Inside World Football - Page 1884 of 2235 - For the Business of Football

Osasu Obayiuwana: Is ‘reform’ forgotten in Africa?

As the fraternity’s mandarins descend upon the picturesque Island of Mauritius, for the supposedly decisive FIFA congress, where ‘reform’ and ‘improving the quality of governance’ are the catch-phrases of choice, it is poignant to remember – for those who are conveniently beginning to forget – that the scandal over the award of World Cup hosting rights, for the 2018 and 2022 tournaments, played a key role in igniting the ‘change’ process in the first place.

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Platini casts doubt over reform proposals ahead of FIFA congress

Michel Platini2

By Andrew Warshaw, chief correspondent
May 24 – Playing politics in immaculate style, UEFA president Michel Platini gave a veiled hint for the first time today that his 53 members may not support FIFA’s reform process for cleaning up the game, due to reach its climax in Mauritius next week after two years of rhetoric and table thumping.

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Gibraltar gets in, Europa League winners get CL entry, Gill gets exco seat

uefa flag

By Andrew Warshaw
May 24 – Gibraltar officially became the 54th member of UEFA today when delegates voted at their annual congress to give the tiny British colony full membership – with the Euro 2016 qualifying competition expected to be its first major tournament.

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UEFA Congress: Platini escalates war on match-fixers and organised crime

Michel platini 3

By Andrew Warshaw, chief correspondent
May 24 – UEFA president Michel Platini today stepped up his campaign to counter match-fixing by calling once again on governments and politicians to help tackle what he believes is the biggest crisis facing football.

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Lebara Mobile’s new Borussia Dortmund sponsorship targets Germany’s migrants

Lebara and Dortumd sponsorship

May 24 – Borussia Dortmund has signed a one-year sponsorship deal with Lebara Mobile, a leading provider of mobile phone service to destinations outside Germany, in a deal put together by marketing agency Sportfive.

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UEFA pick Berlin’s Olympiastadion for 2015 Champions League Final

Olympiastadion Berlin

By Mark Baber
May 24 – The 2015 Champions League Final will be held in Berlin’s Olympiastadion, the UEFA Executive Committee decided on Thursday at its meeting in London. Warsaw’s National Stadium won the honour of hosting the Europa League Final 2015.

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Mauritius Congress warm-up will see a Goal project initiated and HQ renamed

Mauritius FA HQ

May 24 – Mauritius, host to next week’s gathering of the world’s football federations for the 63rd FIFA Congress, will kick proceedings off with the opening of a new facility and the renaming of an older one.

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Manchester United refinances debt to cut interest by £10m a year

old trafford

By Paul Nicholson
May 24 – Manchester United will cut their interest payments by £10 million a year under a new loan secured with the Bank of America at lower interest rates.

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On-the-run Dan Tan and 44 Hungarians indicted on match-fixing charges

Dan Tan

By Andrew Warshaw
May 24 – Dan Tan, the elusive and notorious Singaporean who is on almost every list of wanted match-fixers, has been charged over an international conspiracy stretching back four years, along with 44 Hungarians.

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UEFA Congress preview: Bridges built, issues grasped, politics in the front seat

uefa flag

By Andrew Warshaw, chief correspondent
May 23 – David Gill, who recently stepped down as Manchester United’s chief executive, looks certain to become English football’s most influential voice in Europe when he is elected to the executive committee of UEFA on Friday.

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UEFA takes the gloves off in the fight against racism and doping

Gianni Infantino 2

By Andrew Warshaw, chief correspondent
May 23 – UEFA’s unprecedented crackdown on racism – involving 10-match bans and stadium closures – will kick in on June 1, while blood tests are to be routinely conducted across all UEFA competitions from next season.

Mihir Bose

Mihir Bose: It would be wrong to say there are no German lessons for English football

In the next few days we shall hear much about how the all German Champions League Final on Saturday is a game changer. True, the way Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund destroyed Real Madrid and Barcelona suggested a dramatic shift in power from Spain to Germany. But such conclusions, while both common and tempting immediately after the whistle has blown, rarely stand up to more considered scrutiny.

If a couple of matches can produce such dramatic football changes then why did the Manchester United-Chelsea final in Moscow in 2008 not leave an imprint on the game?

Lee Wellings

Lee Wellings: It’s up to you – New York New York…

‘New York , New York so good they named it twice’.

I’m pretty sure singer-songwriter Gerard Kenny wasn’t referring to soccer when he delivered this hit record in 1978, but suddenly the game will be all over the city.

New York WILL be named twice in the MLS have when the New York City FC franchise join the Red Bulls in 2015. The Red Bulls actually play in New Jersey but remember also the famous old New York Cosmos are about to re-emerge in the second tier of American football……

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Vietnam Football Federation postpones congress over voting scandal

By Mark Baber
May 23 – The Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) has this morning decided to postpone its 7th VFF Congress scheduled for June 5, with a new date to be set at a meeting of the Executive Board on June 11.

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Greek Super League halved as eight clubs are refused licences, including Panathinaikos

Greek Super League 2

By Mark Baber
May 23 – The Greek Football Federation has decided not to issue licenses to eight clubs including AEK Athens, Aris Thessaloniki, Panathinaikos, PAS Giannina, OFI, Kerkyra, Panionios and Panthrakikos. The decision was taken yesterday after a two day meeting examining the records of the Greek Super League.