FIFA 13 game continues to break all records
By Mark Baber
January 28 – FIFA has become the first gaming brand to top £1 billion in UK retail sales according to the latest figures from GFK Chart-Track.
News
FIFA change 500-day visit agenda in wake of Santa Maria disaster
By Mark Baber
January 28 – In the wake of the nightclub fire in southern Brazil, FIFA have announced that they will no longer be holding a celebration, due on Monday in Brasilia, to mark 500 days until the start of the 2014 World Cup.
FIFA moves to help cut agents costs and influence at clubs
By Andrew Warshaw, Chief Correspondent
January 9 – FIFA has made further progress in a move to help clubs deal directly with each other during transfers rather than employ agents.
La Coruña still have a sporting chance to avoid administration, but situation rapidly worsening in Bucharest
By Mark Baber
December 19 – Spanish club Deportivo de La Coruña are in imminent danger of entering administration.
Anti-corruption body urges Council of Europe to push for “urgent reform” at FIFA
By Andrew Warshaw
December 20 – An anti-corruption panel advising FIFA has called on the Council of Europe to push for “urgent” reform at football’s world governing body after suggesting its own efforts to bring about change were being blocked.
High Court quashes original “profound and almost palpable” Hillsborough inquest verdicts
By Andrew Warshaw
December 20 – In a major victory for the families of the 96 fans killed in the 1989 Hillsborough stadium disaster – Britain’s worst ever sporting tragedy – the country’s High Court has quashed the original inquest verdicts due to a “profound and almost palpable” sense of injustice.
Barça coach Vilanova temporarily steps down for cancer treatment
By Andrew Warshaw
December 20 – Messages of support are flooding in from around the world after Barcelona coach Tito Vilanova stepped down temporarily because of a cancer recurrence.
Napoli outraged at two-point sanction for match-fixing
By Andrew Warshaw
December 20 – Italian club Napoli are up in arms for being hit with a two-point deduction after becoming the latest Italian club sanctioned for alleged match-fixing.
Kosovo “disappointed” with partial FIFA acceptance and push for full membership
By Andrew Warshaw
December 18 – Kosovo’s Football Federation (FFK) are to push for full membership of FIFA after receiving only partial acceptance from football’s world governing body.
US Soccer Federation to launch National Women’s Soccer League
By Andrew Warshaw
December 18 – National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) will be the name of a third attempt to create a lasting and credible women’s professional league in the United States of America.
Van Persie is Premier League’s top scorer in North American replica shirt market
By David Owen
December 18 – Robin van Persie has overhauled Wayne Rooney, his Manchester United team-mate, as the name on the top-selling Barclays Premier League player jersey in North America.
Bin Hammam throws in the towel
By Andrew Warshaw
December 17 – The most damaging scandal in the history of FIFA came to an abrupt conclusion today when Mohamed Bin Hammam dropped his long-running fight to clear his name, walking away after being banned for life by FIFA for “repeated violations” of the world governing body’s code of ethics while he was head of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).
Blatter to question Serbia’s paltry sanctions from UEFA
By Andrew Warshaw
December 17 – FIFA President Sepp Blatter is to contact his opposite number at UEFA, Michel Platini, to question the meagre sanctions handed to Serbia by Europe’s governing body in the wake of the racism and violence that marred the under-21 tie against England in Kruševac in October.
Former FIFA vice-president Warner backs Bin Hammam
By Andrew Warshaw
December 17 – Former FIFA vice-president Jack Warner insists Mohamed Bin Hammam would have had a “great chance” of beating Sepp Blatter in last year’s FIFA Presidential race had bribery allegations not derailed his campaign.
FIFA extends Indonesia sanction deadline as festive gesture
By Andrew Warshaw
December 17 – FIFA has given Indonesia one final chance to put its house in order in what President Sepp Blatter described as a “Christmas gift”.