Fan Festivals to be rolled out for first time at a WWC with Australia/New Zealand 2023
March 2 – FIFA is sticking with its Fan Festival format for this summer’s Women’s World Cup but has lengthened its name from ‘fest’ to ‘festival’.
Disgraced Le Graet still looks set to be Infantino’s right hand man in Paris office
By Andrew Warshaw
March 1 – Disgraced former French FA president Noel Le Graet looks as if he will still be given carte blanche by FIFA to oversee its office in Paris despite being forced to resign over a series of allegations including sexual misconduct.
Fans’ return helps to ring up £7.5m profit for Fenway’s Liverpool
By David Owen
March 1 – Liverpool’s remarkable 2021-22 season has helped to restore the Merseyside club to profit. The Reds have served notice that pre-tax profit weighed in at £7.5 million in the year to end-May 2022; this compared with a loss of £4.8 million the previous year.
James Dostoyevsky: C’est à vomir
This is the tale of ‘The Old Man who can’t See’: a French autocrat, adorned with Napoleonic complexities, was handed his Waterloo by two women. At 81, after 12 years at the helm of French football, he resigned yesterday, only to assume a new assignment next week. You guessed it: at Infantino’s FIFA.
Juve appeal 15-point penalty for financial cheating
March 1 – Juventus have lodged an appeal against the massive 15-point penalty for false accounting related to artificially inflated transfer dealings meted out last month, according to Italian reports.
Concacaf unveils beefed up CNL and the roads to 2024 Copa America, Gold Cup and 2026
March 1 – Concacaf is expanding the top tier of its Nations League to 16 teams and has unveiled new competition formats and qualification routes for the 2023-26 cycle of men’s national team competitions, taking them up to the 2026 World Cup to be hosted in the region.
Al Hilal drive on to AFC Champions League final with big win in Qatar
March 1 – Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal stormed into the final of the AFC Champions League 2022 Final with a thumping 7-0 win over Qatar’s Al Duhail in Doha.
Controversial Zamalek boss Mansour jailed for defamation of rival Al Ahly president
March 1 – The president of leading Egyptian side Zamalek, Mortada Mansour (pictured), has been jailed for a month for “verbally insulting” his counterpart at bitter Cairo rivals Al Ahly.
Pro-government politicos ban Fenerbache fans from Kayserispor after earthquake protest
March 1 – In a disgraceful indictment of Turkey’s autocratic regime, supporters of Fenerbahçe, who chanted anti-government slogans during a previous match, have been banned from attending this weekend’s game against Kayserispor.
Former Man Utd star Nemanja Vidic submits candidacy for a run at Serbian FA presidency
March 1 – The former captain of Manchester United and Serbia international, Nemanja Vidic, has submitted his candidacy for Football Association of Serbia presidential elections.
Spurs gear up for more stadium usage with F1 partnership and installation of karting track
March 1 – Premier League Tottenham Hotspur is partnering with Formula 1 in a “15-year strategic partnership” to create the world’s first in-stadium karting facility at its stadium in north London.
Growing pressure is too much for Le Graet at FFF, Diallo takes over as interim president
By Andrew Warshaw
February 28 -Embattled French Football Federation president Noel Le Graet finally fell on his sword today as he resigned following accusations of sexual and psychological harassment, bringing to an end an 11-year spell in charge for one of European football’s most controversial veteran administrators.
Man City unveil plans for stadium expansion and ‘globally relevant’ Etihad Campus
February 28 – Manchester City has unveiled design concepts for the expansion of the Etihad Stadium capacity to more than 60,000, and the creation of an upgraded entertainment, sport and leisure centre on a widened footprint of the Etihad Campus.
CAS sheds light on Yves-Bart decision. A win for sports law or a catastrophic failure by FIFA?
By Paul Nicholson
February 28 – The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), generally condemned by football’s stakeholders both privately and publicly for overturning the lifetime ban on former President of the Haitian Football Federation (FHF) Yves Jean-Bart for multiple allegations of sexual misconduct, has issued the reasoned arbitral award.
Bontis quits Canadian Soccer presidency in the name of peace
February 28 – Just months after the country’s first appearance at the World Cup for 36 years and with plans already under way to jointly host the tournament in 2026, Canada’s football reputation has taken a hit off the field with the resignation of Canadian Soccer Association president Nick Bontis (pictured)..