LA fashion brand 424 cuts new cloth with two-year Arsenal deal
October 10 – Los Angeles fashion brand 424 has become the Official Formal Wear partner of Premier League Arsenal in a two-year partnership.
Europe’s clubs and leagues on collision course over Champions League set up post-2024
By Andrew Warshaw
October 9 – The heads of the two bodies representing Europe’s clubs and league have renewed their war of words over qualification for the Champions League in the post-2024 cycle and how European competitions should be structured.
Why football’s impending TV rights disaster is a self-inflicted wound
By Paul Nicholson
October 9 – Football only has itself to blame for the bombshell dropped by beIN Media Group CEO, Yousef Al-Obaidly yesterday at the Leaders in Sport conference in London, who outlined a future of dramatically reduced rights fees from broadcasters worldwide, even for premium leagues and events.
All for one and one for all: England promise walk off if players are racially abused
October 9 – England players are threatening to walk off the pitch all together if any of them receive racist abuse from the stands when they take on Bulgaria in Sofia in a World Cup qualifier next Monday.
European Leagues boss Olsson says transfer window closing needs to be aligned
October 9 – The European summer transfer window should close at the same time everywhere as used to be the case, according to the head of the European Leagues.
Argentina and Brazil to return to Saudi Arabia for ‘Riyadh Season’ festival
October 9 – Saudi Arabia will stage another high-profile friendly between Brazil and Argentina in November as part of the Riyadh Season, the country’s General Entertainment Authority, headed by Turki Al-Sheikh, announced.
Belgian FA question Anderlecht over Kompany’s ‘unqualified’ coaching role
By Samindra Kunti
October 9 – Anderlecht have defended Vincent Kompany’s role as player-coach at the Belgian FA, denying that Simon Davies was a ‘shadow’ coach in place only to give Kompany the qualifications back-up required in Belgium.
Another flare-up at Celtic. UEFA charge club for 17th time
October 9 – Celtic have been charged by UEFA for fans setting off fireworks just over two weeks after being fined for the use of flares and throwing objects.
Shared energy: Milan clubs fuelled by joint A2A partnership
October 9 – They are fierce city rivals on the pitch yet they share a stadium, want to jointly build a new one, and now share a sponsor. Italian club giants AC Milan and Internazionale have jointly announced A2A Energia as their official energy partner.
‘Your worst nightmare’. beIN’s Al-Obaidly tells ‘sleep-walking’ rights owners the TV bubble has burst
By Paul Nicholson
October 8 – The warning signs have been there for a while, the reality may only just be starting to hit home to a football business that is “still sleep-walking to a financial cliff”. Broadcast and media rights revenues that underpinned football’s massive growth are about to burst, and spectacularly so.
Infantino beware? Platini, ban served, plots his return from football’s sidelines
By Andrew Warshaw
October 8 – Still protesting his innocence at the ban that crushed his hopes of landing the FIFA presidency he so coveted, former UEFA chief Michel Platini is free to work in football again and is vowing to make a comeback which could potentially mean trouble for those he believes conspired to end his career.
FIFA keep control of Ghana in run-up to election of Nyantakyi replacement
October 8 – FIFA has extended the term of the Normalisation Committee that oversees Ghanaian football.
FIFA’s corruption catch-up programme bans El Salvadorian Vasquez for life
October 8 – Former El Salvador FA boss Reynaldo Vasquez is the latest high-profile official to be banned for life by FIFA.
BT unveils Wales deal as part of multi-year rebrand anchored in Home Nations football
October 8 – The Welsh FA has announced BT as its exclusive lead partner in a deal that will run until 2024.
Red is the colour as Labour takes aim with political football
By David Owen
October 8 – Flummoxed by Brexit and with a general election looming, Britain’s opposition Labour party has turned to the people’s game to try to build some much-needed political capital.