Paraguayan police question Ronaldinho over fake passport
March 5 – Former Brazil and Barcelona star Ronaldinho is being investigated by police in Paraguay for allegedly using a false passport to enter the country.
MLS agrees highlights package with Facebook Watch platform
March 5 – Having reported record opening weekend viewing figures in the US, Major League Soccer (MLS) has unveiled a new alliance with Facebook that will see highlights of all matches available on Facebook Watch.
Man City case may force review of UEFA’s FFFP rules, but Ceferin keeps faith in system
March 4 – UEFA are considering tweaking their financial fair play regulations after Manchester City announced they were taking their fight to overturn a two-year ban for breaching the rules to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
Musical chairs: CAF moves swiftly to appoint Bah as acting general secretary
By Paul Nicholson
March 4 – The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has appointed commercial director Abdelmounaïm Bah as Acting General Secretary following the surprise resignation of fellow Moroccan Mouad Hajji yesterday.
Leicester slide to £20m loss in pursuit of Champions League return
By David Owen
March 4 – Leicester City tumbled into the red last year as the Thai-controlled club sought to rebuild the squad that carried it to a gloriously unexpected Premier League title in 2015-16.
Nations League draw renews old rivalries and English rematch with their Icelandic nemesis
By Samindra Kunti in Amsterdam
March 4 – Reigning European champions Portugal will meet the world champions France, who renew their rivalry with Croatia, in what looks to be the Nations League’s ‘Group of Death’. An ambitious Sweden make up the fourth group team.
Covid-19 closes doors on UEFA championship fixtures in Spain for Italian club visits
March 4 – Despite UEFA cautioning against over-reacting to the effects of the coronavirus on European football, the Champions League has been hit for the first time with Valencia’s forthcoming clash with Atalanta to be played behind closed doors.
Ceferin reiterates no turning back on VAR, but clarity needed for coaches and fans
March 4 – UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has added his voice to the growing confusion over VAR saying something has to be done to make it more palatable to the average fan.
US TV audiences show they starting to switch on to MLS
March 4 – The opening weekend of the Major League Soccer (MLS) season delivered record TV ratings across the US for a league that is pushing to take a bigger slice of the broadcast rights revenue cake.
Sala plane crash report to be released
March 4 – The full report into circumstances of the crash that killed Argentine forward Emiliano Sala and his pilot will be released on March 13 according to British and French media.
NISA starts Spring season with New Jersey Teamsters to join league in 2021
March 4 – The US third tier National Independent Soccer Association (NISA) league, which has just started its Spring season having completed an inaugural Fall season last year, will have a new team in 2021 with the New Jersey Teamsters Football Club (NJTFC).
Ceferin puts ‘purpose over profit’ in hard-hitting UEFA address
By Andrew Warshaw
March 3 – Using language such as “sickened” and “death sentence”, UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin pulled no punches today as he renewed his attack on racism and threats to the international calendar and UEFA’s competitions – issues that continue to be of grave concern to the administration of European football’s governing body.
Ahmad loses more senior staff as Hajji quits as CAF general secretary
By Paul Nicholson
March 3 – Crisis-hit Confederation of African Football (CAF) has taken another blow with the resignation of Secretary General Mouad Hajji (pictured). Haji, a close confidant and supporter of CAF president Ahmad, had only been in the post since April 2019.
UEFA adamant that Covid-19 will not derail Euro 2020, yet
By Andrew Warshaw
March 3 – UEFA’s top brass were forced on the defensive today as they closed ranks over contingency plans for Euro 2020 – or lack of them – as a result of the spread of the coronavirus.
2023 Women’s World Cup bidders lobby for European backing
By Samindra Kunti in Amsterdam
March 3 – The bidding race for the 2023 Women’s World Cup is shifting gear. On the eve of the UEFA Congress in the Dutch capital, the four bids pitched their tournament plans to the European governing body’s Executive Committee.