October 12 – Visit Saudi has signed up as the main sponsor for the inaugural CAF/FIFA African Football League (AFL) initiative that has struggled to find support within Africa and commercially.
By Samindra Kunti in Brussels
October 12 – Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish has called for a proper regulator and organiser in European football to address the structural issues in the game, including the widening financial inequality among clubs.
October 12 – Reports from Saudi Arabia are that about 90 countries have so far backed the kindgom’s candidacy to host the 2034 World Cup.
October 12 – English referees’ chief Howard Webb says steps have been taken to avoid a repeat of the controversy surrounding Luis Diaz’s disallowed goal for Liverpool against Tottenham that prompted nationwide debate about whether VAR should be scrapped altogether.
October 12 – The English Football Association is unlikely to mark the recent atrocities in Israel by lighting the Wembley arch in the colours of the Israeli flag when England take on Australia in a friendly on Friday.
October 12 – Greek online gaming operator Stoiximan has become a sponsor of the Cyprus national football team in a four-year deal signed with the Cyprus FA.
October 12 – UEFA has confirmed that the Euro 2024 qualifier between Kosovo and Israel has been postponed because of travel restrictions for Israeli national teams.
October 12 – Concacaf has upped its digital engagement game by becoming an early adopter of the new WhatsApp Channels service recently launched by Meta, announcing itself as one of the first major sports organisations to communicate directly to fans on WhatsApp.
October 12 – Former England captain and Manchester United icon Wayne Rooney has completed his managerial move to English Championship side Birmingham City on a three and-a-half-year contract.
October 11 – Saudi Arabia, looking to be a shoo-in to stage the 2034 World Cup now looks to have a potential rival in the bidding process.
By Samindra Kunti in Brussels
October 11 – Attacking the European Club Association (ECA) once again, the Union of European Clubs (UEC) reiterated that with a critical mass of members, it will become a key stakeholder in the European game and represent the interests of the continent’s small and medium-sized clubs.
October 11 – UEFA has axed its controversial plan to allow Russian under-17 teams back into its international competitions following a widespread backlash amongst its own member countries.
October 11 – Asia kicks off its ‘Road to 2026’ World Cup qualifiers tomorrow with the AFC’s Preliminary Joint Qualification Round 1, which sees 20 nations in action.
October 10 – ESPN has agreed an extension to its broadcast rights for the Netherlands’ Eredivisie, Eerste Divisie and KNVB Beker until 2030.
October 11 – Israel’s Euro 2024 qualifier against Switzerland has been postponed until November 15 following the deadly attacks by Hamas militants.