Italy’s Serie A to break with Christmas tradition and play football
March 6 – Italian football is breaking with tradition and going down the English road of playing over Christmas and New Year.
News
Morocco’s Lekjaa uses CAF Women’s Symposium to sell 2026 bid message
March 6 – Now that FIFA have changed the rules on what the two bidders for the 2026 World Cup can and can’t do to promote their credentials, Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) President Fouzi Lekjaa has wasted no time rallying support from within his own confederation.
Showing your colours: Guardiola tied up by FA’s yellow ribbon charge
March 6 – Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has accepted a Football Association charge over “wearing a political message” during matches, specifically a yellow ribbon in support of jailed pro-independence politicians in his native Catalonia.
UEFA to hold minute’s silence for Fiorentina and Italy defender Astori
March 3 – Tributes will be paid before Champions League and Europa League games this week in honour of Davide Astori, the Fiorentina defender and former Italian international who died tragically at the weekend aged 31.
CONCACAF unveils new ranking system in advance of first Nations League draw
March 6 – CONCACAF has unveiled its first ranking of national teams in the North, Central America and Caribbean region. Mexico are ranked top, the USA, despite not qualifying for Russia 2018, are second, and Costa Rica third.
Samoura and Ahmad in Marrakech for CAF forum focussed on raising women’s game
March 6 – The first ever Women’s Football Symposium for the whole of African football has opened in Marrakech designed to chart a new course for the development of the women’s game.
AFC postpones Iraqi club ACL games as it waits for FIFA ruling on home matches
March 5 – Just days after the head of Asian football, Shaikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al-Khalifa, called on FIFA to lift its ban on Iraq being allowed to host competitive international matches, two Asian Champions League games have been postponed until April in the hope that FIFA heeds the request.
Italian football mourns sudden death of Fiorentina captain Davide Astori
March 5 – The whole of Italy and the footballing world beyond has registered its collective shock and disbelief after the sudden death overnight on Saturday of Fiorentina captain and Italian international defender Davide Astori at just 31 years of age.
De Maria to step down at Mexican federation, de Luisa to step up
March 5 – Mexico’s football federation (FMF) president Decio de Maria (pictured) has resigned and will leave his post after the 2018 World Cup. Yon de Luisa will take his place.
Rainbow flags, holding hands, kissing in public – no problem for Russia says Smertin
By Samindra Kunti in Zurich
March 5 – Russia 2018 anti-discrimination chief Alexey Smertin has reiterated that LGBT fans will be welcome at the World Cup this summer. Rainbow flags will be allowed to fly at stadiums during the tournament.
Kanouté calls for Africa to be treated equally and for resource to help develop itself
By Samindra Kunti in Zurich
March 5 – Former Tottenham, West Ham United and Sevilla striker Frederick Kanouté has called for a level playing field in football by developing local African leagues.
IFAB passes new rule to all 4th sub in extra time
March 5 – After a detailed study and a two-year experiment, football’s lawmakers have officially approved the use of a fourth substitute being used in extra time, starting with the World Cup.
AFC streaming platforms hits 18.9m views across 122 countries
March 5 – The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) now has 28 of its member associations using its streaming platform that debuted in July 2016 in Bhutan.
FIFA rulemakers fast forward Video Refs to Russia 2018 World Cup
By Andrew Warshaw in Zurich
March 4 – So now it’s official. No turning back. But are there still more questions than answers? As anticipated, video assistant referees are set to be used at this year’s World Cup in Russia after football’s lawmakers, the International FA Board (IFAB), voted to roll out the technology when they met at FIFA headquarters in Zurich on Saturday.
Infantino opens FIFA’s Equality and Inclusion conference opens with call to action
By Samindra Kunti in Zurich
March 2 – Gianni Infantino kicked off FIFA’s 4th Conference for Equality and Inclusion with a strong message and call to action to attendees. Although not on the agenda, the ban of women in Iranian football stadiums, in force ever since 1979, provided a subtext to his address.