AFC gives the whistle to Alireza Faghani for Asian Cup opener at Lusail Stadium
January 11 – The Asian Football Confederation has confirmed the cast of match officials that will oversee the opening match of the Asian Cup Qatar on Friday.
Dorival Jr officially takes on Brazil lead, starting with England and Spain friendlies
January 11 – Dorival Jr has been officially confirmed as the new head coach of the Brazil national side after he left Sao Paulo earlier this week.
Adidas gets Saudi Pro League official ball deal rolling
January 11 – Adidas has agreed a deal to become the official match ball supplier for the Saudi Pro League (SPL) from February until the end 2024/25 season.
AFC uses Asian Cup to build referee standards with new referee assessment tools
January 11- The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has moved to strengthen its referee assessment tools at the 2023 Asian Cup that kicks off Friday as part of its commitment to develop world-class match officials.
Betsson picks up naming rights sponsorship to Greek Cup
January 11 – The Hellenic Football Federation (EPO) has agreed a naming rights deal with online gambling company Betsson for the Hellenic Cup.
Shaikh Salman promises Asian Cup Qatar will be a tournament of ‘firsts’, the AFC’s ‘grandest ever’
January 10 – With the Asian Cup Qatar 2023 just two days away from kick off, AFC president Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa has expressed confidence that the event is ready to go off without a hitch, despite the short time span left to organise the AFC’s blue riband event after China pulled out from hosting.
Ankaragucu’s former ref beating president tells court he did not threaten to kill him
January 10 – The former president of Turkish top flight club Ankaragucu, Faruk Koca, told a court on Tuesday that he regretted attacking the referee at the end of a league game but denied threatening to kill him.
FIFA makes Overmars’ Dutch ban global, threatening his Royal Antwerp job
January 10 – Former Dutch international Marc Overmars has had his ban from Dutch football extended worldwide by FIFA.
CAF’s new Unilever sponsorship just makes it in time for AFCON 2023 kick-off
January 10 – The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has unveiled Unilever personal care brands, including Rexona, Dove and Axe, as the latest Official Sponsors of its two forthcoming continental championships: the Africa Cup of Nations Côte d’Ivoire 2023 (which kicks off Saturday) and Women’s Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2024.
Bayern to hold Beckenbauer memorial service at Allianz Arena
January 10 – Bayern Munich will stage a commemoration of the German great and club legend Franz Beckenbauer at the Allianz Arena on January 19 so that supporters can take part in the farewell, the club announced on Wednesday.
Transfer talk: Henderson wants out of Saudi, Sancho wants out of Man Utd, does Mbappe know what he wants?
January 10 – Former Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson has been strongly linked with a move to Ajax in the latest twist in the Englishman’s transfer saga as he looks for an escape from Saudi Arabia just six months after joining ex-teammate Steven Gerrard’s Al Ettifaq.
MLS side Kansas City go large with Inter Miami fixture, moving venue to Arrowhead Stadium
January 10 – MLS side Sporting Kansas City have shifted their upcoming home fixture against Inter Miami to the 76,000-seater Arrowhead Stadium, home of Kansas City Chiefs, in anticipation of the presence of Argentine football sensation Lionel Messi.
Thierry Henry opens up on mental health issues
January 10 – Former French World Cup winner Thierry Henry has spoken of his mental health battles, revealing that he may well have had depression throughout his illustrious career.
Soccerex announces Rio de Janeiro event for March 25-26
January 10 – International tradeshow Soccerex has added a new date and city to its calendar with the announcement of an event in March 2024 in Rio de Janeiro.
Russian rehab still stayed but Dyukov holds UEFA exco seat as they focus on getting friendly
January 9 – Russia’s national teams may still be banned from official competition because of the war in Ukraine but the country retains its place at UEFA’s top table.