Dog stops play. Cookie’s pitch invasion crumbles as he feels FC Zurich president’s bite
February 23 – As far as reasons go for a match being stopped in mid-stream, this one surely took the biscuit – so to speak.
Ivory Coast backs Anouma’s bid for CAF presidency with reported €15m
February 22 – Ivorian authorities are stepping up their financial support for Jacques Anouma (pictured) in his bid to become the next Confederation of African Football (CAF) chief by pledging a staggering €15.3 million for his campaign to take over from Ahmad Ahmad, according to local reports.
Infantino keeps up the pace and politics as he criss-crosses Africa
By Samindra Kunti
February 22 – On his pan-African tour, FIFA boss Gianni Infantino, addressing the general assembly of the Council of Southern African Football Associations (COSAFA), in South Africa, called on African teams to step up and leave a mark on the 2026 World Cup, the first global finals to be staged in a 48-team format.
UK government scotches report it has offered to host Euro2020
February 22 – Britain’ health secretary Matt Hancock has shot down a newspaper report which suggested the UK may be ready to host next summer’s delayed Euro 2020.
UEFA lands Qatar Airways as airline sponsor of Euro 2020
February 22 – UEFA has announced that Qatar Airways as the official airline of this summer’s Euro 2020 tournament.
Female leadership summit, March 8-12, releases agenda and speakers
February 22 – With two weeks to go to the Web Summit on Female Leadership in Sport, SIGA has released details of the programme content and speakers.
Mali and RB Salzburg pair crash after altitude sickness pills land then with a doping ban
February 22 – Two Mali players with Austrian club Red Bull Salzburg have been handed three-month doping suspensions.
FIFA 21 takes a step into mainstream broadcasting with BBC deal
February 22 – Video gaming took a step into the broadcast mainstream in the UK at the weekend with the first broadcast by Britain’s public broadcaster, BBC, of the FIFA 21 Global Series European Regional Qualifiers.
US women have trial date on gender discrimination case pushed back to June
February 22 – The trial date for the gender discrimination lawsuit brought by US women players against the US Soccer Federation has been pushed back from May 5 to June 16.
South Sudan kicks off new women’s league
February 22 – Women’s football in South Sudan took a major step forward this weekend with the inauguration of a new domestic league.
AFC puts health first pushing Asian qualifiers back to June, heading for centralised venues
By Paul Nicholson
February 19 – International travel and quarantine restrictions have pushed the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) to reschedule the majority of its March qualifiers for World Cup 2022 and Asian Cup China 2023 qualifiers, with the likelihood of matches being played at centralised venues.
FIFA’s Wenger warns UEFA it could kill its Champions League with new format plans
February 19 – Arsene Wenger, FIFA’s Chief of Global Development since the end of 2019, has hit out at proposals to overhaul the Champions League, warning that fans will be turned off if the competition is watered down.
European Leagues’ Olsson warns new CL format could ‘cannibalise’ domestic TV deals
February 19 – The president of the European Leagues Lars-Christer Olsson (pictured) has sounded a warning about the proposed Swiss model for the Champions League, saying extra European fixtures will ‘cannibalise’ domestic TV rights across the continent.
Bundesliga and Premier League slam Super League project; PL eager for fan return
February 19 – English Premier League chief executive Richard Masters (pictured) and his Bundesliga counterpart Christian Seifert have both opposed the much-rumoured plans to form a breakaway European super league to replace the Champions League.
Out in Africa: Infantino manoeuvres through CAF, Rwanda and SA pre-CAF elections
February 19 – FIFA president Gianni Infantino’s latest stop on his tour of Africa during the global health crisis – Africa’s football governance is similarly facing a major health crisis – has been the Central African Republic.