Premier League clubs to adopt 5 subs rule
April 1 – English Premier League clubs will be able to make five substitutions in each game from next season after shareholders agreed to change the rules.
Biennial World Cup? Not our proposal, Infantino tells FIFA Congress
By Andrew Warshaw
April 1 – Perhaps in the knowledge that nearly all of football’s stakeholders are united in opposition, Gianni Infantino tried to distance himself from the highly controversial idea of staging the World Cup every two years by telling the world on Thursday that FIFA never actually proposed the plan in the first place.
Ukraine FA chief sends video reminder from front while Russian FA bosses lap up FIFA luxuries
April 1 – FIFA president Gianni Infantino may have stopped short of holding Russia accountable for the war in Ukraine during Thursday’s FIFA Congress, but the appearance by video of the head of Ukrainian football wearing an armoured vest and making an impassioned plea from the streets of Kyiv presented a very clear message to those in the auditorium.
World Cup draw promises legends, entertainment and the inevitable group of death
By Samindra Kunti in Doha
April 1 – After a dramatic FIFA Congress with a courageous and powerful speech by the Norwegian FA president Lise Klaveness, attention has now shifted to the World Cup draw that will decide the group match-ups and brackets for the 32 participants.
Man Utd to play Liverpool pre-season in Bangkok before heading to the MCG
April 1 – Having announced that its fan roadshow is returning with an event in Miami this month, Manchester United have also puts its first team back on the road for a pre-season – Tour 2022 – that will see the club play in Bangkok, Thailand, and Melbourne, Australia.
NFL International Series adds Bayern’s Allianz Arena to Wembley, Tottenham and Azteca venues
March 31 – With round ball football from Europe trying to get the permissions to take regular league games to the US, the oval-ball NFL is already building its presence and bran in football’s major stadia.
LaLiga grows its importance within Brand Spain eco-system
April 1 – LaLiga’s brand is growing, according to the latest Brand Finance annual report that ranks brand strength by countries.
European sponsorship business hit €27bn in 2021 but still €2.8bn off 2019 high
April 1 – The European sponsorship market bounced back in 2021 with a 17.8% uplift after a slow 2020, but has not yet returned to the pre-pandemic levels of 2019, according to the 2022 ESA Sponsorship Market Overview.
Infantino sidesteps condemning Russia, trumpets Qatar’s human rights reform and says he wants 4 more years
By Andrew Warshaw
March 31 – FIFA president Gianni Infantino, clearly anxious to steer a diplomatic line, deliberately sidestepped criticising Russia by name when addressing the war in Ukraine in front of the organisation’s global membership today.
Norwegian FA boss Klaveness bursts the FIFA and Qatar 2022 human rights feel-good bubble
By Samindra Kunti in Doha
March 31 – The Norwegian Football Federation (NFF) president Lise Klaveness slammed FIFA for staging the World Cup in Qatar and the host country for its record on migrant workers and the LGBT Community.
India’s Patel says credentials to host 2027 Asian Cup should not be underestimated
By Samindra Kunti in Doha
March 31 – All India Football Federation president (AIFF) Praful Patel haș dismissed the idea that Saudi Arabia and Qatar are the frontrunners in the bidding race for the 2027 Asian Cup. Patel also rebutted strong criticism at home of overstaying as president of India’s governing body.
FIFA moves to end ‘warehousing’ of players but fails to apply new rules to U21s
March 31 – FIFA has approved new loan regulations that will come into force in July in a bid to foster development in the game and prevent “hoarding” of players.
US lose to Costa Rica but qualify for 2022 on goal difference. Ticos now face Kiwis
March 31 – Lightening almost struck twice. The US were knocked out of World Cup qualifying for Russia 2018 after losing to a better organised and prepared Trinidad and Tobago. Last night they hung on to their automatic 2022 qualification place on goal difference.
Iranian authorities pepper sprayed women trying to enter final Qatar 2022 qualifier
March 31 – While FIFA president Gianni Infantino was banging the drum for world peace, respect, and the power of football to help unify in times of conflict, news from Iran broke of women being pepper sprayed by Iranian authorities as they turned up for Iran’s final World Cup qualifier.
Barca vs Real Madrid sets new record attendance for women’s game
March 31 – The record for the highest attendance ever at a women’s football match was set last night in the Camp Nou in the second leg of the Champions League final between Barcelona and Real Madrid.