By Samindra Kunti
September 4 – In a dramatic few weeks for Indian football, East Bengal look set to become the 11th franchise in the 2020/21 ISL season. The Kolkata giants have secured a new investor in the club, Shree Cement, which could propel them towards ISL entry as organisers ISDL issued invitations to bid for a new franchise.
September 4 – The row over the premature ending of France’s 2019/20 Ligue 1 season is rumbling on with Olympique Lyonnais (OL) demanding €117.7 million in compensation.
September 4 – The new French season has been plunged into further chaos after defending champions Paris St Germain announced three more positive cases of COVID-19 in their squad, 24 hours after unconfirmed reports that Brazilian superstar Neymar was one of them following a holiday in Ibiza.
September 4 – Germany’s professional clubs want to welcome back a limited number of fans in the new Bundesliga season, but league boss Christian Seifert has admitted that it will be “a demanding and difficult season.”
September 4 – Brazil’s Corinthians have taken a significant step towards paying off the $98 million debt of its stadium development with a the signing of a naming rights deal.
September 4 – Somalia’s Stadium Mogadishu has taken another step forward with the return of competitive football after 16 years, during most of which time it was used as a military camp.
September 4 – In contrast to elsewhere in Europe, Premier League clubs have again voted against using five substitutes instead of three in domestic matches next season despite a second attempt by the big boys to persuade the smaller clubs to accept the change.
By Paul Nicholson
September 3 – Qatar will play as a guest nation in the next two editions of the Gold Cup in the US , the blue riband national team event for Concacaf’s member countries, in 2021 and 2023. The Asian Cup Champions are also scheduled to guest at Conmebol’s Copa America in 2021 as they prepare for their own hosting of the 2022 World Cup.
By Paul Nicholson
September 3 – Concacaf has further expanded its bi-annual Gold Cup with a series of changes that increase member nation participation and the integrity of the competition structure.
September 3 – Manchester City owners City Football Group (CFG) have completed their acquisition of a majority stake in French Ligue2 side Espérance Sportive Troyes Aube Champagne (ESTAC).
September 3 – Brazil has introduced an equal pay policy with the women’s national team to receive the same daily stipend as their male counterparts, the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) has announced.
September 3 – Switzerland’s professional teams are to be allowed to have their stadiums back up to two thirds full from October, one of the first countries in Europe to do so in the wake of Covid-19.
September 3 – Kevin De Bruyne’s agent Patrick De Koster (pictured left) is to remain in custody after his formal arrest last Friday.
September 3 – Venezuela is the latest country to have its affairs run by FIFA after being plunged into yet more turmoil.
September 3 – The European Super Cup in Budapest between Bayern Munich and Seville later this month, under threat because of Hungary closing its borders to foreigners, looks like it is going ahead as planned.