By Andrew Warshaw
August 23 – The world record fee for a footballer looks set to be smashed in the next few days when Tottenham Hotspur’s exciting Welshman Gareth Bale is finally sold to Real Madrid after a long-drawn-out transfer saga.
August 23 – The future of English football at under-21 level and below has been placed in the hands of Gareth Southgate who is heading back to the Football Association in succession to Stuart Pearce, who left in June after a disappointing group stage exit at the European under-21 finals in Israel.
By Andrew Warshaw
August 23 – In one of the most alarming match-fixing scandals of recent months, El Salvador has temporarily suspended 22 players, drawing an immediate response from its governing confederation, CONCACAF, which said it was “deeply saddened” by the allegations.
By Mark Baber
The president of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Kwesi Nyantakyi, is in Nigeria for talks with Globacom whose sponsorship of the Ghana Premier League came to an end at the end of the 2012-13 season and who have outstanding debts of $2.2m.
By Andrew Warshaw
August 22 – English Football Association chairman Greg Dyke has again reiterated his preference for a winter World Cup in Qatar in 2022. Dyke, who succeeded David Bernstein earlier this summer, has already clashed with the Premier League which is leading the campaign to keep the tournament in June and July.
August 22 – An unusual case of discrimination has emerged in Belgium where a top-division player has demanded a public apology and damages following remarks from a television commentator.
By Andrew Warshaw
August 22 – With the transfer window slamming shut on September 2, the international players’ union FIFPro is urging its members to look elsewhere rather than sign for teams in Greece, Turkey and Cyprus because of those countries’ poor record in honouring contracts.
By Mark Baber
August 21 – Nigeria’s League Management Company (LMC) has secured a $34 million television rights deal for the Nigeria Professional Football League from satellite broadcaster Supersport.
By Mark Baber
August 21 – Beşiktaş has signed a $145 million deal with Vodafone, the club revealed in a statement on the Turkish Stock Exchange. The deal, including shirt sponsorship and sponsorship of the new Beşiktaş stadium which will be named the ‘Vodafone Arena’, is a timely one for the Istanbul club who have debt of about €100 million.
By Andrew Warshaw
August 21 – In a deeply symbolic match, hailed by FIFA as a major sporting breakthrough, Afghanistan beat neighbours Pakistan 3-0 on Tuesday, the first international game played in Kabul in a decade and the first between the two countries in the Afghan capital for over 30 years.
By Andrew Warshaw
August 21 – Hope Powell, one of the most recognisable faces in women’s football, has been sacked after 15 years as manager of the England national team following the country’s group stage exit at Euro 2013 last month.
By Jake Gable
August 20 – Valencia have revealed that the club’s debt now stands at €275.7 million (£235.1 million) after a due diligence report by consultancy firm KPMG. Club president Amadeo Salvo explained that the Spanish club’s debt has reduced by €66 million (£56.3 million) since 2008 and described the economic management as “positive”, however there are still general concerns for the state of financial health for many La Liga clubs, especially under new FFP (Financial Fair Play) rules and regulations set out by governing body UEFA.
By Mark Baber
August 20 – Any Russian politician or official caught with a foreign bank account will be forced to resign or sacked according to a new law which came into force on Monday. The law was passed by the Duma three months ago and has already led to the resignation of Chelsea’s owner Roman Abramovich from his position as chairman of the local parliament in Chukotka.
By Andrew Warshaw
August 20 – Blighted for months by a series of match-fixing and racism cases, Lazio, one of Rome’s two iconic clubs, shows no sign of improving its image following yet another punishment for discrimination by its fans.
By Andrew Warshaw
August 20 – German football authorities have begun a probe into a rare case of racism after abuse was directed at Under-21 international Danny da Costa by fans of 1860 Munich during a second division game on Sunday. The club have already issued an apology to da Costa who plays for FC Ingolstadt, with sports director Florian Hinterberger telling German television the incident was “extremely regrettable”.