Infantino claims majority support for his expanded World Cup plans
November 24 – Gianni Infantino says the majority of FIFA members are in favour of his plans to expand the World Cup finals to either 40 or 48 teams.
Sexwale demands ‘movement’ as pressure builds on six Israeli clubs in West Bank
By Andrew Warshaw
November 24 – An increasingly frustrated Tokyo Sexwale, FIFA’s top mediator in the Middle East, has called on the relevant parties to show some movement on the “headache” of the six Israeli clubs based in settlements in the occupied West Bank who play in Israel’s lower leagues.
Fifth time lucky? Morocco mooted for 2026 World Cup bid
November 24 – Will CONCACAF have to fight off an African bid to stage the 2026 World Cup? Although the confederation of north and central America is widely considered a shoo-in to stage the event – whether in the United States, Mexico or Canada, or a combination of all three – the head of African football says his body will support Morocco, which has tried and failed four times, should it launch a counter-bid.
Neymar faces more court time as prosecutor calls for 2-year jail term
By Samindra Kunti
November 23 – Spanish prosecutors have demanded a two-year prison sentence for FC Barcelona and Brazil forward Neymar for his part in a corruption case over his transfer from Brazilian club Santos in 2013.
AC Milan’s €520m sale wobbles as mystery Chinese get their cash together
November 24 – AC Milan’s long awaited sale to new Chinese investors is now scheduled to complete December 13, but there seem to be some doubts on whether the sale will complete following remarks made by owner Silvio Berlusconi.
Respect? FIFA go poppy crazy and charge Wales and NI over fans wearing poppies
By Andrew Warshaw
November 24 – Just how petty can you get? In what must surely rank as one of its most nonsensical decisions, verging on the autocratic, FIFA have opened disciplinary proceedings against Wales and Northern Ireland after fans were spotted wearing poppy symbols in the recent World Cup qualifying campaign.
Poki teams with Cosi to launch Pelé app game on web platform
November 24 – The hit game Pelé: Soccer Legend, available via an app, an now be played on the web following a deal between cross-platform game publisher Poki and game maker Cosi Games.
Premier League hits 4m tickets sold mark as Stoke top weekly table
November 23 – The English Premier League surpassed the 4 million ticket sales mark at the weekend. So far this season only 200,770 match tickets have gone unsold out of a total 4.471 million available.
Samoura offers peace gift of U17 Women’s world cup to Sierra Leone
November 23 – Sierra Leone has officially been given the thumbs up by FIFA secretary general Fatma Samoura to bid for the right to host the Under-17 Women’s World Cup in the near future.
Ecuador’s Chiriboga given 10 year jail sentence for money laundering
November 23 – The former president of the Ecuadorean FA has been convicted of money laundering in his own country and handed a 10-year sentence in the latest blow to CONEMBOL linked to the US-led case.
UK government slams door on PSG’s Aurier. Brexit is coming and it looks ugly
By Andrew Warshaw
November 23 – In an unprecedented ruling that has stunned officials in France and led to a quick reaction from UEFA, Paris St-Germain full-back Serge Aurier has been refused entry to the United Kingdom because of a recent criminal conviction and will miss tonight’s crucial Champions League match against Arsenal which will decide which of them tops their group.
AFC reschedules FIFA Council vote to May Congress
November 23 – The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has cancelled its re-arranged extraordinary Congress, arranged principally to elect its FIFA Council members, and will now hold that vote at its Ordinary Congress in Bahrain in May 2017, in conjunction with the FIFA Congress being hosted in Bahrain.
CAF publicly cracks down on failing refs as whispers of match-fixing increase
November 23 – Two referees and one linesman have been suspended for three months and publicly criticised by African football’s ruling body while another has been warned following their performances in recent World Cup qualifiers.
Bruce (re-enters the) Arena with US national team challenge
November 23 – Never go back is one of football’s oldest adages – as Jose Mourinho found to his cost not so long ago at Chelsea. But the US football authorities have deemed that Bruce Arena is the best person to turn to after sacking Jurgen Klinsmann following the German’s five-year stint in charge.
PSV add iFOREX to sponsorship roster
November 23 – Dutch champions PSV Eindhoven have signed online trading company iFOREX as their Official Sponsor and Official Trading Partner, no figure has been released for the deal.