USA 2 Costa Rica 2 (USA win 4-3 on pens)
June 29 – You’d hate to use the word ‘sterile’ to describe a Concacaf Gold Cup quarter-final, but following the drama and passion of Guatemala versus Canada, it all felt a little flat as the United States Men’s National Team (USMNT) and Costa Rica kicked off for the right to face Guatemala in St. Louis. After 90 minutes and the drama of penalty kicks,
By Paul Nicholson
June 26 – The dispute over the running of football in Cameroon that has seen FIFA’s unequivocal support of Tombi A Roko Sidiki as Cameroon FA (Fecafoot) president has entered a new phase. News is emerging of a complaint filed to FIFA’s ethics body against president Gianni Infantino and secretary general Fatma Samoura.
By Samindra Kunti in St Petersburg
June 26 – Russia’s bid for home Confederations Cup glory crumbled with defeat against Mexico 2-1. The Mexicans now progress to the semi-finals with tournament favourites Portugal, Chile and Germany.
June 26 – Russian deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Mutko blasted newspaper reports that Russia’s 2014 World Cup squad is under investigation for doping as part of the McLaren report as “nonsense”.
By Paul Nicholson
June 26 – The messy divorce of English businessman Mike Ashley from his involvement in Scottish giants Rangers now looks to be complete with Ashley having sold his remaining 8.9% shareholding in Rangers International Football Club for £2 million.
June 26 – Germany’s Bundesliga has reported a new attendance record for its top two divisions in the 2016/17 season.
June 26 – The Ethical Commission of Albania’s Football Federation have stripped leading club side Skenderbeu Sports Club of its 2015-16 League Championship win and deducted 12 points from last season’s total due to “conspiring to influence the outcome of matches contrary to sports ethics for the season 2015-2016.”
June 26 – Whilst the system of video assistant referees being used at the FIFA Confederations Cup has generated controversy, it seems to be a hit with Russian authorities who are in discussions with FIFA about keeping the system in place for domestic games.
By Paul Nicholson
June 23 – The sentencing in the US of Jeffrey Webb, the former CONCACAF president and FIFA vice president arrested in Zurich in hotel raids in May 2015 has been postponed for the fifth time by a Brooklyn federal court judge. The new date is now set for 24 January 2018.
June 23 – Like the Confederation of African Football (CAF), the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has issued a warning and request to members to “respect the principle of political neutrality” in football, referring to the current Gulf crisis and the upheaval it could cause in the region’s club and national team competitions.
By Samindra Kunti in St Petersburg, Russia
June 23 – Chile held world champions Germany to a 1-1 draw in group B at the FIFA Confederations, with the president of Chile’s FA announcing that the country is considering a bid for the 2026 World Cup.
June 23 – An HM Revenue and Customs raid on newly promoted Newcastle United’s offices, made at the end of April this year, may have been unlawful and the search-and-seize order HMRC obtained to launch the raid should be subject to judicial review a judge has ruled.
By Samindra Kunti
June 23 – In perhaps the biggest European-focussed step by China’s football sector to date, next season could see China’s national U20’s team play in the German fourth division.
By Mark Baber
June 23 – As the Gulf diplomatic crisis rumbles on, with no end in sight, the Confederation Africaine de Football (CAF) has issued a statement aimed at limiting the spread of damage to football, in the wake of Egypt’s national team and Cairo club Ahly refusing to give access to Qatari-owned sport channel beIN Sports in recent matches.
June 23 – After three years of being run by doughnuts, far fallen Leyton Orient have been taken over by a man who runs a doughnut company. A consortium led by Baskin Robbins and Dunkin’ Donuts chief executive Nigel Travis (pictured with friends) has completed its takeover.
By Mark Baber
June 23 – After a three month review, the FA is to end all sponsorship with betting companies starting from the end of the 2016-17 season.