By Paul Nicholson
April 27 – The African race for a position on the FIFA Council has a new competitor. Former FIFA senior development manager for Africa, Zelkifili Ngoufonja (better known in football circles as Zul), has put himself and is campaigning on a platform of transparency, youth development and a good deal for Africa at FIFA.
April 27 – In a move that seems sure to receive widespread support even though it is not technically a unilateral decision, FIFA president Gianni Infantino has confirmed that video replays will be used at the 2018 World Cup.
By Andrew Warshaw
April 26 – FIFA has rejected German accusations that it is restricting press freedom during this summer’s Confederations Cup in Russia, the traditional World Cup warm-up tournament.
By Andrew Warshaw
April 24 – The FIFA committee charged with resolving the increasingly intractable Israeli-Palestinian issue looks set to postpone a final ruling once again by giving Israel six months to discontinue playing matches in the occupied West Bank – or face possible sanctions.
By Andrew Warshaw
April 24 – Sepp Blatter’s colourful and controversial career may be over as a result of his six-year ethics ban but despite speculation to the contrary, the 81-year-old insists he will not end up facing prosecution at the hands of either US or Swiss justice authorities.
By Andrew Warshaw
April 24 – After the net had seemingly closed in on him once and for all, former FIFA Executive Committee member Worawi Makudi could be about to stage a shock comeback.
By Andrew Warshaw
April 21 – Israel is stepping up its diplomatic efforts to foil another Palestinian motion within FIFA for severe sanctions to be applied on its Middle East neighbour.
April 21 – As expected, FIFA has dismissed a call by a US senator to strip Russia of hosting the World Cup because of its alleged complicity with the recent chemical weapons attack in Syria.
By Samindra Kunti
April 20 – The final phase of ticket sales for the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup began on Wednesday and will run until July 2. Ticketing for FIFA’s warm up event for the 2018 World Cup in Russia has so far been slow.
By Andrew Warshaw
April 20 – Having suffered the humiliation of being thrown off FFA’s decision-making Council for failing an eligibility test, Russian football supremo Vitaly Mukto seems to be using every possibility to subtlety strike back at football’s world governing body.
April 19 – Oceania have come out in favour of allowing the tripartite US, Canada and Mexico bid for co-hosting the 2026 World Cup to be speeded up.
By Paul Nicholson and Andrew Warshaw
April 12 – The United States, Mexico and Canada have somewhat cheekily asked FIFA to fast-track their bid to stage the 2026 World Cup without a proper competitive process.
By Andrew Warshaw
April 12 – Whilst the process for hosting the 2026 World Cup is perhaps the standout item on the agenda for next month’s FIFA Congress (see separate article), the future of FIFA’s ethics committee and the crisis involving Palestine and Israel are also up for potentially contentious discussion in Bahrain.
By Andrew Warshaw
April 11 – An expanded tournament to 48 teams, Gianni Infantino’s encouragement for a return to co-hosting and the re-establishment of rotation. It has all played very nicely into the hands of CONCACAF whose three biggest members have, as expected, now officially announced their intention to bid for the 2026 World Cup.
By Andrew Warshaw
April 10 – It’s been an open secret for months but now the United States, Mexico and Canada look set to formally announce a joint bid for the 2026 World Cup later today.