UEFA announces criteria for Euro 2020 hosting
By Mark Baber
January 25 – UEFA President has Michel Platini announced the key bidding criteria for hosting of the Euro 2020 final tournament – to be staged in 13 cities across the continent.
Death sentence ruled for 21 Egyptian football rioters in the Port Said Stadium disaster
January 26 – An Egyptian court has sentenced to death 21 people found guilty of involvement in the Port Said soccer stadium disaster in which 74 people died last year. All those sentenced to death are supporters of the Al Masry club.
UEFA set to limit Euro 2020 cities to those served by two airports
By Mark Baber
January 25 – UEFA is likely to declare cities bidding to host matches in the pan-European Euro 2020 must be served by two airports to prevent travel problems.
UEFA members counter FIFA reform proposals
By Andrew Warshaw, Chief Correspondent, with extra reporting by Mark Baber
January 25 – European football’s 53-nation membership have responded to FIFA president Sepp Blatter’s proposals for cleaning up the game and have come up with a series of counter suggestions in a declaration following their meetings in Nyon.
BSkyB maintains its broadcast grip on the Premier League
By Mark Baber
January 25 – BSkyB has renewed its UK Long-Form Linear broadcast rights for all Barclays Premier League matches not broadcast live (226 per season) for seasons 2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015/16.
Murdoch papers fight back with video clip rights to Premier League
By Mark Baber
January 25 – News International has taken a big and deeper step into multi-media content with the acquisition of Near-Live clip rights for all 380 Barclays Premier League matches a season for seasons 2013-14, 2014-2015 and 2015-16.
Garcia to report his ISL findings in March
By Andrew Warshaw, Chief Correspondent
January 25 – After years of doubt and suspicion, FIFA’s top corruption buster, ethics committee prosecutor and joint chairman Michael Garcia, is set to submit his eagerly awaited report into the infamous ISL scandal in March.
Blatter calls on federations to get tough
By Andrew Warshaw, Chief Correspondent
January 25 – FIFA president Sepp Blatter has reiterated his stance that racist abuse should be punished by points deductions – and even relegation.
David Owen: What does the Money League really tell us?
The recently released edition of the Deloitte Football Money League raises a few points that are worth taking a harder look at.
The first is about the slipperiness of statistics.
While in euro terms, year-on-year revenue growth among Europe’s 20 highest-earning football clubs is an impressive 10%, a very different picture – of stagnation, basically – emerges if the reference currency is sterling.
Valencia’s fate in the hands of bankers as city takes control
By Mark Baker
January 24 – La Liga club Valencia CF has lurched into deeper and more dangerous financial waters as control of the club has passed over to the local city government following failure to repay a loan and further failed negotiations on the interest payments required to extend the loan.
Lebanon to bid for 2019 Asian Cup
By Mark Baber
January 24 – The Lebanese Football Federation is to enter the bidding for the 2019 Asian Cup.
Real Madrid hit revenue landmark, but even Euro elite cannot shrug off recession
By David Owen
January 24 – Real Madrid has achieved a new landmark by becoming the first club in any sport to generate more than €500 million of revenue in a single year, according to the latest edition of the Football Money League compiled by Deloitte, the business advisory firm.
Brazil will offer a material and spiritual welcome to world football, says Rebelo
By Andrew Warshaw
January 24 – As the 500-day countdown approaches for the 2014 World Cup, Brazilian sports minister Aldo Rebelo (pictured) has promised the country will deliver a tournament to be proud of despite persistent concerns over security, travel and infrastucture.
Bundesliga packs the fans in to lead European attendances
By Andrew Warshaw, Chief Correspondent
January 24 – The English Premier League may boast of attracting more fans worldwide than any of its rivals and having the fattest television deals but German officials are flagging up the fact that the Bundesliga still attracts the highest average attendance of any domestic league in terms of supporters through the turnstiles.
Gold Cup 2013 stadiums in the US named
By Andrew Warshaw
January 24 – The Gold Cup, Concacaf’s most prestigious national team tournament, has embarked on a major expansion programme with 13 venues selected – eight of them new – for this year’s event which will take place from July 7-28.