Lukaku goals lead Belgium to being first to book place at Euro 2020 finals
October 11 – Belgium have become the first team to qualify for Euro 2020 after a 9-0 demolition job of amateurs San Marino.
Iraq celebrate return of home fixtures with 2-0 World Cup qualification win over Hong Kong
October 11 – It’s been a long road back but Iraq played their first competitive fixture on home soil in eight years on Thursday as they beat Hong Kong 2-0 in a World Cup qualifier in Basra.
Kosovo refuses Red Star Belgrade players entry to play Serbian Cup tie in Mitrovica
November 11 – In a fresh outbreak of regional geo-politics, Red Star Belgrade, Serbia’s leading team, was banned from entering Kosovo this week to play a Serbia Cup match against a local side, with the club’s bus prevented from crossing into the former Serbian province.
Afghanistan’s Aghazada banned for covering up sexual abuse scandal
October 11 – The former general secretary of the Afghanistan Football Federation (AFF), Sayed Aghazada, has been banned for five years by FIFA in the latest sanction relating to the country’s sexual abuse scandal.
Dentsu adds TV rights to J-league representation package
October 11 – Dentsu will replace French agency Lagardere Sports as the sales agency for Japan’s J-League international broadcast rights between 2020 and 2022.
Bulgarians say England’s walk-off threat is ‘unjust’ branding of country as racist
October 11 – The Bulgarian FA have written angrily to UEFA to protest against a threat by England players to walk off the pitch en masse if any of them are racially abused during Monday’s Euro 2020 qualifier in Sofia.
Esprit becomes UEFA’s third women’s football partner alongside Nike and Visa
October 11 – UEFA have added global fashion brand Esprit as the Official Branded Apparel Partner of UEFA Women’s Football in deal running through to 2021.
Uganda’s Magogo suspended over 2014 World Cup ticket resale scandal
October 11 – FIFA have suspended Uganda FA president Moses Magogo from all football-related activity for two months for his role in the resale of World Cup tickets. The football official has also been slapped with a $10,000 fine.
FIFA vow to keep pressure on Iran to continue to allow women in stadia
By Andrew Warshaw
October 10 – Iran’s World Cup qualifier against Cambodia today is being lauded as a landmark occasion, with women officially allowed to attend a men’s game for the first time in two generations.
UEFA ban Slovan Bratislava fans for Wolves game but U-14s can still go for free
October 10 – UEFA have confirmed that Slovan Bratislava’s Europa League game against Wolverhampton Wanderers will be played behind closed doors after dismissing their appeal against being charged for racist chants by fans in a play-off game against PAOK of Greece.
Messi ready to end his career at Barca but says he is not God
October 10 -Lionel Messi has revealed wanted to leave Spain in the midst of his case for tax fraud because of the way he was being treated but stayed when no offers emerged.
Sligo parody ‘WAGatha Christie’ in quick-witted PR coup
By David Owen
October 10 – Sligo Rovers currently reside, it is fair to say, some way below the pinnacle of European football. But the League of Ireland club plays a mean social media game.
Security issues force Sierra Leone World Cup qualifier behind closed doors
October 10 – Sierra Leone have been ordered to play their next official match behind closed doors following “a number of incidents” linked to the recent World Cup qualifier against Liberia.
Beckham’s Inter Miami and New England Revolution commit to 3rd tier USL
October 10 – The USL, operator of professional leagues below the MLS, have won the commitments of David Beckham’s Inter Miami and MLS old stagers New England Revolution to enter teams in the second season of their third tier League One in 2020.
Adidas builds esports positioning with official in-game ball for FIFA 20 Global Series
October 10 – Adidas, one of FIFA’s six top tier partners, has added sponsorship of the the governing bodies esports package – the FIFA 20 Global Series – and will provide the official in-game ball.