Hazard scores cover of EA Sport’s FIFA 20 game
July 29 – Eden Hazard has scored his first hattrick with Real Madrid, featuring on the cover of EA Sports FIFA game for the third time.
Author: Paul Nicholson
Indian beer brand Kingsfisher makes Premier League debut with the Saints
July 29 – Leading Indian beer brand Kingfisher has made its first foray into Premier League football becoming the Official Beer partner of Southampton in what is described as a “multi-year” deal.
Match-fixing: Swedish betting markets suspended for second tier league
July 29 – Following the suspension of all betting markets on the Swedish second tier following a series of match-fixing alerts, Svenska Spel has said the only solution to the problem is to suspend all betting, indefinitely on the league.
Chinese whispers: Real Madrid call off mooted Bale transfer to Jiangsu Suning
July 29 – The high-profile move of Gareth Bale from Spain to China is off after Real Madrid cancelled the deal, with the Welsh international now set to stay at the Spanish club instead of switching to Chinese Super League club Jiangsu Suning for a reported £1 million a week.
StormGain take Newcastle United sleeve patch in one-season deal
July 29 – Premier League Newcastle United have struck a deal with cryptocurrency trading platform StormGain for their sleeve sponsorship for the 2019/20 season.
Osasu Obayiuwana: Unravelling the CAF and Lagardere money myths
After the shenanigans of the last few days, and weeks, in the Byzantine world of Confederation of African Football (CAF) politics, where Niccolo Machiavelli clearly has his ardent disciples – in the art of ruthless political bloodletting and the decimation of perceived, real and feared adversaries – my original plan was to write a column on the serial governance missteps that are a clear existential threat to the organisation.
FIFA waited 5 months before using Ethics ban blackmail on Bility
By Paul Nicholson
July 26 – FIFA waited more than five months before issuing the verdict banning Liberian Musa Bility from football activity and stripping him of his position on the executive committee of the Confederation of African Football (CAF). The ban was issued after Bility refused to support the FIFA intervention and two days after he said he was taking his complaint to CAS.
FIFA gift Liverpool a busy Xmas with clashing December dates for Club World Cup in Qatar
July 26 – The penultimate edition of the Club World Cup in its current guise will kick off in Qatar on December 11 with the final taking place 10 days later.
Match-fixing: FIFA ban Sierra Leone administrator Kabba for five years
July 26 – Abu Bakarr Kabba, former administrative secretary of the Sierra Leone Football Association, is the latest African official to be sanctioned by FIFA for taking bribes as part of FIFA’s investigation into notorious matchfixer Wilson Raj Perumal.
Billion dollar Barca: record revenues again for Spanish giant
July 26 – FC Barcelona have broken the billion dollar revenue mark for the second season running, announcing that for the 2018/19 year income rose to €990 million ($1.1 billion).
Sakho sues Wada claiming dope test blunder killed his Liverpool career and depressed earnings
July 26 – A Premier League player is suing the world anti-doping agency (WADA) for £13 million over claims a drug-test blunder wrecked part of his career.
Brazil go overseas to Sundhage to pick up national women’s team reins
July 26 – Experienced Swedish coach Pia Sundhage will replace Vadao as the head coach of the Brazilian national women’s team, the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) announced.
AIA stays front and centre with Spurs in renewed 8-year £320m deal
July 26 – Premier League Tottenham Hotspur have renewed their partnership with principal partners AIA Group Limited (AIA), in a deal reportedly lifting the value of the sponsorship by £5 million to £40 million a year.
Everton unveil designs for £500m dockland stadium
July 26 – Everton have unveiled designs for their new £500 million stadium to be built on semi-abandoned dockland in north Liverpool. The clubs the new stadium will deliver a huge economic benefit to the city, regenerating a part of Liverpool.
Carjackers outgunned by Arsenal’s Kolasinac and Ozil
July 26 – Two Premier League players have been involved in a carjacking attempt by an armed gang in London.