Mexico 1 Honduras 0
July 2 – The question on the lips of pundits and fans at Levi Stadium, Santa Clara, was “would tonight be business as usual or unusual business?” as Mexico and Honduras met for the right to face the United States in the Concacaf Gold Cup Final on Sunday in Houston.
Spain 5 Portugal 0
July 3 – With an imperious display, world champions Spain waltzed past neighbours Portugal at the Wankdorff Stadion in Bern, winning 5-0 to back up their status as tournament favourites.
By Andrew Warshaw
September 17 – In a bid to improve the flagging fortunes of the national team, the recent win in Switzerland notwithstanding, the English Football Association has sent out its first draft of proposals to reduce the number of non-EU players within the English game by up to 50%.
By Paul Nicholson
September 17 – While talk in Russian football has been about quotas on foreign players and the need to raise the quality and number of Russian coaches, top clubs still appear to be looking outside Russian borders for top management.
By Ben Nicholson
September 17 – Carlos Treviño, a Mexican politician, who was Secretary of Social Development in Querétaro from 2006-2009, has successfully damaged his hopes as a spokesperson for the people by making racist comments about Ronaldinho via Twitter. Feeling aggrieved about sitting in traffic that was caused by the hysteria surrounding Ronaldinho’s presentation to the fans at his new Mexican club, Quarétero, he expressed his malcontent by referring to Ronaldinho as an ape.
By Ben Nicholson
September 17 – The MLS is making progress with the sale of Chivas USA, but likely at the expense of the team’s absence in the 2015 season. The parties involved have been kept discrete, but it is thought that a combination of a wealthy American executive and a Mexican businessman will form the ownership structure of the LA-based club.
By Jaroslaw Adamowski
September 17 – Legia Warsaw, who were controversially dumped from the Champions League to the Europa League after fielding an ineligible player against Celtic in the qualifying rounds, are pushing forward an expansion programme with plans for a new training ground, despite missing out on the big cash win that comes with Europe’s top club competition.
By David Owen
September 17 – Nottingham in the English Midlands has been named “city of football” by Sport England, the grass-roots funding body. The decision opens the way for the city – home to two Football League clubs, including Nottingham Forest, the former European champions under manager Brian Clough – to receive £1.6 million to endeavour to get more Nottinghamians playing football regularly.
By Mark Baber
September 16- Liverpool FCs expansion of Anfield stadium has been recommended for approval by Council planners, with a Planning Committee vote expected next week, whilst, not to be upstaged, Everton have revealed they intend to build a new stadium in Walton Hall Park.
By Andrew Warshaw
September 16 – Canadian star Kaylyn Kyle is the latest player to become involved in the row over using synthetic turf at next year’s women’s World Cup. Kyle is reported to have been signed up by FieldTurf, the company whose product is being employed at a majority of the six stadiums being used for the tournament.
By Paul Nicholson
September 16 – Canover Watson, a member of the FIFA Audit and Compliance Committee, has been “temporarily relieved” of his duties on this committee by chairman Domenico Scala while an investigation takes place following news of his arrest by Cayman Islands police in August.
By Mark Baber
September 16 – Manchester United have announced a new initiative which will see the club partnering with the Association of Football Federations of Azerbaijan (AFFA) and supporting a Manchester United Soccer School in Azerbaijan.
By Andrew Warshaw
September 16 – Despite the sceptics assuming he will not stay the course, former FIFA deputy general secretary Jerome Champagne insists he will be standing against Sepp Blatter next year at the organisation’s presidential election.
By Andrew Warshaw
September 16 – Yet another Brazilian club has urged its fans to refrain from racist chanting as the country attempts to impose the legacy of the World Cup by stamping out discrimination.
September 16 – The Scottish Football Association is examining allegations of racism during a Scottish Premier League game last weekend.
September 16 – The owner of Spartak Moscow, Leonid Fedun, said that the newly opened Otkritie Arena cost RUB 14.5 billion (S378 million) to build. But that this is only the start of the project with hotels and an indoor arena to come next.
By Andrew Warshaw
September 15 – The Champions League proper kicks off this week but before a ball has even been kicked the debate over seedings has intensified.