Covid: Players are not the vaccination priority, says Infantino
February 2 – Footballers should not jump the queue and be vaccinated before key health workers according to FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
FIFA
Munir El Haddadi cleared to switch nationality from Spain to Morocco
February 2 – After years of trying to represent his country of origin, Munir El Haddadi has finally been given the go-ahead by FIFA to play for Morocco following two appeals to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
FifaGate: Extradited former El Salvadorian FA boss Vasquez held without bail
February 1 – Former El Salvador FA president Reynaldo Vasquez has been extradited to the Eastern District of New York where he made a remote court appearance last Friday facing charges of bribery and money laundering for his part in the FifaGate corruption scandals.
FIFA launches safeguarding diploma to urgently address a global issue
January 29 – FIFA has launched a global safeguarding in sport education programme with the aim of building formal safeguarding capacity across football.
Super league proposal offers £310m to clubs and a slot at FIFA’s Club World Cup
By Paul Nicholson
January 22 – New detail of the proposed European super league, to be funded via a £3.5 billion start-up fund led by JP Morgan, has leaked including that 12 clubs would automatically qualify for FIFA’s new 24-team Club World Cup.
Win win for Blatter as he comes off critical list after a week in coma and Swiss drop criminal case
January 22 – Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter spent a week in an induced coma after having heart surgery in December, his family has revealed.
FIFA warn clubs and players joining European Super League would be World Cup banned
By Andrew Warshaw
January 21 – In a rare collective show of strength, FIFA and its six individual confederations have threatened a World Cup ban on players who take part in any proposed European Super League – and have been simultaneously backed by Europe’s leagues.
Club World Cup draw pitches AFC and Concacaf champions in first round battle
January 21 – The first of this year’s two Club World Cups in Qatar will kick off February 4 with Concacaf champions Tigres UANL Mexico facing the AFC’s Champions League winners Ulsan Hyundai from South Korea.
Transfer market dropped $1.7bn in 2020, finds FIFA report
By Paul Nicholson
January 19 – Transfers fees in 2020 dropped 23.4% compared to 2019, a reduction of $1.743 billion in money spent. That is a figure 10% below the value of transfers reported in 2017.
FIFA upholds Trippier betting ban but CAS appeal could keep him in play
January 19 – In the latest twist of a case viewed by many as a key test of FIFA’s mettle, football’s world governing body has taken a significant stance against footballers breaching betting rules by upholding a 10-week global ban on England international Kieran Trippier and dismissing an appeal by his club, Atletico Madrid.
Qataris juggle host stadia after Auckland’s withdrawal from Club World Cup
January 19 – Following confirmation that Auckland City FC will be unable to participate in the Club World Cup due to the Covid-19 pandemic and related quarantine measures required by the New Zealand authorities, FIFA has adapted the competition’s match schedule and stadiums.
NZ covid restrictions force Auckland out of Club World Cup
January 15 – Having already moved its delayed Club World Cup from December to February because of the impact of Covid-19, FIFA has suffered another blow to its little-loved event after it was reduced from seven to six clubs by the sudden withdrawal of Auckland City.
FIFA lifts lid on Haitian Jean-Bart’s reign of terror and sexual abuse
January 14 – The shocking scale of the sexual abuse carried out by the former boss of Haitian football, Yves Jean-Bart, has been laid bare by the full report of his transgressions released by FIFA.
FifaGate fraudster Vasquez to be extradited to face US justice
January 13 – Former El Salvador FA president Reynaldo Vasquez will be extradited to the United States to face charges of bribery and money laundering for his part in the FifaGate corruption scandals.
Swiss court rules FIFA out of access to Infantino criminal investigation case files
January 13 – Gianni Infantino has suffered a potentially significant setback in his bid to clear his name over alleged criminal misconduct after the Swiss Federal Criminal Court barred FIFA from being involved in ongoing proceedings over those infamous unrecorded dealings between Infantino and former attorney general Michael Lauber.