Qatar 2022 joins forces with INTERPOL
By Andrew Warshaw
November 6 – Ten years before hosting the FIFA World Cup, Qatar 2022 has signed an agreement with Interpol to ensure nothing is left to chance when it comes to safety and security.
Russia 2018 World Cup stadium in Samara set to be moved because of flood danger
By Duncan Mackay
November 6 – Samara is to build its stadium for the 2018 World Cup on a different site to the one approved by FIFA, it has been revealed.
FA chair Bernstein keeping an “open mind” on recording referees’ conversations
By Andrew Warshaw
November 5 – English Football Association (FA) chairman David Bernstein says he is keeping an “open mind” over the possibility of referees’ comments during matches being recorded following the ongoing row over Mark Clattenburg.
Exclusive: Get rid of Olympic overage player rule, urges FIFA’s Prince Ali
By Andrew Warshaw
November 5 – FIFA vice-president Prince Ali Bin Al-Hussein has called for the abolition of football’s overage player rule for the Olympic Games saying it does nothing to enhance the credibility of the event.
South African officials head to Europe to bring back players for Africa Cup of Nations
By Andrew Warshaw
November 5 – South African officials are trying to get players contracted to European clubs released early in order to prepare for January’s Africa Cup of Nations.
Confederations Cup must avoid “logistical nightmares”, warns Valcke
By Andrew Warshaw
November 5 – FIFA secretary general Jérôme Valcke says time is of the essence to ensure Brazil is ready for next summer’s Confederations Cup, the traditional World Cup dress rehearsal, and warns there must be no “logistical nightmares”.
Dinamo Zagreb fans banned from PSG match
By Andrew Warshaw
November 5 – Dinamo Zagreb fans have been barred by the French Government from attending the Champions League group game against Paris St Germain tomorrow.
Exclusive: UEFA to reveal multi-country Euro 2020 plans next month
By Duncan Mackay
November 2 – UEFA has drawn up detailed proposals for Michel Platini’s radical idea to spread the 2020 European Championship finals across Europe – and will present the unprecedented blueprint to its top brass next month, insideworldfootball understands.
Police investigating Chelsea fan’s racist gesture
By Andrew Warshaw
November 2 – Police have launched an investigation into an apparent racist gesture by a fan who attended Chelsea’s League Cup win over Manchester United on Wednesday (October 31).
We will be ready for Euro 2016, insists French football President
By Andrew Warshaw
November 2 – The President of the French Football Federation (FFF), Noël Le Graët, has reassured UEFA that all stadiums will be ready for the 2016 European Championship.
Turkey to promote Euro 2020 bid at Soccerex despite Olympic bid
By Andrew Warshaw
November 2 – Turkey is using this month’s Soccerex convention in Rio de Janeiro to further press its claims to stage the 2020 UEFA European Championship finals despite Istanbul’s plan to host the Olympics and Paralympics the same year.
Mihir Bose: Schmid on getting more for less, a winter World Cup and managing social media deluges
Last Sunday Marcel Schmid was at Wembley to watch the New England Patriots play the St Louis Rams. Nothing remarkable in that you may think, some 84,000 others were also there as NFL made its annual foray outside its homeland in an effort to reach a worldwide audience.
But for Schmid, chairman of the International Football Arena (IFA), it provided renewed focus for one of the themes that will dominate this year’s conference in Zurich on November 12-13.
Khoza to challenge Sam for Presidency of SASCOC
By Duncan Mackay
November 1 – Irvin Khoza, one of South Africa’s most influential football administrators who was chairman of the Organising Committee for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, is to challenge Gideon Sam for the position of President of the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) later this month, it has been revealed.
England’s Caulker, Lees and Wigley charged by Serbia for on-pitch brawl
By Andrew Warshaw
November 1 – Serbian authorities have now named Steven Caulker (pictured, right), Thomas Lees and assistant coach Steve Wigley as the three members of the England party charged over the mass brawl that followed the 2013 UEFA European Under-21 Championship playoff in Kruševac last month.
FIFA to announce 2013 Confederations Cup venues next week
By Andrew Warshaw
November 1 – FIFA is to confirm next week whether it will have to drop any of the six venues being slated to stage matches at next year’s Confederations Cup, the traditional World Cup dress rehearsal.