No decision yet on goal-line technology for Tokyo 2020 football tournament
By David Owen
February 13 – FIFA has yet to decide whether to use goal-line technology at next year’s Tokyo 2020 Olympic football tournament.
Johansen calls for CAF to end ‘deafening silence’ over criticisms of Ahmad leadership
February 13 – The fierce divisions plaguing the leadership of African has taken another twist with a call to stop the internal squabbling from “spiraling out of control”.
Keep your friends close and your enemies closer? Infantino in Qatar for a kick-around
February 13 – FIFA president Gianni Infantino made a surprise visit to Doha on Tuesday as Qatar marked National Sports Day.
Barca and LaLiga confirm overseas matches as ‘logical next step’
February 13 – LaLiga have not given up on their ambition of playing a ground-breaking domestic game overseas, with Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu (pictured) supporting the initiative in an interview with the BBC.
Wolves plan for Molineux expansion to 50,000 and European challenge
February 13 – Wolverhampton Wanderers, the Chinese-owned club with a deep and somewhat uncomfortable link to player agent Jorge Mendes, has further outlined plans for the redevelopment of its 32,000 capacity Molineux Stadium.
Ahmad and Infantino union for MoU on wide-ranging African development
February 13 – Its own president may be subject to continual criticism over the autonomous way he allegedly runs the continent but there is no doubting the growing bond between Confederation of African Football (CAF) boss Ahmad Ahmad and Gianni Infantino
UEFA doubles Champions League media in China with launch on WeChat
February 13 – UEFA has expanded its digital presence in China setting up a new Champions League platform on WeChat – the Chinese multi-purpose messaging and social media app.
Are you watching Jose? Scholes goes back to his roots with a winning start
February 13 – On the night that his former teammate Ole Gunnar Solskjær stumbled to his first defeat as Manchester United coach against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, Paul Scholes passed his first managerial test with a 4-1 win for Oldham against Yeovil.
CAS clears Makudi of Thai election forgery and cuts his fine in half
By Andrew Warshaw
February 12 – After years of fighting FIFA’s ethics apparatus, former executive committee member and Thai strongman Worawi Makudi has succeeded in clearing his name and winning his fight against a five-year ban.
FIFAgate: Webb sentencing moved for 9th time, Burzaco moved to August
February 12 – Disgraced former Concacaf president and FIFA vice-president Jeffrey Webb’s sentencing has been delayed for a ninth time. His lawyers sentencing has now been moved back to September 10. Another defendant Alejandro Burzaco has had his sentencing moved back to August 21.
English goalkeeping legend Gordon Banks dies, aged 81
February 12 – England’s 1966 World Cup-winning goalkeeping hero Gordon Banks has died aged 81.
Concacaf League expanded in tandem with Champions League qualification revamp
February 12 – Concacaf is to expand the Concacaf League from 16 to 22 clubs, including five additional Central American clubs and one Canadian Premier League club, from 2019 onwards. The new format will also shift the Champions League qualification with six teams from the competition entering the main tournament.
Champions League results are more predictable than ever before, says report
February 12 – With UEFA searching for ways to find a greater competitive balance between clubs for its competitions, the latest research report from the CIES Football Observatory shows “a clear trend towards less balance and more predictability.”
PSG expands esports teams in Asia with Indonesia-based ‘Mobile Legends’ squad
February 12 – Paris Saint-Germain is expanding its eSports footprint in south-east Asia with the launch of a team to play on the ‘Mobile Legends’ game platform.
Spinning a £5.5m tale: UK government lobbyist who wanted to take on Qatar
By Andrew Warshaw
February 12 – A political spin doctor who worked for Britain’s Conservative party attempted to scupper Qatar’s bid to stage the 2022 World Cup according to UK reports.