December 9 – Dismissing the death of a migrant worker from the Philippines at Saudi Arabia’s training resort in Qatar, World Cup boss Nasser Al Khater has said: “Death is a natural part of life, whether at work, whether in your sleep.”
December 9 – The walls are closing in on former FIFA vice president and Concacaf president Jack Warner. Having lost his appeal against extradition to the US, earlier this week he lost a first round legal battle with Concacaf over a long running dispute concerning the Dr Joao Havelange Centre of Excellence in Macoya, Trinidad.
December 9 – Having championed staging the World Cup every two years, FIFA’s director of development Arsene Wenger now appears to be backtracking over the idea.
December 9 – The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has moved its AFC Champions League 2022 Round of 16, quarter-finals and semi-final centralised matches in the West region as well as the two-legged Final.
December 9 – Donata Hopfen, CEO of the DFL Deutsche Fußball Liga, will quit her role at the end of the year, being replaced on an interim basis by two Bundesliga club execs, Axel Hellmann and Oliver Leki.
December 9 – Luis Enrique (pictured) has stepped down as Spain manager following their premature exit at the World Cup. Morocco eliminated his side from the penalty spot in the last 16 following a 120-minute goalless draw.
December 9 – FIFA has completed its World Cup Observer Programme in Qatar, designed to give future hosts insight into how FIFA expects its World Cups to be run.
December 9 – Despite losing three of their past four matches, the US women’s team still top the FIFA world rankings, though the gap between them and second placed Germany is narrowing.
December 9 – With the world’s attention focussed on its most popular sport as the World Cup reaches the quarter final stage, so there has been a flood of attention on the arrival of many new iGaming websites.
December 8 – Human rights organisation FairSquare has called on the UN to help World Cup whistleblower Abdullah Ibhais, who is currently in prison serving a three-year sentence. Ibhais family have accused FIFA of “callous indifference” over his plight within and an opaque Qatari legal system.
By Andrew Warshaw
December 8 – They may not have had a team at the World Cup in Qatar but they have enjoyed a massive following just the same.
December 8 – Nasser Al-Khelaifi, one of the most powerful officials in European football, says fans will never let a breakaway Super League happen even if the courts decide in its favour.
December 8 – In an inhouse interview, FIFA president Gianni Infantino has claimed Qatar hosted the “best group stage ever” at a World Cup with high attendances and record television figures.
December 8 – Digital transformation Atos has signed an eight-year deal to become a UEFA National Team Football partner.
December 8 – The sale of Ligue1 side Olympique Lyonnais to US investor John Textor’s Eagle Football group looks to have taken a step closer to fruition.