Fans groups and leagues join to battle UEFA’s plan to base UCL qualification on history
November 19 – Two Europe-wide fans groups have teamed up with leagues across the Continent in an effort to protect domestic competition.
Europe
Rummenigge counters Bayern fan protests over Qatar arguing for inclusion, not exclusion
November 12 – Former Bayern Munich CEO Karl Heinz Rummenigge has defended the club’s dealings with Qatar as fan protests continue.
French Ligue 2 players lobby for keeping division at 20 teams
November 12 – With the imminent downsizing of Ligue 1, the majority of players in Ligue 2 have come out in favour of maintaining the status quo and keeping a league of 20 clubs in the second tier of French football.
PSG women’s Diallo arrested in police probe into brutal assault on teammate Hamraoui
November 11 – Aminata Diallo, a French international midfielder with Paris St. Germain’s women’s team, has been arrested by police as part of an investigation into an attack on at least one teammate on November 4.
German unvaccinated quintet quarantined before Qatar 2022 qualifier
November 10 – Unvaccinated Bayern Munich star Joshua Kimmich (pictured) and four other German internationals have been quarantined after a positive test in the national team camp, the German federation (DFB) said Tuesday.
LFP renews Ligue 1 naming rights with Uber Eats in €15m+ deal
November 10 – France’s Professional Football League (LFP) has extended the Ligue 1 naming rights agreement with food delivery service Uber Eats until the end of the 2023/24 season.
Xavi picked Barca before Brazil
November 9 – New Barcelona head coach Xavi Hernandez says he wanted the job so much he turned down joining the Brazilian national team set-up.
Chelsea fan is jailed in for anti-semitic tweets aimed at Spurs supporters
November 8 – A fanatical Chelsea fan who posted antisemitic and racist tweets aimed at supporters of rivals Tottenham Hotspur, a club with large Jewish following, has been jailed for eight weeks.
Barca bring Xavi ‘home’
November 8 – Former Barcelona midfielder Xavi Hernández has returned to the Camp Nou as the new coach of his boyhood club following the sacking of Ronald Koeman.
Women’s Euro 2025 attracts record five bidders for hosting rights
November 5 – UEFA has received no fewer than five declarations of interest representing eight member associations to host the 2025 women’s Euros. It is another indication of the pace of growth of the women’s game, the increased profile it is achieving and the commitment from nations to invest in its expansion.
West Ham slam anti-semitic abuse by fans on flight to Genk match
November 5 – English Premier League club West Ham say they are appalled by video footage of fans singing anti-semitic songs at a Jewish passenger on a flight to Belgium for a Europa League tie.
Messi sets sights on return to Barcelona, once his playing days are over
November 5 – Lionel Messi says he wants to return to Barcelona, perhaps as technical director, after his contract with Paris Saint-Germain ends and he retires from playing.
English fan jailed for Facebook abuse of Rashford, Sancho and Saka after Euro final
November 4 – An English fan who racially abused Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka after England lost the Euro 2020 final to Italy has been sentenced to 10 weeks in jail.
CFG targets Russia and opens talks with Spartak Moscow
November 2 – City Football Group (CFG) have reportedly opened negotiations to acquire a 20% stake in Russian club Spartak Moscow.
Football Foundation launches PitchPower app in bid to reduce cancelled matches
November 3 – UK football charity, the Football Foundation, has launched its new ‘Power Up Your Grass Pitch’ campaign, with the ambition goals of reaching over 7,000 ‘good quality’ grass pitches by 2024 and 20,000 by 2030.