Al-Khater says Qatar 2020 still at 32-teams, though feasibility study for 48 is in play
April 9 – Qatar has indicated it will not be pressured into having the 2022 World Cup expanded to 48 teams against its will.
Crystal Palace’s Eagles stoop to £35m loss as player trading turns red
By David Owen
April 9 – Crystal Palace, the Premier League’s penalty kings, have reported a substantial 2017-18 loss, as the cost of last season’s successful survival push under former England boss Roy Hodgson took its toll on financial performance.
68% of Premier League goals scored by foreign players. Wolves buy in 97.4% of their goals
April 9 – More than 68% of goals in the Premier league are scored by foreign players. In a ranking of European leagues the Premier League came third out of 27, behind Cyprus (86.7%) and Turkey (80.7%).
Pele given clean bill of health and released from Parisian hospital
April 9 – Pele, arguably the game’s most revered living legend, has been released from hospital in Paris after falling ill whilst attending a sponsor event in the French capital.
UEFA delivers FedEx Express to national team sponsorship programme
April 9 – UEFA has signed a new four-year deal with FedEx Express who will sponsor a series of European national team football tournaments including being designated as the Official Logistics partner of Euro2020.
Manchester City parent CFG reports another £44.8m loss
By David Owen
April 8 – City Football Group Limited (CFG), the Abu Dhabi- and Chinese-owned entity that holds investments in various football clubs including Premier League giants Manchester City, has posted a £44.8 million loss from continuing operations for the year to 30 June 2018.
European Leagues body wary of revamp to UEFA club competition format
By Andrew Warshaw
April 8 – Having seemingly patched up their differences, Europe’s top leagues are back on a potential collision course with UEFA over plans to revamp the Champions League.
Colombian government gives support to 2020 Copa America co-hosting
April 8 – The Colombian government has given its support to the co-hosting of the 2020 Copa America ahead of Tuesday’s Conmebol Executive Committee meeting in Rio de Janeiro.
Owner folds former I-League champions Minerva Punjab claiming AIFF ‘sabotage’
By Samindra Kunti
April 8 – In a shock announcement, Minerva Punjab FC owner Ranjit Bajaj has announced that the former I-League champions will shut operations after what he considers obstruction from the All India Football Federation (AIFF).
Infantino uses AFC platform to keep up pressure for 48-team Qatar 2022
April 8 – Gianni Infantino has upped the ante once again in his bid to gain global support for his controversial plan to change the landscape of club world football as well as expand the 2022 World Cup in Qatar to 48 teams.
India’s Patel joins FIFA’s top table and now sets sights on World Cup qualification
April 8 – Having made considerable progress on the field in recent months in terms of the world rankings, India have struck an important blow off it with the election of Praful Patel as their first ever representative on FIFA’s decision-making ruling Council at the weekend.
AFC: Salman re-elected, Qatar’s Al-Mohannadi completes long journey to FIFA Council
By Paul Nicholson
April 8 – AFC President Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa was re-elected unopposed for a second four-year term. He became the third confederation president to be re-elected unopposed for a new four year this year following UEFA’s return of Aleksander Ceferin and Concacaf’s Victor Montagliani.
Britain’s richest man Jim Ratcliife, tables $100m+ bid for OGC Nice
April 8 – British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe is in talks to buy French Ligue 1 side via his chemicals company, Ineos. Reports are that he has already bid $100 million.
Full Speakers List: Sports Law at the Crossroads forum, May 10-11, Madrid
April 5 – More than 25 speakers from across the sports law spectrum have been announced for the Sports Law at the Crossroads conference in Madrid, May 10-11.
Player agents cash in on Premier League with £260m in fees, Liverpool pay most
By Andrew Warshaw
April 5 – Amid the constant debate over the role of agents, new figures reveal that Premier League clubs paid out an eye-watering £260 million to them during 2018-19 – an increase of £49 million on the previous 12 months.