By David Owen
December 30 – Brazilian footballers were more likely to be sanctioned for anti-doping rule violations (ADRVs) than those of any other nationality, according to statistics relating to samples collected in 2017 made public this month by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
December 23 – England’s Professional Footballers’ Association has called for a government inquiry into racism in football after a year of shame was marred by yet another disgraceful incident, with Chelsea’s Antonio Rudiger allegedly targeted at his club’s 2-0 derby win at Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.
By Samindra Kunti
December 23 – Lazio defeated Juventus 3-1 to win the Italian Super Cup, controversially staged in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, its second season in the country.
December 23 – Nigeria have lost their bid to become the first African country to host a global women’s tournament after FIFA chose Costa Rica and Panama as joint hosts for next year’s Under-20 World Cup.
By Osasu Obayiuwana
December 23 – Confederation of African Football (CAF) President Ahmad has told Insideworldfootball in Doha, Qatar, that a firm decision on the timing of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, to be staged in Cameroon, will be taken during CAF’s next executive committee meeting.
By David Owen
December 22 – If there is a doping crisis in football, it is still not being picked up by the authorities.
By David Owen
December 22 – Martin Peters, who scored England’s second goal in the 4-2 victory over West Germany in the 1966 World Cup final, has died at the age of 76.
December 21 – Belgium will finish 2019 as the world’s top ranked team, ahead of France and Brazil – the same positions they held in December 2018 in the FIFA/Coca-Cola men’s World Rankings.
December 20 – FIFA has received nine bids for the commercial rights to the new expanded 24-team Club World Cup being held in China in 2021.
December 20 – FIFA has imposed a life ban on a former member of both its Ethics and Disciplinary Committees, who at one time helped judge the wrongdoing of others, for himself taking bribes.
December 20 – Hosts Uganda have lifted the Cecafa Cup, East Africa’s flagship regional competition, after defeating Eritrea 3-0 in the final.
December 20 – The head of Qatar’s World Cup organising committee hopes visiting fans will change their views about his country in the same way misconceptions about Russia were altered at the 2018 tournament.
Data has become a core function of a football club’s business. Managing and monetising that data efficiently, legally and privately is a focal point. By Bryony Long, Mark Hersey and Lauren Stone at law firm Lewis Silkin
By Osasu Obayiuwana
December 20 – In what is a unique drive, in African football, to increase revenue, leading Tanzanian club Simba has launched its own bank payment card. They hope to raise a minimum of $10 million through the deal.
December 20 – Arsenal’s Mesut Ozil who tweeted about China’s detention and persecution of Uighurs and other Muslims in the Xinjiang province, has been removed from the Chinese edition of Konami’s PES 2020 video game.