Luis Rubiales takes helm at Spanish FA, finally ending reign of ‘untouchable’ Villar
May 18 – He was among the biggest kingpins in European football – a FIFA and UEFA vice-president – and even for a time stood as interim UEFA president.
World Football
Argentina sign three Chinese sponsors for Russia 2018 debut
May 18 – The Argentine Football Association (AFA) has scored a hat-trick of sponsorship deal with Chinese companies. The news is timely boost for AFA, whose dysfunctions where highlighted again by the ‘flirting manual’.
National duty: Zylofon Cash stump up $10m for Ghana Premier League
May 21 – The Ghana FA has agreed a five-year sponsorship deal with Zylofon Cash to become the headline sponsor of the Ghana Premier League in a deal reportedly worth $2 million a season.
Europa League final: Atletico show their class, but fans show their lack of it as UEFA issue charges
By Samindra Kunti in Lyon
May 17 – Atletico Madrid outclassed Marseille 3-0 to win their third Europa League with an Antoine Griezmann’s brace and captain Gabi’s late goal. The final in Lyon passed off without major crowd incidents, though UEFA have still issued disciplinary charges against both clubs from racism to causing acts of damage in the stadium.
European stakeholders refuse to be railroaded into Infantino’s $25bn calendar shake-up
May 17 – Europe’s leading football stakeholders have joined forces to oppose Gianni Infantino’s plans to radically change the game’s global landscape by saying they have “serious reservations about the process” surrounding his proposal to enlarge the Club World Cup to 24 teams and create a biennial global Nations League.
UEFA Council meets to agree battleplan to challenge Infantino’s ‘takeover’ plan
May 16 – UEFA’s top brass were meeting today in an attempt to forge a united stance against Gianni Infantino’s plans to change the landscape of world football.
Turkey talk credentials as they lobby for Euro 2024 hosting
By Andrew Warshaw
May 15 – The similarities are striking. Always the bridesmaid, never the bride. Up against a heavyweight rival. Eager to reward a football-mad nation with the ultimate prize. Just as underdogs and four-time losers Morocco are desperate to upset the odds and land the 2026 World Cup, so Turkey are equally determined to make up for lost time and hold the 2024 European Championship finals after three demoralising failures.
No Turkish delight at DFB after Ozil and Gundogan’s ‘symbolic’ meet with Erdogan
May 15 – British-based German internationals Mesut Ozil and Ilkay Gundogan, both of Turkish origin, have been lambasted by their national federation and German politicians for posing for photos with Turkey’s controversial President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Violence, rioting and HFF ‘won wager’ as PAOK vs AEK Cup final ends in chaos
By Andrew Warshaw and Paul Nicholson
May 14 – Despite the Greek authorities going to extraordinary lengths to maintain order by flying in a Spanish referee to take charge of last weekend’s domestic cup final, a season of unprecedented turmoil was capped by yet more trouble – on and off the pitch.
UEFA feels wrath of Liverpool over Kiev and the CL festival of money-grabbing
May 14 – UEFA’s decision to stage next week’s Champions League final in Kiev “needs explaining” according to Liverpool’s head of club and supporter liaison.
Concacaf reschedule abandoned Women’s U17 Chmapionship for June in Florida
May 14 – The Women’s U17 Concacaf Championship that was abandoned last month in Nicaragua after three matches due to civil unrest and security concerns in the country, will resume in June in the US.
Suspended VP Foullah accuses Chadian FA of £1m embezzlement
May 14 – Chadian football is in turmoil as the first vice-president of the Chadian Football Federation (FTFA), Ibrahim Foullah accused the country’s governing body of embezzling over CFA780 million (£1.05 million).
Fuelling nationalistic flames: Beitar play the Trump card with renaming
By Andrew Warshaw
May 14 – Israel’s most right-wing club has taken its ethos to unpredecented new levels of nationalistic pride by officially adding the word Trump to its name following the US president’s decision to relocate his embassy in the country to the divided city.
Greek tragedy adds a farcical chapter as Spanish ref in the firing line for cup final
By Paul Nicholson
May 11 – At the end of a season of unprecedented turmoil and allegations of corruption that have pointed to matchfixing and match manipulation within the highest administrative levels of the Greek game, the Hellenic Football Federation (HFF) have finally decided to fly in a non-Greek referee for the final match of its season.
Wenger warning for top Euro leagues, saying big club Super League is inevitable
May 11 – Outgoing Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger says the introduction of a European super league, resisted for years by football’s authorities, is “inevitable” and says Premier League matches will ultimately be moved to midweek.