Life ban for penalty pointing Moroccan referee
December 30 – A Moroccan referee has been banned for life for awarding four highly questionable penalties, three of them for the same team, in a domestic league match.
Gold Cup 2025
Mexico and Saudi Arabia to head in Glendale, USA face Costa Rica test in Minneapolis
June 23 – Mexico will headline the first Gold Cup quarter-final double header against tournament guests Saudi Arabia at the State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, on Saturday night (June 28).
Rayo Vallecano and Albacete to resume 2nd half behind closed doors after Nazi chanting
December 30 – A Spanish second division match abandoned at half-time after Rayo Vallecano fans chanted that Albacete’s Ukrainian forward Roman Zozulya (pictured) was a ‘Nazi’ is to resume behind closed doors.
Rangers tap into Californian talent in Orange Country
December 30 – Scottish giants Rangers have announced a new partnership with American USL side Orange County SC involving player exchanges between the pair.
Man City, Roma and OL lead big name clubs into 2020 FIFA eClub World Cup finals
December 29 – Roma, Basel, Man City, Borussia Mönchengladbach and Olympique Lyonais lead the club branded qualifiers for the FIFA eClub World Cup 2020 finals to be be played February 7-9.
Brazil tops football’s drug sanctions table
By David Owen
December 30 – Brazilian footballers were more likely to be sanctioned for anti-doping rule violations (ADRVs) than those of any other nationality, according to statistics relating to samples collected in 2017 made public this month by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
PFA demands government racism inquiry as Spurs fans target Chelsea’s Rudiger
December 23 – England’s Professional Footballers’ Association has called for a government inquiry into racism in football after a year of shame was marred by yet another disgraceful incident, with Chelsea’s Antonio Rudiger allegedly targeted at his club’s 2-0 derby win at Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.
Italian Super Cup focusses on human rights and commercial self-interest issues. A game was played
By Samindra Kunti
December 23 – Lazio defeated Juventus 3-1 to win the Italian Super Cup, controversially staged in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, its second season in the country.
Costa Rica and Panama to co-host 2021 U20 women’s World Cup, Nigeria lose out
December 23 – Nigeria have lost their bid to become the first African country to host a global women’s tournament after FIFA chose Costa Rica and Panama as joint hosts for next year’s Under-20 World Cup.
Ahmad says AFCON 2021 in Cameroon could return to Jan dates due to ‘climatic conditions’
By Osasu Obayiuwana
December 23 – Confederation of African Football (CAF) President Ahmad has told Insideworldfootball in Doha, Qatar, that a firm decision on the timing of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, to be staged in Cameroon, will be taken during CAF’s next executive committee meeting.
Just three in a thousand football anti-doping samples tested positive in 2018
By David Owen
December 22 – If there is a doping crisis in football, it is still not being picked up by the authorities.
England World Cup winner Martin Peters dies, aged 76
By David Owen
December 22 – Martin Peters, who scored England’s second goal in the 4-2 victory over West Germany in the 1966 World Cup final, has died at the age of 76.
Belgium ends year top of FIFA rankings, Qatar is 2019’s fastest climber
December 21 – Belgium will finish 2019 as the world’s top ranked team, ahead of France and Brazil – the same positions they held in December 2018 in the FIFA/Coca-Cola men’s World Rankings.
Nine bidders line up for expanded Club World Cup commercial rights
December 20 – FIFA has received nine bids for the commercial rights to the new expanded 24-team Club World Cup being held in China in 2021.
FIFA give former Ethics committee member Alvarado life ban for taking bribes
December 20 – FIFA has imposed a life ban on a former member of both its Ethics and Disciplinary Committees, who at one time helped judge the wrongdoing of others, for himself taking bribes.
Uganda beat Kenya to take 15th Cecafa Cup title
December 20 – Hosts Uganda have lifted the Cecafa Cup, East Africa’s flagship regional competition, after defeating Eritrea 3-0 in the final.