UEFA and its clubs keep working on the relationship
October 14 – UEFA’s improving relationship with Europe’s major clubs has taken another turn for the better after “constructive” talks over financial fair play.
Europe
Santos cleared to sit in Portuguese dugout while CAS considers appeal
October 14 – Portuguese national coach Fernando Santos has had his eight match ban suspended while his appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) is considered.
Cypriot players cross the divide, but route to unification is rocky
By Andrew Warshaw
October 13 – A second Greek Cypriot player is reported to have transferred to the Turkish-controlled north of the divided island in another success for supporters of re-unification.
Rummenigge casts doubt over whether TPO can be outlawed
By Andrew Warshaw
October 13 – The head of the European Club Association, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (pictured), representing some 200 clubs across the continent has added his voice to the growing concern over Third Party Ownership but says phasing it out of the transfer market will take years and may ultimately prove nigh-on impossible.
Germany’s Freiburg set to invest €70 million into new stadium
By Jaroslaw Adamowski
October 10 – SC Freiburg has unveiled plans to invest €70 million in the construction of a new stadium, which will be co-financed by the city of Freiburg. The Bundesliga club is aiming to launch the project in 2015, it said in a statement.
Infantino says expanded Euros and ‘Week of Football’ qualifiers was right decision
By Andrew Warshaw
October 10 – UEFA general secretary Gianni Infantino insists that expanding the European Championship finals to 24 teams will not devalue the competition – and has also defended the pan-European concept for Euro 2020.
UEFA to change CL club seedings to put champions on top
October 10 – UEFA have agreed that their decision to change the seedings format for the Champions League to avoid domestic champions being ranked lower than other clubs from the same country will start next season.
Infantino says new Nations League is a win-win, except for the losers
By Andrew Warshaw
October 9 – UEFA’s new divisional Nations League, scheduled to start in 2018, has been met with caution by leagues and clubs concerned that the game could become far too saturated, with unnecessary additional fixture pressure placed on their much-prized players. But Uefa’s plan to replace friendly internationals with another meaningful competition every two years will ultimately take off, according to UEFA general secretary Gianni Infantino.
UEFA renews betting fraud detection services with Sportradar
October 9 – UEFA has renewed its agreement with betting fraud monitoring service Sportradar for another four years. The new agreement will also see Sportradar provide e-learning services to the confederation in the battle to contain one of the biggest threats to the integrity of the game.
Spanish switch to collective TV rights sales set for 2016-17
By David Owen in Monaco
October 9 – Spain looks increasingly likely to switch to a collective model for the sale of broadcasting rights to La Liga for the 2016-17 season.
Money doesn’t buy you love, or World Cup success, says Seifert
By Andrew Warshaw
October 9 – The Premier League may be the most watched in world football worth a staggering £5.5 billion over three years, including overseas rights of £2.4 billion, but money doesn’t necessarily buy you world-class stars.
La Liga slams total ban on TPO but proposes compromise
By David Owen in Monaco
October 9 – Battle-lines over the issue of third-party ownership (TPO) are being drawn, with Spain’s La Liga coming out strongly against FIFA’s decision to ban the practice.
Swiss second tier club lines up new €43m stadium development
By Jaroslaw Adamowski
October 9 – Swiss club FC Schaffhausen has unveiled the design of its planned CHF 52 million (€43 million) new stadium. Under the plan, the stadium will be built on a recently-acquired 33,000 square metre site. The construction project will be jointly implemented by Aniello Fontana, the club’s chief executive, and local real estate developer Gallus Immobilien AG.
Winter 2022 no problem, just shift the Winter Olympics, says club chief
By Andrew Warshaw
October 8 – As debate continues to split opinion over the best time to stage the 2022 Qatar World Cup, a leading representative of Europe’s clubs says if the tournament is switched to January and February, the winter Olympics should move, partly because it means far less to most fans.
UEFA newcomer Gill heads straight for FIFA’s top table
By Andrew Warshaw
October 8 – The battle to replace FIFA vice-president Jim Boyce at the top table of world football administration has been stepped up with the announcement that England’s David Gill is putting his name forward even though he has only been a member of UEFA’s executive committee for less than 18 months.