FIFA stands down Saudi ref Al Mirdasi from World Cup duty for soliciting bribes
May 31 – The Saudi referee appointed by FIFA for the World Cup has been dropped after he was handed a life ban in his homeland for match-fixing.
Sky Bet to fund ‘safe betting’ workshops for EFL but steers clear of match-fixing dangers
May 31 – The English Football League’s title sponsor Sky Bet is spending £1 million on delivering a responsible gambling series of education workshops to all 72 of its clubs next season.
New look for new season: Europa League gets ‘edgier’ rebrand
May 31 – The UEFA Europa League is getting a new look for next season that UEFA says will emphasise the “scale and dynamic nature of the competition.”
Shots and possession are key ingredients for Europe’s winning teams, show stats
May 31 – A ‘production index’ developed by the CIES Football Observatory using InStat data shows that the top teams in the Big 5 European leagues all have similar performance data characteristics that correlate to their league positions.
Blatter warns of unhappy ending if Infantino’s FIFA continues on its current path
May 30 – He may still be suspended over that infamous CHF 2 million “disloyal payment” to Michel Platini but that hasn’t stopped former FIFA president Sepp Blatter from speaking his mind when it comes to the injustices he feels he has suffered.
AFC roadmap for India pushes hard for unification of I-League and ISL
By Samindra Kunti
May 30 – In a confidential report the Asian Football Confederation, the AFC, has recommended a unified domestic Indian football league to replace the concurrent Indian Super League (ISL) and I-League. The All India Football Federation (AIFF) and Indian clubs face exclusion from the continental club competitions if they don’t comply with the recommendations.
Mediapro swoops on key Ligue1 TV rights packages as fees hit €1.15bn record
May 30 – Spain’s Mediapro has gatecrashed the TV rights party in France by snapping up key broadcast packages for Ligue 1 as total fees for the rights sale hit €1.15 billion. Canal Plus ended up with no rights in this round of bidding, in what is a major setback for the broadcaster.
Qatar’s BeIN calls on FIFA to protect its World Cup TV rights from Saudi pirates
May 30 – The Qatar-based beIN Media Group, the biggest sports broadcaster in the region, has urged FIFA to take legal action against what it called pirate broadcasters in Saudi Arabia ahead of the World Cup.
West Ham fly high to WSL1 while Man Utd awarded berth in Championship
May 30 – West Ham United have been catapulted straight into the top division of the restructured Women’s Super League in England, while Manchester United have been awarded a license for the second tier Women’s Championship for their newly formed team.
ManBetX focuses on Asia with 3-year multi-million LaLiga deal
May 30 – Maltese-based bookmaker ManBetX has become LaLiga’s official betting partner for Asia in a multi-million Euro three-year deal that will begin with the new season this September.
English FA boss says £900m sale of Wembley is no ‘betrayal’ but is a lot of cash
May 30 – The chief executive of the English Football Association says the potential sale of the national stadium at Wembley will not be a “betrayal” but makes sound economic sense.
FC Cincinnati becomes 26th MLS franchise with 2019 start date scheduled
May 30 – FC Cincinnati, founded only in 2016 but playing before average 24,500 crowds in the second tier USL this season, is the newest recruit to the MLS and will start play in the 2019 season.
Russian welcome? England players discuss plans in case of racist abuse
May 30 – England players have discussed the prospect of racism during the World Cup amid concerns that Russian fans might target its black players.
2026 Task Force report imminent as bidders called to FIFA and voters get rules primer
By Andrew Warshaw
May 29 – As tension mounts ahead of the eagerly awaited technical inspection report that will determine whether 2026 World Cup candidates Morocco can join the heavyweight North American bid on the ballot paper next month, both contenders have been summoned to FIFA for final talks with members of the evaluation team.
SAFA re-elect Jordaan despite claims of electioneering and sexual assault
May 29 – The rollercoaster that has been Danny Jordaan’s life in football was given another five-year ride over the weekend as he was elected unopposed as South African Football Association (SAFA) president, taking him through to 2022.