Real Salt Lake to launch pro women’s team in NWSL in 2018 season
November 20 – The National Women’s Soccer League in the US have announced that MLS club Real Salt Lake will launch a new women’s team in the NWSL for the 2018 season.
News
EFL renews bumper deal with Sky Bet and extends across all platforms
November 20 – It didn’t take long before football capitalised on the decision by the UK government to give it a free pass in its gambling review that left the sport untouched by any new regulation. The English Football League has announced a five-year renewal of its partnership title sponsor Sky Bet.
USL debutant Fresno link with MLS’s Vancouver Whitecaps to boost player pool
November 20 – Fresno FC, who debut in the second tier USL in 2018, have become the official affiliate of Major League Soccer’s Canadian franchise Vancouver Whitecaps.
Arsenal cashes in with WorldRemit as global online money transfer partner
November 19 – Digital money transfer company WorldRemit has signed a global deal with Arsenal as its Official Online Money Transfer Partner.
Globo agrees 40-match, $2.5m a game deal with CBF for Brazil national team games
November 17 – The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) has signed a new TV rights deal with Globo worth $2.5 million per match for the Brazilian national team until 2022.
CECAFA Cup draw goes ahead despite move of tournament date and nation withdrawals
November 17 – The draw for the Council for East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA) Senior Challenge Cup was held on Thursday whilst the tournament, to be held in Kenya, has lost two of the original participants (Somalia and Sudan) and been put back until December 3-17.
Boca Juniors extend Netflix football docuseries strand into South America
By Samindra Kunti
November 11 – Argentinian giants Boca Juniors have agreed a content partnership with Netflix. The online streaming service will make a four-part documentary series which will be released in 2018.
FIFA to rethink World Cup seedings and ranking system after Russia 2018
November 17 – A loophole that allows national teams to boost their seedings for the World Cup by deliberately avoiding playing too many friendly matches is likely to become a thing of the past after next year’s finals in Russia.
North Carolina exits NASL to continue D2 play in the USL for 2018 season
November 17 – The United Soccer League (USL), the second tier of US professional football announced their third expansion team in a week for the 2018 season. North Carolina FC are exiting the under pressure North American Soccer League (NASL) – stripped of its second tier status for next season by the US Soccer Federation – to continue Division 2 play in the USL.
CONCACAF revamps competitions with unveiling of three division League of Nations
November 17 – UEFA launched its Nations League last month, now CONCACAF has launched its new League of Nations national team competition. Like UEFA’s new format, CONCACAF will also be based their competition on a league structure.
Argentine Delhon takes own life after being named in FIFAgate corruption trial
By Andrew Warshaw
November 16 – The drama of the FifaGate corruption scandal trial in New York has taken a tragic turn with a one-time Argentine government official taking his own life just hours after being accused of bribery.
Israeli pressure group complains to FIFA of Palestine’s Rajoub using Nazi comparison
By Andrew Warshaw
November 16 – An Israeli-based media watchdog is urging FIFA to throw the book at the head of Palestinian football for comparing Israel to a Nazi state in the latest escalation of Middle East footballing tensions.
No money, no match ticket. Young English fans priced out of the game, finds survey
November 16 – Although the majority of ticket prices to watch top-flight football in England have been frozen or have fallen for a third year in succession, young fans say they are still being priced out of the market.
Peru beat New Zealand in play-off to complete line-up for Russia 2018 finals
November 16 – Peru became the final side to qualify for the World Cup with a 2-0 play-off victory over New Zealand on Wednesday as they reached the finals for the first time since 1982.
MLS’s Atlanta United owners to add a second tier team in the USL, Penn FC join up too
November 16 – Atlanta United owners, currently enjoying a successful first season in the MLS with sell out crowds and a trip to the play-offs, have made their next expansion move by entering a team in the USL, the second tier of US football, for the 2018 season.