Cameroon clearing hurdles on route to AFCON 2019 hosting
February 2 – Cameroon has reportedly been given a provisional green light to stage the region’s flagship event, the African Cup of Nations, in 2019.
Infantino takes aim at agents’ fees and money ‘flowing out’ of football
February 2 – With transfer fees having crashed through the roof once again in January, one of the unknown factors is just how much went to agents.
Regan steps aside as Scottish FA boss talking of a ‘need for change’
February 2 – A month before he was due to take part in a key vote to decide the future of video technology, Stewart Regan has stepped down as chief executive of the Scottish Football Association after eight years saying he recognised the “need for change”.
Uruguay’s Nacional fans taunt Chapecoense over air disaster
February 2 – Fans of Uruguay’s Nacional club have been condemned as “sick” for taunting Brazilian rivals Chapecoense about the plane crash which killed 71 people including 19 Chapecoense players and staff in November 2016.
eFootball.Pro turns to Sportradar to build PES league content and commercial programme
February 2 – The fledgling eFootball.Pro e-sports league to be played on Konami’s Pro-Evolution Soccer (PES) game has handed its league media rights to the data and content division of Sportradar.
Kicked-out: Fleet footed French ref suspended for six months
February 2 – A French referee who aimed a kick at a Nantes player before sending him off in a high-profile top-flight fixture against Paris St-Germain and was immediately suspended has now been banned for six months, half of which is suspended.
Winter transfer window is the hottest on record with PL clubs spending record £430m
By Andrew Warshaw
February 1 – January is supposedly never the ideal time to buy players in terms of planning yet Premier League clubs spent a record £430 million in the winter transfer window that closed Wednesday night, according to Deloitte’s Sports Business Group, exceeding the previous record set in 2011 by a staggering 91%.
Ceferin highlights Euro2020 challenges and says England would be his pick 2030 World Cup
By Andrew Warshaw
February 1 – UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin says he would never have organised such a convulated pan-European tournament for 2020 and has issued a veiled attack on his predecessor Michel Platini for doing so.
West Ham suspend recruitment boss over ‘mayhem’ causing Africans comment
February 1 – English Premier league club West Ham United have become embroiled in a race row that has that has seen their director of recruitment suspended after reportedly claiming that the club do not want to sign African players because “they can have a bad attitude” and “cause mayhem”.
Spanish police nab Pina, chief of high flying La Liga 2 club Cadiz
February 1 – The managing director of Spanish second-tier side Cadiz has been arrested in relation to a money-laundering investigation, sources close to the operation told AFP.
Nigeria adds Nigerian Breweries to sponsor roster in 5-year deal
February 1 – Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and Nigerian Breweries “have consummated a remarkable Sponsorship agreement.”
Spurs double up on Man Utd with Wembley win and second attendance record
February 1 – Tottenham Hotspur broke the Premier League attendance record for the second time this season with a crowd of 81,978 at Wembley Stadium to see them beat Manchester United.
Pro-eSports gamers earn more than 25% of English pro footballers
February 1 – The fledgling football eSports industry – based predominantly around the EA Sports FIFA game – is growing up fast with professional FIFA gamers often earning more money than professional footballers.
AFC adds Kärcher to sponsor roster as rights tender for new cycle set to be released
February 1 – The Asian Football Confederation (AFC), which is about to being a new commercial rights tender process, has announced German cleaning equipment company Kärcher as an official sponsor of both the AFC Champions League and the AFC Cup.
Presidential candidate Hope Solo slams USSF’s ‘profit before progress’ policy
January 31 – Hope Solo, the United States’ World Cup-winning goalkeeper who has thrown her hat into the ring for presidency of the US Soccer Federation, has filed a legal complaint against the USSF for what she claims is a “blatant violation” of a legal code protecting athletes.