Cost-cutting Anderlecht commit to keeping women’s team budget unchanged
April 12 – Belgian club Anderlecht have vowed to preserve the budget for their title winning women’s team despite cuts across the board.
World Football
UEFA sanctions cut capacity at Atletico; Bodo/Glimt appeal Knutsen ban
April 12 – UEFA have ordered Atletico Madrid to close a part of their stadium for Wednesday’s Champions League quarter-final second leg against Manchester City.
Shakhtar Donetsk open ‘Football for Peace’ Tour at Olympiakos
April 11 – Wearing the names of heavily bombarded cities on their shirts, Ukrainian top-flight club Shakhtar Donetsk began a symbolic government-backed ‘Football for Peace’ Tour on Saturday with a game played in front of 5,000 fans against Greek champions Olympiakos.
EFL considers salary cap as part of reform of club financial regulations
April 11 – Following UEFA’s introduction of new financial monitoring rules, the English Football League (EFL) is also considering new financial fair play rules, including a salary cap at 70% of club revenue.
Eqypt end Queiroz contract after Senegal’s World Cup knockout blows
April 11 – Egypt and Carlos Queiroz have parted ways after the Portuguese coach failed to lead the Pharaohs to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
ECA and European Leagues welcome reform of UEFA’s financial ‘fair play’
By Andrew Warshaw
April 8 – The two umbrella organisations representing Europe’s clubs and leagues have given their wholehearted support to UEFA’s important new financial monitoring rules designed to beef up the previously flawed system and which, tellingly, no longer include the words “fair play”.
UEFA forges ahead with financial reforms that will cap squad wages and transfer spending
By Paul Nicholson
April 7 – UEFA have rubber-stamped wide ranging changes to their financial sustainability regulations for clubs, the first major reforms to rules that were introduced in 2010 but were starting to creak under an evolving football business and the financial effects of the pandemic.
Ceferin welcomes end to biennial World Cup ‘nonsense’ but keeps counsel on Russia
By Andrew Warshaw
April 7 – UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin today welcomed the apparent abandonment of the idea to stage the World Cup every two years by describing the whole concept as non-sensical.
Out the World Cup and with no significant TV deal; Turkish FA president Ozdemir quits his post
April 7 – With Turkey having failed to qualify for the World Cup and the domestic broadcast deal for the SuperLig nowhere near club expectations, Turkish Football Federation (TFF) president, Nihat Ozdemir. has resigned.
Platini files criminal complaint in France against Infantino for ‘influence-peddling’
By Andrew Warshaw
April 6 – After largely remaining out of the public eye since the expiry of his FIFA ban, Michael Platini is back in the spotlight with another legal offensive aimed at his nemesis Gianni Infantino.
Dutch clubs go cold on setting up cross-border league with Belgians
April 6 – Dutch clubs have put talks about a cross-border league with Belgium on hold, almost certainly bringing an end to the idea.
Russia drop CAS appeal against World Cup ban, but battle to keep spot at Women’s Euro
April 6 – Russia has withdrawn its appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport against FIFA’s World Cup ban and against the Polish, Swedish and Czech federations who refused to play against them because of the invasion of Ukraine.
Swiss propose revamped Super League with additional teams and new structure
April 5 – The Swiss Super League will be expanded from 10 to 12 teams from the 2023/24 season, the league body has said.
Women’s Champions League smashes multiple records as Turin final tickets go on-sale
April 6 – Tickets for the UEFA Women’s Champions League final at the Juventus Stadium in Turin on May 21, have gone on sale with Category One tickets priced at €20 and Category Two at €10.
UEFA builds on sustainability remit with UNECE partnership
April 5 – UEFA has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) aimed to show how football can be a platform for change and in particular how football and hosting UEFA events can support cities to become more sustainable.