NRG Stadium sold out for Gold Cup final
July 6 – Concacaf has announced that today’s 2025 Gold Cup Final at NRG Stadium, Houston, between the United States and Mexico, is sold out.
Women's Euro 2025
Norway dispatch Finland to take control of Group A
Norway 2 Finland 1
July 6 – Norway battled to a hard-fought victory 2-1 victory over Finland in Sion to all but guarantee their place at the top of Group A with one match left to play.
Other Stories
FITS Forum to focus on measures to clean-up sports’ dirty money-go-round
By Paul Nicholson
August 31 – While the talk of reform in football up to this point has been generally been conducted via media statements and in federation meeting rooms, this week sees the first open discussion forum in Geneva that will look at the practical issues and potential solutions.
Five injured as safety barrier gives way at Bordeaux Euro2016 stadium
August 31 – Five spectators, including two minors, were injured as a safety barrier gave way at the recently opened Nouveau Stade in Bordeaux late in the Derby de l’Atlantique.
Premier League fans pack stadia buying over 1.4m tickets in first 4 rounds
By Paul Nicholson
August 31 – The Premier League closed off its fourth round of matches going into the first international break of the season having sold a total of more than 1.4 million tickets – a remarkable 95.8% of all tickets available.
Mihir Bose: West Ham renting the Olympic stadium shows how the British state has failed in the modern sports business
West Ham must have hoped that the dust had finally settled on their move next year to the Olympic Stadium. Not a bit of it. There are growing calls for public inquiry by fans of other football clubs into the decision by Boris Johnson to let the Hammers rent the stadium built by taxpayers’ money for the 2012 Olympics, an occasion of great British national celebration.
Wanda waves its Chinese magic forming mega-sports group
By David Owen
August 30 – Dalian Wanda Group, the Chinese conglomerate which this year bought 20% of Atlético Madrid, claims to have become the world’s largest sports operating company after acquiring a US-based triathlon business for $650 million.
Platini stays quiet on FIFA, but backs Olympiakos saying there was no favourtism
By Andrew Warshaw
August 28 – Michel Platini’s eagerly awaited first press conference since announcing he is running for FIFA president turned into a giant anti-climax when he refused to answer any questions about his candidacy, much to the disappointment and annoyance of scores of journalists who had travelled to Monaco specifically to hear his blueprint for the future.
Man Utd scent blood as they hunt down Chelsea with Arsenal in sights
By Paul Nicholson
August 28 – Manchester United again top the weekly Insideworldfootball Twitter growth table in a week that saw overall growth across all Premier League club twitter activity, resulting in an overall increase in followers of 0.63% compared to 0.57% the previous week.
Pakistan’s Hayat keeps AFC legal posts despite breaking the law at home
By Andrew Warshaw
August 28 – With little fanfare and hardly any publicity, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) recently proudly announced the makeup of its new standing committees for the next four years. One of those re-elected as chairman of its legal committee – was Makhdoom Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat, the controversial Pakistani who has been at the centre of a bitter domestic dispute.
FIFA extraditions: US keep grip on Rocha; Argentine judge suspends Jinkis’ extradition
By Mark Baber
August 28 – In the latest moves in the FIFA corruption case, an Argentine judge has suspended the US extradition request for Argentine businessmen Hugo and Mariano Jinkis in lieu of more information from US prosecutors, whilst the US has insisted on priority over Nicaragua in extraditing Julio Rocha from Switzerland.
Champions League draw throws up mixed fortunes for Manchester clubs
August 28 – If there wasn’t quite a group of death, Manchester City arguably again drew the short straw in the draw for the group stages of the Champions League.
Schalke 04 strikes €1.4m deal with Turkish Airlines
By Jaroslaw Adamowski
August 28 – FC Schalke 04 has inked a new sponsorship deal with Turkish Airlines. The deal, which is estimated to be worth a total of €1.4 million, will see the airlinesupport the Gelsenkirchen-based side for two years.
Leoz to appeal after Paraguayan judge rules in favour of US extradition
By Andrew Warshaw
August 28 – Nicolas Leoz, one of the most prominent powerbrokers caught up in the FIFA corruption scandal, has suffered a significant setback in his fight to avoid extradition to the United States.
Messi scores UEFA player award over Ronaldo and Suárez
August 28 – Lionel Messi’s role in Barcelona’s treble-winning 2014/15 campaign has resulted in him being been named UEFA’s European player of the year for the second time in the accolade’s five-year history.
Waiting game: Sexwale undecided on run at FIFA presidency
By Andrew Warshaw
August 28 – Former South African political prisoner turned human rights icon Tokyo Sexwale says he is still unsure whether to take on UEFA president Michel Platini and South Korea’s former FIFA vice-president Chung Mong-joon in the race to succeed Sepp Blatter as FIFA president next February, but will make a decision “in due course”.
Comment: Mourinho’s medical mess-up opens old wounds
By Adonis Pratsides
August 28 – The lack of precision and the negligence, with which those who have attempted to defame Dr. Eva Carneiro have operated, would have stunned even the most listless surgeon, as the steady progress of Women in football suddenly flat lined.