By Paul Nicholson
August 2 – The former president of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA), Tim Kee, who left the federation with a crippling TT$40 million debt when he vacated the presidency in 2015, is making a bid to regain control as part of a group calling itself ‘United TTFA’ when elections take place later this year.
August 2 – The health of elite footballers is being put at risk by an increasingly overcrowded international calendar that gives them no chance to recover in time, according to their global union, FIFPRO.
August 2 – FIFA has unveiled the shortlisted candidates shortlisted for its Best men’s and women’s players of the year and coaches of the year.
August 2 – The Asian Football Confederation has banned four players for life for attempting to fix matches in the AFC Cup in 2017 and 2018.
August 2 – Brazil are the second nation to reconfirm they will be a candidate to host the expanded 2023 Women’s World Cup, following Australia’s announcement yesterday. The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) had expressed an interest in staging the 24-team tournament, and have indicated the new 32-team format would not be a hurdle for them.
August 2 – Arsenal have completed a club-record £72 million deal to sign Nicolas Pepe from French club Lille OSC in a bid to bolster their squad ahead of the new Premier League season.
August 2 – Manchester City have returned from their Japan pre-season jaunt with a new sponsor. Melco Resorts & Entertainment is to become the club’s Official Partner in Japan in a deal that also covers City’s sister club in Japan, Yokohama F. Marinos.
August 2 – Argentina giants River Plate will carry Turkish Airlines as their new shirt sponsor in a three-year deal reportedly worth $15 million.
August 2 – Premier League Southampton have extended their one-season deal with trading platform eToro for the 2019/20 season.
August 1 – He has become the most notorious ‘villain’ still at large in world football – if the US indictments of 2015 are to be taken a face value – Jack Warner has returned to the Trinidad and Tobago courts. This time he is not fighting his extradition to the US – still on-going – but battling the local FA for $2.3 million of loans he claims he provided but hasn’t been repaid.
August 1 – The women’s World Cup finals will expand to 32 teams in 2023, putting it on a par with the men, though prize money will still doubtless remain an issue.
August 1 – Juventus chairman Andrea Agnelli has rejected allegations that the Italian champions broke contract terms when Cristiano Ronaldo failed to feature in a pre-season friendly against the K League All Stars in Seoul last week.
August 1 – Australia have been the first of the declared bidders for the hosting of the 2023 Women’s World Cup to reaffirm their interest in the expanded competition which is being put out to retender.
August 1 – La Liga has not found a home for its broadcasting rights in the UK and Ireland for the 2019/20 season, leaving the big kick off in August in doubt for fans across the UK.
August 1 – The Bundesliga and Sportradar have renewed their match-fixing monitoring and integrity services partnership for a further two years.