January 13 – While the MLS season doesn’t kick off until the end of February, its eSports equivalent has already kicked off with the first stage of 2020 eMLS competition played this weekend in Philadelphia.
By David Owen
January 10 – FIFA President Gianni Infantino has officially joined world sport’s most prestigious club. The 49-year-old was one of three new International Olympic Committee (IOC) members inducted at the 135th IOC Session in Lausanne on Friday.
January 10 – England captain Harry Kane’s perennial injury jinx has struck again, this time for far longer, leaving his club Tottenham Hotspur reportedly scouring the transfer market for cover.
January 10 – The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has expressed interest in hosting this year’s Women’s Africa Cup of Nations after Congo-Brazaville withdrew from staging the tournament.
January 10 – The embattled Football Association of Ireland (FAI), desperately looking for a financial bailout by the Irish government, has appointed Roy Barrett (pictured), managing director at Goodbody Stockbrokers, as the board’s new independent chairperson.
January 10 – Italy’s Serie A, mired in multiple integrity issues including its failure to act on institutional racist issues, election malfeasance and its controversial Super Cup deal with Saudi Arabia, has elected Paolo Dal Pino as its new president.
January 10 – International players’ union FIFPro has launched a Global Player Council to strengthen the role of male and female professional footballers.
January 10 – In search of a final career challenge, has Michel Platini decided which path to take?
January 9 – Senegal’s Sadio Mane has apologised for not visiting his homeland before returning to Liverpool after being named African Player of the Year.
January 10 – With the AFC’s U23 Championship and Olympic qualifiers in full swing, Concacaf have announced the draw for the eight-team tournament that will qualify their two teams for the Tokyo 2020 game.
January 10 – Amid all the criticism over human rights abuses and accusations of sports washing at the address of Saudi Arabia and its hosting of the Spanish Super Cup, Atletico Madrid tore up the script on Thursday in Jeddah by defeating FC Barcelona 2-3 to set up a Spanish Super Cup final against city rivals Real Madrid.
January 10 – Ajax’s United States international right-back Sergino Dest has left his club’s training camp in Qatar because he does “not feel comfortable” amid rising political tensions between the US and Qatar’s neighbour Iran.
January 9 – English football authorities have agreed to review their decision to allow broadcast rights for FA Cup games to be sold for streaming by betting companies after critics warned the arrangement could encourage gambling.
January 9 – Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde has hit out at the new format of the Spanish Super Cup, saying it is only taking place in Saudi Arabia because of the money.
January 9 – At 78, he would be too old to serve on UEFA’s executive committee yet can still represent Europe at the top table of FIFA.