July 2 – Having looked like a team that were struggling to find any cohesion or common purpose after four straight losses, including a miserable performance in March at the Concacaf Nations League final, suddenly the USA look as though, if not the real deal, they are certainly worth a reappraisal.
July 2 – Elite football in the form of major tournament returns to Switzerland for the first time since 2008, with Euro 2025 and the quest for continental glory set to take over the Alpine nation this July with more than 600,000 tickets sold and increased prize money on offer for the 16 finalists.
By Paul Nicholson
January 12 – The daily fantasy sports (DFS) operators have been given permission to continue operations following a decision by a panel of four judges from the Appellate Division of the New York State Supreme Court to grant a further stay while a case against DraftKings and FanDuel is being reviewed.
By Mark Baber
January 12 – Paris Saint-Germain have sent a legal letter demanding Sri Lankan-British rapper MIA takes down the video for her new song ‘Borders’ as it features the singer wearing a PSG shirt modified to read “Fly Pirates” instead of “Fly Emirates”.
By Andrew Warshaw
January 12 – Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini, fighting to clear their names, could end up being banned foreven longer than eight years.
By Andrew Warshaw
January 12 – A proposed live television debate featuring the five FIFA presidential candidates has been scrapped because only two of them were able to accept an invitation to take part.
January 12 – La Liga’s Granada has become the latest Spanish club rumoured to be the focus of Chinese investment interest. While back in China, Super League club FC Shijiazhuang Ever Bright has reportedly sold 50% to investment group Hebei Hongsong.
January 12 – Amidst all the usual glitz and glamour and the emphasis on business as usual, two men were conspicuous by their absence at the annual Ballon d’Or award ceremony on Monday night.
By Ben Nicholson
January 16 – New MLS franchise LAFC – rising from the ashes of the terminated Chivas USA franchise – has unveiled two new club owners, the club’s logo and colours which will be black and gold, with a splash of red.
January 12 – Tottenham Hotspur have announced EZTrader as its Official Binary Options Trading Partner. Spurs are the sixth football club partner for the binary options broker.
By Andrew Warshaw
January 12 – FIFA presidential candidate Tokyo Sexwale says Sepp Blatter’s misconduct should be put into perspective and has praised the work of the outgoing veteran Swiss, currently fighting his eight-year ban.
January 11 – There are underdogs and teams who punch above their weight – and then there is the tiny Basque club of Eibar.
By Mark Baber
January 11 – Rising tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia following the execution of Shia cleric Nimr al-Nimr, are spilling over into the political arena, with Saudi clubs keen for their fixtures against Iranian clubs in the Asian Champions League to be moved to neutral territory, whilst the Iran Football Federation (IFF) insists their country is safe to host matches and they are happy to play in Saudi Arabia.
By Andrew Warshaw
January 11 – From day one he has protested his innocence but the net appears to be closing in on Thailand’s controversial former FIFA executive committee member Worawi Makudi.
By Paul Nicholson
January 11 – International players account for 90% of the minutes played by Real Madrid last year, compared to a much lower 70% at Barcelona. Europe’s other ‘international’ leaders are predominantly in England with Chelsea, Man City, Man Utd and, perhaps surprisingly, Spurs all at more than 80%.
By Paul Nicholson
January 11 – CONCACAF have issued a request for proposals to agencies to represent their worldwide sponsorship rights. The new agency will take over from disgraced Traffic Sports who held the contract exclusively but whose executives have been at the forefront of paying bribes and kickbacks in the region to secure commercial rights.
January 11 – UEFA and Abritel-HomeAway, a world leader in vacation rentals, are joining forces in the lead up to and during EURO2016 to serve visitors with official fan accommodation for the tournament.