By Paul Nicholson
August 24 – Clubs that are relegated from one of Europe’s Big 5 leagues to their national second tiers will not be saved by parachute payments alone, that money will only soften the blow, according to research by KPMG’s Football Benchmark teams.
August 24 – Some of world football’s biggest stars, including Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Paul Pogba, are leading the #EqualGame campaign, a new digital and social media platform launched by UEFA to promote inclusion, diversity and accessibility to football.
By Andrew Warshaw
August 24 – He was perhaps the only genuine world-class player in an England side that promised so much but too often under-performed, the greatest goalscorer in the history of the national team.
August 24 – Steroids allegedly used by a string of players during the 2010 World Cup should be completely banned, according to FIFA’s former chief medical officer.
August 24 – Just seven weeks into the 2017 United Soccer League (USL) season, the fast growing second-tier division in the US has announced record breaking attendances of more than 1.5 million, beating its 2016 total attendance, itself a record.
By Andrew Warshaw
August 23 – FIFA has been quick to condemn the notorious hacking group Fancy Bears for releasing documents alleging that 25 players were allowed to take prohibited substances for medical reasons – known as Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUEs) – at the 2010 World Cup.
August 23 – Uruguay and Argentina will officially launch their joint bid for the 2030 World Cup next week at a ceremony involving the country’s two leaders.
August 23 – Facebook Live has acquired the Indian digital streaming rights from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) for the remaining fixtures of the AFC Cup, the continent’s second tier club competition.
August 23 – Cristiano Ronaldo has reacted furiously to his five-game ban for pushing a referee being upheld by Spain’s administrative sports court.
By Mark Baber
August 23 – The executive committee of the Ukrainian FA has voted 28-2 in favour of continuing to hold Ukrainian Premier League matches in Mariupol, notwithstanding Dynamo Kiev’s apparent decision not to play in the city this weekend.
August 23 – The English Football Association is reported to be sticking by the coach of its national women’s team Mark Sampson despite fresh allegations that he made a racist remark towards striker Eniola Aluko.
August 23 – Barcelona have announced that they intend to sue Neymar for breach of contract following his increasingly bitter departure to Paris St Germain for a world record €222 million.
August 23 – The Asian Champions League, the Asian Football Confederation’s (AFC) top club competition in the region, has attracted another sponsor to its portfolio, with Chinese bottled water brand C’estbon coming on board as an Official Supporter.
August 23 – The Qatar National Bank (QNB) has renewed its partnership with the Qatar Football Association (QFA) and the Qatar Stars League Management (QSLM) until the end of the 2022/23 season.
By Andrew Warshaw
August 22 – The notorious cyber hacking group Fancy Bears, whose doping suspicions cast a dark shadow over athletics and cycling, has turned its attention to football with a damning list of allegations about drug cheats at the highest level.