Dutch to trial 5,000 attendance for Latvian World Cup qualifier
March 18 – The Netherlands will allow 5,000 fans to attend their World Cup qualifier against Latvia as part of a study, the Dutch FA (KNVB) has announced.
Author: Paul Nicholson
Report damns English FA for failing to act on decades of sexual abuse of children
March 18 – An independent report into decades of sexual abuse of young players in English football by paedophile coaches has strongly criticised the national association, saying it did not do enough to keep the victims safe between 1970 and 2005.
Nutter? TTFA head coach Terry Fenwick ‘butts’ media chief days before World Cup qualifiers
March 17 – The Trinidad and Tobago FA (TTFA) plumbed new depths of ignomy when head coach Terry Fenwick yesterday allegedly headbutted media officer Shaun Fuentes, twice, before then putting his hand to his face and pushing him. Fenwick had to be separated from Fuentes by his kitman.
LFP snubs CAF saying no French clubs will release players for AFCON qualifiers
March 18 – In a major snub to upcoming Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, no French clubs will release their non-European players during the international break, the French Professional League (LFP) announced on Wednesday.
Brugge go public with IPO valuation at €229m
By Samindra Kunti
March 18 – Belgian champions Club Brugge have launched an initial public offering (IPO) in a deal that could value the club at €229 million, with chairman and majority shareholder Bart Verhaeghe selling at least 30% of the Belgian Pro League outfit with shares priced between €17.5 and €22.5.
Uzbekistan to host U23 Asian Cup, UAE keeps Futsal Club finals but for 2022
March 18 – Uzbekistan will host the AFC U23 Asian Cup in 2022, the first time the competition has been hosted in the Central Zone.
Tebas targets April for fan return but health minister sceptical
March 18 – La Liga president Javier Tebas believes a limited number of fans will be able to return to Spanish stadiums in April but separate reports that the two Copa del Rey finals the same month could open its gates have received short shrift from the government.
Barca boss Laporta focuses on keeping Messi, fixing finances and winning LaLiga
March 18 – New Barcelona chief Joan Laporta has pledged to do everything in his power to convince Lionel Messi to stay after being officially sworn in as the club’s new president on Wednesday.
Second Sudan ethics complaint emerges, made 3 months prior to Infantino’s pre-CAF Congress visit
By Paul Nicholson
March 17 – More details are emerging of alleged financial corruption at the Sudan FA by president Dr. Kamal Shadad (pictured), as well as evidence of a complaint made to FIFA’s Ethics department back in October 2020, three months before FIFA president Gianni Infantino visited the country and reportedly instructed Shadad to support new CAF president Patrice Motsepe ahead of the African confederation’s electoral congress.
Platini to give witness evidence in Infantino criminal case
March 17 – Former UEFA president Michel Platini spent six hours in front of a Swiss prosecutor as a suspect on Monday – but today was due to appear as a witness in a separate case against his nemesis, FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
BeNeLiga takes a step close as Belgian clubs vote in favour
By Samindra Kunti
March 17 – Belgium’s top flight clubs have voted in support of a cross-border BeNeLiga, a league that would see Belgian clubs play their counterparts from the Dutch Eredivisie.
FIFA’s Wenger bangs drum for more World Cups and to ‘kick out’ confederation comps
March 17 – Arsene Wenger, FIFA’s chief of global football development, is calling for an overhaul of the entire calendar – including holding the World Cup and Euros every two years.
Button pushed on start of eEuro 2021 qualifiers and eMLS Cup schedules
March 17 – The eSports football season is hotting up with UEFA’s eEuro 2021 qualifiers having started on Monday and the eMLS Cup finals in the US starting this weekend.
Dijon FCO refuse to release players for international duty
March 17 – Dijon FCO have become the latest of Europe’s clubs to refuse to release their non-European nationality players for international duty, the French club announced on Tuesday.
Man Utd are built for sustainable success, finds data report
March 17 – Manchester United are Europe’s leading club in terms of having a built a squad that will have a sustainable run at the major titles, according to a report from the CIES Football Observatory.