May 17 – FIFA unveiled a five ‘pillar’ initiative to combat racism in football at its Congress in Bangkok, Thailand. FIFA said the recommendations will be mandated across all 211 of its member federations.
By Samindra Kunti in Bangkok
May 16 – On Friday, Palestine, the 2027 Women’s World Cup, a series of amendments to the FIFA Statutes and racism will take centre stage at the FIFA Congress in the Thai capital.
May 16 – On the sidelines of the FIFA Congress, Norwegian FA (NFF) president Lise Klaveness has criticised the bidding process of the 2034 World Cup, with Saudi Arabia the sole candidate to stage the tournament.
FIFA’s 211 Member Associations are gathering in Bangkok, Thailand for world football’s governing body’s 74th annual Congress. This Congress will address a number of important matters impacting the future of the game across the world, not least women’s football.
May 16 – In a last-minute round of lobbying before the vote at Friday’s FIFA Congress for the hosting of the 2027 Women’s World Cup, the prime ministers of Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands have recorded a video pledging their support and commitment to their joint BNG2027 bid.
By Samindra Kunti in Bangkok
May 15 – FIFA’s plans for a Women’s Club World Cup, years in the making, are taking shape after the FIFA Council confirmed the inaugural edition of the tournament will take place in 2026 in a 16-team format.
May 15 – Decades of footballing tradition could soon be scrapped with FIFA reviewing rules that currently block domestic league games being played overseas.
May 15 – On the eve of the FIFA Congress, the world governing body has confirmed the appointment of Mattias Grafstrom as secretary-general following a meeting of the FIFA Council.
May 14 – Fan-led environmental pressure group Fossil Free Football has given its support to the Fifpro and World Leagues Association (WLA) calls for FIFA to scrap its expanded Club World Cup in 2025 and reconsider its planned calendar expansion.
May 13 – FIFA have responded furiously to threats by world players union FIFPRO and the World Leagues Association (WLA) that they and their members will take legal action over the ‘imposition’ of the international match calendar, and in particular the staging of 2025 Club World Cup.
May 10 – Global players union FIFPRO and the World Leagues Association (WLA) have warned FIFA of legal action if they FIFA doesn’t “withdraw its decisions on the international calendar”.
May 10 – With the FIFA Congress taking place next week, Amnesty International has pressed the world governing body to publish the long-awaited Qatar labour report into the treatment and rights of migrant workers who built World Cup infrastructure.
May 8 – Brazil’s bid to host the 2027 Women’s World Cup was given a small boost, perhaps a surprising one, after being ranked slightly higher than the rival joint European bid submitted by Germany, Netherlands and Belgium (BNG) in FIFA’s technical report.
May 8 – Football fans around the world now have a day to celebrate the world’s most popular sport every year – May 25.
May 8 – Diego Maradona’s Golden Ball trophy from the 1986 World Cup, which went missing for decades, will be auctioned in Paris next month and is expected to raise millions.