Malta’s Sammut has 10-year match-fixing ban made global
July 30 – Kevin Sammut, one of the most influential players in Malta’s fledglng footballing history, has had his 10-year ban for match-fixing extended globally by FIFA.
Gold Cup 2025
Mexico and Costa Rica top the Las Vegas bill with a fitting Group A finale
Mexico 0 Costa Rica 0
June 22 – Mexico and Costa Rica drew a blank in an enthralling no holds barred encounter at the Allegiant in Las Vegas in front of 35,000 fans.
Beckham’s Miami dream goes cold as Vegas bid hots up
By Ben Nicholson
July 30 – ESPN’s pundit Alexi Lalas, ex-US national team player, spilled MLS commissioner Dan Garber’s beans over Miami Beckham United. Lalas shared a conversation he had with Garber, in which Garber said, “MLS will not expand to Miami unless we have a downtown site for the stadium.”
City partner WSFF to open channels to more female participation
July 29 – Manchester City Women’s Football Club (MCWFC) have partnered with Women’s Sport and Fitness Foundation (WSFF) to launch a scheme aimed at getting more women and girls involved in sport.
Borussia Dortmund seeks new cash to boost Bayern challenge
By Mark Baber
July 29 – Borussia Dortmund (BVB), main challengers to Bayern Munich in the German Bundesliga, are looking to take on another two major investors as strategic partners to sharpen their challenge to the Bavarian dominance.
Russia dismisses Western politicians and advances its 2018 preparations
By Paul Nicholson
July 29 – With Russia and its 2018 World Cup hosting having become a focus of political comment in the West, in the East the Russians have remained focused on their task of delivering 2018. In recent days new stadia have been started and the debate over whether the number of host cities has intensified with sports minister Vitaly Mutko (pictured) currently on the road visiting the cities under threat.
Wheels fall off Tanzanian football finances as bus put on auction block
July 29 – The Tanzanian Football Federation (TFF) risks losing the 200,000 shilling (£70,000) national team bus it received last year after the bus was attached by the Tanzanian High Court for failure to satisfy a court decree for payment of a debt of 159 shillings (£56,500) to Punchlines Tanzania Limited.
Indian Super League start pushed into October, Pires signs as marquee player
By Mark Baber
July 29 – The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has granted the Indian Super League (ISL) permission to delay the start of the competition for a third time, whilst the signing of the 40-year old Robert Pires generates more enthusiasm.
Inside Insight: Semantic gymnastics at their best
The thing with politicians is that it is in their nature to be opportunistic. When their popularity drops, their preparedness to talk out of their backside increases. Quite a simple equation, really.
Then there is that other phenomenon, best characterised by bandwagon-jumping. Once an issue appears to be safe to populate with general outcries of self-righteous babble, myriads of morons join the party and jump up and down like five-year-olds who have discovered the trampoline.
US college coaches call for radical overhaul of NCAA season
By Ben Nicholson
July 29 – The noise is increasing for change in the USA’s college soccer system from a three-month stint to a year-long calendar season. The proposal recommends splitting the season between the fall and spring semesters. The proposal is for a 25-game season with conference championships being played in May, and the NCAA College Cup happening in June.
Too old, too white and too male, says FA chief Dyke
July 28 – English FA chairman Greg Dyke, speaking via video message to members of the Football Supporters Federation and Supporters Direct via video message at their annual Supporters Summit, described his own organisation as being too old, too male and too white and that it was time for change.
Italian FA presidential candidate slips on skin of ‘banana eater’ comment
July 28 – FIFA has asked the Italian FA (FIGC) to investigate comments made by Italian Football Federation vice-President Carlo Tavecchio (pictured) described African players as “banana-eaters”.
Transfer reform talks underway with fees top of agenda
By Mark Baber
July 28 – FIFPro the international player union, has revealed talks are now taking place to achieve regulation of transfer prices. Pricing is a key issue within the reform of a transfer system that FIFPro believes is long overdue.
Fortuna expands east with Slavia Prague sponsorship
By Jaroslaw Adamowski
July 28 – Czech club Slavia Prague has secured betting operator Fortuna as its new shirt sponsor in a three-year deal.
Brit politico puts boot into Russia 2018, but FIFA maintains line
By Paul Nicholson
July 25 – The first leading British politician to call for Russia to be stripped of the hosting rights to the 2018 World Cup, following the downing of the Malaysian airliner in the Ukraine, was made by deputy prime minister Nick Clegg (pictured) yesterday and, perhaps not surprisingly, it was in an interview with Rupert Murdoch’s Sunday Times newspaper.
Levski sign new lead sponsor in record short-term deal
By Alexander Krassimirov
July 28 – Bulgarian Lev Ins AD Insurance Company is the new lead sponsor of top tier club Levski Sofia. The contract between the two parties was signed on Friday, but the curious thing is that it is for just six months – until the end of the calendar year.