Hoeness admits guilt and expresses remorse, but prosecutor wants jail term
March 11 – Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness said he “deeply regretted” his conduct on the opening day of his high-profile trial for tax evasion.
Gold Cup 2025
Guate bang their drum on a night of passion in Los Angeles
Jamaica 0 Guatemala 1
June 16 – It has been 12 years since Guatemala have beaten Jamaica. Six days ago they lost 3-0 to the Jamaicans in World Cup 2026 qualifying. On the opening night of their Gold Cup campaign they turned the form book on its head.
English get ‘serious’ and consider ‘blanket’ football betting ban
March 11 – English football authorities are considering a blanket ban for all players and officials – including club, league and federation officials in the football business – on betting on matches after yet another Premier League player admitted breaking current rules.
Matt Scott: Want to get doshed up? Then work the agency gravy train
“Friendship is constant in all other things Save in the office and affairs of love… Let every eye negotiate for itself And trust no agent,” Claudio, Act II, Scene 1, Much Ado About Nothing
William Shakespeare seldom got much wrong about life and how we live it. His comedies, his tragedies and his histories contained some fairly implausible scenarios and embellishments at times but the enduring value of his work lies in his ability to skewer all facets of the human character.
MoneyGram signs on as CONCACAF Champions League sponsor
March 11 – As the quarter finals of the CONCACAF Champions League started last night with Costa Rica’s Alajuelense drawing 0-0 with Arabe Unido in the first leg of their tie, the confederation also announced MoneyGram as a new commercial partner.
FIFA opens up bidding for 8 of its its World Cup competitions
March 10 – FIFA has called for expressions of interest in hosting eights of its competitions including the Women’s World Club and four editions of the FIFA Club World Cup.
AFC’s Sheikh Salman backs Qatar and calls for more World Cup places
By Andrew Warshaw
March 10 – The head of the Asian Football Confederation says western criticism of Qatar as World Cup hosts is being overplayed and, in some cases, has “crossed the line.”
Prosecutors drop case against Spurs’ ‘Yid’ chanters as not ‘abusive’
March 10 – In what was viewed as a vital test case in terms of freedom of expression, charges have been dropped against three Tottenham Hotspur fans who were facing prosecution for chanting the word ‘Yid’ at matches despite almost certainly using the term in a non-derogatory way.
Makudi saga continues with CAS to rule on appeal against his presidency
By Andrew Warshaw
March 10 – FIFA executive committee member Worawi Makudi’s controversial re-election as head of Thailand’s FA (FAT) is being taken to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). Last October after months of in-fighting about election rules, Makudi defeated former national team manager Virach Chanpanich 42-28 in a secret ballot.
Hoeness trial opens as German judiciary line up against Bayern president
By Andrew Warshaw
March 10 – The tax evasion trial of Bayern Munich President Uli Hoeness gets under way today, the culmination of a scandal that has rocked German football though it has done little to affect the blistering form of the club itself on the field.
Bulgaria’s Lokomotiv fires director for political activism
By Alexander Krassimirov
March 10 – Bulgaria’s Lokomotiv Plovdiv have released their administrative director, Atanas Uzunov, accusing him of “political games”. The board of Lokomotiv claims that he used his official position to “influence the supporters of the club and they participate in political actions against the government of country.”
David Owen: Could Neymar’s Brazil play future matches at London’s Olympic Stadium?
What do the following international football matches have in common: Brazil 0 Portugal 2 on 6 February 2007; Nigeria 1 Ghana 4 the same night; and Australia 3 Canada 0 on 15 October 2013?
Right, they were all played in London.
So was an extraordinary encounter last week pitting the Socceroos, once more, against Ecuador, France’s future World Cup opponents. While Roy Hodgson’s England were labouring to beat Denmark at Wembley,
Osasu Obayiuwana: Libya’s Cup of Nations takes some believing
Charity, they say, is supposed to begin at home. Or, at least, in your continent.
But I am wondering whether it is an adage that officials of Libya’s government and the football federation have ever taken to heart.
At the recent laying of the foundation stone, at a stadium to be built in Tripoli, the country’s capital, ahead of the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations they are to host – assuming the war-torn country is peaceful enough –
Ukraine FA sets date for re-start of domestic league
By Paul Nicholson
March 7 – The on-off-on international friendly between Ukraine and the US, switched to a Cypriot venue, ended in a morale boosting 2-0 win for the Ukranians. Now the Ukraine FA has announced that its domestic league will restart on March 15.
Benfica agree fees to play Levski Sofia in centenary match
By Alexander Krassimirov
March 7 – Portuguese giants Benfica have agreed to reduce their fee to €200,000 to participate in an exhibition game against Levski Sofia to mark the Bulgarian club’s 100th anniversary.
Qatar 2022 date change ruling unlikely before March 2015
By Andrew Warshaw
March 7 – There have been more indications – this time from the clubs – that no decision on moving the 2022 Qatar World Cup from the heat of the Gulf summer will be taken until next year.