Canadian Soccer explores new pro league options
By Mark Baber
February 5 – The Canadian Soccer Association has released a report that looks set to pave the way for the establishment of a second tier of professional football in Canada.
Hungary and Bulgaria lose appeals against racism penalties
By Mark Baber
February 6 – The FIFA Appeal Committee has rejected the appeals lodged by the Hungarian Football Federation and the Bulgarian Football Union against the sanctions imposed last November for racist behaviour by their fans.
Comply or die is the message as the Financial Fair Play rules start to impact Europe’s clubs
By Mark Baber
February 5 – The challenge of keeping club costs under control and within sustainable limits has been at the heart of the European Club Licensing Benchmarking Report which is now providing a measuring stick for what UEFA terms fair financial play and how the governing body will implement the rules and, most likely, enforce them.
Player wages continue upwards spiral, by 38%
By Mark Baber
February 5 – Player wages have jumped by a massive 38% over the past five years, according to the UEFA European Club Licensing Benchmarking Report, more than absorbing the increase of 24% in revenues for clubs over the period.
Rangers stalked by persistent UK tax authorities
February 5 – Rangers chief executive Charles Green (pictured) has reacted angrily to the UK tax authorities reopening its case against the club and lodging an appeal against the verdict of the First Tier Tax Tribunal that had ruled in favour of the Scottish club.
Emirates renews PSG shirt sponsorship in 5-year deal
February 5 – The Emirates airline has agreed in principle to a new 5-year shirt sponsorship deal with Paris Saint-Germain, for an undisclosed sum.
Europol investigation finds organised crime knee-deep in match-fixing across Europe
By Mark Baber
February 5 – Europol has revealed results of a major investigation across 13 European countries that has uncovered an extensive criminal network involved in widespread football match-fixing, implicating more than 425 people across 15 countries and 380 professional matches.
Gate money in decline at top-flight European clubs
By David Owen
February 5 – Top-flight European football clubs took less in gate money in 2011 than they did in 2008, according to UEFA.
Dodd to challenge Nsekera for Exco hot seat
By Mark Baber
February 4 – Australia’s Moya Dodd will challenge Lydia Nsekera (pictured) for the newly created position of women’s representative on FIFA’s Executive Committee.
Diego Maradona and the hand of the €40 million tax collector
By Mark Baber
February 4 – The saga of Diego Maradona’s tax woes in Italy has taken another turn with his solicitor, Angelo Pisani, claiming that the Argentine’s tax bill, had been cleared by the Central Tax Commission, a claim that has been dismissed by Italy’s tax collection agency, the Agenzia delle Entrate.
IFAB to discuss offside, goal-line technology, women and its own reason for being
February 4 – The International Football Association Board (IFAB) will discuss a clarification of the offside rule as well as consider a report on goal-line technology at its 127th Annual General Meeting on Saturday 2 March under the chairmanship of The Scottish FA in Edinburgh.
David Owen: Brazil are coming to Wembley. But will the World Cup really help Pelé’s country to make more out of football’s global money machine?
Here’s something to ponder in a week when Brazil are expected at Wembley for a friendly international: for more than half a century, the canary-shirted Brazil playmaker has been the embodiment of all that is best about the game that conquered the world; yet, as the sport has grown rich, the home of o jogo bonito has been reduced to a dusty outpost of the shiny multinational that is Planet Football.
UEFA puts match data contract out to bidders
February 4 – UEFA have moved to take greater commercial control of their match data with a request for proposals (RFP) for the collection of UEFA match data and the distribution rights for official match data.
Egypt’s Premier League kicks off behind closed doors
February 4 – A year and a day after Egypt’s Premier League was suspended following violence at the Port Said stadium where 74 fans died, the league restarted this weekend with two matches on Saturday and two on Sunday.
Reggae Boyz fuelled by Coke sponsorship
February 3 – Coca-Cola has come to the rescue of Jamaica’s Reggae Boys through its local distributor Wisynco, who have committed US$1.6-million to support the national team through its World Cup qualifying campaign and provide a much-needed cash injection into Jamaican football.