USA 2 Costa Rica 2 (USA win 4-3 on pens)
June 29 – You’d hate to use the word ‘sterile’ to describe a Concacaf Gold Cup quarter-final, but following the drama and passion of Guatemala versus Canada, it all felt a little flat as the United States Men’s National Team (USMNT) and Costa Rica kicked off for the right to face Guatemala in St. Louis. After 90 minutes and the drama of penalty kicks,
By Andrew Warshaw
May 20 – The career of Wolfgang Niersbach (pictured), for so long the rising star of German football administration who was touted as a potential leader of UEFA, has suffered a potentially fatal blow with FIFA’s ethics committee recommending a two-year ban and a SFr30,000 fine be imposed on him following an investigation of Germany’s 2006 World Cup bid.
May 20 – The biggest shake-up in the English professional football pyramid since the Premier League was set up in 1992 has been proposed, with a new fifth division of 20 clubs from 2019-20.
By Samindra Kunti
May 20 – France has extended a nationwide state of emergency to cover EURO 2016 and the Tour de France this summer. German intelligence has warned that the tournament’s opening match and final are major terrorist targets.
By Samindra Kunti
May 20 – The All India Football Federation, the AIFF, has unveiled the first details of the widespread changes to the domestic structure of Indian football that will see the Indian Super League (ISL) become the country’s premier football competition.
By Andrew Warshaw
May 19 – Dutch football chief Michael van Praag says he is running for UEFA president to put the organisation back on an even keel before handing over to someone younger.
By Samindra Kunti
May 19 – The Dutch FA, the KNVB, has relegated FC Twente from the domestic top flight, the Eredivisie, as punishment for breaching financial regulations. Twente will, however, maintain their professional license.
By Andrew Warshaw
May 19 – Having taken FIFA’s membership completely by surprise with the announcement of Fatma Samoura as his new general secretary, Gianni Infantino’s team building has continued with Norwegian football federation official Kjetil Siem being hired in the new role of director of strategic matters.
May 19 – UEFA are to set up a special task force to determine how to accommodate Kosovo in their various competitions. Kosovo were accepted as a full member of FIFA last Friday, a week after being admitted to UEFA despite fierce opposition from Serbia.
May 19 – China’s influence as an emerging new global commercial player in football has been further underlined with businessman Tony Xia agreeing to buy Aston Villa, the historic English club just relegated from the Premier League, for a reported £60 million.
By Andrew Warshaw
May 19 – UEFA have defended the choice of Basel’s St Jacob stadium for Wednesday’s Europa League final between Liverpool and Sevilla.
May 19 – The Premier League may have finished slightly later than planned with the forced shift of Manchester United’s final home game against Bournemouth to Tuesday night because of security concerns, but fans set a record attendance across the country for the Sunday 3pm kick offs.
May 19 – Leicester City, the rags to riches English Premier League champions who have rewritten the rules on the pitch, have moved swiftly to expand their international footprint and are reported to be focussing on China with a plan to train Chinese youth players at their academy.
Gianni Infantino, less than three months into the job as the man chosen to lead FIFA into a new era of respectability, turned to his fawning converts and declared: “I can officially inform you here, the crisis is over.”
By Andrew Warshaw
May 18 – Michel Platini’s successor as UEFA president will be elected on September 14, with veteran Dutch FA chief Michael van Praag already in the frame.
By Paul Nicholson
May 18 – Angel Villar Llona (pictured), Spain’s controversial FIFA vice-president and the man currently in charge at UEFA following the sanctioning of Michel Platini, is facing legal action at home from rival candidate for the Spainish federation presidency Miguel Angel Galan.