Alves refuses to return to Sao Paulo over unpaid $3.4m wage bill
September 13 – In a row over unpaid wages, Daniel Alves and Sao Paulo have parted ways. The 38-year-old is owed about $3.4 million in unpaid wages by his club.
Everton Fan Tokens launch Wednesday, Hibs go crypto
September 13 – Everton and Hibernians have become the latest clubs to enter the cryptocurrency world with the launch of fan tokens.
Al-Sabah jailed by Geneva court for forgery in Kuwaiti political plot
September 13 – Olympic powerbroker Sheikh Ahmad al-Fahad al-Sabah, once a major player at FIFA, has been sentenced to at least 13 months in prison after being found guilty of forgery.
FIFA to start bid city inspections for 2026 World Cup next week
September 10 – The host city selection process for the 2026 World Cup moves on a stage next week with FIFA beginning its inspection visits September 15-23.
Messi hat-trick takes him past Pelé’s goal scoring record
September 10 – Lionel Messi has surpassed Pelé as the leading South American men’s goal scorer in international matches with 79 goals, following his hat-trick in Argentina’s World Cup qualifiing win against Bolivia.
LaLiga launches player card NFTs on Sorare fantasy gaming platform
September 10 – Spain’s LaLiga is launching non-fungible token fantasy football cards for all its players, entering a partnership with the French platform Sorare.
Billion $ Manchester. City and United top ranking of squad transfer cost
September 10 – Manchester City continue to top a ranking of club spending on transfer fees to assemble their squads, but Manchester United are getting close.
Aussie W-League expands boundaries with addition of Wellington Phoenix in NZ
September 10 – Australia’s W-League has added a tenth team for its 2021/22 season, with the addition of Wellington Phoenix from New Zealand joining the competition.
Barca’s money troubles deepen as Rakuten look to end €55m shirt deal
September 10 – Financially troubled Barcelona are facing another hit on the their bank balances following shirt sponsor Rakuten’s decision to end their partnership and an almost halving of the deal for the current season.
FIFA legends jump aboard the biennial World Cup gravy train, Wenger blows the whistle
By Samindra Kunti
September 10 – FIFA don’t do dissent, at least not when it comes to what it purports will be the ‘Football of Tomorrow’, the introduction of a biennial World Cup. In Doha, the world federation’s ultimate salesman Arsene Wenger rolled out plans for the tournament and a slate of legends nodded obediently in approval of what would be a dramatic overhaul of the match calendar.
Japan pulls out of Club World Cup hosting as fifth covid wave sweeps country
September 10 – Japan has officially withdrawn as hosts of the Club World Cup scheduled to be played in December, because of the spread of the coronavirus within the country, global governing body FIFA confirmed on Thursday.
World Leagues Forum slam biennial WC plan as a threat to football finance and player health
September 9 – Opposition against FIFA president Gianni Infantino’s plans to stage the World Cup every two years is growing, with the World Leagues Forum becoming the latest stakeholder to mobilise.
PSG and LFP return fire on Tebas after branding club as a ’danger’ to European football
By Samindra Kunti
September 9 – Javier Tebas once more is at the centre of the storm. This time Paris Saint-Germain and French Professional League (LFP) have attacked the boss of Spanish football after he branded the state-funded club “as dangerous as the European Super League”.
US second half comeback saves World Cup qualifying face, Canada and Panama stake claims
September 9 – Emphatic wins for Canada and the US in the third matches of the Concacaf World Cup qualifying final round, have put them back in touching distance of group leaders Mexico who managed a draw in their third game in this international window.
Egypt turn to Queiroz to galvanise World Cup qualifying campaign
September 9 – Egypt have hired Carlos Queiroz as their new manager to steer the Pharaohs to the World Cup in Qatar. The Portuguese will succeed Hossam El Badry.