FIFA and Russia 2018 delegation checks out Yekaterinburg’s credentials
By David Gold
May 16 – The FIFA and Russia 2018 delegation touring potential Host Cities for the World Cup in six years’ time has paid its latest visit to Yekaterinburg.
UEFA remains tight-lipped on Euro 2020 bidders and opens up competition to all member nations
By Andrew Warshaw
May 16 – UEFA, European football’s governing body has bizarrely refused to identify those countries who have expressed an interest in hosting the 2020 European Championship.
Fenerbahçe fans rampage after losing out on Turkish league crown
By David Gold
May 16 – Angry Fenerbahçe fans were involved with clashes with police following their crucial title decider with champions Galatasaray on the last day of the Turkish season.
Goal-line technology could be introduced mid-next season, says Premier League chief
By Andrew Warshaw
May 16 – Goal-line technology could be used in the Premier League halfway through next season if approved on July 2, according to Richard Scudamore, England’s top flight chief executive.
Disgruntled Coleman expects “three or four” Welshman to represent Team GB at Olympics
By David Gold
May 16 – Wales manager Chris Coleman has revealed that he has an idea which of his players will be selected in the Team GB squad for London 2012 by coach Stuart Pearce.
Referees handed greater powers to crack down on racial abuse at Euro 2012
From Andrew Warshaw at Westminster in London
May 15 – Referees at the 2012 European Championship will, for the first time, be given the green light to sanction players for racial abuse, following the publication of new UEFA guidelines.
Celtic trio submit formal Euro 2020 bid
By Andrew Warshaw
May 15 – Scotland, Wales and the Republic of Ireland have formally informed UEFA they would like to jointly bid for the 2020 European Championship – as revealed exclusively by insideworldfootball.
Emmanuel Hembert: Will Champions League final reflect increasing dominance of German Bundesliga within European game?
Two European football giants, Bayern Munich (pictured below) and Chelsea (pictured bottom), will meet for the UEFA Champions League final this Saturday evening (May 19) in Munich. The match, pitting two of the biggest football nations, brings to the fore the power struggle we have seen between Germany’s Bundesliga and England’s Premier League, and between two economic powerhouses.
Back in 2009, we identified the Bundesliga as the main challenger to overtake the Premier League as the dominating force in European football.
Brazil plans ‘green’ World Cup as Maracanã Stadium embraces solar power
By David Gold
May 15 – Brazil’s iconic Maracanã is to be powered by solar energy through a partnership with World Cup sponsor Yingli Solar, who will place 1,500 photovoltaic solar modules at the top of the stadium.
Spanish star striker Raúl makes move to Qatar
By David Gold
May 15 – Qatari side Al Sadd have clinched the signing of Spain’s former international star Raúl on a reported one-year contract.
Exclusive: Scotland and Wales primed to unveil late joint bid for Euro 2020
By Andrew Warshaw
May 14 – Scotland and Wales are considering launching a joint bid to stage the UEFA European Championship 2020, going head-to-head with Turkey, insideworldfootball has learned.
The German decade – will it start on Saturday?
By David Owen
May 14 – Could this be the start of the German decade – a period of increasing dominance over European football by the Bundesliga?
Belo Horizonte appoints Mike Lee firm ahead of Brazil 2014
By Andrew Warshaw
May 14 – Belo Horizonte, the south-eastern Brazilian city scheduled to stage six matches at the 2014 World Cup, have appointed MLA True Communications, sister company of Vero Communications, to support its international promotions campaign in the build-up to the tournament.
Exclusive: London 2012 will put women’s football on the map, insists Briton Kelly Smith
By Andrew Warshaw
May 14 – Kelly Smith, Great Britain’s all-time record goalscorer, says London 2012 should help finally shake off the country’s macho male image and put women’s football firmly on the map.
Former Sheffield United chief Charles Green saves Rangers from extinction
By Andrew Warshaw
May 14 – Crisis-torn Scottish giants Glasgow Rangers look to have finally been saved from potentially going out of business after a deal to take over the iconic club was struck between the administrators and an international consortium headed by Charles Green, former chief executive of Sheffield United.