Tunisia FA boss and former CAF exco member Wadie Jary handed 4-year jail term for corruption
February 21 – Tunisia’s former chief football official Wadie Jary has reportedly been sentenced to four years in prison on corruption charges.
Legal
Eto’o wins battle with CAF for non-jurisdictional ethics sanction
February 21 – Cameroon’s greatest footballing icon Samuel Eto’o has emerged victorious in his long-running legal battle with the Confederation of African Football (CAF), successfully overturning sanctions that had threatened his presidency at the Cameroon Football Federation (FECAFOOT).
DAZN says it was duped by France’s Ligue 1 and demands €573m in compensation
February 21 – Sports broadcaster DAZN can’t keep itself out of the news in one way or another. Hot on the heels of agreeing to a billion-dollar investment from the Saudi Public Investment Fund, they are now embroiled in a row with Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP).
Mbappe pursuit of another €55m off PSG fails to win support of French federation
February 19 – Kylian Mbappe appears to have suffered another setback in his legal battle with Paris St Germain after the French Football Federation opted not to hear an appeal from the player against his former club from whom he is demanding €55 million.
Man City score big win with tribunal ruling Premier League APT rules are ‘unenforceable’
February 17 – Defending champions Manchester City may be finding it tough on the field to maintain their dominance but off it they have scored a significant win over the Premier League.
Al-Khelaïfi denies accusations of vote manipulation in Lagardère fraud case
February 14 – Qatari president of PSG and European Club Association chair Nasser Al-Khelaïfi, has been caught up in a French investigation into a corporate fraud case involving the Lagardère group.
Rubiales tells court that Hermoso kiss was consensual
February 12 – Disgraced former Spanish FA boss Luis Rubiales came out fighting at his trial on Tuesday, telling the court he was “absolutely sure” Jenni Hermoso gave her consent to his kiss on her lips that sparked global outrage.
Rubiales was forced to resign in 2023 after kissing Hermoso following Spain’s triumph at the Women’s World Cup in Australia.
Top FIFA music exec arrested in Miami for gay sex with a minor
February 12 – FIFA has been plunged into scandal following a report that federal agents in the USA have arrested one of the organisation’s executives for alleged sex with a minor.
Sam Kerr found not guilty of harassing London copper
February 12 – After seven days of witnesses and questions, the jury in the Sam Kerr trial took four hours and 17 minutes to find the Chelsea and Australian striker, not guilty of aggravated harassment of a police officer.
Man City issue new challenge to Premier League’s ATP rules
February 10 – Premier League champions Manchester City have launched a new legal action against the Premier League over associated party transactions (ATP).
Court hears of how Rubiales pressured Hermoso to back his story
February 7 – As the trial of disgraced former Spanish FA (RFEF) chief Luis Rubiales moved towards the end of its first week, teammates of Jenni Hermoso corroborated her account of the infamous World Cup kiss when they testified on Thursday.
Spain’s Supreme Court clears RFEF president Rafael Louzan to remain in post
February 7 – After years of turmoil within the Spanish FA (RFEF), at last some positive news.
New RFEF chief Rafael Louzan (pictured) will remain in his post after the country’s Supreme Court granted his appeal against a seven-year ban from holding public office.
Sam Kerr tells jury she was ‘terrified for her life’
February 5 – The trial of Chelsea and Australian international Sam Kerr continued yesterday with the striker saying she feared for her life when “trapped” in a taxi. This moment occurred before she was alleged to have caused racially aggravated harassment to a police officer, constable Stephen Lovell.
Luis de la Fuente denies involvement in plot to protect Rubiales
February 5 – Spain men’s coach Luis de la Fuente told the Luis Rubiales ‘kissgate’ trial on Tuesday that he did not get involved in discussions related to Jenni Hermoso after she was kissed on the lips by the former Spanish FA (RFEF) boss at the presentation ceremony.
USSF and MLS dodge a $375m bullet after court rules for them in NASL anti-trust case
February 4 – The US Soccer Federation (USSF) and the MLS are celebrating a major win after a federal jury in New York found that the USSF did not violate anti-trust law in denying the North American Soccer League (NASL) Division II league status.
The NASL which operated between 2011 and 2017 and included perhaps the US’s best known club name globally – the New York Cosmos – argued that the USSF and MLS had illegally conspired against the NASL to ensure it wasn’t sanctioned as a Division II league.