In a week’s time, FIFA’s new-look executive committee is due to decide on a date for the eagerly-awaited extraordinary congress that will elect a successor to Sepp Blatter after 17 often turbulent years in charge.
By Mark Baber
July 13 – Friday’s decision by the Court of Arbitration in Sport (CAS) to overturn the ruling of UEFA concerning the Serbia-Albania game of October 14 and award the game to Albania leaves the court open to accusations it has been influenced by anti-Serbian sentiment.
July 13 – It is said that no player is bigger than the club, and this is especially so at the big clubs. But some players, even within the ‘legends’ category, have a special status. Manchester United’s Ryan Giggs is one of those and the club has used his fame and achievements to open a special exhibition.
By Andrew Warshaw
July 13 – Despite persistent claims by Russia and Qatar that their respective 2018 and 2022 World Cup bids were clean, the Swiss investigation into possible corruption linked to the bids has flagged up another 28 acts of possible money-laundering which have been received since June, bringing the total to 81.
By Paul Nicholson
July 13 – The Swiss Federal Office of Justice last Friday said that one of the seven FIFA officials arrested in the dawn swoop on the Baur au Lac hotel in Zurich on May 27, had agreed to extradition to the United States.
July 13 – Just when you thought it had all died down, outgoing FIFA president Sepp Blatter and English FA chairman Greg Dyke have engaged in another unsavoury war of words.
By Alexander Krassimirov
July 13 – The Ultras of Bulgaria’s Cherno more prematurely ended the club’s last friendly game before the start of the season against Lokomotiv Gorna Oryahovitsa. Fans of Bulgarian Cup holders, invaded the pitch during the first half, an attacked the Lokomotiv players.
By Samindra Kunti
July 13 – Belgian top-flight outfit Club Brugge has set its sights on acquiring an American club from the lower divisions in the future in a bid to bolster its youth operations.
By David Owen
July 13 – The English Football Association has announced the departure of three members of its senior management team, in a move portrayed as a re-prioritisation of “significant investment” towards grass-roots football and the England squads.
By Samindra Kunti
July 13 – The new Mineirão stadium is proving to be a hit with Atletico Mineiro fans. The club has recorded an average attendance of 49,175 at the ground so far this season, beating average Premier League and Bundesliga attendances.
July 10 – New York hosts the US Women’s Victory parade today. On Sunday it hosts a very different football event when Manhattan’s Times Square will be the venue for Street Soccer USA’s four-a-side tournament.
By Mark Baber
July 10 – FC Barcelona, currently serving a one-year transfer ban for breaking FIFA’s child protection rules, have been blocked by the Danish Football Federation (DBU) from realising their ambition to set up an academy in Denmark.
July 10 – Six players plus the head coach failed to show up in time because of visa issues whilst another was reported to have defected as Cuba were trounced 6-0 by Mexico Thursday at the opening of the Gold Cup in Chicago.
July 10 – An anti-discrimination group is planning to protest wage inequality at today’s victory parade by the United States’ World Cup-winning women’s team in New York.
By Ben Nicholson
July 10 – The rumors that the MLS is to introduce a ‘Core Player’ materialised on July 8 in the form of ‘Targeted Allocation Money’. The new rule amounts to each MLS club receiving $100,000 per year for the next five years for the purpose of investing in their roster outside of their player salary budget.