UN urge FIFA to scrap hijab ban to “challenge gender stereotypes”
By Andrew Warshaw
March 1 – FIFA is being urged by the United Nations (UN) to overturn the ban on women footballers wearing the hijab, the Islamic headscarf, during matches.
Gold Cup 2025
Guate bang their drum on a night of passion in Los Angeles
Jamaica 0 Guatemala 1
June 16 – It has been 12 years since Guatemala have beaten Jamaica. Six days ago they lost 3-0 to the Jamaicans in World Cup 2026 qualifying. On the opening night of their Gold Cup campaign they turned the form book on its head.
Gold Coast United axed from Australia’s A-League as war of words continues
By David Gold
March 1 – The Football Federation Australia (FFA) has told Clive Palmer that his license to play his Gold Coast United team in the A-League will be terminated at the end of the season, though they will allow the club to finish the current campaign.
Ricardo Teixeira to remain boss of Brazilian football
By Andrew Warshaw
March 1 – After weeks of rumour and counter-rumour about whether he was losing his power base, Ricardo Teixeira (pictured) has managed to hang on to his post as boss of Brazilian football.
Pub landlady Karen Murphy wins High Court ruling over showing of live Premiership matches
By Andrew Warshaw
February 29 – An English pub landlady has won the latest stage in her fight with the Premier League over using a foreign decoder to show live top-flight games.
FFA chief Lowy slams Gold Coast owner’s comments as illogical, confusing and damaging
By David Gold
February 29 – Australian football chief Frank Lowy (pictured) has responded firmly to outspoken criticism of the A-League from Gold Coast United owner Clive Palmer.
UEFA President Platini to miss crucial IFAB session
By Andrew Warshaw
February 29 – UEFA President Michel Platini (pictured) is set to miss this Saturday’s (March 3) crucial meeting of football’s lawmakers for personal reasons.
Brazil 2014 World Cup law still not given official go-ahead
By Andrew Warshaw
February 29 – The sale of alcohol at the 2014 World Cup remains a major sticking point after Brazilian officials failed to make a definitive ruling on the issue.
Exclusive: We’ll try to avoid making teams travel across Russia, says 2018 World Cup chief
By David Gold
February 29 – Alexey Sorokin (pictured), the chief executive of Russia 2018, has told insideworldfootball that he would prefer to avoid having teams flying long distances during the group stage of the competition.
David Owen: Why football may play a part in the Scottish independence debate
On February 29 at the bijou Bonifika Stadium in Koper, Scotland take on Slovenia in one of those rather pointless friendly internationals.
The match takes place with Scottish independence high on the UK news agenda and a referendum expected in 2014.
You might think the fortunes of the Tartan Army have little if anything to do with the complexities of Scotland’s constitutional arrangements with the rest of the United Kingdom.
FIFA maintain moral high ground in war of words with ECA
By Andrew Warshaw
February 28 – The tit-for-tat war of words between Europe’s clubs and FIFA was stepped up today when football’s world governing body reacted with surprise at suggestions that relations between the two parties had irretrievably broken down.
Agents gain €400 million from the Big Five each year, reveals new survey
By Andrew Warshaw
February 28 – Football agents cream off a remarkable €400 million (£340 million/$540 million) a year from Europe’s professional clubs according to a new survey.
South Korea drop K-League Cup in war against match fixing
By David Gold
February 28 – South Korea has dropped the K-League Cup in a bid to clamp down on match fixing in the wake of last year’s scandal.
Mihir Bose: Despite the turmoil, the racism debate might spark some good progress in English football
Good can sometimes come out of evil, and the debate on racism that the game is going through could well lead to English football going down the road of America and adopting the Rooney rule. This rule, named for Dan Rooney, owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers and chairman of the league’s diversity committee, was introduced in 2003 so that minority coaches, especially African Americans, were at least considered for high-level coaching positions.
It basically states that,
Troubled Syria and Yemen to play Asian Cup “home” games abroad
By David Gold
February 29 – Due to the deteriorating security situation in both Syria and Yemen, the country’s clubs have been told by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) to play their “home” AFC Cup games abroad.
German champions announce record revenue
By David Gold
February 28 – German champions Borussia Dortmund have registered revenues of over €100 million (£84 million/$135 million) for the first time in their history.