By Andrew Warshaw
September 13 – The new criminal investigation into the 1989 Hillsborough stadium disaster, in which 96 fans died, could lead to manslaughter charges, according to the head of the inquiry.
By Alexander Krassimirov
September 13 – Bulgaria’s CSKA Sofia has turned down a €40 million investment offer for a new stadium from German company ISF, CSKA rejected the deal after failing to agree to conditions that included handing over the stadium to ISF to maintain and operate, shared use of the stadium with another club and the Bulgarian national team.
By Andrew Warshaw
September 13 – The scourge of match-fixing throughout European football has now hit the Czech Republic and neighbouring Slovakia with 19 current and former players charged, and 20 others summoned for questioning over links to illegal betting dens in Asia.
By Mark Baber
September 12 – Academics at Newcastle University say that the government should consider restricting alcohol marketing during televised football matches, “after studying a selection of games and finding they were ‘bombarded’ by references [sic] to drink.”
By Paul Nicholson
September 12 – Azerbaijan have added their name to the list of European nations bidding to host matches at the Euro 2020 tournament, putting forward Baku and the new Olympic stadium currently under construction as their venue.
By Andrew Warshaw
September 12 – Belgium became one of the last countries to throw their hat into the ring to stage matches at Euro 2020, proposing Brussels as a venue on the eve of today’s deadline day for applications to host the revolutionary pan-European finals.
By Mark Baber
September 12 – The Belgian Football Association has extended its sponsorship deal with the Belgian arm of Dutch financial services firm ING for a further five years, taking the partnership through to the 2018 FIFA World Cup. The deal includes sponsorship of the Belgian national team – the Red Devils – and continues INGs partnership with Belgian referees.
By Alexander Krassimirov
September 11 – Bulgarian international Valeri Bojinov and his agent Gennaro Palomba have initiated proceedings against Portuguese giants Sporting Lisbon. The footballer has filed a complaint to FIFA after the Portuguese club sacked him disciplinary and terminated his 3-year contract.
By Mark Baber
September 11 – As the deadline for candidates to inform UEFA of their candidacy to host matches of the 2020 European Championships beckons, Istanbul, Budapest and Belgrade have officially thrown their hats into the ring.
By Andrew Warshaw in Geneva
September 11 – European clubs are refusing to condone UEFA’s efforts to shorten the summer transfer window but hope to find common ground to avoid the disrupting scenario of star players being bought and sold when league seasons are already well under way.
By Andrew Warshaw, chief correspondent, in Geneva
September 10 – Europe’s leading clubs today urged FIFA not to rush into moving the 2022 Qatar World Cup to winter as debate intensified over Sepp Blatter’s support for an unprecedented switch. Twenty-four hours after the FIFA president re-iterated, an exclusive interview with Insideworldfootball, that he would seek approval in principle for a one-off winter World Cup from his executive committee next month, the European Club Association,
By Matt Scott
September 10 – European leagues have responded to Sepp Blatter’s recommendation to shift the 2022 World Cup to the northern-hemisphere winter by demanding FIFA pull back from a “hasty decision” on the matter.
By Mark Baber
September 10 – Real Madrid’s revenue figures for 2012-13 show the club is getting richer and richer, having again achieved a record revenue total, significant profits and paying off debt at a rapid rate.
By Andrew Warshaw
September 10 – Istanbul’s failure to land the 2020 summer Olympics could have a direct knock-on effect in terms of Turkey bidding for a slice of Euro 2020. UEFA president Michel Platini has long insisted that if the Turks staged the Games they would be ruled out of the selection process for the one-off pan-European Euros the same summer.
By Alexander Krassimirov
September 10 – The management of Bulgaria’s Levski Sofia has been taken bizarre measures to reduce the club’s monthly budget. Bosses have decided to limit the money that is given to players for rent of their homes.