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January 19 – Former Birmingham owners David Gold and David Sullivan (pictured) have taken control of Premier League West Ham United after acquiring a 50 per cent stake in the London club for £105 million, they confirmed today.
January 19 – A row has broken out in South Africa after Bafana Bafana coach Carlos Alberto Parreira (pictured) refused a request from the Premier Soccer League (PSL) for a week’s extension to the season because he fears it would jeopardise his team’s preparations for the World Cup.
January 18 – South Africans will be able to buy World Cup tickets over the counter, Danny Jordaan (pictured) promised today, following complaints that the existing sales system is too complicated for local fans.
By Duncan Mackay
January 18 – Prince William (pictured) has again been attacked for supporting England’s bid to host the 2018 World Cup ahead of Australia’s, even though he is one day set to become the country’s head of state.
January 18 – An hall of fame to celebrate the achievements of African footballers, such as Cameroon’s Roger Milla (pictured), is set to be launched in Nigeria later this year, it has been revealed.
Football and debt have never been strangers. All football clubs have had debts but, until the mid 1980s, not only was this debt fairly small but mostly a local matter.
January 17 – Durban is planning to hold a special 100 Days Celebration for the World Cup at its spectacular Moses Mabhida Stadium on March 2.
By Duncan Mackay
January 17 – David Beckham (pictured) seems set to take up the option of buying a franchise in the United States Major League Soccer (MLS), he has revealed.
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First Africa, now Asia.
As our exclusive story last week revealed, some of football’s six continental confederations appear to be exploiting the race for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to try to drum up some extra windfall cash.
January 16 – Tickets for Miami, a controversial choice to host matches if the United States bid to host the 2018 or 2022 World Cup, will sell out in 24 hours, a leading official there has predicted.
By Duncan Mackay
January 16 – The row between the football codes in Australia have taken another twist after it emerged that Hawker Britton, a lobbying group who gave donations to Kevin Rudd’s election campaign, were hired to work for the country’s bid to host the 2018 or 2022 World Cup.
By Duncan Mackay
January 15 – Russia’s bid to host the 2018 or 2022 World Cup today announced it had signed up its second sponsor of the week when law firm Yust were unveiled.
By Duncan Mackay
January 15 – Chicago withdrew its bid to stage World Cup matches if the United States campaign to host the 2018 or 2022 World Cup is successful because the city refused to underwrite a guarantee of $10 million (£6 million) following its doomed attempt to host the 2016 Olympics, it has emerged today.
By Andrew Warshaw
January 15 – Jerome Champagne (pictured), one of the most powerful administrators in world football, has been forced out of office at FIFA after allegedly meddling in the affairs of national associations.
January 15 – World Cup rivals Australia and Indonesia have signed an agreement to commit to closer football ties, a series of exchange programmes and more internationals between the two countries, it has been announced.