By Andrew Warshaw
October 14 – Talks about an Atlantic League featuring clubs from Scotland, Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium, Norway and Sweden – first floated over a decade ago – are back on the table, seemingly in response to UEFA’s decision to revamp the Champions League in favour of Europe’s biggest clubs.
October 14 – Official gaming partner Marathonbet has launched an online Manchester United branded casino, the first live casino for a football club. Players can interact with dealers in real time in a virtual gaming environment that is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
October 14 – Paris St-Germain and Ivory Coast defender Serge Aurier is being investigated by FIFA after appearing to make a throat-slitting gesture to supporters during last weekend’s 3-1 win over Mali.
By Paul Nicholson
October 12 – The number of players and football executives revealed as falling foul of UK revenue and customs authorities in the UK for investing in tax avoidance film funds is likely to be as high as several hundred, threatening bankruptcy for some and financial hardship for many others. It is a scandal made in the City of London but acted out in clubs across the country and not just in the Premier League.
By Andrew Warshaw
October 13 – Gianni Infantino insists FIFA has “turned a page” and become far more credible and trustworthy in the first seven months of his presidency despite all manner of allegations against him and the feeling in some quarters than the organisation has actually gone backwards.
October 13 – Paris Saint-Germain and Ivory Coast defender Serge Aurier has been praised for saving the life an opponent during a World Cup qualifier last weekend.
By Samindra Kunti
October 13 – The Indian Super League, the ISL, is shaking up Indian football as the league may usurp the I-League as the country’s principal competition as early as 2018.
October 13 – At the age of 83, Roger Blanpain, one of FIFPro’s founding fathers and its first president, has passed away in Leuven, Belgium.
October 13 – At last news from Russia that isn’t about doping, racist incidents or national team players going wild in Monaco nightclubs. Russia 2018 organiser have named Nikita Simonyan as a World Cup ambassador.
October 13 – UEFA have rejected Legia Warsaw’s appeal against a Champions League stadium ban meaning the Polish club will have to play Real Madrid behind closed doors on November 2.
October 13 – The allegations surrounding Helvetic Services Group and their links with Swiss football and player agents have been clarified in the case of FC Lugano.
By Paul Nicholson
October 12 – Arsenal, for the first time in a year, have topped Manchester United in the weekly Twitter followers growth chart, though they still remain behind the Manchester giants by almost 700,000 followers overall.
By Andrew Warshaw
October 12 – As FIFA’s enlarged ruling Council prepares to meet for the first time, the United Nations official responsible for sport has written to the organisation re-iterating that a solution must be found as soon as possible regarding Israeli league teams situated in occupied territory.
By Samindra Kunti
October 12 – Brazil will be the biggest winner of CONMEBOL’s decision to expand its top club competition, the Copa Libertadores, by six teams. Brazil will have two more representatives in the expanded competition, the South American equivalent of the Champions League.
By Samindra Kunti
October 12 – Brazil have moved top of the South American qualifying group for the Russia 2018 World Cup with a 2-0 win over Venezuela. Manchester City’s Gabriel Jesus and Chelsea’s Willian were on target.