By Paul Nicholson
October 15 – The second day of the IFA conference in Zurich, October 29, has picked a topic that goes to the very heart of questioning the existence of major world championship sporting events in their current form. Titled ‘Is there a future for Mega sports events?’ a panel will discuss the demands major events put on host nations and whether the model is broken or not.
By Tom Parsons
October 15 – One week ago Andros Townsend was on the receiving end of 3-0 home defeat to West Ham. A week later, Townsend is being hailed as a national hero after his heroic performance for England against Montenegro last Friday.
By Mark Baber
October 15 – Plans by Russia’s Ministry of Economic Development to slash the costs of the construction budget for the 2018 World Cup have been criticised by the influential State Duma Chairman of the Accounts Chamber of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Katrenko, as short-sighted.
By Mark Baber
October 15 – Shortly before the first leg of their World Cup play-off against Ethiopia the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) banned former secretary general, Taiwo Ogunjobi, and the immediate past chairman of the Nigeria Premier League (NPL), Victor Rumson Baribote, for 10 and 15 years respectively from any football related activity.
By Mark Baber
October 15 – After a clash with paparazzi in Naples, Mario Balotelli has been defended by the Italian FA after journalists used the incident to spark a storm of criticism against the Milan striker.
By Alexander Krassimirov
October 15- The players of Bulgarian first division club Neftohimic Burgas have agreed to play without wages in an attempt to save the club from bankruptcy.
By Andrew Warshaw
October 15 – As the World Cup qualifying programme reaches a nail-biting climax, a row has broken out over the seeding system being used for next week’s playoff draw.
By Andrew Warshaw
October 15 – In the most damaging case of match-fixing ever to strike at the heart of central American football, FIFA has extended worldwide the lifetime bans imposed last month by the El Salvador federation on 14 of its current and past senior internationals.
“Everything was interconnected… This created a blanket that allowed him to dive without fear into the unknown and conquer the challenges that lay before him.” From Together We’re Heavy, The Polyphonic Spree
Against Georgia tonight Spain will likely confirm their qualification to the 2014 World Cup as Group I winners. It will extend the world champions’ playing record over 30 international matches to W22 D7 L1.
As football lovers recognise,
By Gareth Messenger
October 14 – Barcelona president Sandro Rosell has praised his own financial management of the club after an annual general meeting predicted record revenues.
October 14 – CONCACAF held its first International Referee Symposium over the weekend in Mexico, aimed at improving the standard of professional football referring across the region. The symposium marks another step forward for the confederation, following on from its first series of coaches courses, in its drive to improve standards through education and support throughout its federations.
By Mark Baber
October 14 – The Namibia Premier League (NPL) has agreed a new, more lucrative sponsorship deal with its long-time partner, telecoms operator MTC. The new deal will generate almost $2 million per season for the next three seasons giving a major boost to top flight football in the country.
By Andrew Warshaw
October 14 – Iraq’s bid to overturn a FIFA ban on playing home internationals has won the conditional support of their confederation as the dispute over the country being stripped of hosting the Gulf Cup escalates.
By Mark Baber
October 14 – Bayern Munich wunderkind Mario Götze has put his foot in it again, as he was snapped wearing Nike products, this time whilst on duty with the adidas-sponsored German national team.
By Andrew Warshaw
October 14 – Egypt have been instructed by FIFA to provide security guarantees following Ghana’s request to move next month’s all-important and potentially volatile World Cup playoff in Cairo to neutral territory because of safety concerns.