Brazil return to top of FIFA rankings as US Gold Cup win pushes them up nine places
August 11 – Brazil have returned to the top of the FIFA rankings, moving ahead of Confederations Cup winners Germany.
Chelsea’s destiny could be shaped in first 5 games, Man Utd have easier openers
August 11 – Premier League title contenders will be anxious to ensure good starts to the season. 70% of title winners in the last 20 seasons have been in the top four after just five games.
West Brom bag 12BET for sleeve as Leicester sign Dafabet as partner
August 11 – A new Premier League season means a new round of club betting sponsors. Leicester City, who kick off the season against Arsenal tonight, have announced Dafabet as their Official Betting Partner. Meanwhile Midlands rival West Brom have unveiled 12BET as their first sleeve sponsor.
England to re-enter big event bidding with pitch for 2021 Women’s Euros
August 11 – England are to bid to host the 2021 European Women’s Championship following the success of this summer’s event in the Netherlands which generated a peak audience of 4 million TV viewers in the UK as the finals were expanded to 16 teams.
Premier League set for big money Manchester vs London prize fights
By Andrew Warshaw
August 10 – As reaction continues to pour in from across the globe over Neymar’s eye-watering world record move, the English Premier League’s big boys have not exactly been standing still in their own pursuit of domestic and European glory – beginning tomorrow.
US law enforcers name Mexican captain Márquez as front for drug cartel
August 10 – Mexico’s national team captain Rafael Márquez has been sanctioned by the US treasury department for allegedly being a “front person” for a drug-trafficking cartel.
West Ham are most expensive club to watch in PL, followed by Arsenal and Chelsea
By Paul Nicholson
August 10 – West Ham are the most expensive club for an adult and two children to watch top flight Premier League football, costing £150 for the three-person outing. In contrast the same outing to Bournemouth would cost £44, and £47 at Newcastle.
Sierra Leone government pressures SLFA to bring forward its FIFA-postponed congress
By Andrew Warshaw
August 10 – In the latest example of a government controlling its national FA, Sierra Leone’s sports ministry has given the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) until August 14 to hold an ordinary congress to pave the way for elections now that the four-year mandate of SLFA boss Isha Johansen has expired.
Lyon’s Aulas says PSG’s ‘bubble’ spend on Neymar is unbalancing football stability
August 10 – Neymar’s €222 million record-breaking move from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain has upset the balance of French football according to Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas.
English FA lands 3-year renewal of Emirates FA Cup title sponsorship
August 10 – Emirates has extended its FA Cup title partner deal – The Emirates FA Cup – in a deal believed to be worth £9 million a year.
Broadcast rights boom set to stay, but the market players and payers might change
August 10 – Anyone expecting the football bubble to burst for premium broadcast rights will have a long wait. A survey by broadband and TV comparison website Broadband Genie found that 78% of sports subscribers would consider leaving or switching their TV provider if they lost the rights to their favourite sports.
QPR boost season ticket sales with direct debit payment scheme
August 10 – Clubs usually collect season ticket money via a one-off payment from the fan and in some cases offering the fan finance via a third party lender. English championship side Queen’s Park Rangers is the latest club to change the model, allowing fans to pay for season tickets via Direct Debit, a move that has seen a 40% uplift in season ticket sales.
Hayatou breaks silence to question ‘undertone’ of Ahmad’s Cameroon threats
By Andrew Warshaw
August 9 – After maintaining a discreet silence while his country’s credentials for hosting the 2019 African Nations Cup were constantly called into question, former African football chief Issa Hayatou has lashed out at comments made by his successor, Ahmad Ahmad, over Cameroon’s readiness to stage an expanded 24-team event.
Rummenigge warns inflated fees like Neymar’s €222m will alienate fans
By Andrew Warshaw
August 9 – Bayern Munich CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge is the latest footballing figurehead to express concern over the €222 million world record transfer of Neymar, saying all major stakeholders should “sit round the table” to discuss the whole question of inflated fees in order to prevent fans switching off from football.
Aberdeen fans furious at ‘mispresentation’ saying UEFA are taking the p**s – literally!
August 9 – Aberdeen fans are crying foul following UEFA’s decision to open disciplinary proceedings against them because of crowd trouble at the recent Europa League tie against Apollon Limassol in Cyprus.