By Andrew Warshaw
January 9 – Tributes are pouring in from across the globe in memory of Germany’s greatest footballing icon, Franz Beckenbauer, one of only three men to lift the World Cup both as a player and manager and known in his playing days as Der Kaiser (‘the Emperor’).
January 9 – FIFA will not sanction Brazil for political interference in the running of the federation after the return last week of Ednaldo Rodrigues to the CBF presidency, FIFA’s director of legal affairs Emilio Garcia has said.
January 9 – Saudi Arabia is gearing up to host the Spanish Super Cup for the fourth time in five years.
January 9 – Borussia Dortmund chief executive Hans-Joachim ‘Aki’ Watzke is stepping down in 2025 when his contract ends.
January 9 – Real Madrid are reportedly keeping tabs on Everton and England U-21 defender Jarrad Branthwaite after impressing in his debut year in the Premier League. The 21-year-old has seen his Transfermarkt value more than triple since the start of the year and seems destined for an England call up in the near future.
January 9 – FA Cup holders Manchester City have been drawn against Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur for the upcoming fourth round of the tournament.
January 9 – Brazilian giants Corinthians have signed a record R$370m (£59.8 million) shirt sponsorship deal with VaideBet.
January 9 – GameON has picked up the naming rights sponsorship to the eFootball Turkish Cup, which is organised by the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) and will make its debut this season.
January 9 – With just five days to go before the kick off the African Cup of Nations in the Ivory Coast, the UK’s Sky Sports have signed a broadcast agreement.
January 8 – The battle for the hosting of the 2026 World Cup final is ongoing with the two favourites – the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey and the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas – both seemingly committing to multi-million dollar projects to woo FIFA’s decision makers.
January 7 – A four-time world champion and the first person to win the World Cup as both a player and a coach, Mario Zagallo has died at the age of 92.
January 8 – Italy’s highest court has cleared the late Argentine legend Diego Maradona of tax evasion charges, ending a 30-year-long legal battle.
January 8 – With just four days left before the kick-off on Friday (Jan 12) of the 2023 Asian Cup in Qatar, there has been a flurry of last-minute fixtures as nations fine tune squads or in some cases desperately seek form and formation ahead of the tournament.
January 8 – Three years into their ownership of Wrexham that earned the Welsh club global recognition, Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney are continuing their love affair with the club – and appear gripped by FA Cup fever.
January 8 – In what could be a decisive twist in the Kylian Mbappe transfer saga, French reports suggest the coveted striker has after all agreed to join Real Madrid when his Paris Saint-Germain contract expires this summer.