October 19 – English champions Liverpool have been a dealt a massive blow after it was confirmed that central defensive talisman Virgil van Dijk will endure a long layoff after suffering a serious cruciate injury in Saturday’s hotly contested Merseyside derby draw against league leaders Everton.
October 19 – Mastercard has extended its 26-year partnership with UEFA for a further three years with a new deal for the Champions League for the 2021-24 rights cycle.
October 19 – Gareth Bale’s much-anticipated homecoming to Tottenham Hotspur was overshadowed by his team squandering a 3-0 lead with just minutes remaining against London rivals West Ham on Sunday.
October 19 – Santos and former Brazil star Robinho have parted ways after growing public pressure over the player’s rape conviction in Italy in 2017 and his current defense.
October 19 – Nicholas Mwendwa (pictured) will serve as Football Kenya Federation president for another four years after being re-elected by a landslide following a bruising political battle.
October 19 – A French second division player has denied biting the cheek of an opposition goalkeeper, declaring instead that he had been racially abused.
October 19 – Online travel business Expedia has debuted this weekend as Liverpool’s sleeve sponsor, taking over from Western Union who still had two years left to run on their agreement.
UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin speaks exclusively with Paul Nicholson
October 16 – “In March when the pandemic started we united to save the season. Some didn’t understand that if we aren’t united we are weaker,” says UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin. The record shows that the season was impressively saved, but with the rate of covid infections spiking, in some European countries alarmingly, there is a need for more saving.
October 16 – Doha will stage the final of the Asian Champions League on December 19, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) confirmed on Friday.
October 16 – The German football federation (DFB) has claimed that it has already paid 2019 taxes related to advertising income after reaching an agreement with tax authorities. Six DFB officials are currently under investigation for tax evasion.
By Paul Nicholson
October 16 – English Football League (EFL) clubs have rejected the £50 million offer for financial support from the Premier League following the collapse of the ‘Big Picture Project’ proposal that would have seen them receive a £250 million covid bail out.
October 16 – The French League (LFP) has formally demanded that Spanish media rights agency Mediapro pay €172 million due as part of its Ligue 1 broadcast deal.
October 16 – A group including former FA chairman David Bernstein, former England defender Gary Neville (pictured), former FA executive David Davies and Manchester mayor Andy Burnham have called for government to intervene in the game and set up an independent regulator.
October 16 – Japan’s professional women’s league – The WE League – has picked its 11 founding clubs ahead of the inaugural 2021-22 season.
October 16 – While Manchester United’s owners and top management have been playing politics over the future powerbase of English professional football with their backfired Big Picture Project, the commercial engine of the club has nevertheless continued to purr.