By Andrew Warshaw
March 22 – Rui Pinto, the man behind a string of incriminating leaks that shook the footballing world, has been controversially extradited from Hungary, where he had been living, to his native Portugal.
By David Owen
March 22 – The Club Protection Programme (CPP) cost FIFA $106.5 million over the 2015-18 business cycle, well below the initial sum budgeted of $120 million.
March 22 – FIFA has moved to prevent the use of artificial pitches at the 2023 Women’s World Cup after the 2015 tournament in Canada was marred by controversy over artificial turf.
March 22 – Luis Chiriboga, for 18 years president of Ecuador’s FA and one of those indicted in the US-led crackdown on football corruption, is the latest senior official to bite the dust. FIFA have banned him for life for bribery.
March 22 – The president of Turkish-run Northern Cyprus, Mustafa Akinci, reportedly snubbed a landmark football match against Greek Cypriot opposition on the divided island this week because of a dispute over where it was played.
March 22 – John Delaney, chief executive of the Football Association of Ireland (FAI), has unwittingly become the centre of attention over loaning €100,000 of his own money to the federation in 2017.
March 22 – Cristiano Ronaldo has avoided a ban and instead been fined €20,000 euros by UEFA for his controversial goal celebration in Juventus’ win over Atletico Madrid in the last 16 of the Champions League, clearing him to play in the quarterfinals.
By Paul Nicholson
March 22 – The UAE’s Mohammed Khalfan Al Rumaithi has confirmed he is pulling out of the race for the presidency of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) which culminates at the confederation’s congress in Kuala Lumpur on April 6.
March 22 – New FIFA regulations surrounding player transfers and their status, will be the focus of the Sports Law at the Crossroads conference, Madrid 10-11 May. A second day will examine the growth of esports and the game-changing regulatory issues it is presenting.
By Paul Nicholson
March 21 – The UAE’s Mohamed Khalfan Al-Rumaithi looks set to withdraw from the election for the AFC President’s on April 6.
March 21 – The four-nation South American bid to host the 2030 World Cup should definitely be regarded as the favourite to win the rights, according to the region’s top official, despite what will likely be a strong challenge from Europe.
By Samindra Kunti
March 21 – In a landmark moment for English women’s football Barclays Bank signed a three-year, deal with the Women’s Super League. The top flight league will be rebranded as the Barclays FA Women’s Super League from next season.
By Samindra Kunti
March 21 – India’s I-League clubs have proposed a road map for a unified 20-team league next season featuring both I-League clubs and Indian Super League franchises.
By David Owen
March 21 – The winners of this year’s Women’s World Cup in France will get prize money of $4 million, fractionally less than the combined total of Gianni Infantino and Fatma Samoura’s salaries in 2018.
March 21 – FIFA has banned Togolese referee Kokou Hougnimon Fagla for life after finding him guilty of corruption.