October 7 – English football’s governing bodies have joined forces in an attempt to force the government to reverse its decision to put plans on hold to allow fans back into stadiums in a safe and socially distanced manner.
By Paul Nicholson
October 7 – The Trinidad and Tobago FA have been given a deadline of December 18 by FIFA to get their suspension lifted or face exclusion from the Qatar 2022 World Cup Qualifiers. The TTFA has been given the same deadline for the 2021 Gold Cup.
October 7 – Junior Flemmings, a Jamaican midfielder with second-tier US club Phoenix Rising, has been banned for six games for using a homophobic slur that led to opponents San Diego Loyal walking off in protest and the match being called off.
October 7 – French defender Leo Dubois has joined Swiss winger Xherdan Shaqiri as testing positive for the coronavirus on the eve of international friendlies and Nations League obligations.
October 7 – England manager Gareth Southgate has warned his players about their off-field behaviour in the wake of the latest breach of Covid-19 rules.
October 7 – Arsenal’s out-of-favour German international playmaker Mesut Ozil has offered to pay the salary of Jerry Quy, who has been playing the role of club mascot Gunnersaurus.
October 6 – With their manager under scrutiny, Manchester United were the most prolific Premier League spenders on the last day of the international summer transfer window, splashing out £28 million on four players though whether that keeps Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in his job remains to be seen.
October 6 – Italy’s sport minister says the season will not be halted in the wake of the Juventus-Napoli fixture, one of the biggest in the Italian calendar, being abandoned due to an apparent conflict over implementation of COVID-19 health rules.
October 6 – Arsenal’s mascot became the latest victim of the club’s controversial cost-cutting exercise amid the coronavirus pandemic. Gunnersaurus was let go by the Londoners after serving the club for 27 years.
October 6 – Diego Maradona has tested negative for Covid-19 amid fears he had contracted the virus after hugging a colleague.
By Paul Nicholson
October 5 – FIFA’s involvement in Africa’s football politics and the election of its officials has again caused resentment on the continent with the world governing body this time stepping into the Côte d’Ivoire presidential election furore surrounding Didier Drogba.
October 5 – The Copa Sudamericana will feature a group-stage format for the 2021 season, Conmebol has announced.
October 5 – One of the biggest games in European domestic league football was plunged into chaos on Sunday when visitors Napoli failed to turn up for their Serie A showdown with Juventus after their squad was placed in isolation following positive coronavirus tests.
October 5 – English football’s National League – immediately below the four main divisions – returned at the weekend thanks to a £10 million rescue package from the government which allowed the delayed season to finally kick off behind closed doors.
October 2 – Building on the success of the recent Super Cup, UEFA have made the landmark decision to allow limited numbers of spectators back into all its international and club fixtures.