Niersbach short on answers as FIFA opens 2006 payment probe

Beckenbauer and Niersbach

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.

Read more …

Scala to speak at IFA Conference in Zurich, November 19

Domenico Scala3

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.

Read more …

Russia 2018: October Island stadium gets OK but World Cup budgets kept tight

Kaliningrad stadium model

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).,

Read more …

Andrew Warshaw: FIFA runners and riders jostle in the parade ring

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.

Read more …

Dutch pass the ball to Henk Ten Cate after Euro2016 disaster

Henk Ten Cate

By Samindra Kunti
October 22 – The Dutch FA KNVB have appointed Henk Ten Cate as a special advisor to consider the future of Dutch football after a disastrous EURO2016 qualifying campaign that saw them fail to qualify for UEFA’s continental flagship event in France. They secured neither a top two finish or a play-off spot in their qualifying group.

Read more …

CONCACAF axes Datisa smoothing path for Copa America 2016 in the US

CONCACAF logo

By Paul Nicholson
October 22 – The day after CONCACAF announced their new Partner Code of Conduct to regulate and set protocols for working with outside partners, the confederation has revealed it is ending its relationship with Datisa, one of the sports marketing agencies at the centre of the bribery and money laundering scandals that have rocked football in the Americas.

Read more …