Inside World Football - Page 1760 of 2235 - For the Business of Football

Eight Indian Super League franchises to be announced Sunday

AIFF headquarters

By Mark Baber
April 11 – The ongoing saga of the much-hyped Indian Super League (ISL) begins a new chapter on Sunday as the eight franchises for the new tournament will be unveiled. The organisers including IMG-Reliance, marketing partners of the All India Football Federation (AIFF), are seeking to revolutionise football’s fortunes in the cricket-mad country, whilst the existing Indian clubs are looking on in trepidation, with calls for FIFA to intervene.

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Bulgarians reach deal for new €40m national stadium

new stadia bg

By Alexander Krassimirov
April 11 – The Bulgarian Football Union, Bulgarian club Slavia and German investment company IFS have signed a preliminary agreement to build a new national stadium in Sofia. The deal between the three parties was finalised this week.

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English football to pay 7-minute tribute to mark 25 years since Hillsborough 96 deaths

Hillsborough Justice

April 11 – Every senior fixture in England across all four professional divisions will kick off seven minutes later than normal this weekend as football marks the 25th anniversary of the Hillsborough stadium disaster in Sheffield, when 96 Liverpool fans lost their lives at the club’s FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest.

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Sorbonne-ICSS match-fixing report to be released in May

By Andrew Warshaw
April 11 – The most comprehensive revelations to date into the scale and scope of match-fixing and betting fraud will be unveiled next month. The in-depth assessment is a partnership between the Qatar-based International Centre for Sport Security and the Sorbonne in Paris, with the goal being to influence governments in the fight against corruption in sport.

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Hunt for AFC seats on FIFA exco begins with Kohzo declaring candidacy

Tashima Kohzo

By Andrew Warshaw
April 11 – A fresh development has emerged in the race for political power within Asian football with the news that Japan’s Tashima Kohzo, Vice President and Executive General Secretary of the Japanese FA, has officially announced he is to seek a seat on the FIFA Executive Committee at regional elections next year.

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Turkish legend Hakan Sukur has name stripped from Istanbul stadium

hakan sukur stadia

By Alexander Krassimirov
April 11 – Hakan Sukur’s nameplate in the Istanbul stadium named after him – Sancaktepe Hakan Sukur Stadium – has been removed by municipal workers after he resigned from Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).

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Bullish ad spend report points to happy times ahead for football

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April 11 – Football will be one of the main beneficiaries from a global growth in advertising rates, and commercial television will be the most dominant medium within that growth. For football’s rights holders that is good news as ad-driven TV stations will be able to afford premium rights, and sponsorship values will continue to grow as mass market audiences are delivered.

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Kosovo adds two more friendlies despite Serbian opposition

Kosovan fans

By Andrew Warshaw
April 10 – Despite continuing consternation by Serbia, Kosovo has broken yet new ground by arranging two more friendlies as it takes advantage of its new found status approved by FIFA.

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Academics launch study into green and ‘active’ legacy initiatives for Qatar 2022

Qatar 2022

April 10 – Stenden University Qatar (SUQ) is teaming up with Edinburgh Napier University for a two-year project titled ‘Leveraging the 2022 Qatar World Football Cup for the promotion of green and active living: A multiple stakeholder evaluation of strategic options’.

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Rome’s Stadio Olimpico beats Milan as Italy’s candidate for Euro 2020

Stadio Olimpico

By Mark Baber
April 10 – The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) is putting forward Rome’s Stadio Olimpico as Italy’s candidate for Euro 2020. As the European football championship marks its 60th anniversary with a tournament to be hosted in 13 cities of the continent Italy will be bidding for a standard package only.

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Allam to appeal name change and readies for big cat fight

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By Andrew Warshaw
April 10- The symbolic Hull City name change saga that has generated interest way beyond English shores has taken yet another turn — just days before one of the biggest games in the club’s history.

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English act to save betting face with players and officials ban

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April 10- English football authorities are seeking a blanket ban on all gambling on matches by top-level players and officials following a string of embarrassing betting-related incidents.

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The $1m swindle – Antiguan FA begs, borrows and gets into trouble

Antigua Commercial Bank

By Paul Nicholson
April 10 – It has emerged that the Paynters St Georges football ground that is home to the Antigua and Barbuda Football Association (ABFA) has been mortgaged for EC$3 million ($1.1 million) at the Antigua Commercial Bank, where ABFA general secretary and Caribbean Football Union (CFU) president Gordon Derrick is vice chairman.

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UNICEF take $2m Barca cash and pass off child welfare issues to ‘stakeholders’

Unicef and Barcelona

By Matt Scott
April 10 – UNICEF seems satisfied with Barcelona’s child-welfare practices despite the 12-month transfer ban the four-times European Cup winners received last week.

Matt Scott

Matt Scott: What should football care of the child stars who fade?

“Then cherish pity, lest you drive an angel from your door.”  William Blake

When Barcelona received a two-window transfer ban for their trade in minors last week, the reaction among the internet wits was predictable. “Must be horrible,” was the gist of it, “a life at Barça earning millions to play football. Wish I was suffering like them.”

But that kind of commentary misses the target as spectacularly as when Lionel Messi hit the bar from the penalty spot against Chelsea in the Champions League a couple of years ago.