.jpg)
By David Owen
Passion. Colour. Excitement. And, of course, cash.
The World Cup will bring all of these to South Africa next June, but will it change the lives of people like Cynthia in any meaningful way?
By Duncan Mackay in Vancouver
February 23 – The Bundesliga, the world’s most popular football league, is to back Munich’s bid to host the 2018 Olympics and Paralympics, it was announced at a special ceremony here tonight.
The child outstripping the father in any sphere of life is always news.
Olympic Games always bring up this comparison for, after all, it was the success of the 1924 Olympic football tournament that prompted the French to organise a football World Cup for professional players.
By Andrew Warshaw
February 23 – France, Turkey and Italy have formally handed over their bids to UEFA as the race to stage the 2016 European Championships reached a crucial stage.
By Andrew Warshaw
February 23 – Qatar may not be everyone’s cup of tea as far as hosting the World Cup in 2022 but they have shown once again that if prizes were awarded for stylish presentations as distinct from footballing pedigree, they would be handed the tournament on a plate.
.jpg)
By Andrew Warshaw at Wembley
February 23 – David Dein’s (pictured) first role as international president of England’s 2018 World Cup bid will be a face-to-face meeting with Jack Warner, the veteran FIFA powerbroker who famously denounced the bid as too lightweight in October last year.
February 21 – FIFA claimed today that they are concerned about players using undetectable stimulants derived from traditional African medicines that are not banned.
.jpg)
By Andrew Warshaw in Barcelona
February 18 – Barcelona coach Josep Guardiola today became the latest big name to be unveiled as ambassador for Qatar’s 2022 World Cup bid.
By Andrew Warshaw
February 18 – Former Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein (pictured) has been appointed international President of England’s 2018 World Cup bid campaign team, it has been announced.
.jpg)
February 18 – Togo’s appeal for provisional measures to be taken to ensure their place in the preliminary draw for the 2012 African Nations Cup have been dismissed, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) have announced.
By Andrew Warshaw
February 16 – The Premier League is considering a unique proposal to introduce a play-off for the fourth Champions League spot.
.jpg)
By Andrew Warshaw
FIFA president Sepp Blatter has once again gone on the attack to denounce critics of South Africa hosting the World Cup.
By David Owen
February 16 – Dr Chung Mong-Joon (pictured), a South Korean member of FIFA’s ruling Executive Committee and honorary President of his country’s football association, has made a $500,000 (£318,000) donation to Haiti.
There is a story going round the many lawyers, accountants and other professionals who advise football clubs. The story goes as follows. Some years ago, when Leicester City were in financial trouble and being hounded by the Revenue for non payment of taxes, Keith Vaz, the local MP, rang Gordon Brown then Chancellor of the Exchequer.
.jpg)
By Andrew Warshaw
February 9 – Indonesia’s flagging campaign to stage the 2022 World Cup was hanging by a thread today after it emerged that the Government was still stalling over contributing vital support.