Gambia government caves in over FA corruption allegations and follows FIFA line
November 30 – Gambia has bowed to FIFA pressure after the country’s sports council chairman, Bori Darboe, reinstated the national FA’s executive committee.
News
Gremio win Copa Libertadores to take final slot at Club World Cup in UAE
November 30 – Brazil’s Gremio will complete the line-up for the Club World Cup to be played in the UAE in December, after winning the Copa Libertadores for a third time, beating Argentina’s Lanus 2-1. The Brazilian club had won the first leg 1-0.
Čeferin pledges 1% of his salary to Mata’s Common Goal project
November 30 – UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin has become the latest high profile football personality to pledge 1% of his salary to the Common Goal movement.
EFL lands Thai Airways as sponsor of its Wembley finals
November 30 – The English Football League (EFL) has signed airline Thai Airways as a new partner in a deal taking them to the end of the 2017/18 season and including the five finals (Carabao Cup plus the play-offs) that the league hosts at Wembley.
Exclusive: FIFA look set to railroad through video refs for Russia 2018
By Andrew Warshaw
November 29 – Football’s lawmakers look set to have be rushed into a decision over whether to allow video technology to be used at next year’s World Cup – one of the most important rule change considerations of recent years.
Infantino and Mutko set to start the Russia 2018 circus, dismissing doping party poopers
By Andrew Warshaw
November 29 – It promises to be one of the most glitzy occasions since Gianni Infaninto swept into power. But if the FIFA president and Vitaly Mutko, chief organiser of next year’s World Cup, were hoping for a trouble-free environment ahead of Friday’s globally televised draw in Moscow, they have one or two unwanted distractions on their hands.
Banco Santander open their account with UEFA’s Champions League
November 29 – Spain’s Banco Santander will join UEFA’s Champions League roster of sponsors from next season in a three-year deal, one of the first announcements of sponsors for the next cycle of deal being closed by TEAM Marketing.
Infantino says there will be no racism at Russia 2018, refs can end games if there is
November 29 – Referees will have the power to stop matches if there are any obvious signs of racism by fans at next year’s World Cup, according to FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
FIFA reports 740,000 tickets sold for Russia 2018, and readies for second sales window
November 29 – FIFA has reported that 742,760 tickets have been allocated in the first phase of Russia 2018 ticketing. Russians account for 53% of the ticket demand to date.
Real Madrid extend Nivea Men sponsorship globally through to 2022
November 29 – Real Madrid have extended and expanded their sponsorship with German cosmetics company Nivea in a five-year deal that will take them through to 2022. Male grooming brand Nivea Men first became a became a domestic partner of Real Madrid in 2013.
Colombia’s Bedoya tells of World Cup approach, bribes and an offer from Nike
November 28 -Fresh revelations at the FifaGate scandal trial in New York have heaped more unwanted publicity on 2022 World Cup hosts Qatar with the former president of Colombia’s federation testifying that a sports marketing executive told him that up to $15 million in bribe money was potentially available for South American officials to back Qatar’s bid.
Russia 2018: 9% of players born in a different country to whose flag they will be wearing
November 28 – The globalisation of football is illustrated by new research that shows that almost two thirds of footballers likely to play at the Russia 2018 World Cup are currently playing for clubs outside of the association they represent.
Peru builds on World Cup success signing BBVA Continental as new sponsor
November 28 – BBVA Continental, a leading Peruvian bank, has become an official sponsor of the Peruvian Football Federation with a focus on the development of the lower divisions of Peruvian football and young talent in the country.
Gambia casts doubt on FIFA’s integrity, saying it will deal with financial corruption in FA
November 29 – Gambia’s authorities are on a collision course with FIFA after the country’s National Sports Council (NSC) refused to rescind its decision to suspend the executive committee of the national federation.
Legendary Russian keeper Lev Yashin given centre stage in official 2018 World Cup poster
November 28 – The last of the visual imagery for the 2018 Russia World Cup, the official poster, has been unveiled in Moscow Metro. The poster features legendary Soviet goalkeeper Lev Yashin as a central figure.