By Andrew Warshaw
February 17 – Years after being plunged into scandal with a spate of high ranking officials banned for financial wrongdoing, the Oceania Football Association (OFC) has once again become embroiled in chaos and corruption.
February 17 – It’s not an April Fool’s joke but the draw for the World Cup finals in Qatar is reportedly being scheduled for April 1.
February 17 – The draw for the final round qualifiers for the Asian Cup China 2023 will be made next Thursday February 24 with 11 qualifying places to play for.
February 17 – The professional leagues of Northern and Western Europe see teams playing more ‘openly’ that the leagues in South and East of the continent, according to data from the CIES Football Observatory.
February 17 – France’s OL Groupe, owners of Ligue 1 Olympique Lyon, is reporting a first half return to profitability for the 2021-22 season with revenues up 7% from the same period in 2020-21 to €75 million.
February 17 – Italian authorities have issued an international arrest warrant for Robinho, the former Brazil star who was convicted of rape in Italy.
February 14 – The AFC has held the draw for the men’s U23 Championship to be held in Uzbekistan this summer.
February 17 – English Championship club West Bromwich Albion, who are currently in the play-off positions and looking to bounceback to the Premier League after just a season out, have added trading services provider Trade Nation as a major commercial partner.
By Andrew Warshaw
February 16 – FIFA’s biennial World Cup drive has suffered yet another setback after global players’ union FIFPRO revealed its members overwhelmingly oppose the idea.
February 16 – A former Portuguese referee is under investigation for allegedly receiving up to €1.9 million from Benfica which could, if proven, reportedly lead to the Lisbon club being sensationally relegated.
February 16 – The AFC is staying with centralised venues for its Champions League 2022 with the first group hosts in the East Asia region finalised for April 15 kick off.
February 16 – UEFA’s partnership with blockchain-based Fan Token platform Socios, announced yesterday, has quickly drawn criticism from fan groups who accuse the European governing body of leaving fans in the hands of “crypto-mercenaries”.
February 16 – Haitian club AS Cavaly has formally withdrawn from the 2022 Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League after the club failed to obtain visas for the US.
February 16 – A UEFA delegation has arrived in Albania to evaluate the electoral process of the national federation before clubs vote on a new FA president next month amid concerns about political interference.
February 16 – Former professional player, now a broadcast presenter, Alex Scott, has been announced as a speaker for the SIGA Summit on Female Leadership in Sport in New York, March 8-9.