By Andrew Warshaw
December 4 – The race to host the 2030 World Cup, still in its early stage, has taken a potentially important twist with UEFA chief Aleksander Ceferin saying he would be against a cross-continental bid between, Spain, Portugal and Morocco.
December 4 -A new digital platform has launched curating content from some of the world’s biggest players that focusses on their lives off the pitch.
December 4 – As the search for a solution to the contentious Copa Libertadores second leg rumbles on, River Plate coach Marcelo Gallardo (pictured) has accused Conmebol of “robbing the fans” with its decision to move the twice postponed fixture to Madrid.
December 4 – UEFA has awarded the hosting of the Women’s Euro 2021 to England who were the only bidders for the tournament that was last held in France in 2017.
By Paul Nicholson
December 3 – FIFA president, Gianni Infantino, addressed the G20 summit of world leaders at the weekend as a self proclaimed “simple citizen of the World” and proceeded to expound the virtues of football’s unifying powers and how great it would be if the Qatar 2022 World Cup could be expanded to more countries in the region, inshallah.
December 3 – England will play the Netherlands and hosts Portugal take on Switzerland in the semi-final of the inaugural Nations League following the draw made today.
By Andrew Warshaw
December 3 – After insisting there was no plan B and promising only last month that his organisation had “never thought about” an alternative venue, African football chief Ahmad Ahmad has bowed to growing pressure and stripped Cameroon of hosting rights for next year’s African Cup of Nations.
December 3 – UEFA have confirmed plans for a ground-breaking third club competition to sit below the Champions League and Europa League from 2021.
By Paul Nicholson
December 3 – The US Soccer federation is abandoning its controversial U12 academy system, which it launched in 2016, in favour of returning this age-group’s player development responsibilities to its youth club system.
December 3 – While there wasn’t quite a group of death, the Netherlands drew the short straw by being paired with Germany in qualification for the 2020 European Championship on Sunday.
By Samindra Kunti
December 3 – Nigeria retained their stranglehold on African women’s football, winning a ninth Africa Cup of Nations with 4-3 penalty shoot-out win against South Africa in the final. In the third-place playoff, Cameroon claimed Africa’s last ticket for next year’s Women’s World Cup in France.
December 3 – So where now? After Conmebol finally agreed to play the second leg of the twice postponed Copa Libertadores final between Boca Juniors and River Plate in Madrid on December 9, River Plate have objected to the venue saying the decision is “incomprehensible”.
December 3 – Spain claimed their first-ever U-17 Women’s World Cup after defeating Mexico 2-1 in Montevideo. They succeed North Korea as world champions.
By Andrew Warshaw
November 30 – After a series of twists, turns, disagreements and crisis meetings, the second leg of the twice postponed Copa Libertadores final between Boca Juniors and River Plate will be switched to Europe and played more than 6,000 miles away in Madrid on December 9.
November 30 – Belgium remain top of FIFA’s latest rankings, just, with world champions France a close second and Brazil in third spot. Sweden and Serbia were among the big movers.