FIFA to open new office hub in Rabat, Morocco
December 18 – In a further decentralisation of the organisation, FIFA have announced that the world governing body will be opening an office in Rabat, Morocco.
Land of opportunity. FIFA’s cheap seats for Club World Cup final in New York start at $890
December 18 – The expanded FIFA Club World Cup has already drawn widespread criticism for cramming more fixtures into an already congested football calendar. But if the backlash over its scheduling wasn’t enough, the recently revealed ticket prices for the tournament could escalate the controversy to new heights.
UEFA launch tender for Euro 2028 hospitality partner
December 18 – UEFA has begun the first stage of a tender for exclusive hospitality sales, marketing and production rights for UEFA EURO 2028, publishing a Request for Information (RFI) to hospitality companies worldwide.
FIFA apologises to Ukraine over Crimean map gaffe at World Cup qualifying draw
December 18 – FIFA has apologised to the Ukrainian FA for displaying a map during the European section of the 2026 World Cup qualifying draw that excluded Russia-occupied Crimea from the country’s territory.
Vinícius Júnior and Aitana Bonmati scoop FIFA’s ‘Best’ awards
December 18 – Real Madrid star Vinícius Júnior has finally got his hands on a major global player award.
Booze ban unlikely to be lifted for Saudi Arabia 2034 World Cup
December 18 – Saudi Arabia has been dry since 1952, and we’re not talking about rain. King Ibn Saud banned alcohol that year, and the chances of football fans being allowed to drink in stadiums during World Cup 2034 are about as strong as Budweiser Zero.
Fifpro study finds some women’s workload split between too many games and not enough
December 18 – Some elite-level female professionals are dealing with a packed schedule whereas at the opposite end of the scale, others don’t have enough games to play, according to global players’ union Fifpro.
Bundesliga uses OTT streamer OneFootball to spearhead international expansion
December 18 – The DFL Deutsche Fußball Liga is making Bundesliga live content more accessible in select international markets by expanding its ‘Bundesliga Pass’ OTT service with OneFootball to Vietnam and South Africa.
Spurs partner with Singapore’s Tiger Beer
December 18 – Tottenham Hotspur continues to remain ‘Spursy’ on the pitch, however, when it comes to marketing and partnerships, the North London club roar. In a new deal, the club has announced that Tiger Beer will be its ‘Official International Beer Partner’ in an effort to capitalise on the team’s growing presence in Asia.
NCAA Soccer has a new Cinderella
December 18 – In the United States, the pinnacle for collegiate athletes is winning a National Collegiate Athlete Association (NCAA) title, and on Monday in a thrilling overtime classic, unseeded Vermont (15-2-6) won its first men’s soccer NCAA championship in programme history beating Marshall University (15-1-7).
Sloboda Tuzla owner fires his whole playing department after just 2 points and 5 goals from 17 matches
December 18 – Sloboda Tuzla, a club from Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Premier League, has fired all of its coaches and players following a string of poor results. The news was delivered by club president Azmir Husić (pictured) after the team’s final match of the year.
Spurs lose appeal over Betancur’s 7-match ban for ‘abusive and insulting’ Son comments
December 18 – Tottenham Hotspur have lost their appeal against the severity of Uruguay midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur’s seven-game ban for making an offensive comment about South Koreans in relation to a remark about Spurs teammate Son Heung-min.
England, France and Netherlands drawn together in Euro 2025 ‘group of death’
December 17 – Women’s Euro 2021 champions England will open their title defence against France at the 2025 European Championship in Switzerland next summer.
UEFA boosts Euro 2025 prize money to €41m with per diems set at €657 per player
December 17 – Prize money for next summer’s 2025 Women’s European Championship will increase by a whopping 156% compared to the previous edition, with the 16 teams sharing €41 million.
The MLS-Liga MX Summer face-off for the Leagues Cup to change format in 2025
December 17 – The Leagues Cup will undergo a dramatic change in 2025 according to Liga MX president Mikel Arriola, who spoke to reporters on Sunday having taken over the reins as acting commissioner of the league after the surprise ousting of Juan Carlos Rodriguez.