January 14 – The long-tailed but failed £300 million Newcastle United takeover bid led by the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund (PIP) that ended in floods of tears last July, might not be dead in the water. Certainly there is renewed pressure on the Premier League to further explain why it failed to approve the new ownership.
January 14 – Sportradar has taken over as the official video and data distribution partner for the Asian Football Confederation’s national and club competitions, in an eight-year agreement running from 2021 to 2028.
January 14 – Former US women’s international goalkeeper Hope Solo says the current national team are not doing nearly enough in their quest for equal pay.
January 14 – England’s deputy chief medical officer Jonathan Van-Tam, who has emerged as the public’s most respected Covid expert with his clear-thinking, independent and sensible views in contrast to the government’s mixed messages, is the latest figure to warn footballers to avoid over-celebrating goals.
January 14 – Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell has apologised to supporters after admitting that embarking on a warm-weather training camp in Dubai at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic was a mistake.
January 14 – Outspoken US star Megan Rapinoe, one of the most powerful and popular voices in the game and a long-standing critic of Donald Trump, says last week’s pro-Trump riots on Capitol Hill were “a huge stain” on her country.
January 13 – Former El Salvador FA president Reynaldo Vasquez will be extradited to the United States to face charges of bribery and money laundering for his part in the FifaGate corruption scandals.
January 13 – Gianni Infantino has suffered a potentially significant setback in his bid to clear his name over alleged criminal misconduct after the Swiss Federal Criminal Court barred FIFA from being involved in ongoing proceedings over those infamous unrecorded dealings between Infantino and former attorney general Michael Lauber.
By David Owen
January 13 – Southampton, the south coast club enjoying a strong season under Austrian manager Ralph Hasenhüttl, have become the latest Premier League side to report a big loss for the covid-impacted 2019-20 financial year.
January 13 – In another major blow to French football, broadcaster Canal+ will return the Ligue 1 media rights to the LFP, demanding a new tender is issued.
January 14 – Yet again, the Premier League has written to clubs to stress the importance of adhering to strict Covid-19 protocols. But are they taking any notice?
January 13 – Orlando, Florida, has rapidly become the go-to destination for centralised tournaments in north America. Having hosted MLS and Concacaf competition during the pandemic, the next visitor will U.S. Soccer in February for the SheBelieves Cup women’s national team competition.
January 13 – Australia is mourning the loss of former national coach Frank Arok, who has died in Serbia at the age of 88.
January 13 – The sale of MLS side Real Salt Lake has been taken over by the league itself after current owner after owner Dell Loy Hansen failed to complete a deal by a January 8 deadline.
By Andrew Warshaw
January 12 – Tensions are mounting ahead of the race to succeed disgraced African Football Confederation (CAF) leader Ahmad Ahmad at the helm of his continent.