not prepared to put up the £15 million guarantee required.
November 24 – The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has today officially signed $100 billion (£604 million) deal with World Sport Group (WSG), extending a partnership that stretches back to 1993 and emphasises the sport’s growing value in the area, the world’s largest and most populous continent.
By Andrew Warshaw
November 24 – England’s 2018 World Cup bid has been plunged into further turmoil by the resignation today from the Board of Premier League chairman Sir Dave Richards (pictured).
By Tom Degun in London
November 24 – Gary Mabbutt (pictured), the former England and Tottenham Hotspur defender, has spoken excitedly about his role in South Africa’s preparations for the 2010 World Cup.
England’s wobbling World Cup bid has been reshaped and reorganised but for all the tactical changes forced on skipper Lord Triesman, the 2018 squad still seems to lack fire-power up front. There are some worthy big guns on board, like Lord Coe and Sir Keith Mills, both architects of London’s successful 2012 Olympic bid, and the articulate ex-Chelsea star Paul Elliott.
By Andrew Warshaw
November 23 – Tottenham Hotspur have stolen a march on their rivals by becoming the first club to sign up to London United’s submission for potential 2018 World Cup venues.
November 23 – American businessman Stan Kroenke (pictured) has bought 10 more shares in Premiership club Arsenal to put him closer to the threshold that forces him to make a takeover bid.
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November 23 – FIFA president Sepp Blatter (pictured) has called a crisis meeting of the Executive Committee following a series of incidents that have rocked football, including Thierry Henry’s handball and allegations of widespread match-fixing in Europe.