Mexico 2-0 Suriname:
June 18 – The Mexican national team is perhaps the only country in world football that plays home matches in two countries. The Azteca Stadium in Mexico City is, of course, their spiritual home; however, in Los Angeles – where they roared to victory over the Dominican Republic – and tonight in the heart of Texas at AT&T Stadium in Arlington versus Suriname, the team is welcomed by partisan support and rapturous anticipation.
February 22 – Football’s rule-making body will clarify rules on handball next week by bringing in new wording to reduce “grey areas”, the body’s technical director David Elleray has confirmed.
February 22 – A Manchester City fan is fighting for his life after an alleged assault following their Champions League win over Schalke in Germany this week according to reports in both countries.
February 21 – The stadium where 74 people lost their lives in one the worst tragedies to hit world football in recent years has been selected as one of the six venues for this year’s Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.
February 21 – Belgian authorities have stepped up their investigation into corruption in the local game detaining former club coach Peter Maes (pictured) for a second and time and holding him overnight in jail. His arrest came following revelations by agent Dejan Veljkovic, who has reportedly opted for a plea bargain.
By Paul Nicholson
February 21 – The Tunisian Football Federation has postponed its Super Cup, played between the winners of the Tunisian league and the Tunisian Cup, and which was being hosted after a gap of 18 years in Qatar after a row broke out between clubs over the selection of match officials.
By Samindra Kunti
February 21 – The newly arrived video refs were in the spotlight once more in the Champions League last night as both the Schalke 04 vs Manchester City and Atletico Madrid vs Juventus matches were punctuated by VAR incidents.
February 21 – Cardiff and Nantes have agreed to extend the deadline on the first instalment of the €17.25 million transfer fee owed for Emiliano Sala until February 27, hopefully ending what threatened to become a bitter dispute at a highly sensitive time.
February 21 – Spain’s La Liga has said it is “unaware” of reports that its outspoken leader Javier Tebas (pictured) is among the potential candidates to take over the vacant role of English Premier League chief executive.
February 21 – Spanish clubs are pushing deeper into China via an expanded social media presence with the help if LaLiiga.
February 21 – In a transparent exercise in mutual back-slapping Russian President Vladimir Putin has called on Gianni Infantino to help ensure last year’s World Cup has a long-term legacy which isn’t always the case with World Cup hosts.
February 21 – Scottish football officials are considering bringing in English or even overseas referees to put a stop to some of the atrocious decision-making this season according to unconfirmed reports.
February 21 – Hotel group Marriott International has rebranded its Rewards programme and relaunched it with the help of a Manchester United partnership to its 120 million members.
By Samindra Kunti
February 20 – Concacaf has reacted swiftly to reject comments made by U.S. Soccer Federation president Carlos Cordeiro that the future of the regional confederation’s Gold Cup was in in doubt.
By Andrew Warshaw
February 20 – Efforts to play a Spanish league game overseas to promote the brand may have failed but the Spanish Super Cup, a different competition, looks set to do exactly that under a new revamped format of four teams, with semi-finals and final.
By Andrew Warshaw
February 20 – FIFA are reverting to the old behind-closed-doors rules to decide on the hosts of the Women’s World Cup in 2023.