Fluminense looks to expand in US with a club buy
By Mark Baber
April 17 – Peter Siemsen, president of Brazil’s Fluminense Football Club, said the Brazilian champions are looking to buy a team in the US.
Italian clubs want increased competition for their reserve teams
April 17 – In order to develop more young talent, Serie A clubs in Italy want their reserve teams to be allowed to play in the country’s lower leagues.
Osasu Obayiuwana: Nigerian football? It’s a mad, mad world…
As just one of two men in the 56-year history of the Africa Cup of Nations to win the trophy as a player and a manager – the late Egyptian legend Mahmoud El-Gohary being the other – you would assume Nigeria’s Stephen Keshi has earned some well-deserved job security.
But, as mind-boggling as it may sound, the man who managed the Super Eagles to the trophy in Johannesburg might be forced, by a series of bizarre circumstances,
NBC stakes its claim for the US football TV market
By Tom Parsons
April 17 – NBC sports group will air all 380 Barclays Premier League games during the 2013/14 season live on its networks. The US broadcaster will present the games across their platforms as well as streaming them live via NBC’s Sport live extra service on desktop, mobile and tablets.
Polish club crisis sees latest casualty Lodz dropped two divisions
By Krzysztof Baranowski
17 April – LKS Lodz, one of Poland’s oldest league clubs with a proud 105-year tradition, has declared itself bankrupt and unable to pay money owed to former players and coaches.
Women call for inclusion in FIFA 14 virtual world
By Mark Baber
April 16 – As EA Sports prepares to unveil its plans for the launch of FIFA 14, evidence suggests Brazilian 2nd division sides will be included in the new game, speculation has renewed over when women will be included.
Qatar and Germany to strengthen ties in World Cup build up
By Mark Baber
April 16 – Angela Merkel yesterday urged Qatar to ensure transparency and reliability in the bidding for World Cup 2022 projects.
Trinidad woe for Warner over missing football cash claims
By Andrew Warshaw
April 16 – Former FIFA vice-president Jack Warner has described himself as “incorruptible” following explosive new revelations about alleged serious financial foul play.
AFC frontrunner Salman accused of vote buying and human rights abuses
By Paul Nicholson and Mark Baber
April 16 – The leading candidate for the presidency of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), Sheikh Salman Bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, has been implicated in a series of human rights abuses in his home country of Bahrain where he is a member of the ruling Royal family. Insideworldfootball has also been provided with information allegedly linking him to a vote buying scandal orchestrated by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) in 2009 when he ran for AFC election to the FIFA executive committee against Mohamed Bin Hammam.
Exclusive: Al Medlej says he may be the last man standing, unless he stands down himself
By John Duerden
April 16 – Hafez Al Medlej may be the forgotten candidate for the upcoming Asian Football Confederation presidential election but the Saudi appears to believe he could end up becoming the sole contender from West Asia at the May 2 ballot.
SPL dissenters kill Scottish league reform despite majority in favour
By Andrew Warshaw, chief correspondent
April 16 – Scottish football was plunged into total disarray when Premier League clubs failed to reach a consensus on a groundbreaking deal designed to restructure and re-invigorate the game, prompting widespread anger and in-fighting.
Jean Francois Tanda: Brothers in Arms
While FIFA is trying to reform its own organisation, the Swiss government is considering changing the laws – changes that will impact on the (about) 60 international sports organisations that are headquartered in Switzerland. However, the non-governmental sports multinationals don’t have to fear too many new rules and laws as the Swiss administration is working closely with the Basel Institute on Governance – the University institute headed by Professor Mark Pieth, FIFA’s chief reformer. This actually means that FIFA has a direct influence on the decision as to whether Switzerland’s lawmakers will eventually put change into place.
Pitch invasion set to condemn stricken AEK to lower league life
By Andrew Warshaw
April 15 – The political instability in Greece has now been matched by football unrest after AEK Athens players were chased off the pitch by their fans, causing the abandonment of their top-division fixture at the weekend.
Eckert takes more time to consider Garcia’s ISL findings
By Andrew Warshaw
April 15 – The deadline for the eagerly awaited judgement into the long-running ISL saga was extended yet again today with no explanation from FIFA other than more time was needed by its ethics judge Hans-Joachim Eckert.