April 5 – The Republic of Ireland women’s team have threatened to go on strike in a row over treatment by their national association (FAI), throwing Monday’s game against Slovakia into doubt.
April 4 – In a notable break with tradition, UEFA have decided to stage the final of both the Champions League and Europa League in the same week from next season.
April 4 – French top-flight club Toulouse have sacked two players for their alleged role in a pellet gun attack.
April 3 – Premier League clubs have urged the British government not to allow immigration regulations under Brexit to damage the free movement of players into the country.
By Andrew Warshaw
March 31 – In a last-ditch effort to force UEFA into a change of heart over its controversial changes to the Champions League, Europe’s top leagues have scheduled an extraordinary meeting for June but have stopped short of saying what action, if any, will be taken if their calls for a greater say in the decision-making process are not met.
By Paul Nicholson
March 31 – Elkhan Mammadov is a different kind of ‘beast from the east’. Like many of the current crop of administrators taking leading positions at the top tables of world football, he comes without a history of old-school alliances. Relatively unknown outside his home country of Azerbaijan, he comes with a skillset that is in line with modern business practices and the new cadre of football administrators sweeping across the world game.
By Andrew Warshaw
March 28 – The head of the body representing the majority of Europe’s leading clubs has radically changed his views about the idea of a breakaway super league now that UEFA has agreed to revamp the Champions League in favour of the biggest and wealthiest teams.
March 27 – Barcelona will name their new stadium in the Ciutat Esportiva training complex after Dutch legend Johan Cruyff. The planned stadium is part of the redevelopment of the club’s famed La Masia.
March 24 – The head of the English Football Association has condemned the “inappropriate, disrespectful and disappointing” behaviour of England fans at Wednesday night’s friendly in Germany yet refused to issue a direct apology.
By Andrew Warshaw
March 22 – UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin says he will stop at nothing to combat football’s most dangerous ills and will soon have an “army” of personnel to tackle the issues involved.
By Andrew Warshaw
March 17 – Following Insideworldfootball’s exclusive revelation that UEFA vice-president Marios Lefkaritis was exploiting a loophole in age restrictions in an attempt to cement his power base, the veteran Cypriot has agreed to withdraw from international football politics, bringing the curtain down on his 21-year career.
By Andrew Warshaw
March 16 – UEFA have confirmed that they will have to hold a special election for one single place on the FIFA Council since there are now only three candidates being elected for the four seats available at the European governing body’s congress next month.
By Andrew Warshaw
March 13 – New eligibility rules laid down by UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has led to one of the European contenders for FIFA’s ruling Council to pull out of the running, inadvertently causing a major administrative snafu.
March 10 – Paris St-Germain say a police investigation is under way after fans angrily confronted players on their return from Barcelona following the greatest capitulation in Champions League history.
March 9 – Germany and Turkey will go head-to-head for the right to host the 2024 European Championship finals, UEFA have announced. The two federations were the only ones to submit a declaration of interest before the March 3 deadline after Scandinavian countries could not put together a credible bid.