By Mark Baber
February 18 – The FC Barcelona board has agreed to sell their audiovisual rights for 2015/16 to Madrid-based multinational Telefónica, ditching long-standing partner Mediapro, in a strategic move ahead of legislation in the Spanish parliament expected to impose collective bargaining for television income on Spanish clubs.
By Andrew Warshaw
February 18 – Spanish football has been rocked by yet another case of match-fixing, this time involving a crucial relegation battle last season between Espanyol and Osasuna.
February 18 – The first on-line casino game resulting from Manchester United’s new partnership with KamaGames has been unveiled. Launched as a social game, United fans will be able to play poker against other supporters anywhere in the world.
February 18 – Algeria’s Mohamed Raouraoua (right) has pulled out of standing for re-election as one of Africa’s FIFA executive committee members after serving a single term.
By Andrew Warshaw
February 18 – Four years after South Korea’s Chung Mong-joon, one of the most influential figures in world football administration, suffered a humiliating defeat after almost a generation as Asia’s FIFA vice-president, his family is gunning to get back to the top table.
By Paul Nicholson
February 18 – Financial fair play, low interest rates and football’s ability to secure big money broadcast and sponsor contracts looks likely to attract debt investors back into the football business.
February 18 – Chelsea fans have brought shame on their high-flying English Premier League club after video footage appeared to show a group of them chanting racist slogans as they prevented a black man from boarding a train ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League fixture against Paris St Germain.
By David Owen
February 17 – Trend Micro, a security software company, has become a sponsor of the Women’s World Cup, joining Bell Canada and Labatt Breweries as the tournament’s third National Supporter.
By Jaroslaw Adamowski
February 17 – The Czech Football Association (FACR) has unveiled plans to implement a number of measures to enhance the legal protection of footballers whose clubs encounter financial difficulties and leave players unpaid but tied to their clubs.
By Andrew Warshaw
February 17 – Next week’s pivotal meeting over when to stage the 2022 World Cup has been put back 24 hours – but the outcome looks set to be the same. FIFA have confirmed that its 2022 multi-stakeholder Task Force will now convene on Tuesday instead of Monday – in the Qatari capital of Doha – to recommend precise dates.
By Mark Baber
February 17 – Puma issued an upbeat fourth quarter 2014 report Monday, revealing a 3.3% increase in currency adjusted worldwide sales of €3.2 billion (£2.6 billion) and documenting the company’s success in halting a slide in sales and repositioning its branding. Full year earnings were below expectations though and shares have slipped 17% over the year.
February 17 – Barcelona, slapped with a transfer ban by FIFA for bringing in under-age players, appear to have found a way to get round the sanction by targeting players but not registering them before January 2016.
The FIFA Presidential election has absolutely nothing to do with public support, or indeed media backing. Around two fifths of nine tenths of NOTHING. I reiterate that after an in-depth Talk To Al Jazeera interview to be aired over next few weeks with Prince Ali, the candidate considered the main challenger to Sepp Blatter.
By Samindra Kunti
February 17 – Belgian second division club RAEC Mons has filed for bankruptcy at the local commercial court after prolonged financial difficulty.
February 17 – A former apprentice with English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur has won a huge damages claim after a cardiac arrest nine years ago left him with brain damage.