Big gun VIPs wheeled out for World Cup hosts decision
By David Owen
November 12 – A glittering array of VIPs is expected in Zurich next month for the climax of the high-stakes battles for the right to stage the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.
Young soccer protégés enjoy “video breakfast” with their heroes
November 12 -Budding young Australian footballers enjoyed a “video breakfast” with their heroes – Qantas Socceroo Mark Schwarzer in London and Westfield Matilda Melissa Barbieri in Melbourne.
Beckenbauer standing down from FIFA Executive Committee
By Andrew Warshaw
November 11 – Franz Beckenbauer is standing down as a member of FIFA’s Executive Committee, ruling him out of standing against Sepp Blatter for the Presidency next year.
Blatter calls special FIFA Executive Committee meeting
By Andrew Warshaw
November 11 – FIFA President Sepp Blatter has called an unscheduled meeting of his Executive Committee for November 19, two days after a potentially landmark ruling over World Cup corruption allegations involving two high-ranking members and two bidding nations.
Exclusive: World Cup bid reports to be published same day as findings of “cash-for-votes” probe
By David Owen
November 11 – Keenly-awaited reports on the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bids are set to be dispatched to FIFA Executive Committee members tomorrow as the battle to host one of the world’s biggest sporting occasions heads for a dramatic denouement, insideworldfootball has learnt.
Exclusive: New twist in FIFA World Cup corruption probe
By Andrew Warshaw
November 10 – The contents of an infamous hand-written note could hold the key to Spain-Portugal and Qatar being exonerated of any World Cup bidding collusion next week.
USA World Cup bid receives setback with Salguero revelation
By Andrew Warshaw
November 10 – The United States’ bid for the 2022 World Cup has received a jolt with the revelation that one of its own confederation members on FIFA”s Executive Committee may not vote for it.
Blatter claims that Korean World Cup could unite country
November 9 – FIFA President Sepp Blatter today claimed that if Korea hosted the 2022 World Cup it had the potential to unite the divided northern and southern halves of the country.
London 2012 director of commercial negotiations quits to join Tottenham
By Duncan Mackay
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
November 9 – London 2012’s director of commercial negotiations, Charlie Wijeratna, praised for helping raise nearly £700 million ($1.1 billion) towards the cost of staging the Olympics and Paralympics, is leaving to join Tottenham Hotspur, it was announced today.
Redknapp “interested” in taking charge of Great Britain at London 2012
By Tom Degun in London
November 9 – Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp has admitted he is interested in taking charge of the Great Britain football team at the London 2012 Olympic Games.
Mihir Bose: Liverpool story still has a long way to run
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Liverpool fans should not delude themselves into believing that now the Gillett-Hicks regime is finally over, and peace reigns at Anfield, that it will bring success on the field of play.
Yes, Roy Hodgson’s team is rediscovering the art of winning again, but the simple equation – a happy set up equals playing success – is a myth.
For a start, despite all the players’ talk of how their heads are “turned in”
Clinton chief figurehead for USA at World Cup vote in Zurich
By Andrew Warshaw
November 9 – Former President Bill Clinton will be the United States’ chief figurehead at next month’s World Cup vote in Zurich.
Exclusive: Japan stakes its claim to upset the odds on 2022 World Cup bid
By Andrew Warshaw
November 8 – While all manner of allegation and counter-allegation are going on around him, Japan’s 2022 World Cup bid executive director Yuichiro Nakajima is trying to stay cool and keep things clean.
Rodney Marsh: England will drop out of top 20 countries by next World Cup
England hasn’t got a snowball’s chance in hell of getting the 2018 World Cup finals when the vote is revealed in Zurich next month.
I make this assessment for two reasons.
Firstly, the negative press that has surrounded the English bid, which has been staggering and continues to be staggering.
FIFA inspection chief ousted by his own football federation
By Andrew Warshaw
November 5 – The Chilean official expected to have a major say in the destination of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups has been ousted as head of his national federation.