FIFA plans big hike in 2018 World Cup prize money
By David Owen
March 27 – FIFA, world football’s governing body, has paved the way for a big increase in prize money at the 2018 World Cup, to be staged in Russia.
Platini slams TPO and issues no compromise ‘fix it’ ultimatum to FIFA
By Andrew Warshaw in Astana
March 27 – UEFA president Michel Platini laid down the gauntlet to FIFA today to stop “hiding behind committees” and have the “political courage” to get far tougher on Third Party Ownership (TPO), declaring that European football would otherwise go it alone in their own competitions to stamp out the growing practise.
UEFA investigators scrutinise U19 Bulgaria v Portugal match
By Alexander Krassimirov
March 26 – UEFA has begun a match-fixing investigation into the European Championship Under 19 game between Bulgaria and Portugal. The match was played in June 2013 and ended with a comprehensive 7-0 win for Portugal.
New Nations League and match-fixing top UEFA Congress agenda
By Andrew Warshaw in Astana
March 26 – A fresh and more stringent crackdown on match-fixing and the rubber-stamping of a brand new European competition, the Nations League, to replace international friendlies look set to be the main items agreed by UEFA’s 54 member nations tomorrow.
List of Euro 2020 bidders shortens as pitch deadline nears
By Andrew Warshaw in Astana
March 26 – A handful of countries who initially expressed interest in staging matches at the pan-European 2020 finals have pulled out of the running, UEFA general secretary Gianni Infantino (pictured) revealed today.
Czechs consider anti-hooligan measures after Ostrava fan riot
By Mark Baber
March 26 – Chairman of the Czech Football Association, Miroslav Pelta has responded to violence at Saturday’s match between Baník Ostrava and league leaders Sparta Prague by calling for anti-hooligan measures to be adopted with the return of police to stadiums and fan registration cards mooted.
Etihad Airways partner MLS as Becks turns up the heat in Miami
By Mark Baber
March 26 – Major League Soccer (MLS) has announced a multi-year partnership deal with Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, with Etihad becoming the official airline partner of MLS in the United States.
Exclusive: European clubs take 98% of injury compensation cash
By David Owen
March 26 – European clubs have hoovered up nearly all the €27 million in compensation money paid out over the first 18 months of FIFA’s Club Protection Programme (CPP).
David Owen: FIFA’s development spending conundrum
FIFA’s new financial report isn’t just the financial story of last year; it also offers a fascinating window on to the future. This is in the form of the governing body’s budget for the 2015-18 business cycle.
Readers shouldn’t look on this as set in concrete; some might say it isn’t even set in custard: not even Madame FIFA can gaze into her crystal ball with anything approaching infallibility.
But it does offer an informative glimpse into how Joseph Blatter and his chums think the medium-term future might pan out.
Lee Wellings: Germans still drawing the line at goal-line technology
Were you as surprised as I was that the top clubs in Germany voted against goal-line technology this week?
I’m trying to settle on why I expected a ‘ja, bitte’, and it’s a combination of factors.
The starting point has to be that German club football has enjoyed such a good reputation in recent years that you might have expected them to be trailblazers off the pitch. Instead, emphatically it’s the Premier League and English FA.
Matt Scott: Time for FIFA to be content with what it has
“Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have,” Hebrews 13:5, King James Bible
How much is enough? It is a question we should all perhaps ask ourselves in pursuit of happiness. According to several passages in the Bible, having enough is simply when your belly is full, whereafter the leftovers should be given to the needy. Trying to convince yourself of that is probably a bit extreme in a 21st Century consumer society but it is definitely a question that should concern those who work for distributive not-for-profit organisations.
Euro politicos complete Qatar visit and report that change is underway
By Andrew Warshaw
March 25 – European Parliament officials believe Qatar is already making up ground to get to grips to with the workers’ rights issue that has plagued 2022 World Cup organisers.
Inside Insight: You gotta love the old racial profiling game
March 25 – Not a fan of Qatar and aware of numerous potential and obvious downsides (debilitating summer heat above all), we have always kept an open mind about a World Cup in the Middle East, once the hosting rights were allotted.
Legia Warsaw hires UK security firm to improve stadium safety
By Jaroslaw Adamowski
March 25 – Following a March 2 match which was abandoned halfway after opposition fans starting fighting in the stadium, Legia Warsaw is reviewing its safety measures and has hired a UK-based security company to perform an audit at the Pepsi Arena.