By Paul Nicholson
June 14 – USA, Mexico, Peru and Argentina head the qualifiers for the next round of the Copa America Centenario tournament in the US, while dramatically, Brazil have crashed out after a controversial refereeing decision ruined their week.
By Andrew Warshaw
June 14 – Sepp Blatter may no longer be in the daily spotlight at FIFA but he has once again used a media opportunity to get back in the news, this time with a remarkable accusation that he witnessed those who run European football fixing draws for their competitions.
By Paul Nicholson
June 14 – The dispute in Spain over how much tax was payable on the transfer of Neymar from Santos in Brazil to FC Barcelona in 2013 appears to have been resolved with the club agreeing to pay a €5.5 million fine.
By Andrew Warshaw in Paris
June 14 – As UEFA prepares to announce what action it has taken against the Russian FA following the mayhem caused by an apparently well-trained group of 150 hooligans at the already notorious game against England in Marseille last weekend, the English FA has expressed “serious concerns” about security in the northern city of Lille, which it is feared could be another flashpoint between rival supporters.
By Andrew Warshaw
June 14 – Hungary vs Austria Hungary’s Gabor Kiraly, one of the great goalkeeping eccentrics, is poised to become the oldest player ever to appear at a European Championship. Aged 40 and two months, he will overtake German Lothar Mattheus’s record, set at Euro 2000.
June 13 – China’s football investment is becoming a global phenomenon with the Ledman Group joining the consortium of investors that has bought Australian A-League club Newcastle Jets from the Football Federation Australia (FFA) for $3.7 million.
By Andrew Warshaw
June 13 – Did they jump or were they pushed? KPMG, the international auditors who have examined FIFA’s books for more than decade, have controversially stepped down just days after being criticised for failing to spot extortionate pay increases awarded amongst themselves by Sepp Blatter and two of the senior staff under his regime.
By Samindra Kunti in Lyon
June 13 – The opening weekend of Euro 2006 may have produced some underwhelming and sterile football with favorites France and Germany both winning their matches, but the fans have been enjoying the tournament so far, with 329,711 fans going to the first seven matches, resulting in a 95.8% average attendance rate.
By Andrew Warshaw in Paris
June 13 – England and Russia have both been threatened with being kicked out of Euro 2016 is there any repetition of the brutal alcohol-fuelled violence that sadly overshadowed the start a competition organisers so much hope will spread a message of togetherness and unity six months after the horror of terrorism.
June 13 – French national broadcaster TF1 and M6 are locked in a battle to secure the TV rights for France’s matches in the 2018-2022 cycle.
By Samindra Kunti
June 13 – Belgium begin their campaign against Italy in what could be a defining tournament for the world’s second ranked team and its much vaunted players.
The Red Devils are no longer dark horses, but very much among the favorites. However, a nagging fear that the country’s golden generation of players might not deliver persists.
Anno 2000, Italywere European powerhouses. They reached the final of Euro 2000 before succumbing to France and David Trezeguet’s golden goal in added time.
June 13 – Ticket touts were reported to have done a roaring trade outside the Stade de France yesterday but spare a thought for a young German fan named Christian who was actually trying to sell his four tickets for BELOW the asking price.
By Andrew Warshaw
June 13 – Spain-Czech Republic: Spain are not quite the unstoppable force they were four years ago. Witness them being eliminated from the last World Cup at the first hurdle. But the defending champions still have a fearsome look about them as they try to clinch a third consecutive European title, having already made history by retaining it.
June 11 – Day 2 of the 2016 sees brotherly love between Albania and Switzerland, a Welsh galactico making a championship debut, and two nations who must win at all cost.
By Paul Nicholson
June 10 – A fresh row has broken out in the Caribbean over what is being interpreted by national associations as back-door interference in the region’s affairs by regional confederation CONCACAF. The moves further undermine the management of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) and its executive at a time when it has already seen its power base at the region’s top political table eroded and its membership split and marginalised.