By Andrew Warshaw
March 28 – Japanese football chiefs have lodged a formal complaint with FIFA over alleged dirty tricks during their shock World Cup qualifying loss to Jordan earlier this week.
By Andrew Warshaw
March 28 – The lawyer who helped changed the face of European football has warned that UEFA’s Financial Fair Play system may not stand up in court if challenged. Jean-Louis Dupont (pictured), part of the legal team who brought about the Bosman ruling back in the 1990s, says FFP risks violating competition law and freedom of movement.
March 27 – Iraq defeated Syria 2-1 on Tuesday at the Shaab stadium in Baghdad in only the second time the stadium had been able to host an international fixture since the invasion in 2003.
Exclusive: by Andrew Warshaw, chief correspondent
March 27 – A vast majority of countries in Europe suffer from match-fixing with up to 300 games per season rigged, according to the company widely regarded as the world’s leading experts in betting fraud detection.
By Mark Baber
March 27 – Mohun Bagan beat Pailan Arrows at the Kalyani Stadium on Sunday 3-2, in front of 5,000 spectators, blissfully ignorant of over a dozen poisonous serpents lingering nearby.
By Andrew Warshaw
March 27 – The bidding process for the groundbreaking pan-Continental Euro 2020 finals dominates the agenda of a two-day UEFA executive committee (ExCo) meeting today and tomorrow.
Exclusive: by Andrew Warshaw, Chief Correspondent
March 26 – The full extent of the alarming state of Indonesian football has been laid bare by the federation’s chief physiotherapist who claims he has not been paid for five months and has written to FIFA pleading with them to intervene.
By Mark Baber
March 26 – There were disturbances outside the Ferenc Puskas stadium and teargas fired as Hungary and Romania played out a 2-2 draw in their World Cup qualifier behind closed doors. FIFA had ordered the match to be played in an empty stadium following anti-semitic incidents during a Hungary vs Israel friendly in Budapest last August.
By Mark Baber
March 25 – An unusual 8-day, 3-match deal between Chinese automaker Chery and Brazilian club Santos concluded yesterday after the Palmeiras-Santos game.
Exclusive: by Paul Nicholson
March 25 – Having already stepped in to the row surrounding the election of the Antigua and Barbuda FA executive committee and demanding a new vote is conducted, FIFA may have to step into the region again following a letter from the Antiguan president of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Gordon ‘Banks’ Derrick to its federations recommending who they should vote for at the upcoming CONCACAF elections, April 19 in Panama.
By Mark Baber
March 25 – The Nigeria Football Federation has issued another condemnation of ambush marketing, claiming it is violating the rights of its main official sponsors who include Diageo-owned Guinness, Adidas, Globacom Communications (which also sponsors Manchester United), Cadbury and Samsung.
By Andrew Warshaw
March 25 – Ever since Russia was awarded the 2018 World Cup over two years ago, racism and how to deal with it has been a constant thorn in the side of organisers. While Qatar, who clinched the 2022 tournament during that momentous simultaneous ballot, has been all about a winter World Cup, how to eliminate abuse has been a top priority for Russian officials.
March 22 – Suspended FIFA executive committee member Vernon Manilal Fernando’s world appears to be closing in on him. The Swiss cement giant he works for, Holcim, has revealed he is being fired following breaches of company rules and regulations.
By Mark Baber
March 22 – AEK Athens president Andreas Dimitrelos (pictured) has been arrested over €170 million in taxes owed by the Greek top flight club.
By Mark Baber
March 22 – The legal action brought by 15 year old Louis Cooper over restrictions placed on fans has been dropped after agreement with West Yorkshire police on a new set of conditions which improve fans’ access to the Huddersfield Town v Hull City football match on 30 March 2013.