Global good chap David Beckham to receive UEFA recognition
August 22 – David Beckham is to become the latest recipient of the UEFA President’s award for his contribution to football and promoting the sport in “every corner of the planet”.
Socios.com builds capacity to push its blockchain solution into club market
August 22 – Socios.com, the blockchain technology that enables clubs to monetise their fan bases, has stepped up its push into the football business with the recruitment of Magnus Linder from Bettson to head club partnerships and business development.
Blue jeans for reds – Liverpool sign Levis as ‘Denim’ partner
August 22 – Premier League Liverpool Football Club has agreed with Levi’s to become the club’s first Official Denim partner. No term or value was given for the deal.
FIFA wins battle with Nigerian government and Pinnick re-takes NFF headquarters
By Andrew Warshaw
August 21 – Nigeria has narrowly avoided being thrown out of international football after agreeing to recognise the FIFA-approved head of its federation.
Spurs fixture turmoil as stadium delays force club to open UCL campaign at Wembley
August 21 – In a further blow to supporters who were hoping to welcome the cream of Europe to their spanking new stadium, Tottenham Hotspur will have to play at least their first home Champions League match this season at the national stadium at Wembley as a result of delays in opening their £800 million state-of-the-art ground because of ongoing security and safety issues.
Spain and Japan head for U20 Womens World Cup final showdown
August 21 – Spain and Japan reached their maiden U-20 Womens World Cup final after eliminating hosts France and England respectively. The tournament will culminate on Friday in Vannes with the final showdown.
Rojas recuses herself from investigation of Colombian FA World Cup ticket scam
August 21 – Unconfirmed reports say FIFA has opened a preliminary investigation into the Colombian Football Federation (FCF) over the resale of tickets for World Cup qualifying matches which, if true, would represent another blow to the credibility of Conmebol in the wake of the FifaGate scandal.
Interpol swoops on $1.6bn of illegal bets in 14,900 raids in Asia during World Cup
August 21 – An Interpol-led operation during the World Cup led to thousands of raids against illegal gambling conducted throughout Asia and a string of arrests, according to the organisation.
Mexican tax police open probe into Liga MX club ‘double contracts’
August 21 – Mexico’s tax authorities (SAT) are to open an investigation into Mexican clubs over the practice of ‘double contracts’. The investigation has been triggered by the public complaint of former Veracruz manager Guillermo Vázquez (pictured) who claims the club owes him money after he quit last week.
Modrić, Ronaldo and Salah shortlisted for men’s award, Harder, Hegerberg and Henry for women’s
August 21 – UEFA have unveiled the top three shortlists for the men’s and women’s player of the year awards. The winners will be announced August 30 at the Champions League group draw in Monaco.
Trading platform eToro to pay 7 Premier League club sponsorships in bitcoin
August 21 – Online trading platform eToro, is using Bitcoin to pay for its sponsorship partnerships with seven Premier League clubs, the first time a club sponsor has paid for marketing inventory using cryptocurrency.
Man City on Cruzr control as UBTECH robotics deal extended
August 21 – Premier League champions Manchester City have extended their partnership with robotics company UBTECH. The deal, first signed in 2016, sees the robot maker designated as the Club’s Official Robot Partner.
Changing of the last of the old guard: FIFA’s legal chief Villiger ‘turns the page’
August 20 – Marco Villiger, the brains behind much of FIFA’s decision-making for over a decade, parted company with the organisation today as Gianni Infantino’s regime completed a clean sweep of the old guard that served under Sepp Blatter.
Geo-political genocide: Saudis ban beIN Sport, waving though beoutQ to continue piracy
By Paul Nicholson
August 20 – The Saudi Arabian competition authority has today released a ruling that bans Qatari-based broadcaster beIN Sport from transmitting into the kingdom. The cancelling of the beIN Sport license means that the only way to view top level international football in Saudi Arabia will be illegally via the pirate channel beoutQ.
CAS rejects Samir Arab’s appeal against 2-year UEFA match-fixing ban
August 20 – UEFA has welcomed the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) decision to reject an appeal filed by the Maltese player Samir Arab against a two year-suspension issued by the UEFA Appeals Body in April for matchfixing.