FIFA bans former Russian FA official Shprygin for discrimination
By Andrew Warshaw
September 16 – FIFA has banned a former leading Russian football administrator and fan club founder for two years for discrimination.
Esperance finally win CAF Champions League. But will Wydad play CAS leg?
By Osasu Obayiuwana
September 14 – The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has made its final conclusion – political and judicial – on the 2019 Champions League – and it is that Esperance Sportive de Tunis remains the Cup holder.
Liverpool vs Spurs CL final is world’s leading event in 2019 with 1bn+ interactions
September 16 – With the Champions League group stages kicking off this week, UEFA has released a 1 billion interaction social media stat that makes shows the European club showpiece outperformed all other major events in 2019 by more than 30%.
FIFA names committee members to put Pakistan back on track
September 16 – FIFA has appointed the members of a normalisation committee that will run day affairs at the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) in an attempt to bring to bring order to an administration that has been deeply divided football administration ever since controversial presidential elections in 2015.
France 2019 showed major increase in match quality, says FIFA’s TSG
September 16 – FIFA’s technical study group (TSG) has hailed the recent Women’s World Cup as the best edition ever in terms of quality of play. The France 2019 World Cup saw the United States retain their title beating European champions the Netherlands 2-0 in the final.
Leicester City add Asian gamer Yabo Sports as club partner
September 16 – Premier League Leicester City have confirmed Asian gaming business Yabo Sports as an official club partner.
USL game abandoned after missiles thrown but Phoenix keep rising
September 16 – Unusually for the United States, a second-tier game between Phoenix Rising and LA Galaxy II had to be abandoned at the weekend after objects were thrown on the pitch.
55 teams and 32 countries later, coaching legend Rudi Gutendorf passes, aged 93
September 16 – Rudi Gutendorf, the globetrotting German who is in the Guinness Book of Records for having coached 55 teams in 32 countries across five continents from Antigua to Zimbabwe, has died aged 93.
French ref flip flops over VAR decision-making at Brittany derby
September 16 – French football debate was dominated at the weekend by arguably one of the most bizarre cases of VAR decision-making seen to date.
Italian TV pundit banned after Lukaku banana slip-up
September 16 – It’s hardly believable but it’s true. Racist incidents may be on the rise across European football but you wouldn’t expect a tv pundit to be one of the culprits.
The never-ending final: CAF set to hear ‘walk-out’ Wydad’s Champions League appeal
By Osasu Obayiuwana
September 13 – The African Champions League drama takes a further twist on Sunday 15 September, as the Appeals Committee of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) sits to consider the fate of Moroccan Club Wydad Casablanca.
Salman and Infantino meet in Zurich to discuss Asian agenda
By Paul Nicholson
September 13 – Asian Football Confederation (AFC) president Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa was in Zurich this week to meet FIFA president Gianni Infantino with greater co-operation between FIFA and the AFC, and in particular on how FIFA spends its money in Asia, on the agenda.
Expecting the worst: England team plan response to anticipated Bulgarian racism
September 13 – England manager Gareth Southgate says England players will meet to “prepare” how to react to racism before their Euro 2020 qualifier in Bulgaria on October 14 following a resurgence of incidents that have tarnished the sport across Europe.
Jailbird Napout banned for life by FIFA
By Andrew Warshaw
September 13 – Thirteen months after being sentenced to nine years in jail for his role in the FifaGate corruption scandal, former South American strongman Juan Angel Napout (pictured) has finally been banned for life.
Spain break $1bn in transfer spend as Big 5 account for 75% of global spend
September 13 – FIFA has released the 12th edition of its Big 5 Transfer Window Analysis report that examines the activity in the big five European markets of England, France, Germany, Italy and Spain in the Summer 2019 transfer window.