Guatemala to host 2020 Concacaf Futsal finals with nations hunting World Cup slots
January 24 – Concacaf has named Guatemala as host for its 2020 Futsal Championship which will qualify four teams for the Futsal World Cup in Lithuania 2020.
World Football
Opposition to RFEF’s Rubiales mounts as Rajor emerges as possible challenger
January 24 – Former Spanish prime minister Mariano Rajor has emerged as a possible contender to challenge Luis Rubiales (pictured) for the presidency of the Spanish FA when Rubiales stands for re-election later this year.
Warner’s extradition fate now lies in the hands of the UK’s Privy Council
January 23 – The will-they-won’t-they battle for extradition of former FIFA vice president and Concacaf president Jack Warner took another delaying step this week when Warner was given final approval to challenge the extradition proceedings against him at the Privy Council, the final appellate court in London.
Platini is back. Former UEFA boss takes advisory role with players’ union FIFPro
January 23 – Michel Platini is back. The Frenchman and former UEFA president returns to the global stage as the personal advisor of FIFPro president Philippe Piat after having served a four-year ban from the game for the unjustified collection of €1.8 million from Joseph Blatter.
Libya offered CHAN spot after Tunisia pull out with clubs refusing to release players
January 23 – The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has invited war-torn Libya to replace Tunisia in the upcoming African Nations Championship (CHAN) finals in Cameroon.
UEFA opens tender process for VAR and GLT services
January 23 – UEFA is tendering for solutions to fulfil four key technology service areas for its competitions from 2021, including men’s and women’s club and national team competitions.
More CAF chaos as World Cup qualifier dates pushed back amid commercial uncertainty
January 22 – The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has carried out the draw for African 2022 World Cup qualifiers but at the same time announced that matches will now not start for another nine months. The big news from the draw itself is that either Cameroon or Ivory Coast will not qualify for the Qatar World Cup after the teams were paired together.
Re-elected Tebas wastes no time hammering FIFA’s club expansion plans and the monied elite
By Andrew Warshaw
Januuary 21 – No sooner have we entered a new decade than outspoken Spanish league boss Javier Tebas is back on the offensive, this time slamming proposals both for a revamped Champions League and FIFA’s expanded Club World Cup and renewing his attack on what he has long described as “financial doping”.
Ireland’s Delaney leaves UEFA exco role
By Andrew Warshaw
January 21 – As the Rolling Stones famously sung, it’s all over now. John Delaney (pictured), the flamboyant Irishman who strode European football’s corridors of power until being forced to resign as chief executive of his federation (FAI) 10 months ago, has finally given up his position on the UEFA Executive Committee.
Exclusive: Lekjaa talks on CAF’s cash, contracts and FIFA relations
Fouzi Lekjaa, the 49-year-old Director of National Budget in Morocco’s Ministry of Finance, wears a few important football hats. He’s President of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) and second Vice-President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), as well as being the Chairman of CAF’s Finance Committee. In an exclusive interview Lekjaa spoke to Osasu Obayiuwana
Klopp brands AFCON switch back to January a ‘catastrophe’ for Liverpool
January 20 – Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has come out fuming over the decision to move the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations to January, calling it a “catastrophe” for his club.
Atletico Madrid target expansion in Canada with CPL and Ottawa Fury
January 20 – LaLiga’s Atletico Madrid is bidding for a club franchise in Ottawa to compete in the Canadian Premier League (CPL).
UEFA accused of rigging Ronaldo vote
January 20 – UEFA stand accused of deliberately manipulating their team of the year award to accommodate Cristiano Ronaldo.
Globo refuse to meet Flamengo terms leaving Carioca kick off without broadcast coverage
January 20 – Flamengo’s curtain raiser in the Rio state championship, a 0-0 draw with Macae on Saturday, was not broadcast after the club and TV Globo failed to reach a rights agreement.
Lagardere Sport push for $90m compensation as CAF/FIFA struggles to table new deals
By Osasu Obayiuwana
January 17 – A leading figure at Lagardere Sport, the French sports marketing company, has told Insideworldfootball that his company is seeking up to $90 million in compensation from the Confederation of African Football (CAF), for breaking their 12-year marketing contract.