Dutch plan roll out of video refs in Eredvisie within 3 years
By Samindra Kunti
February 10 – The Dutch FA KNVB has targeted the introduction of video referee assistance in the Dutch top-flight the Eredivisie within the next three years.
Gold Cup 2025
Guate bang their drum on a night of passion in Los Angeles
Jamaica 0 Guatemala 1
June 16 – It has been 12 years since Guatemala have beaten Jamaica. Six days ago they lost 3-0 to the Jamaicans in World Cup 2026 qualifying. On the opening night of their Gold Cup campaign they turned the form book on its head.
9-year-old Everton fan beats Barkley, Lennon and Mirallas to goal of month
By Tom Parsons
February 10 – Nine-year-old George Shaw has beaten the likes of Ross Barkley, Aaron Lennon, and Kevin Mirallas to win Everton’s January goal of the month competition.
Dortmund fans serve tennis ball protest over ticket prices
February 10 – The Bundesliga is often held up as a paragon of fairness when it comes to ticket prices. But it’s all relative and fans of Borussia Dortmund fans boycotted the first 20 minutes of their 3-1 quarter-final win over Stuttgart on Tuesday, then threw tennis balls on to the pitch, causing an unusual first-half interruption.
Clubs discuss Champions League change with Super League spectre lurking
By Andrew Warshaw
February 10 – Europe’s top clubs are playing down renewed talk of a breakaway super league but are discussing how the Champions League might be tweaked in the future.
Top Eleven launches 2016 game with Mourinho’s training tips
February 10 – Top Eleven has launched the 2016 version of its online football game and added in functionality allowing game players to train their squads and manage their clubs. The game, which has over 130 million registered players on Android and iOS apps, has also upgraded its browser-based version of the game. A Facebook version is planned.
Banned Kuwaiti politicos plan charm offensive to get FIFA ban lifted
February 10 – Kuwaiti government officials are preparing to tour the world in an effort to persuade FIFA to lift the ban it imposed on the Kuwait Football Association last October – for government interference.
Prince Ali backs Bility and questions Scala’s nationality ‘conflict’
By Andrew Warshaw
February 9 – The increasingly fraught relationship between FIFA presidential candidate Prince Ali bin Al Hussein and the official overseeing fair play in the electoral process, Domenico Scala, has come under further strain with the Jordanian demanding Scala steps down because of conflict of interest over nationality.
Europe’s clubs slam Infantino proposals to take World Cup to 40 teams
By Andrew Warshaw
February 9 – FIFA presidential candidate Gianni Infantino’s controversial World Cup expansion plan has suffered its first significant setback, with Europe’s major clubs coming out firmly against any change to the status quo.
Qatar set to commit further $22bn in 2016 on World Cup 2022 infrastructure
By Samindra Kunti
February 9 – Qatar will award $22 billion worth of new contracts in 2016 as the Emirate maintains its spending spree in advance of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Montagliani heads north American push for power at CONCACAF
By Paul Nicholson
February 9 – The battle for the presidency of CONCACAF has been raised a notch in intensity with the official announcement by Canadian FA president and CONCACAF executive committee member Victor Montagliani that he will run for election in May at the confederation’s congress in Mexico.
German FA launches legal action against Beckenbauer and FIFA over dubious payment
By Mark Baber
February 9 – The German Football Federation (DFB) has confirmed that it has launched legal proceedings against the 2006 World Cup Organizing Committee, which includes Franz Beckenbauer and former DFB presidents Theo Zwanziger and Wolfgang Niersbach, as well as Horst R. Schmidt and Fedor Radmann in order to protect itself from potential damages of up to €25 million.
Premier League’s new logo continues fat cat theme without Barclays
February 9 –The Premier League has unveiled its new logo for the 2016/17 season. Gone is the Barclays title sponsorship but retained is the crowned lion’s head giving a nod to the past while providing for a shiny upgrade to the league’s visual identity.
An African general secretary? Could Fahmy be Infantino’s man?
By David Owen
February 9 – FIFA Presidency candidate Gianni Infantino hinted last week that if successful in his quest for the top job he might appoint an African general secretary.
Bility takes aim at Scala threatening to take him back to CAS
By Andrew Warshaw
February 9 – Musa Bility, Liberia’s football leader who was excluded from being a candidate for FIFA president because he failed strict integrity checks, seems determined to do everything in his power to make life difficult for the official who barred him from taking part.
Mutko says Blatter and Platini will be both be welcome at Russia 2018
February 9 – Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini will both be invited to the 2018 World Cup in Russia but in what capacity they would be permitted to attend is still not clear.