January 20 – Canada’s MLS franchise based in Montreal will start the 2021 season with a new name, changing its 28-year moniker from Montreal Impact Club de Foot Montréal (CF Montréal).
January 21 – Football clubs’ engagement with eSports platforms has taken a deeper dive with 23 teams from around, including Manchester City, Juventus, Inter and AC Milan, partnering with Epic Games – the creator of video game Fortnite – to bring the first-ever official football kit inspired skins to the game.
January 20 – Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium, nations bidding to host the 2027 Women’s World Cup, will play in a tri-nations tournament in February to promote their hosting credentials.
January 20 – In an escalation of a Covid-19 dispute, Chinese broadcaster PPLive Sports International has countersued the English Premier League for failing to live up to the terms of its contract.
January 20 – As anticipated, Atlético Madrid have appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to suspend the ban on their English international Kieran Trippier imposed by his national federation for breaching betting rules.
January 202 – The English Football Association has appointed Hege Riise to take over the role as interim national women’s head coach and fill the hole left by the sudden departure of Phil Neville to Inter Miami.
By Paul Nicholson
January 19 – Transfers fees in 2020 dropped 23.4% compared to 2019, a reduction of $1.743 billion in money spent. That is a figure 10% below the value of transfers reported in 2017.
By Andrew Warshaw
January 19 – The top two tiers of English non-league football, known as the National League and National League north and south, are in danger of being called off because of funding – or lack of it.
January 19 – Twenty-four hours after his contract as manager of England’s women was prematurely ended in anticipation of a move to the United States, Phil Neville has duly been named head coach of Inter Miami, the Major League Soccer club part-owned by David Beckham.
January 19 – In the latest twist of a case viewed by many as a key test of FIFA’s mettle, football’s world governing body has taken a significant stance against footballers breaching betting rules by upholding a 10-week global ban on England international Kieran Trippier and dismissing an appeal by his club, Atletico Madrid.
January 19 – Serie A’s AC Milan has become the latest club commit to blockchain driven cryptocurrency fan tokens, saying that it will launch the $ACM Fan Token on Socios.com in the coming weeks.
January 19 – Following confirmation that Auckland City FC will be unable to participate in the Club World Cup due to the Covid-19 pandemic and related quarantine measures required by the New Zealand authorities, FIFA has adapted the competition’s match schedule and stadiums.
January 19 – The German Bundesliga, a league renowned for its fan culture, doesn’t expect to see supporters return to stadiums until the 2021/22 season.
January 19 – Poland have sacked national coach Jerzy Brzeczek just five months before the European Championship and two months before the start of World Cup qualifying.
January 19 – Southampton have signed a partnership with Ghanaian Premier League outfit Asante Kotoko SC, the club becoming the first African partner in the Saints’ international portfolio.