By Andrew Warshaw
August 19 – FIFA’s 2018 World Cup inspection team completed its fact-finding tour of Russia today after repeated assurances the country would be ready to host football’s flagship tournament in eight years’ time.
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By Duncan Mackay
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
August 19 – David Beckham today launched a campaign urging English football fans to show their support for the country’s bid for the 2018 World Cup by getting involved in events aimed at impressing a FIFA inspection team when it visits next week.
By David Owen
August 19 – FIFA is budgeting $16 million (£10.2 million) for the next Olympic football tournament, to be staged in Great Britain in 2012.
By David Owen
August 19 – Last year’s under-17 World Cup cost more than double its budget, in an overshoot blamed by FIFA on “exceptional high” medical and security costs.
By Duncan Mackay
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
August 18 – Kazan and Sochi were the latest stops visited today by the FIFA inspection team as they continued to assess Russia’s bid to host the 2018 World Cup.
By Duncan Mackay
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
August 18 – West Ham United can today officially launch its formal bid to take over the Olympic Stadium after London 2012.
By David Owen
August 17 – Russia is ready to introduce a visa-free regime for fans attending World Cup football matches, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has told a FIFA inspection team, as the country wheeled out the big guns in support of its ambition to host the 2018 World Cup.
By David Owen
August 17 – The finances of FIFA’s Club World Cup have been transformed by its switch to the Middle East.
August 17 – Plymouth Argyle have unveiled plans for a £150 million ($235 million) redevelopment of Home Park, which they hope will be part of the 2018 World Cup if England’s bid to stage the tournament is successful.
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August 17 – Arsenal are to launch a new Barcelona-style membership scheme for thousands of fans, they have announced.
By Duncan Mackay
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
August 17 – Pressure to get the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) to postpone its elections due on Saturday (August 21) is continuing to build with Segun Odegbami , one of the country’s former top players, joining in the calls by petitioning FIFA President Sepp Blatter.
August 17 – The England 2018 World Cup Bid has announced the signing of Thomas Lyte as an Official Supporter.
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By Duncan Mackay
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
August 16 – Russia will do everything possible to host the World Cup in either 2018 or 2022, the country’s Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko vowed as FIFA’s inspection team arrived in St Petersburg to begin its four-day visit.
By David Owen
August 16 - David Cameron (pictured right), the British Prime Minister, is to miss next week’s visit by FIFA inspectors assessing England’s bid for the 2018 World Cup.
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By Tom Degun in Singapore
August 15 – Shahrzad Mozafar, the coach of the Iranian girl’s team at the Summer Youth Olympic Games, told insidethegames that she was happy to talk about something other than the team’s clothing after her side claimed a 1-0 win over Papa New Guinea in their second match in Group A courtesy of an early second half strike by Fatemeh Ardestani.