August 10 – Hull City’s sale talks appear to be back on after the Allam family owners had announced that they had put negotiations on hold while they stabilised the club for the start of the Premier League season. The negotiations now appear to be with a Chinese group rather than the US consortium they were in talks with.
August 10 – Premier League West Ham United have announced a three-year partnership with American destination marketing firm, Experience Kissimmee. The Florida-based firm will be the club’s Official Destination Partner starting this season.
August 10 – Online bookmaker FUN88 has returned as a Tottenham Hotspur sponsor in a two-year deal after having taken a two-year break from the club.
August 10 – Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri, who masterminded the club’s memorable Premier League success last season, has signed a new four-year contract.
August 10 – Champions League winners Real Madrid edged Europa League titlists and fellow Spaniards Sevilla 3-2 after extra time in a dramatic Super Cup in Norway.
To lose one FIFA president may be considered unfortunate. To lose two in the space of a few months smacks of carelessness. Apologies to fans of Oscar Wilde for the adulteration of one of his most pithy sayings but it might well be used to characterise last week’s ruling by FIFA’s ethics committee – one of the most momentous and controversial since the body was first set up – to let Gianni Infantino off the hook.
By Paul Nicholson
August 9 – The Premier League has been cleared to continue its UK broadcast rights sales after regulator Ofcom closed an investigation into how live rights are sold and whether the auction system restricted or distorted competition.
August 9 – The Premier League has announced video game maker EA Sports as a new Lead Partner in a three-year deal that significantly expands its current partnership with league.
August 9 – Middlesbrough, newly promoted to the Premier League, have announced TLCBET as the club’s official betting and gaming partner as the club moves to take the market opportunity of exposure in Asia to the Asian betting community that the Premier League offers. No figure was announced for the deal.
August 9 – It is more common to see European clubs heading to the Middle East to train and play friendly matches than to see Middle Eastern club come to Europe to play competition. But that is what happened in West London last night when Fulham’s raven Cottage hosted the Saudi Super Cup.
August 9 – World football’s record transfer fee has been smashed again after Paul Pogba’s return to Manchester United finally went through when the French international midfielder signed a five-year contract with the option to extend for a further year.
August 9 – The opening of the Bundesliga 2 season in Germany has recorded strong viewing figures according to pay-TV broadcaster Sky. While football in general, ahead of the big league kick offs, is rating comparatively well against the Olympics that are taking place in Rio.
By Andrew Warshaw
August 8 – UEFA presidential candidate Aleksander Ceferin has issued his manifesto focussing on the need for Europe’s lesser-known clubs and countries to be given proper opportunities in major competitions.
By Paul Nicholson
August 8 – If the FBI is having trouble finding (and arresting) Brazilian football president Marco Polo del Nero then they should have a word with FIFA’s new president Gianni Infantino. He was pictured at the weekend hanging out with del Nero in Rio de Janeiro during the opening days of the Olympic games.
By Andrew Warshaw
August 8 – FIFA’s entire ethics framework has lost both credibility and independence as a result of the decision to clear Gianni Infantino of any misconduct despite a string of persistent allegations over serious ethics breaches. That is the view of Mark Pieth, the Swiss governance expert first brought in by FIFA to oversee the reform process.