Inside World Football - Page 416 of 2207 - For the Business of Football

Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico qualified from their Nations League A group with a win and a draw against Trinidad and Tobago, but lost twice to Mexico. Their win over Haiti in the preliminary round play-off was a seismic result.

What to expect

With a team based primarily around US-based college players, and with very little experience of international football, they did well to reach the preliminary round, but their 1-0 win over Haiti who had qualified for the 2023 Women’s World Cup was as an act of giant killing.

Football Asia

Shaikh Salman enters 4th term as AFC president saying there is still more to achieve

By Paul Nicholson

February 1 – Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa was elected by acclamation for a fourth term as president of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) at its 33rd Congress today in Salman’s home country of Bahrain.

Football Asia

Saudis awarded Asian Cup 2027 hosting and promise to deliver the best tournament ever

February 1 – Saudi Arabia was confirmed as the host for the Asian Cup in 2027 at the 33rd AFC Congress in Qatar.

Finance

Premier League clubs smash transfer spending records with £815m winter warmer

February 1 – Who says the mid-season winter transfer window is not the ideal time to bed players in?

Europe

Serie A clubs’ January transfer spending is lowest since 2006

February 1 – In contrast to the English Premier League, deadline day in Italy brought to an end a winter transfer window that saw the lowest spending by Serie A clubs in almost two decades.

Finance

Chelsea break British transfer record with €107m for Fernandez as Jan spending tops £300m

February 1 – Chelsea have completed their mind-boggling mid-season spending spree by smashing the British record after agreeing a record €121 million (£107 million) deal for Benfica’s Argentina World Cup-winning midfielder Enzo Fernandez.

Europe

Madrid court gives oxygen to Euro Super League clubs with protection from UEFA sanctions

February 1 – The rebel European Super League clubs have received a boost after a Madrid-based court restored an injunction to stop UEFA sanctions.

Football Asia

Infantino praises AFC passion and promises FIFA’s support going forward

February 1 – FIFA president Gianni Infantino, speaking at the AFC’s 33rd Congress in Bahrain, emphasised the financial support that FIFA has given the region since he took over as president.

Europe

Police bosses promise change as they apologise for Hillsborough disaster

Hillsborough Justice

February 1 – Britain’s police chiefs have promised a “cultural change” as they apologised to families of the victims in the 1989 Hillsborough tragedy, the UK’s worst sports disaster which saw 97 Liverpool supporters lose their lives.

FIFA

Club World Cup kicks off in Morocco with Al Ahly vs Auckland City

February 1 – African powerhouse Al Ahly of Egypt and OFC champions Auckland City will today kick off the 2022 Club World Cup, with Real Madrid, the European representative, once again the big favourites to win the competition.

Europe

Tedesco set to take over as Belgian boss as Euro 2024 qualifying nears

February 1 – Domenico Tedesco is on the brink of becoming the new coach of Belgium, succeeding Roberto Martinez who exited the Red Devils following a disappointing first-round elimination at last year’s World Cup.

Europe

Millitech quits Austrian FA presidency over allegations of business interest conflicts

February 1 – Austrian football has been plunged into disarray with the resignation of FA president Gerhard Millitech with immediate effect.

Concacaf

NISA to debut three new clubs for 9-club 2023 season

February 1 – The National Independent Soccer Association (NISA), the US third tier professional men’s league today, is bringing in three new clubs for the 2023 season, but is losing two clubs from its 2022 roster.

Europe

UEFA partners ERC to boost crucial CPR training across Europe

February 1 – UEFA and the European Resuscitation Council (ERC) have entered into a new training and education partnership focussed on increasing the number of people with cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) skills and raising awareness of the importance of immediate CPR treatment in cases of cardiac arrest.

Teams

Argentina

Argentina qualified as one of the four Conmebol guests at the W Gold Cup with a third placed finish at the 2022 Copa America Feminina.