June 13 – Mexico approach the 2025 Gold Cup with typical confidence, having secured early silverware through March’s Concacaf Nations League triumph – a psychological boost that sets them up beautifully for the right to be called Kings of the Region.
By Andrew Warshaw
October 13 – Two years after being dealt the cruellest of blows by Thierry Henry’s infamous handball, Lady Luck at last shone on the Republic of Ireland today when they were handed by far the easiest pairing in the Euro 2012 play-offs following the draw in Krakow.
The debate about the future of the Olympic Stadium illustrates a very simple sporting truth about this country. The one sport that makes money is football, but only at the highest level.
All other sports, including lower league football, struggle. Any attempt to make money and market a sport other than football, particularly athletics, is extremely difficult and can result in failure.
The Government forgot this sporting truth and the result is that the future of the Olympic Stadium is uncertain and the taxpayer may end up paying for its maintenance.
By David Gold
October 13 – The London 2012 Olympic football qualifying tournament for Africa, which doubles as the under-23 African Championship, will be held in Morocco after Egypt had to withdraw as hosts earlier this week following violence in Cairo, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) confirmed today.
By Andrew Warshaw
October 13 – England’s hopes of winning their first major trophy since the 1966 World Cup were dealt a crushing blow today when UEFA’s disciplinary body banned Wayne Rooney for effectively the entire group phase of the Euro 2012 finals.
By David Gold
October 13 – Alisher Usmanov, the second wealthiest man in English football, has written to Arsenal shareholders in a bid to push his stake in the Premier League club to 30 per cent.
By Andrew Warshaw at the ISEM conference in London
October 13 – The world’s first ever non-profit-making organisation specialising in sharing security ideas for sporting events wants to set up a full-scale training programme to minimise the risk of crime and corruption and maximise safety.
By Andrew Warshaw in London
October 12 – The English Football Association, still reeling from the humiliating 2018 World Cup debacle, has been ordered by the Government to bring in rules to tackle debt amongst its clubs.
By David Gold
October 12 – Trinidad and Tobago’s Football Federation (TTFF) will pay more than TT$4 million (£2.4 million/€3 million) to 13 players who played in the 2006 World Cup as compensation following a dispute between the two parties over revenues from their participation in the tournament, which was held in Germany.
By Andrew Warshaw at the ISEM Conference in London
October 12 – More and more major sports events will go to emerging markets like Qatar rather than established nations in years to come.
By Andrew Warshaw
October 12 – The man in charge of organising the 2014 World Cup is to be investigated this week on suspicion of illegal transfer of funds into the country and money laundering, it was reported today.
By Andrew Warshaw
October 12 – The hearing into the roles played by 15 Caribbean officials in the FIFA bribery scandal is using explosive video evidence of ex-FIFA vice-president Jack Warner (pictured) urging them to accept cash gifts, it was reported today.
By Andrew Warshaw at the ISEM Conference in London
October 12 – One of the UK’s most respected sports business gurus has poured scorn on Liverpool’s bid to lead a Premier League challenge for overseas television rights to be sold individually, branding the idea as a “red herring” and saying it would never get off the ground.
By David Gold
October 11 – The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) has asked the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to find an alternative host for the London 2012 qualifying tournament for Africa, in the wake of a surge of violence in the country.
The most telling information in the Football Association’s recently published 2010 annual report and financial statements comes on page 24 of the 42-page document.
This tells us that, for all the pain and hard work that went into driving up the body’s overall financial performance, stadium and non-FA event management remained heavily in loss – to the tune of £12.1 million ($18.9 million/€13.9 million) at the pre-tax level, against £15.6 million ($24.4 million/€ million) in 2009.
By David Gold
October 11 – FIFA general secretary Jérôme Valcke has praised the enthusiasm and commitment of Russia after the first meeting of world football’s governing body and the 2018 World Cup Local Organising Committee (LOC).