April 15 – The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has taken the next steps in outlining a club licensing pathway for women’s clubs, with a view to establishing a meet the requirements for participation in the AFC Women’s Champions League in 2023.
April 15 – The away-goals rule that has been in place for 56 years looks set to be significantly tweaked by UEFA, according to unconfirmed reports.
April 15 – KV Oostende and Mouscron have both had their club license applications for next season Belgian top flight rejected, the Belgian FA (KBVB) announced on Wednesday.
April 15 – US investors are not just looking for deals to buy clubs in Europe. Reports are that American money is positioning to take stakes in clubs in Mexico’s LigaMX and Australia’s A-League.
April 15 – European powerhouse Real Madrid drew 0-0 with Liverpool following a gutsy performance at Anfield to reach the last four of the Champions League.
April 15 – Liverpool have condemned the attack on Real Madrid’s bus before their Champions League semifinal on Wednesday as “unacceptable and shameful”.
April 15 – France’s Ligue 1 leads the way amongst Europe’s Big 5 leagues as the continent’s football talent development factory, though Borussia Dortmund head a club ranking of having the most minutes played by players who are still to turn 21.
April 15 – Australia’s Commonwealth Bank (CBA) has signed a four-year partnership to become the official naming rights partner and bank of the national women’s team, the Matildas, Junior Matildas and Young Matildas from August 2021.
By Samindra Kunti
April 14 – Tonight a new iteration of the AFC Champions League kicks off with 20 teams in the Western Zone getting their campaigns under way, in an expanded championship with all eyes on Qatari champions Al Sadd, led by coach Xavi Hernandez, and Indian debutants FC Goa.
By Paul Nicholson
April 14 – Iran have made another trip to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), this time to protest the Asian Football Confederation’s (AFC) decision to award hosting rights for the centralised preliminary rounds of World Cup qualifiers to Bahrain.
April 14 – In an act of football diplomacy, China and pharmaceutical company Sinovac have donated 50,000 doses of their Covid-19 vaccine to Conmebol, with the South American governing body indicating it will inoculate top-flight players around the continent.
April 14 – Chile’s women took the final qualifying slot for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic tournament after a 0-0 draw was enough to put them through from the inter-continental play-off against Cameroon.
April 14 – Any fears UEFA may have had over needing to reschedule the opening game of this summer’s delayed European Championship in Rome have been eased after the Italians gave the all-clear for a limited number of fans to attend.
April 14 – With the MLS season kicking off on Friday, the league has announced a five-year deal sponsorship with Procter & Gamble, reportedly worth $80-100 million.
By Paul Nicholson
April 13 – Concacaf will celebrate the easing of lockdown and hopefully a break in the pandemic with an all singing all dancing Gold Cup Final in Las Vegas on August 1.