SIGA launches Sport Integrity Week series of webinars for September
July 29 – SIGA has launched its first-ever Sport Integrity Week which will be conducted as a series of webinars taking place September 7-11.
Lockdown eased in UK: Irish Cup final to admit 500 fans
July 29 – This Friday’s Irish Cup final between Ballymena United and Glentoran is set to be the first official football fixture played in front of spectators in the UK since lockdown in March.
Making a point: Bournemouth consider suing over Hawk-Eye blunder that kept Villa up
July 29 – Relegated Bournemouth are considering legal action over a massive goalline technology blunder in June that should have awarded a key goal against Aston Villa who survived in the Premier League at their expense.
NWSL numbers shatter records and put women’s league on the TV map
July 29 – Viewing figures from the US show record numbers for the women’s club game and a significant breakthrough for the NWSL (National Women’s Soccer League).
Covid crackdown: Aussie fixture chaos as Queensland closes border to New South Wales
July 29 – Professional sport in Australia including top-flight football has once again been plunged into chaos because of the reprecussions of Covid-19.
Concacaf re-treads road to Qatar 2022 World Cup, opening up qualifying format to all 35 MAs
By Paul Nicholson
July 28 – Regional confederation Concacaf has rescheduled and re-formatted the 2022 World Cup qualifiers that will see all 35 of its FIFA member associations compete for the three places at the Qatar finals, plus the half spot inter-confederation play-off.
2021 Gold Cup revamped with preliminary 12-team qualifiers to be centralised in US
July 28 – Concacaf has scheduled the 2021 Gold Cup in the US for next July, and in a unique revamp of qualification – and to take account of lost international windows due to the Covid pandemic – the preliminary rounds will see the 12 competing teams centralised in the US.
Who’s the boss? Saudis struggle to win PL sanction for £300m Newcastle buy
July 28 – The long drawn out proposed £300 million takeover of Newcastle United by a Saudi Arabian-led consortium spearheaded by the country’s Public Investment Fund looks on the brink of collapse as confusion increases over who will actually control the club and their links with the Saudi government.
Health chief warns vaccine is needed before Premier League returns to full stadia
July 28 – The whole of next season’s Premier League might have to be played in front of reduced crowds whenever spectators are finally allowed in, according to a senior government adviser.
Copyright protection: UEFA seek bigger guns to safeguard game from marauding pirates
July 28 – In the wake of the activities of pirate broadcaster BeoutQ, UEFA has moved to protect itself from similar behaviour by issuing a tender for companies to assist in its anti-piracy efforts, with a deadline of September 4 for bids.
Bahraini royals buy into second tier Paris FC with sights set on Ligue 1
July 28 – Almost 10 years after Paris St. Germain were acquired by Qatar Sports Investments (QSI) to become one of the world’s richest clubs, their lesser-known cross-town poorer sister, Paris FC, are now also being funded by Middle Eastern money.
Oscar ready for Chinese call-up, but rules would need to change
July 28 – Brazilian playmaker Oscar says he would be willing to switch nationality to play for China if FIFA changed its eligibility rules.
South Africans agree August restart dates for closed door finish
July 28 – South African football will return to action behind closed doors with the Premier Soccer League (PSL) and the Nedbank Cup, officials have announced.
AC Milan land renewed Emirates deal but at reduced €10m a year
July 28 – AC Milan have held on to their main shirt sponsor Emirates airline in a three-year deal that will see them take a reported annual €4 million cut in the sponsorship fee.
Exclusive: Bility lays bare FIFA’s ‘corrupt’ African power games in letter to AU and UN
By Paul Nicholson
July 27 – Musa Bility has entered the FIFA integrity debate again with a hard-hitting letter to the chair of the African Union and the secretary general of the United Nations imploring them to “intervene and reform FIFA and organizations such as CAF”.