CAF launches African Club Association with focus on driving club sustainability
December 1 – The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has launched the African Club Association to empower the continent’s clubs and represent their interests.
Author: Paul Nicholson
Saudi Arabia win hosting rights for reformatted AFC Champions League finals starting 2024/25
December 1 – Saudi Arabia will stage the first two editions of the ‘final 8’ of the AFC Champions League Elite Finals, Asia’s revamped top-tier competition, the Asian Football Confederation confirmed today.
Player agents win UK court case that scuppers FIFA’s new rules and protects big money transfer fees
December 1 – A court has ruled that FIFA’s new agency rules cannot be legally applied in the UK, putting the global rollout of the rules in their current into question. FIFA could end up shelving them completely while they lick their wounds from the legal loss.
Infantino tells EBU members they need to pay more for women’s TV rights
December 1 – FIFA president Gianni Infantino has stressed the need for broadcasters to pay “a fair price” for the commercial rights to women’s football.
Police arrest 39 in violent clashes with Legia Warsaw fans ahead of Aston Villa ECL tie
December 1 – Thirty-nine people were arrested and four police officers hurt in clashes with Legia Warsaw fans in the build-up to Thursday’s Europa Conference League game at Aston Villa.
CSB sells York United franchise to Game Plan Sports Group who go ‘all in’ on Canadian league
December 1 – Canadian Soccer Business (CSB), the commercial arm of the Canadian Premier League (CPL), has sold the York United FC franchise to Game Plan Sports Group with the deal coming into effect immediately.
Depleted Reggae Girlz scrape a point against Panama to keep a lifeline to W Gold Cup open
December 1 – Jamaica’s Reggae Girlz, who in the summer reached the knockout stages of the Women’s World Cup in Australia/New Zealand, have missed out on automatic qualification for next year’s inaugural Concacaf W Gold Cup after a 1-1 draw with Panama at home.
UEFA gathers federations for third regional anti-matchfixing forum in Athens
December 1 – UEFA joined forces with the Hellenic Football Federation (HFF), the Council of Europe, the International Olympic Committee, Interpol and the Greek National Platform for Sport Integrity (EPATHLA) for a series of meetings and workshops – tagged Sport Integrity Week – that focused on fighting match-fixing.
Arsenal tread new global sponsorship routes with ZC Rubber
December 1 – Arsenal has announced a new global partnership with ZC Tyres in a deal that will see the Chinese tyre manufacturer join the Premier League leaders’ extensive partnership roster as its Official Global Tyre Partner.
Nissan partners with Man City charity as equality, diversity and inclusion partner
December 1 – Manchester City’s charitable arm, City in the Community, has unveiled Nissan as its first Official Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Partner.
Ronaldo sued in US for $1bn over his promotion of crypto exchange Binance
November 30 – Cristiano Ronaldo is in the news again, this time named in a $1billion class action lawsuit in the United States over his involvement with Binance , the largest cryptocurrency exchange in the world.
South Africa withdraw 2027 Women’s World Cup bid to focus on 2031
November 30 – South Africa have dropped out of the race for the 2027 Women’s World Cup, reducing the bidding field to three bids. The Africans want to focus on landing the 2031 finals.
English FA and government combine for £30m grassroots facilities fund for women’s teams
November 30 – A day after the English FA formally announced the breakaway of the top tier Women’s Super League, the governing body has announced a £30 million fund for grassroots women’s football in England.
UEFA agree Euro 2024 bookmaker deal with Betano
November 30 – Following in the footsteps of FIFA, UEFA has teamed up with Betano, who will become the European confederation’s betting partner for Euro 2024.
France pressure Argentina at top of World ranking, Brazil drop again, England back in top 3
November 30 – The FIFA world rankings have seen a reshuffle after the November international break, as Leo Messi’s Argentina remains top of the pile thanks to a 0-1 victory away against arch-rivals Brazil, despite losing its unbeaten streak in a 0-2 home defeat against Uruguay a week prior.