Belgian top tier league turns to streaming platforms to drive distribution
March 5 – Belgium’s Jupiler Pro League (JPL) has turned to streaming platforms to expand its international broadcast footprint in a deal brokered by Mediarpro.
News
UEFA sticks to 12-city plan despite report that Bilbao, Dublin and Glasgow face the axe
March 4 – UEFA has sought to shoot down an agency report that it is considering ditching three of the 12 cities being used for this summer’s delayed Euro 2020.
Club Brugge unveil plan to go public on the Euronext exchange
March 4 – Belgian champions Club Brugge having released plans for a public flotation on the Euronext market in Brussels.
Call of duty: Liverpool lead Premier League battle against player releases for 2022 qualifiers
March 4 – English Premier League clubs are reported to have held crisis talks over releasing players for this month’s international break amid concerns that some may be forced to quarantine for 10 days on their return.
Senghor set to take the FIFA deal and quit CAF presidential race
March 3 – Senegal’s candidate to become the next leader of African football, Augustin Senghor (pictured), appears to be a step closer to throwing in the towel as a result of the apparent deal-making that has characterised the March 12 election process.
Fifth time lucky? Schalke 04 now turn to Grammozis in last ditch effort to escape the drop
March 4 – German club and Bundesliga red lantern Schalke 04 have named Dimitrios Grammozis (pictured) as their new head coach on a deal that runs through to 2022.
Anouma still standing for CAF presidency despite pressure to accept ‘advisory’ role
By Paul Nicholson
March 3 – CAF presidential candidate Jacques Anouma is continuing on the campaign trial in his bid for the leadership of African football despite reports that he had agreed to step away from the election at the weekend.
Man Utd’s new Chinese-owned African TV partner in court for non-payment
By Andrew Warshaw
March 3 – The Chinese company appointed by Manchester United to broadcast its matches in some 30 African countries is alleged to owe millions of dollars to a range of stakeholders across the globe.
Conmebol and FIFA lobby European clubs to release players for March World Cup qualifiers
March 3 – Conmebol and FIFA are seeking to convince European clubs to allow their players to travel for March’s World Cup qualifiers. Brazil have postponed their call-up, which had been scheduled for Friday.
Inter to tread new path as Pirelli end 27-year shirt sponsorship
March 3 – Serie A leaders Inter Milan are to end their shirt sponsorship deal with tyre makers Pirelli, one of the most iconic partnerships in European football.
Lazio left waiting in Stadio Olimpico as Torino stay quarantined
March 3 – A high-profile Serie A fixture between Lazio and Torino ended in farce on Tuesday when the visitors failed to show up after local health officials requested the squad be quarantined.
Court forces Fenerbahce to change channel over ‘abusive’ use of beFAIR logo
March 3 – Turkish Super Lig broadcaster beIN Sport has won an injunction against one of the league’s leading clubs to stop it breaching its intellectual property, preventing use of a beFAIR logo that has been used on club t-shirts, training bibs, LED stadium banners and even on 3D carpets on the pitch.
Fonbet adds PSG to betting partnership portfolio
March 3 – Russian online bookmaker Fonbet has signed a long-term partnership with French giants Paris Saint-Germain to become the club’s official betting partner across Russia and the CIS region.
FIFA pressures Anouma who denies government funding and continues on campaign trail
By Paul Nicholson
March 2 – CAF presidential candidate Jacques Anouma (pictured) has responded to a request from the head of the FIFA Governance Committee Mukul Mukdal saying that he has not received any funding for his election campaign from the Ivory Coast government.
Boris backing Britain and Ireland bid for World Cup 2030 hosting
By Andrew Warshaw
March 2 – British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is backing a potential joint bid from the four UK federations plus the Republic of Ireland to host the 2030 World Cup even though South America are early favourites to land the tournament.