On the run: Ahmad’s Madagascan successor Rabekoto missing as corruption probe bites
March 2 – Madagascar’s FA president is reported to have disappeared just as he is being investigated for corruption.
Ceferin and Montagliani to headline as SIGA unveils more speakers for New York Forum, March 24
March 2 – UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin, and Concacaf president Victor Montagliani will headline the 6th SIGA Sport Integrity Forum in New York on March 24.
Eredivisie feeds its sponsorship wheels with Deliveroo deal
March 2 – Holland’s Eredivisie launched a new partnership at the weekend with new ‘Official Food Deliver Partner’ Deliveroo giving fans €2.50 discount on every Deliveroo order.
FIFA turns to Double pass for player data tracking
March 2 – FIFA have enlisted Belgian company Double pass as a partner to roll out a new ‘Talent Development Progamme’.
FIFA transfer reforms target an end to player ‘hoarding’ and mega-pay days for agents
By Andrew Warshaw
February 28 – In a transfer reform that will be widely welcomed across many sectors of the game, FIFA is set to limit the number of international loan deals from next season and curb the amount agents can be paid.
Villa post near £70m loss after Lerner payment
By David Owen
February 28 – Relegation-threatened Aston Villa have disclosed a swingeing £68.9 million loss for the year to end-May 2019, the season culminating with a play-off victory over Derby County that took them back into the Premier League.
IFAB stuck with VAR decision and no ‘clear and obvious’ route to take
February 28 – It’s not VAR per se that’s at fault, it’s the law itself that’s an ass. That’s the argument often churned out by the experts whenever goals are wiped out by the video assistant referee because of marginal offside decisions such as the width of a toe.
AFC Congress become latest Coronavirus casualty
February 28 – After postponing or rescheduling a raft of regional matches because of the spread of the coronavirus, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has been forced to call off its entire 47-nation congress that was to be held at its Kuala Lumpur headquarters on April 16.
UEFA ready for Congress with Covid-19 concerns over upcoming Euros
By Andrew Warshaw
February 28 – With the corona virus crippling sports events across the globe, UEFA’s executive committee seem certain to discuss the potential effect on Euro 2020 when they meet in Amsterdam on Monday ahead of their full 55-nation Congress 24 hours later.
UEFA releases 10,000 Europa League final tickets and launches ‘Flexi-Final’option
February 28 – UEFA is releasing 10,000 tickets for the 2020 UEFA Europa League final in Gdańsk, Poland, at 2pm today, and introducing for the first time a ‘Flexi-Final’ ticket for fans who only want to attend if their team makes the final.
Beckham bangs the drum for MLS as season and Inter Miami set for kick off
February 28 – David Beckham and his Inter Miami headline the landmark 25th season of Major League Soccer, which kicks off on Saturday with the curtain raiser between D.C. United and Colorado in the American capital.
Valencia expand internationally with Morocco academy launch
February 28 – LaLiga’s Valencia CF has added to its growing global network of academies with the opening of a new VCF Academy in Morocco.
Saudi Arabia plan launch of new women’s league based in Riyadh
February 28 – Saudi Arabia has launched a women’s league, two years after women were first allowed into stadiums in the Gulf kingdom.
Kosovan FA boss Ademi jailed for 9 months
February 28 – Kovoso’s football supremo Agim Ademi has been sentenced to nine months in prison by the country’s Appeals Court over attempted coercion.
Infantino relaunches expansionist vision with more FIFA competition at its heart
By Andrew Warshaw and Samindra Kunti
February 27 – The international match calendar, which has divided stakeholders throughout the game – all with vested interests – is to undergo its biggest ever review by FIFA.