David Owen: Covid-19 has been disastrous for Infantino’s grand designs
March 18 – One early victim of the coronavirus crisis has been FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s authority.
Man Utd commit to paying casual workforce whether games are played or not
March 19 – With the Premier League having announced that all matches are currently suspended until April 30, Manchester United have announced they will pay wages to their casual workforce whether games are played or not.
English leagues extend suspension to end of April with no season end-dates set
March 19 – English football, already wiped off the map until April 3 because of the continued spread of coronavirus, will now be suspended until April 30 following a crisis video conference of the sport’s various authorities today.
Tebas says Europe’s leagues could be back playing by mid-May
March 19 – Despite Covid-19 decimating football across Europe, there is light at the end of the tunnel with La Liga President Javier Tebas saying major leagues are preparing to resume in mid-May and finish by the end of June as long as the climate is right.
FIFA puts CWC on hold with no new dates set; makes $10m donation to WHO
March 19 – As expected FIFA has confirmed the postponement of Gianni Infantino’s much-trumpeted revamped Club World Cup but hasn’t decided when to play the tournament instead of next year.
Nigerian FA suspends activity as coronavirus impact reaches Africa
March 19 – Nigeria has become the latest country to suspend all football activities in the global fight against the coronavirus.
Bournemouth losses triple to £32.4m as annual turnover dips again
By David Owen
March 19 – AFC Bournemouth, the Russian-owned south coast club enjoying an extended Premier League adventure under manager Eddie Howe, have announced an increased annual loss.
UEFA will refund Euro 2020 ticket buyers if they can’t make 2021 dates
March 19 – UEFA has confirmed that provide full refunds will be paid to fans who bought tickets for Euro 2020 if they are unable to reschedule for next year, saying sticking with the original dates would have been far too dangerous because of Covid-19.
Spurs report £68m profit as Levy flags ‘most serious’ Covid-19 hurdle
By David Owen
March 19 – Tottenham Hotspur have disclosed another sizeable annual profit, though chairman Daniel Levy has warned that the current coronavirus pandemic amounts to the biggest hurdle the club has faced in two decades.
EFL to release £50m fund for clubs, SPL’s Hearts ask players to halve wages
March 19 – The English Football League, which represents the three professional divisions immediately below the Premier League, is to release a £50 million short-term relief fund to help cash-strapped clubs hit by the coronavirus outbreak.
KPMG report predicts Big 5 leagues could lose up to €4bn
March 19 – Europe’s Big 5 leagues could lose as much as €4 billion if no more games are played this season as a result of the coronavirus crisis. The Premier League could account for as much as €1.25 billion of that and LaLiga as much as €950 million.
SIGA Strives: Integrity group rolls out series of 30 initiatives
March 19 – Battling for sports integrity is not unlike the fight against coronavirus. You can’t see the enemy but you know that it is there and potentially can destroy everything you hold close. And you can’t let your guard down.
PSG to make small screen streaming debut with Amazon docuseries
March 19 – French champions Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) are to feature in their own behind-the-scenes docuseries, produced by Amazon, later this year.
Revamped Club World Cup under calendar pressure as Euros and Copa America reschedule
March 18 – FIFA president Gianni Infantino has proposed moving the first ever 24-team Club World Club from its 2021 date to avoid clashing with the rescheduled European Championships.
Brazil’s CBF reports record €174m revenue
By Samindra Kunti
March 18 – The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) has reported a record revenue of €174 million in 2019, in large part due to the FIFA World Cup payouts, TV rights income and sponsorship.