FIFA adds goalkeeper and World11 categories to women’s ‘Best’ awards
May 7 – The onward march of equal gender opportunity at FIFA has seen the world governing body introduce two new awards to its annual ‘Best’ accolades.
May 7 – The onward march of equal gender opportunity at FIFA has seen the world governing body introduce two new awards to its annual ‘Best’ accolades.
By Samindra Kunti
April 29 – FIFA has taken the unusual step of signing a Memorandum of Understanding with one of its national associations, the Chinese Football Association (CFA), to boost the development of football in China.
April 29 – FIFA has written to human rights groups to hold talks about issues related to a potential expansion of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar to 48 teams as Gianni Infantino and the governing body continue their push to find one more regional co-host for the tournament.
April 26 – Confidential meetings between FIFA president Gianni Infantino and Swiss attorney general Michael Lauber – reportedly set up by a childhood friend of Infantino – continue to be the subject of investigation in Switzerland amid intense speculation about exactly what was discussed.
April 17 – A potential landmark joint bid from North and South Korea for the 2023 Women’s World Cup remains very much in the race
April 17 – World governing body FIFA is to send a fact-finding mission to Pakistan to assess the administrative crisis in the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF), but the FIFA delegation seems unlikely to issues sanctions preventing Pakistan from taking part in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers.
April 16 – Jose Maria Marin, disgraced former president of the Brazil Football Confederation (CBF), has been banned for life by FIFA and fined CHF1 million for taking bribes, 16 months after he was convicted of corruption charges in the United States.
April 15 – The recent resurgence of racism across world football has prompted FIFA president Gianni Infantino to call for a crackdown following several high-profile incidents, echoing UEFA’s call for referees to abandon matches in the worst-case scenarios
April 2 – FIFA has a new communications chief after announcing that Portugal national team spokesman Onofre Costa has taken over from Fabrice Jouhaud, who has led its media department since August 2016 when he arrived from l’Equipe broadcasting.
By Andrew Warshaw
April 1 – FIFA’s top medical official has criticised the decision to allow Fabian Schar to play on during Switzerland’s recent Euro 2020 qualifier against Georgia after suffering from concussion – and warned that authorities have to be ultra-careful when it comes to head clashes.
By Paul Nicholson in New York
March 26 – FIFA beware, former investigators and prosecutors who worked on the US Department of Justice indictments in 2015 say that the investigation is still on-going and there will likely be more indictments on top of the 42 already charged.
By Andrew Warshaw
March 26 – Europe’s leading clubs today re-iterated that they will refuse to participate in Gianni Infantino’s revamped Club World Cup – but have not ruled out changing their minds for future editions if their needs are accommodated.
By David Owen
March 26 – FIFA has yet to rule out buying shares in stock exchange-listed football clubs such as Italy’s Juventus and Manchester United of the Premier League as part of its updated approach to management of its financial assets.
By David Owen
March 22 – The Club Protection Programme (CPP) cost FIFA $106.5 million over the 2015-18 business cycle, well below the initial sum budgeted of $120 million.
March 22 – FIFA has moved to prevent the use of artificial pitches at the 2023 Women’s World Cup after the 2015 tournament in Canada was marred by controversy over artificial turf.