By Andrew Warshaw
April 17 – Morocco’s bid to stage the 2026 World Cup has reached its most crucial phase to date with the arrival of FIFA’s evaluation panel for a three-day visit that could make or break the north African country’s chances.
April 17 – They can protest all they like about being unfairly singled out, but FIFA has charged World Cup hosts Russia with fan racism less than two months before the tournament begins.
April 17 – Gianluigi Buffon was playing in Juventus’ first team when English ref Michael Oliver, at the centre of Buffon and Juventus complaints over the award of a penalty that ended their Champions League campaign, was just 16 years old. Wisdom of age berating the stupidity of youth?
April 17 – South Africa has announced it is supporting Morocco’s 2026 World Cup bid, a potentially crucial move that could affect what many experts have predicted will be a split in how the Continent votes in June.
April 17 – The Korean Republic became the fifth Asian Football Confederation (AFC) nation to qualify for the France 2019 Women’s World Cup with a 5-0 win over the Philippines in the fifth place play-off at the Women’s Asian Cup in Jordan.
April 17 – Internazionale linked with club owner Suning’s Smart Retail offshoot to participate in Milan Design Week with an exhibition in the Tortona area, at the heart of Milan Design Week ‘Fuorisalone’. Their exhibition is titled ‘Innovative Passsion’.
April 17 – UEFA has condemned the online abuse aimed at referee Michael Oliver and his wife after the English referee awarded a highly contentious stoppage-time penalty to Real Madrid that knocked Juventus out of the Champions League last week.
April 17 – Those opposed to the formal introduction of video assistant referees have strengthened their case after arguably the most bizarre incident since testing began.
April 17 – Premier League Tottenham Hotspur who will be competing in the US in the International Champions Cup this summer as part of their pre-season preparations, have expanded their coaching outreach in the US with a partnership with the Florida Elite Soccer Academy.
April 17 – Animal welfare groups have condemned footage of a Russian performing bear delivering the ball to a referee before a third division match between Mashuk-KMV and Angusht in Pyatigorsk.
By Paul Nicholson
April 16 – The election for the new president of the Liberian FA (LFA) at its 34th Annual Congress was dramatically suspended at the weekend after the first round of voting when a court order was issued questioning the eligibility of Musa Shannon, already a serving LFA vice president.
April 16 – It was only a matter of time but few, even among their own players and fans, expected Manchester City to be crowned English Premier League champions without even playing on Sunday.
April 16 – A betting firm which offered odds on an English non-league player eating a pie on camera during a high-profile cup match has been fined £84,000.
April 16 – Italian goalkeeping legend Gianluigi Buffon remains unrepentant following his tirade about English referee Michael Oliver whose decision to award Real Madrid a stoppage-time penalty last week wrecked Juventus’ dreams of Champions League success.
April 16 – Arsene Wenger, the longest-serving manager in the English Premier League, says the decision not to implement video assistant referees next season is a serious retrograde step that flies in the face of progress.