November 29 – Meeting before their awards night in Bangkok, Thailand, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) executive committee made a number of key decisions for both competitions and management of its business.
By Andrew Warshaw
November 29 – It promises to be one of the most glitzy occasions since Gianni Infaninto swept into power. But if the FIFA president and Vitaly Mutko, chief organiser of next year’s World Cup, were hoping for a trouble-free environment ahead of Friday’s globally televised draw in Moscow, they have one or two unwanted distractions on their hands.
November 29 – Spain’s Banco Santander will join UEFA’s Champions League roster of sponsors from next season in a three-year deal, one of the first announcements of sponsors for the next cycle of deal being closed by TEAM Marketing.
November 29 – Referees will have the power to stop matches if there are any obvious signs of racism by fans at next year’s World Cup, according to FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
November 29 – FIFA has reported that 742,760 tickets have been allocated in the first phase of Russia 2018 ticketing. Russians account for 53% of the ticket demand to date.
November 29 – Celtic, unbeaten for 65 games in the Scottish Premier League, have reportedly turned their expansion attentions to Australia and have made an approach to buy an ownership stake in Australian side Central Coast Mariners who play in Australia’s A-League. They have also been linked with A-League champions Brisbane Roar.
September 29 – Juan Antonio Pizzi has been unveiled as Saudi Arabia’s new head coach following last week’s departure of previous incumbent and fellow Argentinean Edgardo Bauza.
November 29 – Real Madrid have extended and expanded their sponsorship with German cosmetics company Nivea in a five-year deal that will take them through to 2022. Male grooming brand Nivea Men first became a became a domestic partner of Real Madrid in 2013.
November 28 -Fresh revelations at the FifaGate scandal trial in New York have heaped more unwanted publicity on 2022 World Cup hosts Qatar with the former president of Colombia’s federation testifying that a sports marketing executive told him that up to $15 million in bribe money was potentially available for South American officials to back Qatar’s bid.
November 28 – The globalisation of football is illustrated by new research that shows that almost two thirds of footballers likely to play at the Russia 2018 World Cup are currently playing for clubs outside of the association they represent.
November 28 – BBVA Continental, a leading Peruvian bank, has become an official sponsor of the Peruvian Football Federation with a focus on the development of the lower divisions of Peruvian football and young talent in the country.
November 29 – Gambia’s authorities are on a collision course with FIFA after the country’s National Sports Council (NSC) refused to rescind its decision to suspend the executive committee of the national federation.
November 28 – The last of the visual imagery for the 2018 Russia World Cup, the official poster, has been unveiled in Moscow Metro. The poster features legendary Soviet goalkeeper Lev Yashin as a central figure.
November 29 – After months of speculation, Lionel Messi has signed a new contract keeping him at Barcelona until 1920-21, saying he had moved closer to his “dream” of finishing his career at his boyhood club.
November 28 – Dutch giants Ajax Amsterdam have struck a five-year partnership with Chinese top flight club Guangzhou R&F FC.