Portuguese Premier League approves expansion to 18 teams
By David Gold
March 14 – Portugal’s Premier League will expand to 18 teams from next season, the country’s Professional Football League (LPFP) has announced.
Europe
FAW want teams competing in Europe to represent Wales
By David Gold
March 13 – The Football Association of Wales (FAW) is hoping that UEFA will agree to allow the likes of Cardiff City and Swansea City, who play in the English league pyramid, to compete in European competitions representing Wales.
Debt-ridden Rangers attract buyers from Far East and America
By Andrew Warshaw
March 13 – The administrators running crisis-torn Scottish giants Glasgow Rangers say they have received interest from the Far East and the American continent in buying the debt-ridden 54-time domestic champions.
New race row as ex-Gillingham striker sues club
By David Gold
March 12 – Mark McCammon is suing his former club Gillingham for race discrimination after claiming he and other black players have been mistreated by the League Two club.
FIFA promotes women’s football in Azerbaijan ahead of Under-17 Women’s World Cup
By David Gold
March 11 – FIFA has launched two women’s football projects in Azerbaijan, where the Under-17 Women’s World Cup takes place later this year.
British MP calls for transparency in football club ownership in Parliamentary bill
By David Gold
March 9 – British MP Damian Collins (pictured) has tabled a Parliamentary bill which would require football clubs to reveal the identity of their owners, as well as putting an end to the football creditors’ rule.
ICSS announce new partnership with IfF
By David Gold
March 8 – The International Centre for Sport Security (ICSS) has announced a partnership with the Institute for Fan Culture (IfF) in Germany.
European Parliament urges UEFA to stamp out club sponsorship by organisations linked to owners
By David Gold
March 8 – A European Parliament report today called on UEFA to ensure that football clubs cannot be sponsored by organisations closely related to their owners, thus circumventing the new Financial Fair Play rules (FFP).
Qatari firm QSI buys remaining PSG shares from Colony
By David Gold
March 7 – Qatar Sports Investments (QSI), who bought 70 per cent of Ligue 1 leaders Paris St Germain last summer, has purchased the remaining shares in the company from Colony Capital.
Racism in football British Select Committee hearing postponed
By David Gold
March 6 – A British Select Committee which was due to be held today to look into whether enough is being done to combat racism in football has been postponed, with no future date as yet known.
Sports stars should show an example, insists French Presidential candidate as he defends 75 per cent tax rate
By David Gold
March 6 – French Presidential candidate François Hollande (pictured) has hit back at suggestions that his proposed 75 per cent tax on high earners could be the “death of French football”.
Puma extends deal with Italian Football Federation to Russia 2018
By David Gold
March 5 – Puma has extended its long term partnership with the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) through to the World Cup in Russia in 2018, it has been announced.
European fans believe foreign owners do not have clubs’ best interests at heart, reveals new study
By Andrew Warshaw
March 5 – The latest managerial sacking by Chelsea’s Russian owner Roman Abramovich (pictured) has been put into stark perspective by a new report showing fans are generally against having foreigners in charge of their clubs.
Wales v Costa Rica all about Gary Speed not the result, says manager Coleman
By David Gold
March 2 – Wales paid a fitting tribute to Gary Speed during their friendly with Costa Rica on Wednesday (February 29), a match played in honour of their former manager, who died last November.
Anti-Semitism will not be tolerated, warns DFB chief-in-waiting Niersbach
By David Gold
March 1 – German Football Federation (DFB) chief-in-waiting Wolfgang Niersbach has said that anti-Semitic incidents, following abuse of Kaiserslautern’s Israeli forward Itay Shechter (pictured), will not be tolerated.