NWSL to grow to 16 teams by 2024 as club ownership opportunities excite new investors
May 11 – The National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) commissioner Jessica Berman has said that the league is targeting 16 teams for the 2026 season.
AFC to return with first Annual Awards since 2019 in October in Doha
May 11 – The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has confirmed that its Annual Awards will return this year after a four-year hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Saudi FA adds Botswana to its partnership roster
May 11 – The Saudi Arabian Football Association (SAFF) has signed another MoU with an African nation, this time with the Botswana Football Association (BFA) with a view to accelerating “the sport’s development in both countries and explore various areas of collaboration”.
LaLiga tops Spanish sports by brand value in latest Brand Finance ranking
May 11 – The increased importance of LaLiga to ‘Brand Spain’ has been recognised in a ranking that calculates the value and Brand Strength Index of leading companies and organisations.
Focus returns to Qatar and the upcoming Final Draw for the AFC Asian Cup 2023
May 10 – The draw for the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023 will take place tomorrow (Thursday) in Qatar, with the tournament itself set to kick off January 12.
Cardiff lose Sala appeal in Swiss courts but now open a criminal case against Nantes
May 10 – The ongoing and ugly dispute over the transfer to Cardiff City of Emiliano Sala from Nantes saw another loss to Cardiff in the in the Swiss Federal Court in Lausanne.
San Diego investors closing in on $500m MLS franchise
May 10 – San Diego is expected to be the next city to be awarded an MLS franchise with local media reporting that the announcement could be made this month with an expansion fee of $500 million.
Brera rebrands North Macedonia’s FC Akademija Pandev as gateway to big money player sales
May 10 – Brera Holdings has completed its acquisition of North Macedonia’s FC Akademija Pandev. The company acquired 90% of the club’s shares, with the value set at €600,000. The new owners said the club will be renamed Brera FC.
Messi’s father says NO deal has been done for next season, not even a $1bn one
May 10 – Lionel Messi’s father has denied reports that his son – Paris Saint-Germain star and World Cup winner – will move to Saudi Arabia in a head-spinning money deal that some reports have pegged at $1 billion over two seasons.
AC Milan strike first blow over Inter, lighting the world with red and black campaign
May 10 – The second semi-final of the UEFA Champions League may be an all-Milan affair with AC against Inter, but AC Milan have opened up the derby to their fans worldwide inviting them to share their passion in the run-up to the first leg.
De Bruyne stunner matches Vinicius brilliance as UCL semi heads for Manchester finale
May 10 – In a tense and hard-fought fought match, Manchester City held Real Madrid 1-1 in the semi-finals of the Champions following superb strikes by Vinicius Junior and Kevin De Bruyne either side of halftime.
QuinnBet partners Peterborough Utd though no mention of shirt sponsorship
May 10 – With the UK gambling review proposing a new Code of Conduct for betting sponsorship deals with football teams, League One Peterborough United who are in the play-offs chasing a spot in the EFL Championship, have agreed a two-year deal with Irish bookmaker QuinnBet.
Rotterdam politicians to vote on giving students time off to celebrate Feyenoord’s Eredvisie win
May 10 – Students of primary and secondary schools in Rotterdam should be given time off to attend the Feyenoord league title parade, Dutch political parties GroenLinks and D66 have argued.
UEFA beefs up safety planning for supporters at finals with a fan-focussed approach
May 9 – Having accepted the Independent Review Panel’s findings after the disastrous 2022 Champions League Final in Paris – and apologised, profusely – UEFA has now gone granular with an action plan of measures to enhance safeguards for supporters at UEFA finals.
Lokomotiv Sofia owner says he will quit club at end of season after non-stop fan abuse
May 9 – The owner of Bulgaria’s Lokomotiv Sofia, Ivan Vassilev (pictured), has said he has had enough of fan criticism and that he will pull his funding of the club at the end of the current season.