Positive tests force Paraguay to delay restart of top league
July 20 – The long-awaited return of football in Paraguay has been set back after players from three different club tested positive for the coronavirus.
South America
Colombian court fines FA bosses $4.6m over World Cup ticketing scam
July 7 – The Colombian Football Federation (FCF) and a raft of its most influential officials – including FIFA Council member Ramon Jesurun (pictured) – have been fined $4.6 million over a scam involving selling 2018 World Cup qualifying tickets at inflated prices.
Flamengo’s Youtube broadcast challenges law but pushes Globo to cancel Carioca contract
By Samindra Kunti
July 3 – In an unprecedented move, Brazilian broadcasting behemoth TV Globo has rescinded its contract with Rio de Janeiro’s state football federation after Flamengo streamed their match against Boa Vista on Youtube under a temporary federal rule introduced by Jair Bolsonaro.
Brazil’s Serie A schedules August start and unveils plans to play a full season
June 26 – The Brazilian FA (CBF) and local clubs are projecting an early August start and February finish for the national championship. The coronavirus pandemic prevented the top flight league from kicking off in May.
With Covid-19 rampant, Rio sports tribunal orders Fluminense and Botafogo to play
June 24 – Fluminense and Botafogo will return to action this weekend after accepting the decision of a local sports tribunal to reschedule the clubs’ matches to Sunday.
Rio mayor halts Carioca restart but Flamengo play on as Covid-19 deaths mount in Maracana field hospital
June 22 – Rio de Janeiro’s mayor Marcelo Crivella has suspended the local state championship until June 25 after Flamengo defeated Bangu and Portuguesa drew with Boavista in the middle of Brazil’s self-inflicted struggle with the coronavirus pandemic.
Flamengo and Rio mayor push on with restart despite other clubs refusing to play
June 18 – What Flamengo wants, Flamengo gets. The Brazilian champions have pressed on with ‘Project Restart’ for weeks and on Thursday they will play Bangu at the Maracana in the Carioca championship after the city’s mayor green-lighted the resumption of play.
With Brazil in full corona-crisis, Flamengo head to Maracana to restart Carioca
June 17 – Brazilian champions Flamengo are pressing on with ‘Project Restart’ in Rio de Janeiro, but local rivals Botafogo and Fluminense have said they will go to court to prevent the season from resuming.
Colombian coach escapes jail as World Cup bidder sends mixed messages on women’s game
June 10 – Former Colombia women’s U17s coach Didier Luna has escaped jail time in his sexual harassment case after striking a deal with the prosecutor, but his trial has cast another shadow over the Colombian women’s game.
Rio starts to open up, but Carioca still on hold
June 8 – The governor of Rio de Janeiro has green-lighted a return to practice for football clubs this weekend, but Rio’s town hall is not prepared yet to allow the Carioca championship’s resumption.
Coronavirus: Paraguay lead South America with plan to resume play in July
May 29 – Paraguay has become the first South American country to announce an imminent return of the game with the Paraguayan Football Association (APF) releasing a schedule for the opening of the Paraguayan Championship ‘Apertura’ on July 17 and training sessions allowed from as early as June 10.
Flamengo break quarantine and return to training in Rio
May 22 – Brazilian champions Flamengo have broken quarantine restrictions in Rio de Janeiro by resuming training without authorisation. City officials criticized the move.
Brazil death toll keeps rising but CBF says June return is possible
May 20 – On Tuesday, Brazil registered a new high of 1,179 coronavirus deaths in a single day, but it wasn’t enough to prevent the secretary general of the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) Walter Feldman (pictured) from tentatively projecting football’s restart in June in the country.
Brazilian ‘ghost’ game offered on 200 betting markets worldwide
May 20 – The integrity of a match reportedly played between two Brazilian clubs on March 25, and which was offered on the betting markets attracting a reported £1.4 million in wagers, is being investigated.
Flamengo floored as 38 test positive and covid-19 tightens its death grip on Brazil
May 7 – Brazilian clubs and the country’s president Jair Bolsonaro have been advocating a quick return of the domestic game, but those plans received a reality check on Wednesday when Flamengo announced 38 out of 293 tests for the coronavirus it had conducted came back positive.