Al Thawadi showcases Qatar 2022 mission at World Economic Forum
May 23 – Qatar 2022 organising chief Hassan Al Thawadi has been explaining the impact and scale of his country’s World Cup project at the World Economic Forum in Jordan.
Sorokin looks set for FIFA Council to fill seat left by Mutko
May 23 – Alexey Sorokin, the public face of next year’s World Cup in Russia, seems almost certain to be nominated for a place on the FIFA Council in place of the barred Vitaly Mutko in order to ensure his country retains a powerful voice at FIFA’s top table.
Eisner overtures chime at Pompey with supporters trust set to sell up
May 23 – American billionaire businessman Michael Eisner is poised to take control of Portsmouth, one of English football’s most iconic but, in recent years, troubled clubs after its Supporters Trust (PST), which took control in 2013, voted to sell its 48.5 per cent share.
USL reports record crowds and social media numbers
May 23 – The United Soccer League (USL), the recently re-categorised and rapidly expanding Division II professional league in the US, is reporting record attendances for the first nine week of its season.
Man Utd Tour 2017 keeps growing with addition of Dublin fixture
May 23 – Manchester United have added a seventh game to what is starting to look like a pre-season globetrotting marathon. They will play against Sampadoria in Dublin on August 2 at the Aviva stadium.
OFC’s Chung refutes corruption allegations as ‘illegal’ league kicks off and whistleblower named
By Paul Nicholson
May 21 – Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) president David Chung has responded to accusations that he rigged his re-election to the Papua New Guinea FA presidency via a statement saying that the election was held according to the statutes. He also refutes allegations that he used FIFA funds to incentivise votes for his candidacy.
Morocco remain in the frame for 2026 World Cup bid, perhaps jointly with Ivory Coast
By Andrew Warshaw
May 21 – Morocco has not ruled out bidding for the 2026 World Cup with a fellow African nation – or two – now that it has been made clear that Europe will not be allowed to bid.
Venezuela and England headline U20 World Cup kick off with early wins
By Samindra Kunti
May 21 – Venezuela won the opening match at the FIFA U20 World Cup in South Korea with a 2-0 victory over Germany. England got their campaign underway with a 3-0 win against Argentina.
Real Madrid secure La Liga and set sights on retaining Champions League
May 21 – Real Madrid have secured the Spanish league title for the first time in five years after winning 2-0 at Malaga to finish three points clear of arch-rivals Barcelona.
Wenger loses 20-year record but looks set to win another year in charge at Arsenal
May 21 – Despite a late run of six wins from their final seven games, Arsenal have failed to reach the Champions League for the first time since manager Arsene Wenger took over a generation ago.
India’s U17 win over Italy proves to be not so historic
By Samindra Kunti
May 21 – India’s U17 team defeated Italy’s U17 2-0 on Friday, but in reality the ‘Indian Colts’ beat a selection of lower league Italian players.
Grindel looks forward as ethics row rumbles on
By Andrew Warshaw
May 21 – Germany’s FIFA Council member Reinhard Grindel has re-iterated his opposition to the removal of FIFA ethics chiefs Cornel Borbely and Hans-Joachim Eckert saying the surprise move should have been handled more transparently.
Man City head Stateside with Carlsberg support
May 22 – Manchester City have signed Carlsberg as their Official U.S. Beer Partner. Carlsberg, through its US distributor St. Killian, will promote initially around the Man City pre-season tour to the US.
Livingston £3.8m share issue to cut debt and raise cash to invest in squad and facilities
May 22 – Livingston, newly promoted to the Scottish Championship, is looking to raise up to £3.8 million via a share issue but the club says that there are no plans to pay investors a dividend. Shares are priced at £1 each.
OFC chief Chung underfire in PNG as rivals claim he rigged election and form new FA
By Paul Nicholson
May 19 – David Chung, president of the Oceania Football Confederation as well as the Papua New Guinea FA, is facing a revolution in his home country where a rival faction has established its own federation, is playing its own matches and has more members than the FIFA-recognised federation Chung leads.