Match finds there’s an awful lot of hospitality in Brazil
By David Owen
June 15 – Intense interest in the 2014 World Cup has ratcheted up official hospitality sales to record levels with two years still to go before kick-off.
Germany and Portugal hit with fines for misdemeanours at Euro 2012
By Andrew Warshaw in Warsaw
June 15 – Germany and Portugal became the latest countries sanctioned by UEFA over various misdemeanours at the 2012 European Championship.
Tributes flood in as former Syrian football boss is assassinated
By Andrew Warshaw
June 14 – Tributes poured in today for former Syrian Football Association (SFA) head Marwan Arafat who was shot dead as the country’s bloody conflict claimed its first reported prominent sports official.
Workers’ rights under review by Qatar 2022
By Andrew Warshaw
June 14 – Qatar 2022 have promised to give labour rights in the Gulf state key consideration after a lengthy report suggested they were not up to international standards.
Remove Israel as Under-21 European Championship host, demands Palestine
By Andrew Warshaw in Warsaw
June 14 – Palestinian football officials have called on UEFA to strip Israel of hosting the 2013 European Under-21 Championship over Palestine national team players being detained without trial.
Russia claim punishment for Euro 2012 violence is “very harsh”
By Andrew Warshaw in Warsaw
June 13 – Russia look set to appeal against a suspended six-point deduction imposed by UEFA today because of the “improper conduct” of their supporters during their opening 2012 European Championships game against Czech Republic.
Premier League sells three-year live TV rights package for record £3 billion
By Andrew Warshaw
June 13 – The financial might of top-flight English football reached new heights today when the Premier League announced it had sold its next three-year live television broadcast package in the United Kingdom to BSkyB and BT for a staggering £3.018 billion ($4.7 billion/€3.7 billion) – a £1.254 billion ($1.95 billion/€1.55 billion) increase on the current deal.
Over 100,000 fans sign up to Manchester United debit card in Malaysia
By Emily Goddard
June 13 – More than 100,000 Manchester United supporters in Malaysia have signed up to the English Premier League outfit’s official debit card in less than two months, underlining the Red Devils’ unparalleled popularity around the globe.
Australia see 2015 Asian Cup as opportunity to strengthen trade links
By Duncan Mackay
June 13 – Australia is hoping that hosting the 2015 Asian Cup will help the country generate new business and trade opportunities across the continent, particularly in Japan.
Manchester United set to ditch Singapore to float on US stock exchange
By Duncan Mackay
June 13 – Manchester United seem set to abandon their plan to list the club on the Singapore stock exchange, preferring to do it in the Unite States instead, according to report.
Delroy Alexander: By taking Euro 2012 to Ukraine and Poland, UEFA are helping to stamp out football racism
It can be so easy to jump on a bandwagon, particularly when it comes to race relations. Once the tide of popular opinion gets rolling, why not hop on and enjoy the ride alongside the rest of the onions in the cart.
The huge uproar at the outrageous anti-semitism, blatant homophobia and openly held Nazi ideals exhibited and highlighted in the Ukraine and Poland has rightly been condemned.
In classic tabloid journalism style,
Violence overshadows Euro 2012 clash between Poland and Russia
From Andrew Warshaw
June 12 – Violent clashes between rival Polish and Russian fans led to over 100 arrests tonight in the worst outbreak of hooliganism so far at the European Championships.
Rangers condemned to liquidation after creditors’ deal is rejected
By Andrew Warshaw
June 12 – Crisis-torn Scottish giants Glasgow Rangers, one of the most iconic names in European football, seem certain to go out of business in their current guise after tax authorities rejected an offer to buy the ailing club by a consortium headed by former Sheffield United supremo Charles Green.
FIFA’s Jérôme Valcke focuses on “rising anticipation” ahead of Brazil 2014
By Andrew Warshaw
June 12 – Exactly two years before the start of the Brazil 2014 World Cup, FIFA general secretary Jérôme Valcke, back in his role as the tournament’s chief trouble-shooter, has spoken of the “rising anticipation” through South America.
UEFA launches further investigations into racism at Euro 2012
By Andrew Warshaw
June 12 – UEFA is to investigate yet more alleged instances of racist behaviour at the 2012 European Championship, this time during the group match between Spain and Italy.