FIFPro boss calls for co-ordinated approach on player wages, not all are on €1m+
By Andrew Warshaw
April 1 – The head of the international players’ union has denounced Belarus for allowing football to carry on during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Spurs boss Levy cuts wages but warns players must do their bit to keep football healthy
By Andrew Warshaw
April 1 – Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy has issued a stark warning about the global impact of Covid-19, saying “people need to wake up to the enormity” of the pandemic as the English Premier League club announced 550 non-playing staff will take a 20% pay cut.
FIFA plans fund to help keep football industry financially fuelled during Covid-19 crisis
April 1 – FIFA is to set up an emergency fund to assist the football industry amid growing fears that the coronavirus crisis will bring the sport to its knees.
Eintracht Frankfurt opens new account with Deutsche Bank
April 1 – Bundesliga club Eintracht Frankfurt is changing the name of its stadium sponsor, swapping banks from Commerzbank to Deutsche Bank in what the club describes as a “long-term Premium Partnership”.
MLS Unites to showcase support, education and ‘heroes’ during Covid-19 crisis
April 1 – Major League Soccer has unveiled MLS Unites, a league-wide platform that highlights all of the efforts that clubs, players, coaches, and the league are doing to provide emergency support during the current coronavirus crisis.
US Soccer changes legal wording as it seeks a solution in equal pay dispute
April 1 – US Soccer has toned down its legal language in new federal court filings in the equal pay dispute with members of the American’s national women’s team.
Mediapro boss Roures says July restart would save season and reduce €700m of losses
April 1 – Spain’s La Liga could return behind closed doors in July, according to Jaume Roures, chief executive of Mediapro one of the country’s major broadcast partners – but would have to be scrapped for good if any players contract Covid-19 thereafter.
English FA extends indefinite season suspension to cover all leagues below top four tiers
April 1 – After attracting fierce criticism for shutting down all non-league football except for its two top leagues, English football authorities have now agreed to their indefinite suspension – but still controversially leaving the door open to finish the season.
Burnley profit burnishes reputation as a well-run club
By David Owen
April 1 – Burnley, the small Premier League outfit from Lancashire with a reputation as one of the best-run clubs in the business, managed to remain narrowly in profit last year in a season featuring its first European campaign for more than half a century.
Scots cut wages and furlough staff to ride out impact of Covid-19 lockdown
April 1 – Scotland manager Steve Clarke has taken a 10% pay reduction to stave off the financial effect of coronavirus while leading staff at the Scottish FA and SPFL have also agreed to take between 10 and 20% less.
Kenyan FA on brink as FIFA and government bang heads
April 1 – Kenyan football is reportedly in danger of being suspended by FIFA with April 6 being touted as the date when the ongoing crisis reaches its denouement. That is when talks are supposed to take place between the Ministry of Sports, Football Kenya Federation (FKF) and FIFA.
Ukraine ‘ghost’ games fool bookies and punters as criminals pull off perfect crime
By Paul Nicholson
March 31 – The coronavirus lockdown has not stopped football-related betting fraud with the re-emergence last weekend of so-called ‘ghost’ games in Ukraine.
Low wage bill spurs Tottenham’s stand-out £87m profit
By David Owen
March 31 – Tottenham Hotspur look to have posted a pre-tax profit more than twice as big as any Premier League rival for the 2018-19 season which saw the North London club reach the Champions League final.
SIGA Strives 6: SIGA and Insideworldfootball partner on Sport Integrity Bulletin
March 31 – The Sport Integrity Global Alliance (SIGA) is partnering with Inside World Football on two exciting new initiatives “4 Questions for 4 Leaders” and a monthly “Sport Integrity Bulletin”, in order to promote Sport Integrity during the coronavirus crisis.
UEFA calls federations to emergency talks on calendar as fears of losing season grow
By Andrew Warshaw
March 31 – With time running out and no sign of the Covid-19 pandemic easing in Europe, UEFA are set to hold emergency talks by video conference tomorrow with all of Europe’s 55 national football associations amid growing concerns that the season may have to be scrapped despite a collective will to try and restart fixtures by the end of June.