Adidas are latest to put boot into FIFA’s biennial World Cup plan
October 13 – Criticism of FIFA’s proposal to stage a biennial World Cup continues to mount up, this time from an unexpected source: one of its own main sponsors.
Author: Paul Nicholson
Berbatov misses Bulgarian goal as Mihaylov saves his presidency
October 12 – Dimitar Berbatov has failed in his bid to become the president of the Bulgarian Football Union (BFS). The incumbent Borislav Mihaylov (pictured) was re-elected for a fifth term.
UEFA launch bid process for Euro 2028 hosting
October 13 – UEFA have launched the bidding process for hosting Euro 2028 with member associations having until March 2022 to declare their interest. The final decision on hosting will be made in September 2023.
Denmark join Germany for Qatar 2022 finals
October 13 – After an economic 1-0 victory against Austria, Denmark is heading to the World Cup again, seven points clear at the summit of Group F.
Palestinians cancel Infantino visit as he turns Israeli trip into political PR coup
By Paul Nicholson and Andrew Warshaw
October 12 – The tense relationship between Palestinian football and FIFA chief Gianni Infantino reached fever pitch on Monday when a meeting between the two was cancelled by the Palestinian FA who in a statement today said they could not support a PR visit designed around the “support of evangelical Zionist groups that advocate the negation of Palestinian rights.”
UEFA fact checks Courtois’ outburst on congested calendar and money
By Samindra Kunti and Paul Nicholson
October 12 – The Belgium and Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has criticised UEFA and FIFA for the congested international match calendar, labelling the third-place play-off between his national team and Italy in the Nations League “a money game”. He argued that UEFA don’t care for player welfare.
LFP’s Labrune says sale of stake in commercial subsidiary could raise €1bn
October 12 – France’s Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) president Vincent Labrune has said the league’s new commercial subsidiary could raise €1 billion with an investment partner that will be key to the survival of French professional football.
Iran closes doors on women as Korea qualifier set to be played without fans
October 12 – Having announced that women would be allowed to attend the crucial Iran vs South Korea Qatar 2022 qualifiers, Iranian authorities appear to have staged a last-minute u-turn in banning fans from attending. It would have been the first time in two years that women would have been allowed to attend such a high-profile fixture.
Germany book Qatar 2022 slot as Flick’s new era gathers momentum
October 12 – Germany became the first team to qualify for the 2022 World Cup after breezing past North Macedonia 4-0 on Monday to claim top spot in Group J with two games to spare.
India builds towards Women’s Asian Cup 2022 with ‘Our Goal for All’ mantra
October 12 – With just 100 days to go until kick-off, the AFC and the organisers of the Women’s Asian Cup India 2022 have unveiled the official tagline of the tournament as ‘Our Goal For All’.
Just 63% of schools offer girls football in PE. English FA launch campaign for change
October 12 – The English FA yesterday launched its new campaign – Let Girls Play – to coincide with International Day of the Girl and to force the pace of change in providing girls with equal opportunity to play organised football.
Man City’s Mendy again refused bail on rape charges, trial set for Jan 24
October 12 – Benjamin Mendy, Manchester City’s French defender who is accused of multiple charges of rape, has been refused bail for a third time.
Stood-up? Infantino’s love affair with Club World Cup struggles to find appropriate suitors
October 11 – FIFA is reported to be running out of time to find a host for the much-maligned Club World Cup in December and may be forced to postpone until early next year – an unfortunate public relations blow to Gianni Infantino.
Premier League teams demand explanation over why Saudis were let into their club
October 11 – English football’s 19 other top-flight clubs have reportedly sent a joint complaint to the Premier League after it cleared the £305 million takeover of Newcastle by a Saudi Arabian-backed group.
Boban turns on old boss Infantino’s ‘absurd’ and ‘crazy’ biennial World Cup proposal
By Paul Nicholson
October 11 – Former FIFA Deputy Secretary-General, Zvonimir Boban (pictured), has hammered the idea of a biennial World Cup as an ‘absurdity’ that no ‘normal person’ in football would accept and that “we have to fight it”.