Inside World Football - Page 1151 of 2022 - For the Business of Football

Asian leagues mount commercial challenges to European imperialists

By Paul Nicholson

November 15 – Asian Football Confederation (AFC) nations have made major efforts with their professional leagues to narrow the gap with their Western counterparts. A new analysis by Football Benchmark, the sports data and analysis arm of KPMG, finds that it s not a case of if but “when and which of its (Asia’s) leagues will be able to compete and eventually challenge the game’s traditional superpowers in the long term.”

Finance

Hahn wins Constantin power play but legal issues and fraud probes loom

By Paul Nicholson

November 15 – Dieter Hahn (pictured), the controversial and secretive boss of German media corporation Constantin Media and a key figure behind the scenes in the alleged cash for votes scandal around the Germany 2006 World Cup bid, has engineered a stunning boardroom coup that leaves him in control of Constantin which is to restructure as a sports only business.

Brazil 2014

Brazil’s crumbling World Cup legacy. Arena Corinthians in a (w)hole lot of trouble

By Samindra Kunti

November 15 – The Arena Corinthians, the World Cup showcase stadium in Sao Paulo that became the home of reigning Brazilian champions Corinthians, is facing severe structural damage due to a massive water leak beneath the facility. The condition may threaten the sustainable use of the venue and again questions the legacy of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Integrity

A right to play? Offensive German ‘bullying’ comments trigger San Marino fury

By Andrew Warshaw

November 15 – The debate over whether Europe’s minnows should have their own pre-qualifying competition for major tournaments is nothing new but Germany’s Thomas Muller has stoked an unsavoury spat with officials of San Marino following his team’s 8-0 demolition of the 201st-ranked FIFA nation.

FIFA

Greeks apologise after Srebrenica massacre banner sparks outrage

November 15 – As if Greek football didn’t have enough serious problems, the national federation has now been forced to apologise to Bosnia-Herzegovina after offensive banners were displayed at a World Cup qualifier last Sunday referring to the infamous 1995 Srebrenica massacre.

FIFA

Video ref trials continue tonight with Italy vs Germany friendly

November 15 – The use of video replays will be given another trial when Italy take on world champions Germany in tonight’s prestige friendly in Milan.

Europe

Revolving door policy: trading trumps stability in European player market

November 15 – German and English clubs are among the most stable workplaces for players in Europe, coming in the top three of a ranking of 31 top division European national leagues.

Integrity

James Dostoyevsky: Trump’s good deed

Loretta Lynch leads US dept of just press conference

On May 27, 2015, in Brooklyn, New York, Loretta Lynch, Attorney-General of the United States, made a media-savvy appearance. Accompanied by her subordinate (“I am honored to be joined today by Director James Comey of the FBI […])” she highlighted a series of charges that put a number of mainly non-US football officials into serious trouble: “[The individuals indicted today] were expected to uphold the rules that keep soccer honest, and to protect the integrity of the game.

FIFA

FIFA Ethics open formal case on Chirakal’s role in cash paid to football officials

November 15 – FIFA ethics judges have opened formal proceedings against Najeeb Chirakal, a former aide to disgraced ex-Asian football chief Mohamed bin Hammam, based on the final report submitted by ethics investigators who recommended a life ban.

FIFA

Samoura to drop in on Sierra Leone president to fix football rifts

November 11 – FIFA secretary-general Fatma Samoura is personally intervening to help bring an end to the ongoing dispute between Sierra Leone’s football association (SLFA) and local authorities.

Europe

French appoint Boy de la Tour as LFP president to heal club divisions

By Andrew Warshaw

November 14 – The role of women in senior football administration has taken a significant leap with Nathalie Boy de la Tour (pictured) becoming the first female president of the French Professional Football League (LFP), one of the biggest in the European game.

FIFA

Dvorak’s FIFA exit reveals open wounds of Infantino’s hiring and firing policy

jiri dvorak

By Andrew Warshaw

November 14 – Any suggestion by the regime of Gianni Infantino that the exit of FIFA’s long-time medical director Jiri Dvorak (pictured) was by mutual consent has been well and truly countered by the Czech-born neurologist’s reaction to leaving the organisation after 22 years.

Football Marketing

Twitter stats: big money Man Utd top new followers table for third week running

November 14 – The past week has not been the most productive week for Twitter follower gains in the Premier League with attention focussed on World Cup qualifiers.

Broadcast

FOX strikes Gold Cup deals for 2017 and 2019 US tournaments

By Paul Nicholson

November 14 – FOX Sport in the US have renewed their Gold Cup TV deal with North, Central American and Caribbean confederation CONCACAF. The new deal secures them the rights to the 2017 and 2019 tournaments.

Football Marketing

Stoke City aims to be upwardly mobile with new online store launch

November 14 – Premier League Stoke City, who appointed digital agency Rippleffect to lead their online digital development, have unveiled a new online store focused on wireless mobile devices that now account for more than 50% of the clubs online traffic.