I-League readies for January kick off in Kolkata bubble
December 8 – The I-League has released its match calendar for the regular 2020-21 season with debutants Sudeva Delhi FC and Mohammedan SC contesting the campaign’s curtain raiser.
AFC plants a seed in eastern Europe with Sportklub broadcast deal deal
December 8 – The AFC has taken a significant step into eastern Europe’s broadcast market with United Media picking up the rights for Southeast Europe to the Asian confederation’s major national and club competitions.
News analysis: A year overflowing with Club World Cups
By Paul Nicholson
December 7 – Somewhat incredibly, perhaps incredulously, the much derided and unloved Club World Cup (at least by Europe’s clubs and more recently by FIFA itself), has survived to see another day, in fact two more days, in its current 7-team format.
No return: Infantino defends VAR saying people, not tech, are the problem
By Andrew Warshaw
December 7 – FIFA president Gianni Infantino has leapt to the defence of VAR amid the chaos and confusion over marginal offside decisions and penalised accidental handballs that many feel are ruining the game as a spectacle.
Iniesta strikes as Vissel Kobe, Ulsan, and Beijing FC progress in ACL
December 7 – The Asian Champions League East Zone is continuing at pace in Qatar with last 16 matches (8 teams playing in the East Zone) completing today. Quarter finals will be played Thurday.
FIFA finds calendar space to squeeze in two editions of its Club World Cup in 2021
By Andrew Warshaw
December 4 – The Club World Cup, which many assumed would be a thing of the past in its current anachronistic guise following its next edition in Qatar in February, is being continued by FIFA with Gianni Infantino declaring the importance of defending the interests of the “global” club game.
NWSL’s Utah Royals look set for a move to Kansas
December 7 – The National Women’s Soccer League’s (NWSL) Utah Royals FC franchise will relocate to Kansas City, once the sale of the team is finalised, according to US media reports.
Bruised knees: Millwall’s boos condemned by FA, clubs and anti-discrimination groups
December 7 – England’s Football Association have condemned fans of Championship side Millwall for booing as players from their team and opponents Derby County took a knee before their league fixture at the weekend – on the day supporters were allowed back in limited numbers for the first time since March.
Concacaf given go-ahead to run triple match weekends for Qatar 2022 qualifiers
December 7 – Concacaf has been given the go-ahead by FIFA to have triple match international windows for its final group of World Cup qualifiers that need 14 match days to complete.
Qatar clear their calendar for 2021 with emphatic win over Bangladesh
December 7 – Qatar defeated Bangladesh 5-0 in the only Asian World Cup qualifier of 2020 to end the year on a high. Asian Player of the Year Akram Afif and Almoez Ali (pictured) starred, both scoring a brace.
Premier League agrees £200m loan to Championship clubs, and £50m gift to League One and Two
December 4 – After months of negotiations, the Premier League and English Football League, which covers the three division immediately below the top flight, have agreed a £250 million rescue package to help ease the financial burden on lower-league clubs caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Real Madrid stay €330k in profit but budgets for a €300m revenue drop
By Paul Nicholson
December 4 – Real Madrid have been the latest of Europe’s big clubs to outline the financial impact of the global pandemic on their finances – in Real’s case a €16 million hit on 2019/20 expected revenue and a drop in profit from €38 million last year to €330,000 this.
Italy to host Nations League finals next October, Tirana to stage new Conference final
December 4 – Italy have been chosen to host the climax of the Nations League in October next year and will face Spain while Belgium take on France in two mouth-watering ties
Barca to hold back player wages in Jan as covid crisis bites deep into club finances
December 4 – Barcelona’s financial crisis has taken a massive hit with Carlos Tusquets, the club’s interim president, announcing that player salaries in January will be postponed.
Coronavirus: Fans mask-up for return to Premier League’s southern stadia
December 4 – Fans returning to English Premier League games this weekend will have to wear face masks at all times and have been banned from over-excessive singing or chanting to avoid Covid-19 transmission.