Benfica’s two goal lead dampens Dynamo Kiev’s Champions League dreams
August 18 – Benfica defeated Dynamo Kyiv 2-0 to take a major step towards Champions League qualification and dash the dreams of the Ukrainian club.
News
Euro football market hits €27.6bn in revenue. Big 5 leagues account for €15.6bn
August 18 – In the dark depths of the covid pandemic football clubs were forced to lock out their fans. But even without match day revenues, the European football market grew by 10% (€2.4billion) in 2020/21 to €27.6 billion.
LA Galaxy renew MLS’s longest running shirt sponsorship with 5-year extension
August 18 – LA Galaxy have agreed a “multi-year renewal” of their Herbalife Nutrition shirt sponsorship, the longest running main partner deal in the MLS.
beIN renews EFL deal for two years, buying rights to 1,600+ matches
August 17 – beIN Sport has renewed rights to the English Football League’s (EFL) three divisions, play-offs and Cup competition in a two-season deal.
Qatar 2022 ticket sales top 2.45 million
August 17 – FIFA is reporting ticket sales of 2.45 million for the Qatar 2022 World Cup that kicks off November 17.
Viborg’s African players fail to get UK visas in time for Conference League play off at West Ham
August 18 – Once again, the scourge of Brexit has had a negative effect on European club football.
England’s Mead, Germany’s Oberdorf and Spain’s Putellas battle for UEFA Player of the Year gong
August 17 – Beth Mead (England – Arsenal Women), Lena Oberdorf (Germany – VfL Wolfsburg), and Alexia Putellas (Spain – FC Barcelona) at the final three nominees in the running for the UEFA Women’s Player of the Year.
DFB’s Neuendorf pledges to confront Qatar 2022 organisers over LGBT concerns
August 17 – German FA boss Bern Neuendorf has promised to raise the concerns of the LGBT community and their travelling supporters to organisers of the World Cup in Qatar, where same-sex relations remain a criminal offence.
Banned India scrambles to keep women’s U-17 World Cup hosting and teams playing
August 17 – In the wake of India’s ban from the game, the country’s Supreme Court has adjourned the AIFF case to next week with the government and FIFA holding further talks as the Indians bid to retain the U-17 World Cup hosting rights.
FIFA agrees to cancel disrupted Brazil/Argentina 2022 qualifier, but fines both nations
August 17 – The suspended World Cup qualifier between Brazil and Argentina has finally been cancelled officially after Brazil argued the risks were too great ahead of the finals in Qatar.
Auckland FC secure 10th appearance at CWC with 10th OFC Champions League win
August 17 – New Zealand’s Auckland City FC have booked a ticket for the Club World Cup after defeating Tahiti’s AS Venus 3-0 to clinch a 10th OFC Champions League.
Pinnick says he will not run for third term as Nigerian federation president
August 17 – The embattled president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Amaju Pinnick – one of the most colourful and controversial figures in African football – has announced he will not seek re-election for a third term in office.
Indonesia gears up for U-20 World Cup hosting with emblem launch
August 17 – The Official Emblem of the U-20 World Cup Indonesia 2023 has been launched, coinciding with the country’s independence day.
Musk disappoints Man Utd fans saying that buying club tweet was a joke
August 17 – Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, insists he was not serious after briefly electrifying the debate over the future of Manchester United by posting on Twitter that he is buying the club.
FIFA puts El Salvador under control of normalisation committee after government raid FA
August 17 –Salvadoran football is in crisis with FIFA having appointed a normalisation committee to run the administration of the Salvadoran Football Association (FESFUT) after government intervention removed president Hugo Carillio and the entire FESFUT executive committee.