Covid-19 cases hit record level as Paulista returns to play
July 23 – After a four-month hiatus, football has returned to São Paulo with the resumption of the Paulista championship, one of Brazil’s most important state championships.
Hackers foiled in £1m transfer fee sting, but cybercrime is football’s new security frontier
July 23 – An unnamed English Premier League club came close to losing £1 million during a transfer deal because of cyber hackers, according to a new report.
Globo’s power under threat as CBF match schedule sees TV rights split
July 23 – The Brazilian FA (CBF) has published a tentative match calendar for the Brazilian top flight with a TV schedule that will intensify the on-going domestic TV rights battle.
Liverpool sign off at Anfield with a 5-3 spectacular and a home-alone trophy lift
July 23 – Liverpool’s players finally got their hands on their first ever Premier League trophy after a thrilling 5-3 victory over Chelsea in their last home game of the season.
Championship’s last day nail-biter sees West Brom squeeze back into Premier League
July 23 – West Bromwich Albion have won promotion back to the Premier League after a two-year absence, joining Leeds United in the top flight next season in a dramatic, nail-biting finale to the Championship season on Wednesday.
No compassion for FIFAGate felon Napout who stays locked up despite positive Covid test
July 22 – Former Conmebol president Juan Angel Napout, currently serving a nine-year prison sentence in Miami for his part in the FIFAGate corruption scandals, has had his request for compassionate release turned down despite having contracted Covid-19.
NWSL gets all-star cast of owners for Los Angeles franchise
By Paul Nicholson
July 22 – Los Angeles is to get its first professional women’s team with a consortium led by Oscar-winning actress Natalie Portman having been awarded a franchise by the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL).
Relevent lose USSF anti-trust case and right to stage foreign league matches in US
By Paul Nicholson
July 22 – US Soccer had another significant win in court this week in the lawsuit brought against the federation by Relevent Sports who have been campaigning to stage regular season league matches from non-US leagues in the country.
Villa’s win over Arsenal heats Premier League relegation battle up for final day showdown
July 22 – The final day of the prolonged English domestic season is set for a dramatic drop zone dogfight with two out of Aston Villa, Watford and Bournemouth exiting the top flight along with already doomed Norwich.
Big brands stick with club sponsorships as digital media drives the value up
July 22 – Globalisation and digital media have rapidly changed the market for top tier football sponsorship. That market is now being challenged again by the coronavirus pandemic.
Deportivo demand final day replay as former giants face life with the minnows
July 22 – Spanish football is heading for the courts after former top-flight champions Deportivo La Coruna were controversially relegated from the second tier when their final fixture was postponed because of Covid-19.
Forget Covid-19, Wigan fans call for better tests for the bad-owner virus
July 22 – Fans of English Championship club Wigan Athletic have launched a petition calling on the government to strengthen the owners and directors test after their team was plunged into administration earlier this month when its Hong Kong owner pulled the plug on further funding.
Promoted Leeds land record 5-year Adidas deal
July 22 – Leeds United, back in the English top flight for the first time in 16 years next season, have announced a “record-breaking” official kit partnership with Adidas.
Jack is back: Warner bids to re-enter Trinidad politics as he waits for extradition ruling
July 21 – Jack is back, really. FIFA’s most-wanted, Jack Warner, the disgraced former Concacaf president and FIFA vice president currently battling extradition to the US, is bidding to re-enter politics in his home country of Trinidad and Tobago as a member of parliament.
Nepalese sports journalists body calls for protections after former FA boss loses the plot
July 21 – Controversial Nepal president and AFC vice president’s Ganesh Thapa, who was banned for 10 years for bribery by FIFA, has come under fire from the Nepal Sports Journalists Forum for abusing a reporter.