Motsepe calls for Super League to break African football’s financial poverty
October 22 – Confederation of African Football (CAF) president Patrice Motsepe has again called for the launch of an African Super League on the continent.
News
Bayern’s Hainer says FIFA must not ‘sacrifice’ football at the money alter
October 22 – Bayern Munich president Herbert Hainer has become the latest high-profile football figure to oppose FIFA’s biennial World Cup proposal, saying that “you must never sacrifice football on the altar of financial interests.”
EU states write to Luxembourg court to formally oppose Super League plan
October 22 – The isolation of Juventus, Real Madrid and Barcelona over their belligerent insistence on trying to keep their Super League ambitions alive in the European courts, was highlighted again this week.
ELEVEN and OneFootball agree bundled media rights deal for nine European Leagues
October 22 – Nine European leagues, members of the Association European Leagues Association, have agreed a joint international broadcast deal with ELEVEN and OneFootball that includes both live rights and highlights.
Court filing alleges AEK owner Melissanidis funnelled stolen money into Greek club
By Paul Nicholson
October 21 – Details are emerging of how controversial AEK Athens owner Dimitris Melissanidis allegedly misappropriated money from his now bankrupt shipping business to fund his own lavish lifestyle and the Greek club.
FIFA push Club World Cup back into 2022 with UAE as new hosts
October 21 – The United Arab Emirates (UAE) will replace Japan as hosts for the 2021 Club World Cup, with the tournament that should have taken place in December now to be rescheduled for early next year.
Infantino backs controversial Lekjaa as he expands career into Moroccan politics
October 21 – FIFA president Gianni Infantino has shielded Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) president and FIFA Council member Fouzi Lekjaa over his new role in the Moroccan government, claiming that FIFA is politically neutral.
‘Tactically inept cabbage head’ Bruce is first to exit Newcastle’s desert storm
October 21 – After two seasons in charge of his hometown club, Steve Bruce has exited Newcastle United after the club’s new owners confirmed his departure by mutual consent.
Infantino dumps planned vote on biennial World Cup but talks to continue
By Samindra Kunti
October 20 – Is the biennial World Cup dead and buried? After months of relentless PR and intense lobbying, a downbeat Gianni Infantino pivoted away from his brash crusade to railroad through his World Cup plans and overhaul the international match calendar following FIFA’s council meeting, held today at the world governing body’s headquarters in Zurich.
World rankings: Brazil narrow gap on Belgium’s three-year lead, France move up
October 21 – Belgium are still top of the FIFA men’s national team world rankings, a position they have held since October 2018 when they supplanted France. The French, on the back of their Nations League win this month, have moved back into the top three and sit behind Brazil.
Man City plug in Midea global partnership for another term
October 21 – Manchester City has extended its global partnership with consumer appliances producer Midea for a third season.
UEFA fury at FIFA ‘stooges’ appointed to reshape Women’s football calendar
By Paul Nicholson
October 20 – UEFA has reacted furiously to FIFA’s announcement of the 21 names on their Technical Advisory Group, saying that the group is not a representative of the bodies that run women’s competitions.
Denmark’s Hjulmand labels FIFA’s belated engagement of national team coaches a ‘sham’
October 20 – Danish head coach Kasper Hjulmand has criticised FIFA’s biennial World Cup consultation process with the world federation telling national team coaches from around the world that it will push ahead with plans that will dramatically overhaul the international match calendar and reduce the quadrennial cycle of the world’s leading sporting event.
UEFA issues tender for Champions League cryptocurrency partner
October 20 – UEFA has opened up a new cryptocurrency rights category, inviting bids for the licensing rights to the Champions League for the 2021-24 cycle.
FIFA strips Globo of digital rights as it opens up its Brazilian media packages
October 20 – Brazilian broadcast giant TV Globo has lost exclusivity to the digital rights for the 2022 World Cup, with FIFA breaking out streaming rights and offering packages to Youtube, Facebook and TikTok.