Seattle Sounders agree healthy 10-year shirt deal with Providence
January 24 – MLS side Seattle Sounders, winners of the Concacaf Champions League last season, have agreed a new sponsorship with western-US based health provider Providence.
World Football
Police hunt for betting-related match-fixers at Brazilian youth tournament
January 24 – Brazilian authorities have been alerted to attempts to manipulate matches in the Copinha, one of the country’s most important youth tournaments.
Ronaldo pulls Cruzeiro out of Mineirão Stadium for 2023 season
January 24 – Cruzeiro will no longer play at the iconic Mineirão stadium in 2023, according to club owner Ronaldo.
Juve shame: club hit with 15 point penalty for financial cheating, Agnelli banned for 2 years
January 23 – Italy’s most storied soccer club, Juventus, are reeling from a massive 15-point penalty for false accounting whilst their former president Andrea Agnelli is banned for two years.
Fan groups call out Real Madrid for failing to meet UCL rules over Liverpool tickets
January 23 – Real Madrid have been criticised by the UEFA-recognised group representing European fans for allocating Liverpool too few tickets for their upcoming round-of-16 clash.
Russians to meet UEFA in bid to return teams to international competition
January 22 – Russian football officials are due to meet UEFA this week to discuss the potential easing of the ban on Russian clubs and teams playing in European competition, according to the country’s Tass news agency.
Anderlecht’s revolving doors sees Verbeke as the latest to exit
January 23 – Peter Verbeke will exit Anderlecht with new Danish CEO Sports Jesper Fredberg deciding that there is no longer a role for the former CEO and technical director at the club.
WSL slip up: Chelsea vs Liverpool abandoned due to frozen pitch, 6 mins after start
January 23 – Chelsea women’s team manager Emma Hayes says the women’s game must be “taken more seriously” after her side’s WSL match against Liverpool on Sunday was abandoned due to a frozen pitch – six minutes after kickoff.
LAFC agree record $100m stadium naming rights deal with Canada’s BMO
January 22 – LAFC’s Banc of California stadium in Los Angeles is changing its name following a $100 million deal with the Bank of Montreal (BMO). It is the largest stadium naming rights deal in MLS.
Germany bring Voeller back to national duty after Qatar 2022 disaster
January 20 – Former German international striker Rudi Voeller will take over as general manager of the men’s national team following a disastrous World Cup campaign in Qatar.
Spanish police arrest Dani Alves over sexual harassment allegation
January 20 – Spanish police have arrested Brazil defender Dani Alves after questioning him in a police station in Barcelona over a sexual assault allegation.
Eva Kaili denied bail and ‘tortured’ in Brussels jail as deals done in Qatargate bribery case
January 20 – The former vice-president of the European Parliament Eva Kaili (pictured) will remain in prison for at least another month after a court rejected her plea to be released with an electronic tag.
Covid confusion. Comoros admit to cheating at AFCON, CAF say it was not possible
January 20 – Comoros FA (FFC) boss Said Ali Athouman has said his team cheated at the Africa Cup of Nations over positive Covid tests, but the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has said that it would have been “impossible” for teams to cheat the ruling bodies’ Covid rules.
Betano adds Supercopa do Brasil to naming rights roster
January 20 – Online bookmaker Betano has added the naming rights to the Brazilian Supercopa to the naming rights it secured in December to the Copa do Brasil.
James Dostoyevsky: So tired of it
So, there’s yet another new category to be added to the ‘white trash’ species. A guy called John Yems, is to be let off with a slap on the wrist, despite being a rotten racist. But hey, he was “not a conscious racist”.