Adidas unveils Telstar 18, the official 2018 World Cup match ball
By Mark Baber
November 10 – Adidas has revealed the official match ball for the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia, paying homage to the first-ever Adidas World Cup ball.
FIFA
FIFA’s cartel culture ‘is foreign to the rule of law’, says Maduro
By Andrew Warshaw
November 9 – The Portuguese official ousted by FIFA as its chief governance and electoral watchdog has blasted the organisation’s approach to political neutrality under Gianni Infantino as “shocking” and says there is no chance of reform from within because of its closed-shop mentality.
Samoura stands FIFA solidly behind Johansen despite Sierra Leone corruption indictments
November 9 – The bitter in-fighting over who runs Sierra Leone football has taken a remarkable twist with FIFA intervening to overturn a decision by the country’s national FA to remove Isha Johansen (pictured left) from her role as president – right in the middle of a court case in which she is charged with corruption.
FIFA ends secret voting with promise to publish who votes for whom for 2026 World Cup
By Andrew Warshaw
November 8 – Having promised to leave no stone unturned in ensuring a corruption-free bid process for the 2026 World Cup after the scandals of the 2018 and 2022 campaigns, FIFA has pledged to publish all votes – traditionally kept secret – by individual federations when the ballot takes place next June.
Over the line? VAR to come into play at England vs Germany friendly
November 8 – Despite growing doubts about the system’s efficacity, Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology will be used for the first time in an official game in the UK during England’s prestige friendly against Germany at Wembley on Friday.
Jury selection begins in NY in trial of Marin, Napout and Burga
By Paul Nicholson
November 7 – Jury selection began yesterday in the trial of three South American football officials arrested as part of the FIFA corruption scandal charged with racketeering conspiracy, wire fraud conspiracy, and money laundering conspiracy.
FIFA and FIFpro bury the hatchet (for 6 years), giving more rights to ‘abused’ players
November 7 – After a lengthy campaign for better treatment of its members, the world players’ union FIFpro has dropped its legal bid against FIFA to outlaw football’s transfer system believing it has won significant concessions.
Rank outsiders. Named and shamed women’s rankings now fail to make it into FIFA’s media
By Paul Nicholson
November 3 – You couldn’t make this up. FIFA, under fire in this publication last month via its women’s rankings that showed a lack of women’s development in nations where three Confederation presidents reign, has in the latest edition of its FIFA 1904 magazine not bothered to even publish the women’s rankings page. The men’s rankings were, of course, published.
China’s CCTV secures rights for 2018 and 2022 World Cups
November 2 – FIFA have concluded a five-year TV deal with public broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV) for rights to all its events starting with the 2018 World Cup in Russia, and concluding with the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
FIFA wait for AIFF detail on Patel and Indian crisis
November 2 – FIFA says it is waiting for information over a Delhi High Court ruling which has booted out the Indian football federation’s (AIFF) Praful Patel as the body’s president.
Sexwale says Israel/Palestine task force did its job, but did FIFA do theirs?
By Andrew Warshaw
November 1 – Tokyo Sexwale, the under-fire South African official who headed FIFA’s doomed Israel-Palestine mediation effort, insists he did exactly what was asked of him and has questioned why his eagerly awaited report was thrown out by FIFA’s all-powerful Council headed by Gianni Infantino.
Exclusive: FIFA ignored 100% of Sexwale report in killing off Israel-Palestine talks
By Andrew Warshaw
October 31 – The full extent to which FIFA washed its hands of football’s Israeli-Palestinian impasse by throwing out a detailed report from its chief mediator for the region can today be exposed.
British FA’s to ask for Poppy permissions at FIFA
October 31 – The four British associations will request permission from FIFA to wear the poppy symbol on their kit during November’s international matches to honour the victims of World War 1 and II.
Palestine fury boils over FIFA’s support of Israeli ‘racism and facism’
By Andrew Warshaw
October 30 – As anticipated, last week’s astonishing decision by FIFA to close down its Middle East mediation initiative has prompted an angry backlash with Palestinian sports officials accusing world football’s governing body of deceit and leaving them in the lurch.
2026 World Cup bid: Ahmad backs Morocco, Montagliani backs Gulati
By Samindra Kunti in Kolkata
October 30 – The president of the African Football Confederation Ahmad Ahmad has queried CONCACAF’s unity for the region’s 2026 World Cup bid. CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani downplayed the United States’ elimination from the 2018 World Cup as a destabilising factor for his confederation’s bid. Last August Morocco joined the race to land the first 48-team tournament.