By Paul Nicholson
May 15 – Timing is everything in football and there would have been a few ironic smiles at the weekend when it was announced in the US that Judge Michael J. Garcia of the New York Court of Appeals was one of four candidates being interviewed for the role of FBI Director to replace the ousted James Comey.
By Andrew Warshaw
May 15 – When the final whistle blew on Sunday to confirm Tottenham Hotspur’s highest top-flight finish in English football for 54 years, it wasn’t just coming second that prompted thousands of delirious fans to invade the pitch.
May 15 – Spain’s FC Barcelona will launch a team in the US National Women’s Soccer League for the 2018 season. The club, which is targeting brand growth in the US, says the team will strengthen its women’s programme.
By Paul Nicholson
May 13 – FIFA secretary general, Fatma Samoura, in the job for barely a year, has been caught paying over CHF28,000 to a cleaning company for the servicing of her own private living quarters.
By Andrew Warshaw
May 12 – The former Portuguese government minister unceremoniously ditched by FIFA in its clearout of senior governance experts looks set to make an immediate return – down the road at UEFA, FIFA’s biggest rival.
May 12 – TEAM Marketing has doubled broadcast revenue from France for the Champions League and Europa League to €350 million for the 2018-21 seasons. The new money comes with a new broadcaster. Telecoms giant SFR takes over from Canal + and BeIN Sports who were paying a combined €140 million.
By Andrew Warshaw
May 12 – Frustrated and angered by FIFA’s constant delaying tactics, the Palestine Football Association (PFA) is taking their case for a resolution to football’s Middle East crisis to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
May 12 – Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein, two-time losing FIFA presidential candidate, has emerged from his relative silence over recent months to denounce the regime of Gianni Infantino in the wake of events at this week’s FIFA Congress in Bahrain.
May 12 – Premier League Everton have cleared the way for the announcement of a new shirt sponsor after the club unveiled current sponsor Chang was shifting over to a new three-year community partnership.
By Andrew Warshaw in Manama, Bahrain
May 11 – After a 48-hour assault on his leadership, Gianni Infantino finally explained the overhaul of FIFA’s top watchdogs today but did little to enhance his desire to be regarded as the standard bearer of democracy and fair play.
By Andrew Warshaw in Manama, Bahrain
May 11 – Fifteen months after being elected, under-fire FIFA president Gianni Infantino, supposedly the new voice of transparency and accountability, took aim at the media today for indulging in “fake news” in its criticism of his leadership.
By Andrew Warshaw in Manama, Bahrain
May 11- Football’s long-running Middle East impasse erupted into chaos and confusion today as FIFA decided once again to delay a ruling on Israeli clubs playing in the occupied territories.
May 11 – FIFA’s Congress ratified the decision of the FIFA Council to open up the bidding for the 2026 World Cup and give member associations from CAF, CONCACAF, CONMEBOL and the OFC time to express their interest in hosting the tournament. The deadline for submissions is August 17.
By Andrew Warshaw in Manama, Bahrain
May 11 – The Greek official controversially selected by FIFA to become the new lead judge of its ethics committee was nominated by UEFA in the latest twist to the biggest story to emerge in the build-up to Thursday’s 211-member Congress.
By Andrew Warshaw in Manama, Bahrain
May 10 – Whatever spin Gianni Infantino puts on it – and he has promised to give his side of the story at the end of tomorrow’s full Congress – FIFA’s ousted ethics chiefs insist they were given no notice whatsoever of the decision to remove them from office and that the lack of a transition period will set FIFA’s much-touted reform process back several years.