USA 1 Saudi Arabia 0
June 19 – American comedian Rodney Dangerfield used to say, “I don’t get no respect.” The same could be said for the United States Men’s Soccer Team as barely 10,000 fans showed up for a supporter friendly 8.15 pm kickoff versus Concacaf Gold Cup, Group D opponents, Saudi Arabia in a 1-0 win that again raised more questions than answers.
By Andrew Warshaw
July 28 – The much-anticipated Reform Task Force set up by FIFA in response to its burgeoning corruption crisis appears to have hit a potentially serious snag after Domenico Scala (pictured), favourite to land the job as the body’s chairman, said he would not take it on unless he was guaranteed full independence.
July 28 – Former FIFA vice-president Jack Warner has bought yet more time in his bid to avoid being extradited from his native Trinidad and Tobago to the United States to face corruption charges as part of the FBI probe into widespread corruption involving senior football officials.
By Andrew Warshaw
July 28 – Far from being in any way responsible for the corruption crisis that has embroiled FIFA, Sepp Blatter in fact deserves the Nobel Peace prize for the way he has run the organisation, according to Russian president Vladimir Putin.
By Paul Nicholson
July 28 – English Premier League clubs on average generate almost twice as much revenue per seat than clubs in Spain. While Chelsea top the list of clubs making the most per seat from their fans at €78, compare this with Italian giants Inter Milan who make more than seven times less at €7 per seat.
By Alexander Krassimirov
July 28 – Bulgaria’s richest man, Vasil Bozhkov (pictured), has registered a new company called ‘CSKA Sofia’, in the Bulgarian Commercial Register. Chairman of the company is Tsvetomir Naydenov, who owns bookmaker Efbet. Bozhkov and his son Anton are members of the Board.
By Ben Nicholson
July 28 – The MLS has formed a partnership with Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU), making the school its exclusive education partner.
By Andrew Warshaw
July 27 – UEFA and FIFA are celebrating a landmark victory in their joint fight to outlaw Third Party Ownership (TPO) after a Brussels court threw out a legal case against them launched to try and overturn the worldwide ban on the practise.
By Jaroslaw Adamowski
July 27 – Two years after the side secured a promotion to Romania’s top tier Liga I, FC Botosani unveiled the design of its new stadium which is estimated to cost about €18 million. Under the plan, the stadium will be fitted with a seating capacity of at least 11,000.
By Mark Baber
July 27 – Former Nigerian national team coach, Stephen Keshi, who was sacked by the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) after his name came up in a list of applicants for the vacant Ivory Coast coaching job, is suing the NFF for more than $4 million in compensation, according to local reports.
July 27 – Five Roma players were refused entry into Indonesia for a pre-season game and forced to fly home.
By Samindra Kunti
July 27 – FC Twente will start the new Eredivisie without a points deduction or any other sanctions after the Dutch FA KNVB approved the club’s new plan to further reduce its debts.
By Andrew Warshaw
July 27 – Was it deliberately held back in order to have maximum impact at Saturday’s World Cup draw?
By Alexander Krassimirov
July 27 – Betting company Pari-Match has become the main sponsor of the Ukrainian league championship in a two-year deal which will see the competition renamed as the Pari-Match League. The deal is worth 43 million Ukrainian hryvnia (€1.8 million).
By Samindra Kunti
July 27 – French Ligue 1 side OGC Nice have signed a sponsorship deal with online poker company Winamax. In a new one-year deal, running for the duration of the 2015/16 season, Winamax branding will appear on the front of Nice’s playing shorts. Winamax’s logo will feature for the first time during a friendly against Napoli on August 2.
By Paul Nicholson
July 27 – Mexico won their seventh CONCACAF Gold Cup last night with a 3-1 win over the tournament’s surprise package Jamaica who made Gold Cup history by being the first team from the Caribbean to reach the final.