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 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.
July 10 – The highest court in France has quashed an agreement between Monaco and the French football league (FFF) that has been giving the principality club special tax status.
By Andrew Warshaw
July 10 – Sepp Blatter has taken yet another swipe at his critics, once again distancing himself from FIFA’s damaged image caused, he says, by disgraced members of his executive committee for whom he insists he has no responsibility.
By Andrew Warshaw
July 10 – Shamed former FIFA vice-president Jack Warner has won 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 FIFA and other footballing officials.