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
Did he didn’t he? Al-Majid keeps finger pointed at Bin Hammam, despite contradictions
By Andrew Warshaw
November 21 – The whistleblower who worked on Qatar’s 2022 World Cup bid campaign says there is no doubt that Mohamed Bin Hammam – banned for life from football two years ago – was part of the team despite 2022 officials repeatedly denying he played any role.
Focus now falls on Scala as Eckert and Garcia play ‘pass-the-parcel’
By Andrew Warshaw
November 21 – The hosting of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups by Russia and Qatar, which appeared to be a closed case a week ago, has been plunged back into the spotlight after the two FIFA ethics chiefs at the centre of the anti-corruption investigation agreed the evidence should be further examined in-house – and then opened up to FIFA’s entire executive committee.
Nigerian FA chief invokes God, admits bungling, and runs into ‘time’ trouble
By Mark Baber
November 20 – As the Nigeria national team fails to qualify for the African Nations Cup, the countries’ top football administrator is turned to quoting scripture, claiming the failure is a blessing in disguise whilst the crisis over the legitimacy of the ruling body descends into new levels of farce.
Novgorod stadium contract nears signing, FIFA says no to more capacity reductions
November 20 – Russia’s sports minister Vitaly Mutko has said that the construction contract to build the 17 billion ruble ($365 million) stadium in Nizhniy Novgorod will be signed on November 25-26 with 50% of the payment being upfront.
Blatter calls Dyke’s bluff asking if he is offering indemnity if English report published
By Andrew Warshaw
November 20 – FIFA president Sepp Blatter has personally rejected English FA chairman Greg Dyke’s demand for Michael Garcia’s World Cup investigation report into allegations of misconduct surrounding the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bids to be published in full.
Inside editorial: So many plot lines we are losing the plot
Blatter-must-go, Blatter-must-go, Blatter-must-go – scream it long and loud enough and even supposedly intelligent people will forget why they think he must go while firmly putting themselves in the vanguard of political activism – perhaps even use their influence to write silly letters for a cheap soundbite, willingly published by the land of Murdochia. Come on Greg, we had so much higher hopes for you.
Band hits discordant note in Scotland vs England ‘friendly’
November 20 – England fans have been criticised, and the FA has apologised on their behalf, following provocative chanting during this week’s prestige friendly with Scotland.
Naming rights deal nears for Real’s re-modelled Bernabeu
November 20 – Real Madrid looks set to announce a naming rights deal for stadium after Florentino Perez was caught on camera saying the Bernabeu could soon be called the IPIC Bernabeu or Cepsa Bernabeu.
Al-Majid reveals she was an FBI informant as she expands anti-Qatar claims
By Andrew Warshaw
November 20 – One of the two whistleblowers whose evidence to the FIFA 2018 and 2022 World Cup bid investigation was deemed unreliable has revealed she was contacted by the FBI after initially making her corruption claims against Qatar and says she permanently fears for her life.
The Marseilles Connection: detectives swoop on OM kingpins
By Mark Baber
November 19 – In a throwback to the Bernard Tapie scandals of the 1990s, French police swooped in on the leading lights of Olympique Marseille (OM) on Tuesday morning, arresting club president Vincent Labrun and general manager Philip Perez at their homes in Saint-Remy de Provence and Marseille and questioning them over potential corruption and kick backs involving multi-million Euro transfer deals.
Andrew Warshaw: Damned if you do, damned if you don’t
Another clever delaying tactic deliberately timed so that Sepp Blatter can turn his attention to retaining the presidency without the distraction of corruption allegations? Or, just as plausibly, a clear signal of intent to try and repair the damage and get to the bottom of a saga which, it now transpires, could involve criminal activity by football administrators?
Manchester United report £9.8m first quarter revenue slump
November 19 – Manchester United are now feeling the pain of failure to qualify for the Champions League in the boardroom. The club has announced a revenue fall of almost 10% (£9.8 million) for the three months to September 30 in comparison to the same period in 2013.
Russian robots poised to make their World Cup debuts
By Paul Nicholson
November 19 – According to Russian news agency Tass, scientists at Russia’s Siberian university have started building Russia’s first robot team.
IOC proposals bring good news for Hayatou – but not Blatter
By David Owen
November 19 – There was potentially good news for one senior FIFA figure in a strategic roadmap for the future of the Olympic Movement unveiled with a flourish in the Olympic capital of Lausanne on Tuesday. But not so, apparently, for another.
TV watchdog opens new probe into Premier League UK sales policy
November 19 – The debate over how much English Premier League football should be televised live domestically is back on the agenda. UK broadcasting watchdog Ofcom has opened an investigation into how the Premier League sells media rights following a complaint from Virgin Media, which claims more matches should be available for live broadcast.