Super League talk benched as UEFA and ECA sign MoU to 2024
February 7 – UEFA and European Club Association have signed a renewed Memorandum of Understanding until 2024 in a move that kills off talk of a European Super League.
VAR to debut in CL: UEFA’s Rosetti says it must be used sparingly and ‘consistently’
February 7 – With VAR set to make its Champions League debut in next week’s last-16 clashes, UEFA’s refereeing chief Roberto Rosetti (pictured) has stressed it must be used sparingly.
Nantes chase Cardiff for first tranche of Sala transfer fee
February 7 – French club Nantes have reportedly requested the first tranche of payment from Cardiff City over the £15 million transfer of Emiliano Sala whose light aircraft went tragically missing over the English Channel a fortnight ago, with wreckage only recently discovered.
Chipmaker Intel enters PL title race with Arsenal, Liverpool and Man City
By David Owen
February 7 – Chipmaker Intel is taking a stake in the Premier League title race, striking deals with Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City to install its True View technology at the Emirates, Anfield and the Etihad.
Discrimination: West Ham and Met Police investigate abuse targeted at Liverpool’s Saleh
February 7 – London’s Metropolitan Police and West Ham United are reviewing a video that shows a West Ham supporter directing anti-Muslim abuse at Liverpool star Mohamed Salah.
German leagues report record attendances of over 9.4m for first half of season
February 7 – Germany’s Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 have notched up record attendance levels for the first half of the season, beating their 2017/18 record.
UEFA to hand Ceferin new term at tomorrow’s congress
By Andrew Warshaw
February 6 – Gianni Infantino isn’t the only leading football administrator standing unchallenged for re-election. On Thursday in Rome, two and half years after becoming UEFA president in the wake of the scandal that brought down Michel Platini, Aleksander Ceferin will be voted in for new four-year term at UEFA’s annual Congress.
Infantino set to get four more years as FIFA president
By Andrew Warshaw
February 6 – Gianni Infantino will rule FIFA for at least four more years after it was confirmed, as anticipated, that he will stand unopposed in June’s presidential election.
Mourinho adds tax fraud to his list of titles but escapes Spanish prison
February 6 – Jose Mourinho, arguably the game’s most successful coach for more than a decade but whose star has recently faded, was handed a one-year suspended sentence for tax fraud on Tuesday – but will not serve any time behind bars.
FIFA moves to assert closer control over Qatar 2022 delivery
By David Owen
February 6 – FIFA has moved to assert control over the Qatar 2022 World Cup delivery process. The governing body has announced establishment of a joint venture with the Qatar 2022 Local Organising Committee (LOC) that will take responsibility for the planning and delivery of operations and services for the tournament, scheduled for the first time for a northern-hemisphere winter.
Asian games: What help for Qatar-shirt wearing British football fan detained in UAE?
By Paul Nicholson
January 6 – FIFA has a new human rights case to champion and this one looks like it is directly related to football. Following the Iraq vs Qatar game at the Asian Cup in the United Arab Emirates, British passport holder Ali Issa Ahmed was arrested, reportedly for wearing a Qatar shirt to the game.
Qatar reaffirms commitment to ‘lasting’ labour law change after Amnesty criticism
February 6 – World Cup hosts Qatar have responded to claims by Amnesty International that time is running out to implement globally acceptable labour reforms by pledging the country is entirely committed to stopping widespread abuse.
FIFA to probe match-fixer Perumal and Kenyan links
By Samindra Kunti
February 6 – FIFA has demanded a full investigation into allegations of match-fixing in Kenyan national team matches. Former Kenya international George Owino and convicted match-fixer Wilson Raj Perumal (pictured) are believed to have manipulated matches involving the Harambee Stars, including a 2010 World Cup qualifier.
AS Roma get greenlight to start Stadio della Roma build
February 6 – Rome Mayor Virginia Raggi has greenlighted the build of AS Roma’s proposed new 52,000 all-seat stadium – Stadio della Roma – in the south of the city. Construction could begin by the end of the year.
beIN Sports goes to FCC in US over Comcast refusal to carry channels
February 6 – Sports broadcaster beIN SPORTS is to take further legal action in its dispute with US cable operator Comcast over its rights to have carriage on the Comacast platform.