By Duncan Mackay in Paris
March 21 – Ukraine should not have been chosen to host next year’s European Championships, UEFA President Michel Platini has admitted but conceded that they have to see it through now.
By David Gold
March 15 – Japan has been forced to postpone all J.League games during March, placing in doubt the country’s participation in the Copa America in July.
By David Gold
March 14 – The Football Association have confirmed that players will only be selected for the London 2012 Olympics in addition to next year’s European Championships, to be held in Ukraine and Poland, with the explicit permission of their clubs.
March 9 – Sebastian Coe (pictured) has claimed he understands Scotland’s lack of enthusiasm for joining a Great British football team to compete at the London 2012 Olympic Games.
By Duncan Mackay
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
March 7 – Britain’s football team could begin its preparations for next year’s Olympics in London with a match against New Zealand at Wembley Stadium in a special fundraising event for the victims of the Christchurch earthquake if a proposal from the President of the Oceania Football Confederation is accepted.
By Andrew Warshaw at Celtic Manor
March 5 – The row over an all-British team for the 2012 Olympic football tournament escalated today when the Welsh insisted they would not allow the likes of Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey (pictured) to take part.
March 3 – Canada was today officially chosen as the host country for the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup, a formality after Zimbabwe withdrew its bid.
March 1 – Technical problems today overshadowed the launch of ticket sales for Euro 2012 as the official website crashed under the weight of heavy traffic.
March 1 – Zimbabwe has withdrawn its bid to host the women’s World Cup in 2015 leaving Canada as the only candidate, FIFA announced today.
February 26 – Coventry’s Ricoh Arena is celebrating after being chosen to play host to qualifying match for the men’s Olympic football tournament in April 2012, an event that will be used by London 2012 as a major test event.
February 23 – 13 tourist routes specifically for football fans in Kiev will be opened by the start of UEFA Euro 2012, according to the head of Kiev’s Tourism Agency, Mykola Hrytsyk.
By Duncan Mackay
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
February 13 – Lionel Messi, the world’s best footballer, will miss London 2012 after the two-time defending Olympic champions Argentina failed to qualify for the tournament.
By Andrew Warshaw
February 8 – There is a new row over the 2012 Olympic football tournament, with Europe’s top clubs warning their players should not be forced to compete in more than one major event per season, which could affect the participation of players like Wayne Rooney.
By Andrew Warshaw
February 3 – Ukraine has heeded UEFA’s threat to strip of them of Euro 2012 co-hosting rights by dropping calls for the departure of their federation’s long-time President, Hrigory Surkis (pictured).
February 3 – The German Football Federation (DFB) is planning to cash in on hosting the Women’s World Cup in June with a football version of the children’s doll Barbie wearing the national team’s colours.