Africa and Togo mourn loss of Seyi Memene
November 23 – African football is mourning the loss of Seyi Memene, a former vice president of CAF who died in his native Togo on Saturday morning following a long illness.
Table-topping Rangers defy Covid by growing revenue – but still post near £18m loss
By David Owen
November 22 – Rangers, the Glasgow club which has built up an eight-point lead in pursuit of their first Scottish top-flight title in a decade, has posted an increased loss for the year to end-June 2020.
Foul play in Switzerland? Ukraine claim game should and could have been played
By Paul Nicholson
November 20 – The Ukrainian FA (UAF) claims that its Nations League match against Switzerland should have been played and that the country had enough covid-free players to complete the fixture.
International breakages: Players and clubs feel the twin strains of covid and a heavy schedule
November 20 – It’s been an international break like no other when it comes to the impact of Covid-19 on European and global football and has raised legitimate questions about the folly of the scheduling.
Serie A agree €1.7bn deal with CVC and Advent for stake in new rights holding business
November 20 – After months of twists and turns, Italy’s Serie A has finally agreed a deal to sell a 10% stake in a newly created media and commercial rights holding company to private equity firms CVC and Advent. They will pay a reported €1.7 billion for their position, delivering a much needed cash injection for the debt-laden clubs.
FIFA opens door for return of noisy Trinidad and Tobago to world football
By Paul Nicholson
November 20 – FIFA has lifted the suspension of the Trinidad and Tobago FA (TTFA) and re-instated its three-person Normalisation Committee to run the local association.
FIFA bans Jean-Bart for decades of sexual abuse, despite Haitian court ruling
November 20 – The boss of Haitian football, Yves Jean-Bart, was banned from the sport for life today following multiple accusations of systematic sexual abuse of female players.
South Africa’s Motsepe rumoured to have Infantino’s backing for CAF leadership
November 20 – Patrice Motsepe (pictured) the only English mother tongue candidate for the most powerful position in African football, is reportedly being backed by Gianni Infantino in what would be a major coup for the South African billionaire businessman.
Indian Super League kicks off 7th season with Goa hosting centralised schedule
November 20 – Kerala Blasters and ATK Mohun Bagan will kick off the 7th edition of the Indian Super League tonight, the first major sporting event on Indian soil since the coronavirus pandemic, behind closed doors and with strict health protocols.
FAI probe sectarian video ‘nasty’ shown to Irish players pre-England friendly
November 20 – The Football Association of Ireland has launched an internal investigation into a controversial video message shown to the Ireland squad before last week’s friendly against England at Wembley.
FIFA turns to tech firms to improve VAR
November 20 – FIFA are taking steps to ensure marginal offside calls are determined by automated technology rather than the controversial VAR system of dotted lines and a second pair of eyes.
UEFA’s children’s foundation releases €4.8m for new projects worldwide
November 20 – UEFA’s Foundation for Children has announced a raft of new projects on what is its fifth anniversary this year.
FIFA boost for female players with game changing maternity protection laws
By Andrew Warshaw
November 19 – In a ground-breaking initiative that will be widely welcomed throughout the game, FIFA is to introduce radical new regulations covering maternity leave for female players – and could impose fines and transfer bans on clubs not meeting the new standards.
CAF election: Senghor highlights Ahmad ethics concerns, will unite French-speaking vote
By Andrew Warshaw
November 18 – Senegal Football Federation president Augustin Senghor (pictured), the fifth and final candidate to enter the race for the presidency of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), says he is ready to accept the challenge and believes he has the backing of a number of countries without identifying them.
Clubs for sale: US investors eye the post-pandemic opportunities in Europe
By Paul Nicholson
November 19 – Private equity money looking to make a play in the football business is not being discouraged by the pandemic with investors increasingly looking at opportunities outside the higher priced top tiers of the Big 5 league clubs.