Umbro build African presence with AFCON 2021 qualifiers Ethiopia
April 6 – Umbro and the Ethiopian Football Federation (EFF) have extended their partnership to sponsor the country’s national teams in a new four-year deal.
Gold Cup 2025
Mexico open defence with a win but Dominican Republic push them to the last minute
Mexico 3 Dominican Republic 2
June 14 – In a city that saw tens of thousands on the street during the day protesting the mass deportations of immigrants by Donald Trump’s administration, the Gold Cup kicked off in an eery atmosphere of uncertainty at the SoFi Stadium in Inglewood.
Everton target 770m players globally with MY.GAMES deal
April 6 – Premier League Everton have agreed what they are describing as a short-term strategic sponsorship deal with global gaming brand MY.GAMES.
Valencia players walk off against Cádiz after Diakhaby racially abused
April 6 – Valencia’s La Liga fixture at Cádiz on Sunday was suspended for 20 minutes after the visitors walked off the pitch in solidarity with one of their players who said he was subjected to racist abuse.
Spurs demand social media firms act after Sanchez racially trolled after Newcastle game
April 6 – Tottenham Hotspur are the latest club to call on social media companies to do more to combat racist trolls after their Colombian defender Davinson Sanchez revealed abuse was directed at him following the club’s 2-2 draw with Newcastle at the weekend.
Back-in-the-big-time Leeds ran up £60m+ loss in promotion season
By David Owen
April 5 – The high cost of escaping the second-tier Championship for the Premier League’s promised land has been highlighted once again, with Leeds United posting a pre-tax loss of a stunning £62.4 million for its promotion season.
10 Crazy Fan Moments in World Football History
Without fans football has at times been void of excitement during the coronavirus pandemic. Football is not just about the players and the ball but rather the atmosphere created by the game and the fans on the stands. There are countless situations in football history where fans have lit football matches with crazy reactions.
Burnley to stay in the black – just – despite £10.5m covid hit
By David Owen
April 5 – Burnley, the English Premier League club recently taken over by Jersey-incorporated Velocity Sports, an entity controlled by new club chairman Alan Pace, has joined the select group of top-flight teams to have turned a profit in 2019-20 – albeit a tiny one.
Woke(n) up: Man Utd launch SEE RED and whistleblower line; FareShare feeds 21,300+
April 3 – Manchester United have launched two Easter campaigns with compelling social action messages. Through its foundation and its co-operation with FareShare it will distribute 21,300 food hampers to families in Manchester. At the same time the club has continued its anti-discrimination campaign with the roll out of SEE RED.
Doomed Sheffield Utd defy covid to post first profit since 2008
By David Owen
April 2 – Championship-bound Sheffield United have become only the third Premier League club to date to post a pre-tax profit for the covid-affected 2019-20 financial year.
UEFA drops 30% attendance cap as stadia opened up for Euro 2020 finals
By Andrew Warshaw
April 1 – With a view to having as many fans as possible at this summer’s delayed European Championship finals, UEFA has scrapped its own ceiling on stadium capacity for fixtures that come under its jurisdiction.
Something for the holiday weekend? Top 7 Inspirational Football Movies
April 1 – We all love a bit of football and there are some amazing movies out there to keep us engrossed. Full of emotion and passion, they can take us away from it all.
CAF backs Benin in covid cheating row and sets June date for Sierra Leone qualifier
By Andrew Warshaw
April 1 – The Confederation of African Football has rescheduled the controversially postponed Sierra Leone-Benin AFCON qualifier until the next international window June, the latest illustration of the haphazard nature of the organisation’s decision making.
Infantino buddies up with G20 anti-corruption working group
April 1 – FIFA president Gianni Infantino addressed the G20 Anti-Corruption Working Group on the final day of its video conferencing summit outlining FIFA’s battle troops in the area and offering the co-operation of the organisation.
Sydney to host final of 9-venue 2023 WWC in Aus-NZ
April 1 – FIFA has announced the nine host cities for the 2023 Women’s World Cup, with Sydney and Stadium Australia staging the final. Auckland in New Zealand will host the tournament’s curtain raiser.
Money in social media? Report concludes clubs are missing the market
By Paul Nicholson
April 1 – With fans locked out and club revenues locked down, social media has become increasingly important to the commercial infrastructure of clubs, according to KPMG Football Benchmark analysis.