FIFA tweaks eligibility laws to allow young players to switch nationality
September 21 – New eligibility rules easing restrictions on switching nationality have been introduced by FIFA with African players, in particular, likely to benefit.
FIFA
Infantino says focus is still on CAF reform, but pandemic has slowed progress
September 21 – FIFA president Gianni Infantino has blamed the slowdown in the FIFA-led reforms of the African Confederation of Football (CAF) on the coronavirus pandemic.
Infantino, Congress stage to himself, defends Swiss AG meetings as doing his ‘duty’
By Paul Nicholson
September 18 – FIFA president Gianni Infantino, hosting the 70th FIFA Congress and the first virtually, today gave an unconvincing defence and partial explanation of the Swiss investigation into his own conduct and his secret meetings with disgraced Swiss Attorney General Michael Lauber.
Infantino gets a peace of the US action. Club World Cup in Qatar looks off
By Andrew Warshaw
September 18 – FIFA president Gianni Infantino today justified attending this week’s US-brokered diplomatic agreement between Bahrain, Israel and the United Arab Emirates, an arrangement which prompted outrage amongst the Palestinian community.
Infantino drops in on Trump for an Israeli peace pact signing and a routine chat with another AG
By Samindra Kunti
September 18 – FIFA supremo Gianni Infantino made a flying visit to the US for the signing of a diplomatic pact between Israel and both the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain in Washington DC, and discussed 2026 World Cup plans with Donald Trump, FIFA said on Thursday.
UEFA’s return to Nations League action keeps Belgium on top of FIFA rankings
September 17 – In the first set of FIFA rankings since the Coronavirus pandemic suspended fixtures globally in March, Belgium have retained their position at the top with Portugal moving into the top five following this month’s Nations League fixtures.
FIFA signs anti-corruption MoU with UN but suspicions of reputation cleansing linger
By Paul Nicholson
September 16 – FIFA has signed a memorandum of understanding with anti-corruption agency, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) “to step up their joint cooperation to address threats posed by crime to sport,” said a FIFA press release.
FIFA-banned Valcke tells of personal cash crisis in TV rights corruption trial
September 16 – FIFA’s former number two Jerome Valcke told the second day of his tv rights corruption trial how he had struggled “with no income” since losing his job as Sepp Blatter’s right-hand man.
Swiss trial of Valcke and Al-Khelaifi stalls as Greek ‘third man’ fails to show in court
September 15 – The so-called “third man” in the corruption trial of FIFA’s disgraced former secretary general Jerome Valcke (pictured) and Paris Saint-Germain chief Nasser Al-Khelaifi failed to show up when the high-profile case began this week in the Swiss city of Bellinzona.
FIFA’s TV rights deals back in the dock: Valcke and Al-Khelaïfi hearing next week
September 11 – First Bern, now Bellinzona. Following the recent court appearances in Switzerland of Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini over that infamous CHF 2 million “disloyal payment”, it’s the turn of two other high-profile footballing figures on Monday to have their cases heard.
FIFA releases new funds to support women’s game at national level
September 9 – World governing body FIFA is rolling out a new women’s football development program that will supplement both the Forward Programme and Covid-19 relief measures, allowing all member associations to apply.
FIFA steps into Venezuelan power vacuum with Normalisation Committe
September 3 – Venezuela is the latest country to have its affairs run by FIFA after being plunged into yet more turmoil.
Blatter ‘happy’ to take turn in front of Swiss prosecutor over Platini back pay
September 2 – It was Sepp Blatter’s turn to face the music on Tuesday when he appeared in front of a Swiss prosecutor over the “disloyal payment” of two million Swiss francs made to Michel Platini in 2011.
Platini payment back in the spotlight as Swiss question former UEFA boss
September 1 – The infamous CHF2 million “disloyalty payment” that helped bring down both Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini’ has taken centre stage once again with both former powerbrokers questioned this week by Swiss federal investigators – five years after a judicial case was opened and nine after the alleged offence took place.
100 years since Spain’s first football team took Olympic silver – despite quarter-final loss
By David Owen
September 1 – It is exactly 100 years since, Spain, nowadays one of the powers of the global game, appeared in its first international football tournament.