By Andrew Warshaw
June 26 – FIFA’s new head of security Ralf Mutschke admits that match-fixing can never be totally eliminated but says FIFA will never give up the fight to weed out the criminals as the issue continues to seriously undermine the sport both in Europe and globally.
By Tom Degun
June 22 – The mascot for the FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup in Azerbaijan later this year has been officially named the “Top Top Girl” following a nationwide competition to decide what she would be called.
By Andrew Warshaw
June 20 – FIFA President Sepp Blatter has renewed his call for the introduction of goal-line technology following Ukraine’s disallowed goal in the 1-0 defeat by England that saw the joint hosts tumbling out of the 2012 European Championship.
By Tom Degun
June 20 – Azerbaijan 2012 has revealed that the Official Draw Ceremony for the FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup will take place on July 6 at the International Mugam Centre (pictured) in Baku.
By Andrew Warshaw
June 19 – FIFA today extended worldwide a series of sanctions meted out to 13 individuals from South Korea and Croatia related to match-fixing.
By Tom Degun
June 15 – Pasha Insurance has signed a deal with Azerbaijan 2012 for the FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup to become a National Supporter of the prestigious event which will see 16 teams battle it out for ultimate glory.
By Andrew Warshaw
June 7 – The infamous ISL corruption files, which have cast a dark shadow over much of Sepp Blatter’s 14-year FIFA Presidency, could finally be made public by the end of October, insideworldfootball has learned.
By Andrew Warshaw
June 6 – Too many footballers are putting their careers at risk by taking painkillers to push them through the pain barrier, according to FIFA’s chief medical officer.
By Andrew Warshaw
May 30 – FIFA’s clean-up campaign to root out corruption looks set to take a vital step forward by capturing the services of the chief prosecutor for the International Criminal Court (ICC).
By Andrew Warshaw in Budapest
May 26 – FIFA’s Asian vice-president Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein of Jordan (pictured), the modernist who has led a tireless campaign to overturn the ban on Muslim women footballers wearing the hijab, says he is “shocked and disturbed” by suggestions there are still medical objections.
By Andrew Warshaw in Budapest
May 26 – English FA chairman David Bernstein (pictured), strongly opposed a year ago to Sepp Blatter running uncontested for FIFA President, now believes the organisation has finally “seen the light”.
By Andrew Warshaw in Budapest
May 25 – The first wave of reforms to clean up FIFA were ratified as expected today with the man who drew them up pleading with world football’s governing body not to return to the ills of the past.
By Andrew Warshaw in Budapest
May 25 – After years of club-versus-country debate over who should pay for players injured on international duty, FIFA today laid out the terms of the groundbreaking insurance policy by revealing that a maximum $9.7 million (£6.2 million/€7.7 million) per player would be paid out covering a period of just over two years.
By Andrew Warshaw in Budapest
May 25 – FIFA President Sepp Blatter opened the main business of the 62nd FIFA Congress today with a speech that called for unity after a year of unprecedented scandal and damaging splits.
By Andrew Warshaw in Budapest
May 24 – FIFA’s 62nd Annual Congress officially opened here today with the usual pomp – and a note of controversy provided by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.