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
Gazprom line up €132m Red Star Belgrade buy
By Paul Nicholson
September 2 – Russia’s Gazprom is reported to be the most likely buyer of Serbian club Crvena Zvezda FC (Red Star Belgrade). Gazprom is owner of Zenit St Petersburg (acquired in 2005) and a major sponsor of the UEFA Champions League.
John Yan: Guangzhou, Liujian and CFA in limbo 青岛中能，足协无能
Bottles were flying on the pitch side, and Guangzhou Evergrande & Taobao FC were losing their grip on the Asian Champions League Trophy bit by bit. The quarter final of ACL between the trophy holders and the Australian club, West Sydney Wanderers, played August 27, was a spirit sapping match.
Ludogorets to host Real and Liverpool in CL in Sofia
By Alexander Krassimirov
September 1 – Bulgarian champions Ludogorets Razgrad will play its home games in the Champions League at the National Stadium Vasil Levski in Sofia, according to a club announcement.
Nigerian football stares into the abyss of no matches and further suspension
By Mark Baber
September 1 – Following the farcical events of last week, FIFA have rejected the controversial ‘election’ of Chris Giwa (pictured) as the new president of the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) and warned that Nigeria could be banned by Tuesday if he does not vacate the post by midnight tonight.
Transfer window closes with flurry of loan deals, now time to count the cost
September 1 – Despite frenetic transfer activity in the final few hours of the summer window, the fact that many of the major deals are loans reflects UEFA’s financial fair play rules which Michel Platini says are having the desired effect.
UEFA to re-rank seedings for future draws to keep top clubs apart
By Andrew Warshaw
September 1 – UEFA look set to change the format for seeding clubs in the Champions League to avoid the totally unsatisfactory situation of domestic champions being ranked lower than other clubs from the same country.
Rojo’s Man Utd deal stalled as criminal case and TPO create perfect storm
By Andrew Warshaw
September 1 – The complications of a criminal case back home plus a thorny example of the pitfalls that come with third-party ownership (TPO) appear to have combined to hold up Manchester United’s £16 million purchase of Argentine World Cup star Marcos Rojo.
UEFA fine Linfield for breaking ‘standing’ rules
September 1 – Northern Ireland Premiership club Linfield have been fined €15,000 for breaching UEFA rules over standing areas. The punishment relates to the Belfast side’s home game against Swedes AIK Solna in the Europa League on July 17.
Fluminense and Sporting KC sign for player trading and youth partnership
September 1 – MLS’ Sporting KC has announced a formal partnership with Brazil’s Fluminense FC. The two clubs will share philosophies, marketing strategies, business practices, and players too.
David Owen: Questionmarks over FIFA’s representation in world sport’s most powerful club
So FIFA President Sepp Blatter is a step nearer securing a fifth term as boss of world football, following this week’s announcement by his UEFA counterpart Michel Platini, probably his most credible potential challenger, that he would not stand against him in next year’s election. That means that world football’s governing body may be a step nearer possibly losing its direct, active representation in world sport’s most powerful club – the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
IMG pick up international TV rights to 2015 Gold Cup and Women’s Championship
August 31 – IMG has picked up international TV sales distribution rights to a package of CONCACAF championships in 2015, including the Gold Cup and the Champions’ League. The deal will see IMG sell the rights in all territories outside of the CONCACAF region.
Bidding for African Cup of Nations 2017 hots up
By Mark Baber
August 29 – Following last week’s admission by Libya that is would be impossible for them to host the Africa Cup of Nations in 2017, a surprising number of countries have expressed interest in hosting the tournament, with bids due to be submitted by the end of September.
Andrew Warshaw: Was the pretender to the throne only ever pretending?
Two months ago, when UEFA president Michel Platini was still weighing up whether to run for the top job in world football, it became abundantly clear in the build-up to the FIFA Congress in Sao Paulo that Europe was massively outnumbered in its opposition to a fifth term for Sepp Blatter.
So why did Platini not declare there and then that it was too risky to take on the wily old Swiss? It’s a fair question and one Platini was asked about when he finally announced,
Matt Scott: Blessed are the weak as enfeebled United now look to inherit the earth
“Hail, thou that art highly favoured… blessed art thou.” Archangel Gabriel to Mary; Luke 1:28
It has been a purgatorial 12 months or so for Manchester United. So if you are a supporter of theirs it must be tempting to look to a man named Angel Di María as some sort of celestial deliverer for your club. Sure, one Angel does not make a host but it should not be too hard for a £59.7 million player of his quality to make an impact.
Platini wants more UEFA spots at World Cup, not less
By Andrew Warshaw in Monaco
August 29 – UEFA president Michel Platini says he will not allow Africa or Asia to take a World Cup place away from Europe as long as he is in charge of European football.