2026 host bidding cities await final FIFA verdicts tonight
June 16 – World federation FIFA will announce the host cities for the 2026 World Cup today, Thursday, bringing to an end a four-year bidding war among 17 US finalists.
Author: Paul Nicholson
Premier League to take tougher line on covid cancellations as 2022/23 fixtures released
June 16 – English Premier League clubs must present “truly exceptional” reasons to have requests for match postponements granted next season.
Concacaf challengers rattle the Canada, Mexico, US triumvirate in Nations League
June 16 – Accepted natural order is that in Concacaf Mexico and the USA dominate, newly re-emerged Canada are now neck and neck with them, and Costa Rica lead the Central American challenge.
Stimac demands change in India as team qualify for second Asian Cup
June 16 – Indian head coach Igor Stimac has told Indian football to “wake up”, criticising how the All India Football Federation (AIFF) is being run.
LaLiga files new complaint at UEFA against PSG for breaking fair play rules
June 15 – LaLiga’s war on what it sees as state-owned clubs financially unbalancing the European club eco-system has been taken a step further with the Spanish League filing acomplaint with UEFA against PSG who LaLiga maintains is “in continuous breach of the current financial fair play rules”.
Chinese whispers: World Cup organisers unravel Taiwan nationhood knot
June 16 – Organisers of the Qatar World Cup have ceded to a request from Taiwan to alter a ticketing system that had wrongly identified Taiwanese attending the tournament as hailing from China.
Official Qatar 2022 poster captures Arab passion and culture
June 16 – The Official Poster for the World Cup Qatar 2022 was unveiled yesterday at a special event at Hamad International Airport.
U23 Asian Cup: Hosts Uzbekistan to face Saudi Arabia in final
June 15 – Hosts of the AFC U23 Asian Cup Uzbekistan will meet Saudi Arabia in the final on Sunday after both countries won their semi-finals 2-0, defeating Japan and Australia respectively.
Kattner says it wasn’t fraud and he didn’t tip off Swiss investigators to Blatter-Platini payment
June 16 – Former FIFA finance director Markus Kattner has told the Federal Criminal Court in Bellinzona, Switzerland, that he didn’t flag the payment of CHF2 million from FIFA, requested by Sepp Blatter, to Michel Platini to the Swiss federal authorities and that he doesn’t believe it was an illegal payment.
Apple takes a 10-year leap into live MLS broadcast rights with $2.5bn deal
June 15 – Apple has taken its first step into live football broadcasting agreeing a deal that will see the Apple TV app become the exclusive platform for every MLS match.
Spanish women agree equal ‘percentage’ bonus deal to men’s team with RFEF
June 15 – In the build-up to the Women’s Euro 2022, the Spanish FA (RFEF) have announced that the men’s and women’s national teams will receive the same percentage of the prize money distributed by UEFA and FIFA at major finals.
Girondins fall foul of French financial police and relegated to third tier
June 15 – Girondins de Bordeaux have been relegated to the French third division because of financial problems following a decision by French football’s financial watchdog the DNCG.
Conmebol hammers FIFA’s Wenger over his European view of the world
June 16 – Conmebol has slammed FIFA’s chief of global development Arsene Wenger for suggesting Africa’s infrastructure is inadequate for developing talent and that Europe is the only continent where rising stars can reach full potential.
CAS clears Spezia Calcio return to transfer market after serving half their ban
June 15 – Italian Serie A club Spezia Calcio have been cleared to resume player trading by sport’s highest court after winning an appeal against a FIFA transfer ban.
Costa Rica cling on to an early lead to beat New Zealand and claim final Qatar 2022 slot
June 15 – Costa Rica claimed the last ticket for the 2022 World Cup at the expense of a brave New Zealand following a third-minute Joel Campbell goal in a 1-0 victory.