Pele back in hospital for chemo, but will be home for Christmas
December 9 – Brazilian legend Pele is back in hospital, for follow-up for treatment for a colon tumour.
Coronavirus: With a month to go, CAF says AFCON is staying in Cameroon
December 8 – The Confederation of African Football has dismissed rumours that next month’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) could be moved away from Cameroon following the recent discovery of the new Omicron variant of COVID-19.
Crouch sticks to view that English game can’t govern itself
December 8 – Fan-led review chair Tracey Crouch MP has responded to criticism, arguing that an independent regulator will help grow the English game.
MLS unveils 21 starting clubs for its new MLS Next Pro league
December 8 – Major League Soccer has unveiled plans for the debut of its third tier league, MLS Next Pro, that will start play in 2022 with 21 clubs.
Bellingham fined for questioning ‘match-fixing’ refs impartiality
December 8 – England’s teenage midfield international Jude Bellingham has been fined €40,000 by the German Football Association for unsportsmanlike conduct after he criticised referee Felix Zwayer following his Borussia Dortmund team’s 3-2 defeat by Bayern Munich last weekend.
AC Milan boss says San Siro must go to secure club’s future in the elite
December 8 – AC Milan CEO Ivan Gazidis has defended a controversial plan to demolish the iconic San Siro and replace it with a €690 million stadium to ensure the club’s future.
Arab Cup: Jordan grab last quarter final slot as Saudi Arabia crash out
December 8 – Jordan completed the line-up of the Arab Cup quarter-finals following a 5-1 victory against Palestine to clinch second spot ahead of Saudi Arabia in Group C.
FIFA rebrands history and gives museum new name and logo
December 8 – FIFA has rebranded its museum with a new name and new look, dropping the ‘world’ from its title to now become ‘FIFA Museum’. The change is subtle but it reflects the current administration’s change of attitude and policy towards its heritage project.
Covid outbreak threatens Spurs Premier League fixtures but Rennes game set to go-ahead
December 8 – Tottenham Hotspur’s Europa Conference League clash against Rennes on Thursday evening is expected to go ahead as scheduled despite a Covid outbreak in the London club’s ranks.
Copa Libertadores winners Palmeiras are latest to champion Socios.com fan token
December 8 – Copa Libertadores champions Palmeiras have become the fifth Brazilian club to commit to launching an official Fan Token – $VERDAO – on the Socios.com app.
Haaland is world’s most valuable player as Mbappe’s star fades and Foden doubles value
By Paul Nicholson
December 7 – Player values that have dropped on aggregate by 20% over the period of the coronavirus crisis have remained stagnant with few players having regained their pre-pandemic market values, according to an analysis of player market values by KPMG Football Benchmark.
Salman says AFCs financial assistance programme will empower FAs and boost sustainability
December 7 – AFC president Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa (pictured) has emphasised the value of the confederation’s revamped financial assistance programmes saying that they will “empower” federations.
San Francisco 49ers close in on £500m acquisition of Leeds Utd
December 7 – The San Francisco 49ers American Football team reportedly have “a deal in place” to buy English Premier League club Leeds United.
Sampdoria president Ferrero stands down after arrest on fraud charges
December 7 – The president of Italian top-flight side Sampdoria is stepping down with immediate effect after being arrested for alleged involvement in fraudulent bankruptcy cases.
Tromsø kit keeps focus on Qatari human rights with QR code linking to sports washing page
December 7 – Norwegian top-flight club Tromsø have produced an innovative team shirt featuring a QR code that puts the spotlight on human rights issues in Qatar with just under a year until the World Cup.