By Paul Nicholson
October 26 – After a week of clearing out existing sports agencies, the 2016 Copa America Centenario will take place in the US with the US federation effectively taking central control of the tournament from marketing rights to ground selection.
By Ben Nicholson
October 26 – As the date nears for companies to present their electronic performance and tracking systems to IFAB and FIFA, Insideworldfootball has spoken to wearable technology market pioneers Catapult about how far the technology can inform decision-making, including in-game, how it can be used generally, and what FIFA/IFAB are looking for.
By David Owen
October 26 – Spain’s La Liga is expected soon to start the process of selling domestic broadcasting rights for the next three seasons, in a move it hopes will drive up value by some 50% from the €600 million realised for 2015-16. El País, the much-respected newspaper, has suggested that an auction of these rights for the 2016-17 to 2018-19 period is likely before the end of the year. Spain moved recently to the same collective selling model as that utilised by other leading European football leagues.
By Andrew Warshaw
October 26 – Tokyo Sexwale, the South African former political prisoner turned successful businessman, has finally confirmed he is standing for FIFA president and will prove a popular choice among those who have been campaigning for an independent candidate untarnished by footballing corruption.
By Andrew Warshaw
October 26 – European football chiefs hold last-ditch talks on Monday aimed at averting the risk being left in the political wilderness for years.
October 23 – International players’ union FIFPro has published a checklist which it says all contenders for the job of FIFA president should meet, notably “social wellbeing, fairness, democratic values and human rights.”
By Mark Baber
October 23 – Dark hints that forces behind the scenes will ensure Real Madrid win this season’s La Liga were given a considerable boost on Thursday as a referee’s assistant, who wishes to remain anonymous, claimed he had been pressurised to favour Los Blancos if he was picked to officiate in the forthcoming El Clasico.
By Andrew Warshaw
October 23 – Despite attempts to distance himself from the FIFA corruption scandal, German football boss Wolfgang Niersbach’s standing as one of the game’s most respected voices and a prospective future UEFA president are being increasingly questioned as the alleged 2006 World Cup cash-for-votes saga refuses to die down.
October 23 – German captain Bastian Schweinsteiger is reported to be considering taking legal action against a Hong Kong company making Nazi dolls that bear a striking resemblance to him.
By Andrew Warshaw
October 23 – In a strategic move now that his nemesis faces being out of contention, former FIFA deputy general secretary Jerome Champagne is having a second crack at the presidency – and this time says has the required level of support.
October 23 – UK football pay tv broadcast giants Sky Sports and BT Sport have missed out on upcoming European summer TV football festival in France as the BBC and ITV have jointly secured the media rights to EURO 2016.
By Paul Nicholson
October 23 – Domenico Scala, chairman of FIFA’s audit and compliance committee and ad hoc election committee, and the man behind the key set of reform recommendations that the February FIFA Congress will vote on, will be a speaker at the 17th edition of the International Football Arena (IFA) conference in Zurich, November 19.
By Jaroslaw Adamowski
October 23 – As many as nine out of the 14 clubs which compete in Romania’s top tier Liga 1 risk relegation due to their desperate financial positions, according to Viorel Duru (pictured), the director of the department of licencing at the Romanian Football Federation (FRF).
By Paul Nicholson
October 23 – Russia’s Ministry of Sports has agreed on the cost of construction for the Kalinigrad stadium, one of the last to start building. According to the Deputy Prime Minister of Kaliningrad region, Russia’s Ministry of Sports has agreed on the cost of construction for the Kalinigrad stadium, one of the last to start building. According to the Deputy Prime Minister of Kaliningrad region, Alexander Rolbinov, the cost should not exceed Ruble18.5 billion ($296 million).,
The clock is ticking and the behind-the-scenes horsetrading is in full swing. But like a canny game of poker, nobody is revealing their hand until they are sure of their ground. With Monday night’s deadline for FIFA presidential candidates fast approaching, cards are being clasped tightly to chests in anticipation of who will emerge as challengers for Sepp Blatter’s crown.