Martin Volkmar: Gerhard Mayer-Vorfelder – Germany has lost one of its football elders
Gerhard Mayer-Vorfelder, DFB president for many years and a member of the Executive Committee of FIFA and UEFA, passed away on Monday aged 82 years.
Sun sets on Roda JC’s new shirt sponsor, deepening club’s cash crisis
By Samindra Kunti
August 19 – Dutch club Roda JC’s financial woes have been aggravated by shirt sponsor Solland Solar filing for bankruptcy. The club is at least €1.3 million in debt.
Bulgarian state steps in with development cash in Varna
By Alexander Krassimirov
August 19 – FC Cherno More Varna, holder of the Bulgarian Cup and Supercup, has been handed a development grant of BGN 1 million (€500,000) from the state. The money will be used by club to improve the grass pitch at Ticha stadium and stadium lighting.
Juventus launch new app for new season as it continues digital drive
By Paul Nicholson
August 19 – Italian giants Juventus, current Serie A champions and the country’s club leaders in the digital world, having taken another step forward with the launch of a new app for the new season that opens this weekend.
Spurs, Swansea and West Ham top PL chart with 99% sellouts
August 18 – The second weekend of the Premier League season saw an average capacity at Premier League grounds of almost 96%, just over 1% down on the opening day of the season, mainly due to lower attendances at Sunderland.
FIFA reform: Scala proposes abolition of FIFA Exco
By Mark Baber
August 18 – It emerged on Monday that a radical plan presented to the FIFA executive committee on July 20 by Domenico Scala, the independent chairman of FIFA’s Audit and Compliance Committee charged by outgoing president Sepp Blatter with implementing reforms, envisaged the abolition of the executive committee and its replacement by a separate management committee and governing council.
China targets world’s elite as CFA breaks away from state control
By Mark Baber
August 18 – One of the great anomalies in world football – FIFA’s tolerance of state control of football in China – looks to be coming to an end as the Chinese state publicly loosens its grip on the sport in a new reform drive announced on Monday.
Somali minister backs FA and pledges to return national stadium from military
By Paul Nicholson
August 18 – On an inspection visit of the construction of football facilities at the Somali University Stadium in Mogadishu, Somali minister for youth and sport, Mohamed Abdullahi Hassan (pictured centre), praised the growth of football and the importance of the development projects in the country.
Serie A’s Empoli to spend €11m on stadium to compete with big city rivals
By Jaroslaw Adamowski
August 18 – Empoli, one of the few Italian Serie A clubs that do not come from a provincial capital city, has unveiled €11 million redevelopment plans that include the expansion of its Stadio Carlo Castellani capacity from 16,800 up to 20,000.
In Brazil it is transfer business as usual, despite TPO ban
By Samindra Kunti
August 18 – In December the FIFA’s Executive Committee’s approval to ban third-party ownership of player’s economic rights (TPO) sent shockwaves through Brazilian football due to the prevalence of third-party arrangements. The early effective date, January 2015, had investors and clubs taken aback, worried with the possible consequences of the new rule, but what effect has the ban had so far on the Brazilian market?
US prepares to host men’s and women’s 2016 Olympic qualifiers
August 18 – Focus has turned to the Olympic 2016 qualifying in the CONCACAF region, which in 2012 in London took both Gold medals with Mexico taking the men’s title and the US winning the women’s with Canada taking the bronze.
New MLS franchise Minnesota Utd switches site as deadlines missed
By Ben Nicholson
August 18 – Newly awarded MLS franchise Minnesota United looks to have stumbled on its route to securing a stadium to begin play in the 2018 season, having missed an MLS July deadline to submit a state subsidy financial package, and with confusion over whether the team will play in Minneapolis or neighbouring St Paul.
FIFA 7: Webb case adjourned to October, Rojas agrees to extradition but not to US
By Paul Nicholson
August 18 – Jeffrey Webb, former CONCACAF president and the highest ranking of the FIFA officials arrested in May in Zurich, was in court in Brooklyn, NY, again last Friday where his hearing was adjourned until October 9.
Mr Nice Guys: Ronaldo tops Messi in ‘most charitable’ list
By Ben Nicholson
August 17 – Lionel Messi recently donated 4.5million Argentine pesos, roughly $487,000, to UNICEF during an event called, ‘A Sun for the Kids.’