By Andrew Warshaw
February 12 – The way FIFA did business in order to secure a top Chinese sponsor for the World Cup has been seriously called into question by the man who claims he brokered the deal but was cut out from receiving commission in return.
February 12 – Portugal claimed their maiden UEFA Futsal Championship title by defeating Spain 3-2 in extra time in Slovenia. In Asia, Iran took the highest honours, beating Japan 4-0.
By Paul Nicholson
February 12 – It took three rounds of voting before Carlos Cordeiro emerged triumphant in the ballot for the US Soccer Federation presidency. Cordeiro, who has been the US federation’s vice president for the last two years and an independent board member for nine years, fought off eight challengers for the post in what proved to be a canny campaign that appealed to the broader base of US soccer’s community.
By Andrew Warshaw
February 12 – Former FIFA vice president Chung Mong-joon, for years one of world football’s most powerful administrators, has been cleared to work again after partially winning his appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport against his five-year ban for failing to cooperate with ethics investigators.
By Paul Nicholson
February 12 – Sunil Gulati may now have left the presidency of the US Soccer Federation but he leaves behind one huge legacy issue in the shape of training compensation for youth players and whether the US is going to abide by FIFA rules and conventions or go it alone and continue to refuse the training payment solidarity principles.
February 12 – South Korean pharmaceuticals company, Cho-A Pharm, has renewed its sponsorship of Manchester United as the club’s Official Pharmaceuticals partner in South Korea and Vietnam.
February 12 – Tottenham Hotspur and South Korea forward Son Heung-min was presented with the Asian Football Confederation’s Asian International Player of the Year award at Wembley Stadium on Saturday.
By Mark Baber
February 9 – The Chinese company Yadea, a market leader in the production of electric-powered motorcycles, bicycles and scooters, has signed on as a Regional Supporter of the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
By Andrew Warshaw
February 9 – The boss of Norwegian football has allegedly been reported to FIFA’s ethics committee for remarks he made about Russia being thrown out because of the ongoing doping scandal.
February 9 – New Manchester United recruit Alexis Sanchez has “accepted” a prison sentence for tax fraud in Spain, according to his agent, though he won’t have to serve jail time. The Sanchez camp described the settlement as “entirely unjust”, forcing Sanchez and other players into a deal with the tax authorities in Spain.
February 9 – Mastercard have become the fifth sponsor to sign up for the 2018-21 cycle of UEFA Champions League rights, following on from the announcement earlier this week that PepsiCo were renewing their deal with the top level of club competition in Europe.
February 9 – FIFA is investigating two Russian footballers, Ruslan Kambolov and Ivan Knyazev, on suspicion of violating anti-doping regulations, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Mutko has admitted.
February 9 – FIFA has increased the number of players that coaches can select in their initial World Cup squads from 30 to 35.
February 9 – An economic impact report on the potential hosting of the 2026 World Cup in the three North American markets of Canada, Mexico and the US, reckons the event would create $5 billion in economic activity and a net benefit of $3-4 billion after taking out potential public costs.
February 9 – FIFA has agreed the match schedule for the Women’s World Cup France 2019 which will see the competition open in Paris on June 7 with the final in Lyons, the hotbed of French and European women’s club football, on July 7.