It has been a move so sharp, opportunistic and clinical any of the great strikers would have been proud of it.
Sepp Blatter moving into the space ahead of UEFA and putting himself and FIFA at the forefront of the fight against racism.
A set of apparently tough proposals from FIFA’s Strategic Committee are to be put in front of the Executive Committee late in March, and conceivably ratified by FIFA Congress in May.
By Andrew Warshaw
February 21 – The two rival football federations in Indonesia have agreed to merge to avoid stringent FIFA sanctions that would wreck the country’s entire international status.
By Andrew Warshaw
February 21 – In what appeared to be yet another unprovoked anti-Semitic ambush, Tottenham Hotspur fans have been attacked in a bar in the French city of Lyon on the eve of their side’s Europa League last-32 tie.
By Paul Nicholson
February 20 – David Gill, chief executive of Manchester United, is to stand down from the position he has held since 2003 but will remain on the board as a director of the club.
By Mark Baber
February 20 – Fresh fears of whether Brazil will be ready in time to host the 2013 Confederations Cup Construction have arisen again, as workers refurbishing the Maracana stadium in Rio de Janeiro went on strike on Monday.
By Andrew Warshaw
February 20 – The acting head of Asian football says stakeholders throughout the entire Continent must work together to eliminate the “cancer” of match-fixing which has its roots in illegal Asian gambling dens.
February 20 – Kenya has confirmed its intention to bid to host the Africa Cup of Nations in 2019 as well as the 2017 Africa Youth Championships.
By Andrew Warshaw
February 20 – In a landmark fan protest that could have significant long-term consequences, supporters of two English clubs have joined forces to condemn what they claim are unlawful ticket and travel restrictions.
February 20 – The Football League has once again rebuffed a rival bid to take over stricken English club Portsmouth, re-iterating they will only consider a fans’ takeover.
The elation of winning the Africa Cup of Nations, being at the top of the continental football summit, is what matters for the ordinary fan; National team triumph, and the accompanying two-year bragging rights, mean everything to them.
But as football federation officials from Nigeria, the newly crowned champions – or the 28 previous winners of the trophy – will bluntly tell you, that is all a nation gets.
February 20 – Fifteen Eritrean footballers who disappeared whilst playing in a regional tournament in December have been granted asylum in Uganda.
By Andrew Warshaw
February 20 – FIFA have confirmed once again that goal-line technology will be used at the 2014 World Cup, but which system will be employed in Brazil is now the main issue.
By Andrew Warshaw, Chief Correspondent
February 19 – Five years after celebrating their independence from Serbia, Kosovan football officials say they have been betrayed after being promised partial acceptance into the world game.
February 19 – In the wake of Nigeria’s stunning success at the African Cup of Nations, the country’s top flight domestic league, the newly renamed the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL), is to receive government help to sort out its financial difficulties and kick off next month.
By Mark Baber
February 19 – Club officials met yesterday to discuss a cross-border Russian-Ukrainian league. A meeting attended by 14 Russian clubs, but with only one club from the Ukraine turning up.