UK and Ireland FAs submit formal bid for Euro 2028 hosting
By Paul Nicholson
March 23 – The four UK FAs and the Football Association of Ireland have today formally submitted a joint Expression of Interest to host Euro 2028.
Europe
Big Five league player injury costs rocket to €279m, finds report
March 23 – Injuries cost the Big Five football countries in Europe (England, France, Germany, Italy and Spain) a staggering €279.49 million in the first half of this year according to a new study.
Wembley tickets for Finalissima 2022 on sale with prices starting at £25
March 23 – Tickets for the Wembley play-off between the national team champions of Europe and South America – dubbed the Finalissima 2022 – go on sale Thursday with category 3 tickets priced at £25.
UEFA poised to award Euro 28 hosting to combined Britain and Ireland bid
March 22 – The UK and Ireland are set to be named as the joint hosts of Euro 2028, with no rival bid having come forward before tomorrow’s deadline for “expressions of interest”, according to reports.
Overmars in quick return with Antwerp role after Dutch disgrace
March 22 – Belgian club Antwerp have named Marc Overmars as their new technical director, just weeks after the Dutchman exited Ajax Amsterdam under a cloud.
AC Milan, PSG and Real Madrid cut Fonbet deals; Parimatch adjusts at Chelsea
March 21 – Football’s commercial sponsorship backlash over the Russian invasion of Ukraine is continuing. Russian online bookmaker Fonbet has had three major club sponsorships cancelled, while Parimatch tech is redefining its deal with Chelsea.
FIFA earmarks $1m of relief for Ukraine humanitarian crisis
March 21 – FIFA has sent medical supplies to the Ukrainian Football Association (UAF) and allocated $1 million to the FIFA Foundation for humanitarian aid in Ukraine.
Real Madrid and Chelsea lined up for Champions League repeat
March 18 – Holders Chelsea will face 13-time winners Real Madrid in the glamour tie of the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
Fan-less Chelsea head for Middlesbrough for FA Cup clash as ‘integrity’ storm rages
March 18 – The FA Cup, the world’s oldest domestic knockout tournament, resumes at the quarterfinal stage this weekend with much of the focus on crisis club Chelsea’s visit to second-tier Middlesbrough.
Russian striker Dzyuba says he rejected call-up for family, not political reasons
March 18 – Russia’s national team captain Artem Dzyuba has denied he asked not to join the side’s training camp because of the conflict in Ukraine.
FIFA relaxes transfer rules to allow Ukrainian players to move to foreign clubs
March 17 – FIFA has relaxed its rules to allow home-based Ukrainian players to move to foreign clubs without having to wait for the next transfer window.
VAR referral results in win for Mediapro and €2.1m loss for RFEF
March 17 – The bad blood between the Spanish football federation (RFEF) and Mediapro, one of the world’s biggest sports media organisations that is headquartered in Spain, has continued with the latest victory going to the agency with a €2.1 million compensation win.
Juve slip three late goals to Villareal to exit UCL; Chelsea war machine keeps rolling
March 17 – Three late goals earned Villarreal a stunning 3-0 second-leg victory at Juventus on Wednesday to knock the Italian giants out of the Champions League on a 4-1 aggregate, the third season in a row they have been eliminated in the last 16.
Duka elected for sixth term as president in controversial Albanian FA vote
March 17 – Albanian FA president Armand Duka was overwhelmingly re-elected for a sixth four-year term on Tuesday following weeks of bitter disagreement about the validity of the process.
Spartak Moscow remain out of Europa League as Russia lose appeal added time
March 16 – The ban on Russian teams playing in UEFA competition has been upheld by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) but a separate and more significant ruling on Russia’s World Cup status is expected later this week.