CSKA Sofia mandates players to work with club’s foundation charities
February 5 – Bulgaria’s CSKA Sofia has added a special clause to player contacts, starting this month, that will oblige them to participate in charitable causes.
Women's Euro 2025
Sweden wary of Pajor threat for Poland
July 8 – Sweden face Poland in Lucerne this evening with a place in the UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 quarter-finals within reach. A win for Peter Gerhardsson’s side, combined with Germany avoiding defeat against Denmark, would confirm their passage from Group C with a game to spare.
Manchester City spend more than EPL rivals combined in winter window
The January transfer window saw plenty of movement across the globe, headlined by Manchester City spending more than the rest of the English Premier League (EPL) combined as they attempted to patch holes in their increasingly leaky title defence.
Costa Rican side take FIFA to court over failure to enforce club ownership rules
February 4 – Costa Rican club Alajuelense are taking their fight to play in the expanded Club World Cup to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). They have launched legal action against FIFA over what they see as the governing body’s failure to enforce its own rules regarding club ownership in the 32-team tournament.
Rubiales’ actions ruined ‘one of the happiest days of my life’ states Hermoso
February 4 – Disgraced former Spanish Football Association (RFEF) President Luis Rubiales ruined what should have been “one of the happiest days” of Jenny Hermoso’s life, she told the first day of the infamous “kissgate” scandal trial in Madrid.
Gillette returns to UEFA fold with multi-year Champions League licensing deal
February 4 – The UEFA Champions League has a familiar face as its new grooming partner. Gillette, the world’s leading men’s grooming brand, is back in the fold after signing a multi-year global licensing deal with UEFA’s flagship club competition, starting this season.
EA Sports boosts football gaming realism with TRACAB Technologies acquisition
February 4 – EA Sports, developer of sports-sim games FC25 and College Football 25, is making a major move to enhance its football gaming realism by acquiring TRACAB Technologies – a leader in optical tracking and real-time data analysis.
Wrexham story turns another page with plans for new 5,500-capacity stand
February 4 – There aren’t many lower-league European clubs that constantly make international football news across the pond, but the Wrexham story continues to be a source of fascination to U.S. fans – courtesy of their celebrity ownership duo of Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, who bought the Welsh club in 2021.
Gravina earns third term as Italian Football Federation President
February 4 – Incumbent Gabriele Gravina has been re-elected as president of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) for a third term following a resounding electoral victory.
Santos legend Antonio Lima passes away at the age of 83
February 4 – Brazil and Santos legend Antonio Lima passed away on Monday at the age of 83 after a month-long hospitalisation.
Documentary goes behind the scenes of Romanian national team at EURO 2024
February 4 – The Romanian Football Federation (FRF) has announced the launch of a new series dedicated to the participation of the Romanian national team at EURO 2024 in Germany. The three-part documentary, called “Generation of Soul”, will be available in March 2025 on a streaming platform.
Museum set to open in Hong Kong to honour Cristiano Ronaldo
February 4 – Cristiano Ronaldo once again showed he has plenty of goals left in him on the eve of his 40th birthday as he notched a brace in Al-Nassr’s 4-0 win over Al-Wasl in the Asian Football Confederation’s Champions League Elite on Monday.
Chelsea’s Sam Kerr called police officer “stupid and white”, trial is told
February 4 – Chelsea striker Sam Kerr, widely considered to be one of the top women players in the world, is currently on trial at Kingston Crown Court charged with causing racially aggravated harassment to PC Stephen Lovell in the early hours of 30 January 2023.
MLS joins cash game as Houston Dynamo buy Philadelphia Union’s McGlynn
February 4 – Beginning in January, Major League Soccer (MLS) began allowing teams within the league to trade players for cash. Houston Dynamo FC wasted no time in opening up their wallets to acquire Philadelphia Union midfielder Jack McGlynn (pictured) in the first cash-for-homegrown player trade.
USSF and MLS dodge a $375m bullet after court rules for them in NASL anti-trust case
February 4 – The US Soccer Federation (USSF) and the MLS are celebrating a major win after a federal jury in New York found that the USSF did not violate anti-trust law in denying the North American Soccer League (NASL) Division II league status.
The NASL which operated between 2011 and 2017 and included perhaps the US’s best known club name globally – the New York Cosmos – argued that the USSF and MLS had illegally conspired against the NASL to ensure it wasn’t sanctioned as a Division II league.
Visa expands AFC partnership to major club competitions and 2026 qualifiers
February 4 – Visa has renewed and expanded its sponsor partnership with AFC to cover more of the confederation’s regions and competitions for the next two seasons.