Italy’s Rai suspend ‘primitive’ male TV football presenter for sexist comment
February 20 – Italian football icon Fulvio Collovati has been suspended for three weeks by state broadcaster Rai for making sexist remarks on air.
Author: Paul Nicholson
European leagues, clubs and UEFA slam Infantino’s $25bn ‘secret’ sell-off
By Andrew Warshaw
February 19 – European football stakeholders have aimed their strongest broadside to date at Gianni Infantino’s contentious $25 billion blueprint to change the landscape of global competitions.
US boss Cordeiro says Confed Cup is finished and Gold Cup could be next
By Samindra Kunti
February 19 – U.S. Soccer president Carlos Cordeiro (pictured) has questioned the future of the Concacaf Gold Cup, revealing the tournament may be shuttered in the near future. Speaking at the annual U.S. Soccer general meeting, Cordeiro said that the FIFA Confederations Cup won’t be played again and that the biennial Gold Cup also could be discontinued.
Stung by increased costs, Pozzo’s high-flying Hornets post £30m loss
By David Owen
February 19 – Watford, the Premier League club based in London’s commuter-belt and controlled by Gino Pozzo, has fallen into loss due to higher costs and a markedly smaller gain on player sales.
AFC builds IP expertise to protect its competitions and commercial rights
February 19 – The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) is drafting in a team of experts to fight against Intellectual Property (IP) theft in the wake of the row over pirate channel beoutQ which illegally broadcast last month’s Asian Cup played in the United Arab Emirates.
Man City owner CFG poised to buy third tier Chinese club Sichuan Jiuniu
February 19 – City Football Group (CFG), the multi-club holding company that owns Manchester City, New York City FC and Girona, among others, looks set to add to its club portfolio with a third tier team in China.
Saudi’s MBS says no deal on Man Utd £3.8bn takeover rumour
February 19 – Saudi Arabia Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman is not planning a £3.8bn takeover of Manchester United according to his media minister.
Esports betting to hit $12.9bn in 2019, revenues to reach $1.38bn in 2021
February 19 – Betting on esports is estimated to grow to a massive $12.9 billion by the end of this year. That is more than double the figure of $5.5 billion in 2016 and puts the esports business firmly in competition with other forms of online betting.
US set to get new third-tier pro league as NISA provisionally given OK
February 19 – The US looks set to get a second third tier professional league after the United States Soccer Federation provisionally sanctioned the National Independent Soccer Association (NISA) as a Professional Soccer League.
Italy’s Pro Piacenza kicked out of Serie C after 7-man farce
February 19 – An Italian third division club which cobbled together a seven-man team in order to avoid being thrown out of the league and promptly lost 20-0 has been booted out anyway despite fulfilling their promise to fulfil the fixture.
EFL fines Leeds £200K over spy captured by Derby’s intelligence services
February 19 – English second tier front-runners Leeds United have been fined £200,000 by the English Football League and given a formal reprimand over the so-called ‘spygate’ affair in January.
EFL lands Thai Airways extension to cover Wembley finals
February 19 – The English Football League (EFL) has extended its partnership with Thai Airways of the EFL’s five finals, the first of which – the Carabao Cup – will be played between Chelsea and Manchester City next weekend at Wembley.
Ahmad dismisses Bility accusations saying only he is ‘mandated’ to make the big decisions
By Andrew Warshaw
February 18 – Under-fire Confederation of African Football president Ahmad has broken his silence over the fierce criticism levelled at him by former Liberian FA boss Musa Bility.
CAS ruling prevents UEFA reopening FFP case against Galatasary
By Andrew Warshaw
February 18 – In a potentially significant ruling in terms of UEFA’s determination to make sure clubs balance their books, Galatasaray have won a landmark appeal to block a further investigation of their compliance with financial fair play.
With Miami deadline approaching Infantino keeps up drum roll for 48-team 2022
February 18 – Gianni Infantino is repeating the same rhetoric ahead of next month’s decision-making FIFA Council session in Miami saying he is “optimistic” about expanding the 2022 World Cup in Qatar to 48 teams but warned that it would “not be easy”.