Infantino puts 40-team World Cup on agenda, targeting 2026 finals
March 30 – Gianni Infantino says his plan to expand the World Cup finals to 40 teams could begin in 2026.
Pelé sues Samsung for £30m over look-a-like ad in the US
March 30 – The world’s most famous footballer, Pelé, is suing Korean electronics giant Samsung in a Chicago federal court, claiming they improperly used his identity in The New York Times.
FIFA cracks down on TPO with fines for Sevilla, Santos and FC Twente
By Andrew Warshaw
March 30 – FIFA have stepped up the battle against third-party ownership by sanctioning four clubs, including Europa League champions Sevilla, for breaching rules over players’ economic rights.
Euro 2016: Stats point to a French or Spanish win; England need to find winners
March 30 – If the best players play in the biggest leagues for the most amount of time and win the most matches, then the winner of the 2016 European Championships will likely be France, Italy or Spain. England and Germany are in contention but probably lagging just behind, depending on how you interpret the stats from the CIES Football Observatory.
France return to Stade de France as Euro2016 organisers beef up security plans
By Samindra Kunti
March 29 – Tonight France return to the Stade de France for the first time since the Paris attacks in November. French manager Didier Deschamps realises it will be an emotional game.
Asian football mourns Iraqi deaths after IS attacks football tournament
March 29 – Asian football has reacted with shock and anger at the deaths of at least 41 people, many of them children, caused by a suicide bomber who blew himself up just as trophies were being presented after a local tournament.
Greeks battle to avoid sanctions as Olympiakos owner tries to stay in the game
By Andrew Warshaw
March 29 – On the eve of a potentially pivotal visit by a joint FIFA/UEFA delegation, Greek authorities have stepped up the rhetoric in an attempt to avoid being thrown of international football.
Toon top Chelsea in Premier League weekly attendance chart
March 29 – With England preparing for their game against Holland tonight at Wembley, Premier League clubs will be preparing for another bumper set of attendances this coming weekend after figures for round 31 of fixtures set a season high average attendance of 97.51% – beating the opening day figure of 97.36%.
Chad pull out leaves Nigeria with must-win game against Egypt tonight
By Mark Baber
Chad has pulled its team out of the 2017 African Cup of Nations qualifiers, meaning all their games in Group G have been annulled. As a consequence, Nigeria will be eliminated from the tournament if they lose to Group leaders Egypt this evening in Alexandria.
Sierra Leone host Gabon in return to national competition
March 29 – Following Sierra Leone’s recent symbolic friendly with Malawi, the first on home soil since the west African country was officially declared free of Ebola, regional competition returned on Monday with a 1-0 win over Gabon in the capital Freetown.
Infantino promises aid for CONMEBOL and 2030 World Cup bid encouragement
By Andrew Warshaw
March 28 – Gianni Infantino is quickly learning the importance as FIFA president of saying the right things at the right time depending on where he is. Currently on a trip to South America, Infantino gave tentative backing to a joint World Cup bid by Argentina and Uruguay to commemorate the centenary tournament in 2030.
Bien-Aime to head women’s task force in CONCACAF region
March 28 – Sonia Bien-Aime has been appointed to head a Women’s Football Leadership Group in the CONCACAF region, aimed at promoting the game to women and stimulating growth of the women’s game.
Former Honduran president Callejas admits football bribery charges
March 29 – Like Jeffrey Webb before him, Rafael Callejas, former President of Honduras, has changed his plea to guilty over widespread corruption charges in the ongoing scandal centred around football in the US and Americas.
World mourns passing of Dutch legend Johan Cruyff
By Andrew Warshaw
March 24 – Genius is an over-used word in football – but few have laid claim to that description with more justification than Johan Cruyff. The football world was stunned into collective grief today with the announcement that the great Dutch icon had died of lung cancer aged 68.
Brazil 2014 legacy: Arena Corinthians build dragged into money-laundering investigations
By Samindra Kunti
March 24 – Brazil’s Lavo Jato scandal is further escalating. This time bribes may have been offered in relation to the construction of Arena Corinthians, a 2014 FIFA World Cup venue.