Alex Phillips takes over as FIFPRO general secretary, Sergio Marchi elected president
November 29 – Global players’ union FIFPRO has announced UEFA’s former head of governance and compliance, Alex Phillips, as its new secretary general.
Author: Paul Nicholson
Botafogo start as Copa Libertadores favourites as they face old rivals Atletico Mineiro
November 29 – In an all-Brazilian affair, Botafogo will be favourites against Atletico Mineiro in the final of the Copa Libertadores, South America’s premier club competition.
FIFA feeds its Messi-mania addiction with world’s Best Player nomination
November 29 – Lionel Messi may have had a stellar career and been the world’s best player for many illustrious years, but at 37, does he still genuinely merit being nominated by FIFA for their Best Player award or has the organisation thrown his name into the hat just to make sure they have all bases covered?
Draw pots confirmed for UEFA 2026 World Cup qualifying groups
November 29 – The draw pots for the UEFA 2026 World Cup qualifying groups have been decided with all eight Nations League quarter finalists, plus the four best-ranked UEFA nations (England, Belgium, Switzerland and Austria) as the top seeded teams.
Climate researchers warn of ‘extreme heat’ at 10 of the 2026 World Cup stadia
November 29 – Researchers at the Wrocław University of Health and Sport Sciences in Poland have warned that footballers face a “very high risk of experiencing extreme heat stress” at 10 of the 16 stadiums that will host the 2026 World Cup.
USSF backs away from mandating youth soccer registration changes, leaving it to leagues to decide
November 29 – Last month as reported by Inside World Football (https://tinyurl.com/zynnae8x) the US Soccer Federation (USSF) announced that they would be reviewing how the soccer ecosystem chooses to register players.
Barcelona shut fans out of Olympic stadium for refusing to pay UEFA fines
November 29 – In a rarely seen move, FC Barcelona, have closed part of their temporary home, Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys to their own fans!
Germany return to world top 10 ranking as UEFA nations dominate
November 29 – With Germany returning to the top 10 of the world rankings, European nations now occupy eight of the top 10 slots, with only South American giants Argentina (ranked 1) and Brazil (5) breaking the European dominance.
Frank Lampard returns to management with Coventry City
November 28 – Coventry City have hired Frank Lampard as their new manager, the Championship club confirmed on Thursday.
Danish MEPs criticise FIFA’s ‘closed doors’ World Cup decision making and suggest boycott
November 28 – Following in the footsteps of the two US senators, Daniel Freund and Niels Fuglsang, Members of the European Parliament have sounded the alarm bell over FIFA and a 2034 World Cup in Saudi Arabia.
FIFA launch $50m Qatar 2022 legacy fund but no mention of migrant workers
November 28 – FIFA has launched a $50 million legacy fund for social programmes in collaboration with 2022 World Cup hosts Qatar, the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Trade Organization (WTO) and UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency. However, the elephant in the room remains whether FIFA will establish a compensation mechanism for migrant workers?
Japanese and Saudi clubs dominate early rounds of AFC Champions League Elite
November 28 – With five of the eight rounds of the league stage of the revamped AFC Champions League Elite completed, clear leaders are forcing their way to the top in the East and West regions, but the battle for the eight qualifying slots in each region is fierce.
Keith Harris leads £230m Sportsbank bid for Textor’s Crystal Palace shares
November 28 – John Textor, whose multi-club ownership vehicle Eagle Holdings is preparing for a £2.3 billion stock market float, looks to be closing in on the sale of his 46% stake in Premier League Crystal Palace.
Lille supporters stabbed after being attacked by Bologna fans
November 28 – Lille say two of their supporters were stabbed when a group of fans were attacked in a bar ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League game at Bologna.
Wrexham lead EFL into Cosm’s ‘shared reality’ venues in LA and Dallas
November 28 – CBS Sports and Cosm have announced that six English Football League (EFL) matches will be presented in ‘shared reality’ at Cosm’s immersive entertainment venues in Los Angeles and Dallas.