July 1 – The World Cup waits for no-one. As Qatar rolls out its 2022 stadia, the North Americans are starting the next stage of venue selection for 2026 with a virtual workshop for candidate host cities in the US.
July 1 – Despite a spike in Covid-19 cases, Lisbon is still set to host the eagerly awaited finale of this season’s Champions League following talks between the relevant authorities.
July 1 – With virtual gaming having become the major growth area for football as the world has been in lockdown, Manchester City, one of the early adopters of efootball, has expanded its immersion in via a new regional partnership with mobile game developer, Capstone Games.
By David Owen
June 30 – FIFA is now budgeting for this year’s revenues to come in at little more than half of its original projections, as a consequence of coronavirus.
June 30 – The Premier League has drawn up a contingency plan for Leicester City’s home fixture with Crystal Palace because of the government-enforced local lockdown in the city. A postponement has not been ruled out.
June 30 – English football stakeholders have joined forces to help BAME players move into full-time coaching roles in the professional game.
June 30 – Having waited since 2004, Somalia today sees the return to football in its national stadium – Stadium Mogadishu.
June 30 – Valencia have been plunged into chaos after sacking coach Albert Celades and appointing long-standing club servant Voro until the end of the Spanish La Liga season.
June 30 – The European Sponsorship Association (ESA) has released results from the second edition of its ESA Sponsorship Sentiment Tracker, indicating that there is a growing confidence in the sponsorship business as coronavirus lockdown is eased across Europe.
By Andrew Warshaw
June 29 – FIFA president Gianni Infantino says the organisation has not given up getting its money back following the collapse of the 2006 World Cup fraud trial in Switzerland, insisting the story “is not finished” and hinting FIFA’s ethics apparatus is pursuing its own investigation.
By Paul Nicholson
June 29 – Serie A returned to beIN Sport TV schedules at the weekend following the last-minute conclusion of a deal between the broadcaster and the league over a reduction in the rights fees to be paid.
June 29 – Swiss federal prosecutors have cited former UEFA president Michel Platini in a widening of their probe into the infamous CHF 2 million “disloyal payment” made to him in 2011 by then FIFA president Sepp Blatter.
By David Owen
June 29 – Aston Villa, the famous old Birmingham-based club currently lying next to last in the Premier League table, have signed online car retailer Cazoo as their new shirt sponsor and “principal partner”.
June 29 – A leading Australian commentator has heaped scorn on the English FA for refusing to back his country’s joint bid with New Zealand to stage the 2023 women’s World Cup.
June 29 – The German Bundesliga became the first major European league to conclude after the unprecedented coronavirus shutdown in March with serial champions Bayern Munich cruising the victory at Wolfsburg this weekend, Thomas Muller making history and Werder Bremen condemned to the promotion-relegation play-off.