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.
By Samindra Kunti
January 18 – On the side lines of the 2021 African Nations Championship (CHAN) in Cameroon, Patrice Motsepe has been courting national FA presidents in a bid to strengthen his candidature for the Confederation of African Football (CAF) presidential elections.
January 18 – Ousted in 2017 in an election that brought the now disgraced Ahmad Ahmad to power, former Confederation of African Football (CAF) president Issa Hayatou has been named Honorary President of the organisation.
By Paul Nicholson
January 15 – Serie A, who are in the final stages of hiving off their commercial rights to venture capitalist CVC for $1.7 billion, will have an early test of that value with the league having issued a tender for the broadcast rights for the Middle East and Africa.
January 18 – The Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) is to issue a new tender for French domestic TV rights after broadcaster Canal+ returned its Ligue 1 media rights to the LFP.
January 18 – Phil Neville has left his role as manager of the England women’s national team with immediate effect ahead of a switch to the men’s game as coach of David Beckham’s Major League Soccer side Inter Miami.
January 18 – Barcelona’s eagerly awaited and intensely contested presidential election scheduled for January 24 has been postponed due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.