New Zealand club facing axe in Australian row with AFC
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December 18 – New Zealand’s Wellington Phoenix could be facing extinction in 2012 after the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) demanded they be axed from the A-League.
Taylor battling to save Watford from administration
December 17 – Former England and Watford manager Graham Taylor (pictured) has been appointed interim chairman at Vicarage Road as the Coca-Club Championship club battles for its survival.
Maracana Stadium to be given £175 million makeover for World Cup
By Duncan Mackay
December 17 – Rio de Janeiro’s Maracana Stadium, which is due to stage the 2014 World Cup final, is to get a $300 million (£175 million) face-lift, the city’s Secretary of Sports and Tourism announced today.
England’s stadiums cannot be beaten claims Anson
By Andrew Warshaw
December 17 – England 2018 bid chief Andy Anson insists the stadiums selected to host the World Cup in nine years’ time will not suffer the same fate as the ill-fated 2006 campaign.
African Nations Cup tickets to go on sale
December 17 – Tickets for the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations to be held in Angola next month will go on sale from next week at branches of the African Investment Bank (BAI) in the four host cities, it was announced today.
AFC Wimbledon angry at Milton Keynes inclusion in World Cup bid
By Duncan Mackay
December 17 – Milton Keynes’ inclusion as part of England’s bid to host the 2018 World Cup has been condemned by officials at AFC Wimbledon, who claim that it has re-opened the scars caused by the MK Dons controversial take-over of Wimbledon’s place in the Football League.
Qatar under-20 team from 1981 appointed World Cup ambassadors
By Duncan Mackay
December 17 – Qatar’s under-20 team that reached the final of the FIFA World Youth Championships in 1981, beating Brazil and England along the way, have been appointed as bid ambassadors for the country’s bid to host the 2022 World Cup, it was announced today.
Liverpool and Milton Keynes celebrate being part of World Cup bid
By Andrew Warshaw in London
December 16 – Any doubts about whether Liverpool would miss out on staging World Cup matches in 2018 were swept away today when Anfield was named as one of 17 stadiums in 12 venues across the country that will form a critical part of England’s bid to host the tournament in nine years’ time.
England choose host cities for 2018 World Cup bid
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By Duncan Mackay in London
December 16 – England 2018 today announced the cities that will be part of its campaign the to bring back the tournament to this country for the first time since 1966.
Exclusive: Nigerian FIFA member wants friendly with England
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By Duncan Mackay
December 15 – Dr. Amos Adamu (pictured), a member of the FIFA Executive Committee, has asked the leader of England’s bid to host the 2018 World Cup to arrange a friendly with Nigeria before the World Cup in South Africa next year.
Green Point Stadium in Cape Town officially finished
By Duncan Mackay
December 15 – South Africa’s Green Point Stadium, which has been chosen to host a 2010 World Cup semi-final and where England will play Algeria on June 18, has been declared complete and the keys handed over to the Mayor of Cape Town.
USA World Cup Bid Committee meets for first time
December 15 – Former United States Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and comedian Drew Carey (pictured) today attended the first Board meeting of the US Bid Committee trying to host the World Cup in 2018 or 2022.
England 2018 receive signed-off Government guarantees
By Duncan Mackay
December 15 – The Sports Minister Gerry Sutcliffe (pictured) today announced that the Government have signed off the guarantees required by FIFA if England’s bid to host the 2018 World Cup is successful.
South Africans begin to snap up World Cup tickets
December 14 – The first ten days of the third ticketing sales phase for the 2010 World Cup has seen the number of tickets applied for hit the 500,000 mark, FIFA revealed today.
Exclusive: Pick Sunderland instead of Newcastle urges Quinn
By Andrew Warshaw
December 15 – Sunderland chairman Niall Quinn (pictured) has fuelled the already intense north-east rivalry between his club and Newcastle by insisting the Stadium of Light would be a better bet than St. James’ Park to host World Cup matches in 2018.