By Paul Nicholson
May 8 – FIFA and EA SPORTS have extended their existing licensing agreement until December 31, 2022. EA SPORTS has exclusive rights to release FIFA-branded action and management videogames as well as the official FIFA World Cup videogame.
By Andrew Warshaw, chief correspondent
May 8 – There are great managers – and then there is Sir Alex Ferguson. The Manchester United boss, known by most simply as Fergie, may have at times infuriated non-United fans but the fact that every television and radio broadcast in England led with the announcement of his retirement today said everything about the end of an era and his place in the annals of all-time legends.
May 8 – Never mind if the Maracana will be open on time, it looks like the fans will be turning up whether it is ready or not. FIFA reports that tickets for the Confederation Cup are selling well with 71.2% of the total inventory for the tournament now sold.
May 8 – Sports rights agency Kentaro, is being sued by football investment fund Global Eleven, over failing to return profits from matches played by world champions Brazil.
By Mark Baber
May 8 – Brazilian clubs, fighting proposals to ban third party ownership of players, face a new threat from their own government which is proposing to ban the controversial practice.
By Mark Baber
May 8 – The likelihood of India hosting the 2017 Under-17 World Cup received a boost as the All India Football Federation’s (AIFF) bid received the support of the Indian Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) as well as of FIFA’s vice-president Prince Ali Bin Al-Hussein (pictured).
By Monica Villar
May 8 – The newly-elected president of the LFP, Javier Tebas has spoken out about recent accusations of match-fixing in the Levante vs Deportivo match, but has said that the allegations are not aimed at the club directly.
By Andrew Warshaw
May 8 – Brazil’s iconic Maracana is once again facing problems after a warm-up event at the revamped venue was cancelled.
By Andrew Warshaw
May 8 – Manchester United have confirmed rumours that Sir Alex Ferguson, the most successful club manager in the history of world football, will retire after more than 26 years.
By Andrew Warshaw
May 8 – The cloud of doom that has hung over Scottish football all year has finally been lifted with an agreement to restructure the leagues, hopefully in time for next season. Under the deal there would be single merged governing body to oversee the domestic professional game, with improved financial redistribution.
By Mark Baber
May 7 – The German Football Federation (DFB) and the German Football League (DFL) have extended the basic treaty regulating their relationship until 30 June 2017.
By Mark Baber
May 7 – The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) general assembly accepted Iran’s Football Federation’s (IFF) request to lift a ban on development projects for Iranian football teams.
By Andrew Warshaw
May 7 – After a difficult week at the Asian Football Confederation Congress in Kuala Lumpur, when its most prominent voice, Hassan Al-Thawadi, lost the chance to bag a place on FIFA’s executive committee, some good news at last for Qatar’s 2022 World Cup campaign.
By Andrew Warshaw
May 7 – For the second time in a few weeks, the Belgian lawyer who helped change the face of European football has warned that UEFA’s Financial Fair Play system may not stand up in court if challenged.
By Andrew Warshaw
May 7 – Special observers could attend matches in future with the specific task of weeding out the racists under strict proposals put forward by FIFA’s new anti-discrimination Task Force.