January 4 – Tickets for the Club World Cup in the UAE that kicks off 3 February have gone on-sale in an exclusive pre-sale six-day window with prices starting as low as $5.
By David Owen
December 31 – European champions Chelsea have reported a massive loss for the covid-impacted 2020-21 season. The West London side posted pre-tax losses of £155.9 million, compared with a £35.7 million profit the previous year, when figures were buoyed by the sale of Eden Hazard to Real Madrid.
December 30 – Players heading to the African Cup of Nations have been given permission to stay with their clubs until January 3 – six days before the start of the tournament in Cameroon.
December 30 – UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin is still fuming at the very idea of a biennial World Cup that continues to be trumpeted by his FIFA counterpart, Gianni Infantino.
December 30 – Italian Serie A champions Inter Milan are reportedly close to signing off a sale to Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) as the country expands its football portfolio and its push into the football economy.
December 30 – With the spread of the omicron covid variant increasing its pace of infection across Europe, Spanish health authorities have moved to reduce capacities for outside venues to 75% of capacity.
December 30 – Chinese authorities have banned national team players from sporting tattoos in order to set a “good example for society” – and will kick them out if they don’t oblige.
December 30 – Belgian club Anderlecht have announced a loss of €29 million, but the club claims that with last week’s capital injection bankruptcy has been averted.
December 30 – The Portuguese José Peseiro has been named the new coach of Nigeria, but he won’t lead the Super Eagles at the Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon.
December 30 – Syria will continue to play their home matches in Qatar 2022 qualifying at neutral venues, including the crucial upcoming game against South Korea on February 1 which will likely decide the World Cup fates of both nations.
December 30 – Lyon and Paris FC have been thrown out of the French Cup following the hooliganism that forced their December 17 tie to be called off at half-time.
December 30 – LaLiga has become the first league to open a store on Amazon, selling merchandise from 13 of its clubs.
By Paul Nicholson
December 29 – In an end of year address, UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin says that the European governing bodies most significant achievement was the protection of the European sports model.
December 29 – After months of doubt, the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) looks set to go ahead in Cameroon as planned, according to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) president, Patrice Motsepe.
December 23 – English football’s Covid-hit top flight has been shorn of two Boxing Day matches amid fears others will follow over the busy Christmas and New year programme.