Inside World Football - Page 1661 of 2243 - For the Business of Football

Matt Scott: TPO ban is welcome, but now the hard work begins

“There’s not any other profession in the world where investors can buy stakes in a human being.” Theo van Seggelen, FIFPro

Football, said the former England striker Jimmy Greaves, is a funny old game. But so too is the business of it. In no other sector than the sports industry do men willingly agree to become the tradable chattels of others. It is true that the football transfer market has come a long way from the time decades ago when players were instructed to move to a specific club with no input at all into the trade.

Archive

Niersbach outlines 10-year plan for German football

Wolfgang Niersbach

By Mark Baber
December 23 – Nothing succeeds like success and German Football Association (DFB) president, Wolfgang Niersbach has channeled the sense of triumph following his countries World Cup triumph, laying out an “ambitious” 10-year plan to keep Germany at the centre of world football.

Archive

Czech Hradec Kralove earmarks €9m for stadium revamp

FC Hradec Kralove

By Jaroslaw Adamowski
December 23 – FC Hradec Kralove has unveiled plans to spend CZK 246 million (€9m) on modernising its stadium. The Czech club aims to launch the upgrade of the sports facility in 2016.

Africa

Exclusive: CAF chiefs snub Morocco at Club World Cup final

By Andrew Warshaw
December 23 – Morocco’s refusal to stage next month’s Africa Cup of Nations is understood to have been behind Africa’s most prominent FIFA officials embarrassingly snubbing last Saturday’s Club World Cup final in Marrakesh. Several African members of FIFA’s executive committee were conspicuous by their absence at FIFA’s showpiece climax between Real Madrid and San Lorenzo.

Africa

Johansen battles to retain Sierra Leone control as ‘betting’ group attempts coup

Isha Johansson1

By Andrew Warshaw
December 23 – The president of Sierra Leone’s football association has come out fighting against those she says are unlawfully plotting to force her out of office with an attempted coup.

Africa

Egypt to re-open stadia for league matches after 3-year fan ban

egyptian fans2

December 23 – For the first time since the Port Said massacre in February 2012, when 74 Al Ahly fans were killed at a league match, the gates to club stadiums will be opened again to supporters for the second part of the Egyptian Premier League.

Archive

Japanese seek more information as pressure on Aguirre mounts pre-Asian Cup

Javier Aguirre

December 23 – Japan’s Football Association has sent a delegation to Spain to get more information about the match-fixing scandal that has embroiled national team coach Javier Aguirre.

Archive

World Cup dates set as Russia releases budgets and cash for new stadia

Russia 2018 logo1

December 23 – FIFA has set the dates for the 2017 Confederations Cup in Russia and the 2018 World Cup. The governing body has agreed that some World cup qualification matches can begin as early as next March.

Archive

FIFA drops age limits for whistleblowers (the ones on the pitch)

Match officials

December 23 – FIFA has announced that it is abolishing age limits for international referees. The previous rule forced match officials to leave its international list before the turn of their 46th birthday.

Martin Volkmar: 2014, the year of German football. And 2015?

As we settle back over the holidays and watch the pictures of the numerous annual reviews, memories of a grandiose summer come sweeping back.

For six weeks the country trembled, hoped and feared, until the final whistle on the wonderful evening of July 13 in Rio de Janeiro.

Archive

MLS newcomers sign local TV deals for 2015 debuts

December 23 – MLS expansion team newcomers, New York City FC and Orlando City SC, have secured official local television partners to showcase their inaugural seasons in the league.

Andrew Warshaw: Going bananas but not slipping on the skin

As Sepp Blatter strapped in his seatbelt, lay back and sipped his first drink, alcoholic or otherwise, as he flew out of Morocco following one of the most tempestuous weeks of his 16-year FIFA presidency, he probably allowed him a wry smile.

Archive

Bleacher Report suspended after infringing Premier League video rights

By Mark Baber
December 22 – The UK Twitter account of The Bleacher Report was temporarily suspended by Twitter over the weekend after the Premier League complained the feed was sharing videos of Premier League action to which it did not own the rights.

Archive

2022 Task Force meeting shifted to Qatar

By Andrew Warshaw
December 22 – The prospect of the first ever winter World Cup being staged in 2022 has been taken a significant step forward by FIFA – much to the annoyance of Europe’s clubs and leagues.

Archive

FIFA bans TPO to European relief and South American disbelief

Dollars

By Andrew Warshaw
December 22 – FIFA’s ban on third-party ownership will start on May 1 next year, ending a practice that has gone on for years despite prompting widespread international anxiety over the way hundreds of transfers are conducted.