By Mark Baber
June 13 – The dispute between authorities in Egypt and FIFA over the latter’s sale of exclusive World Cup broadcast rights in Egypt to Qatar-owned beIN sports has intensified with Egypt’s Competition Authority (ECA) saying it will oblige FIFA to allow the state broadcaster to broadcast 22 matches, including those of the Egyptian national team.
By Andrew Warshaw in Moscow
June 13 – Gianni Infantino claimed personal credit today for turning round FIFA’s fortunes since becoming its president just over two years ago – both from a financial and transparency standpoint.
By Andrew Warshaw in Moscow
June 12 – The vote for the 2026 World Cup may take centre stage at Wednesday’s FIFA Congress in Moscow but not for the first time the crisis in Middle East football is giving the FIFA hierarchy one gigantic head-ache.
By Andrew Warshaw in Moscow
June 11 – The chances of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar being expanded to 48 teams appear to have faded as quickly as they arose.
Plans for a feasibility study have been put on hold and the idea pulled from Wednesday’s FIFA Congress after FIFA President Gianni Infantino said agreement from the Gulf nation is a “precondition.”
June 6 – FIFA has filed a criminal complaint in Switzerland against the ticket website Viagogo on the eve of the World Cup as part of a crackdown on unauthorised sales.
By Andrew Warshaw
June 5 – FIFA president Gianni Infantino suddenly appears to be backtracking on bringing forward plans for a 48-team World Cup to the 2022 tournament in Qatar.
June 5 – Osiris Guzman, the Dominican Republic federation president who famously once used a speech to compare Sepp Blatter to Jesus Christ, Nelson Mandela and Winston Churchill all rolled into one, has found himself going the same way as FIFA’s former president after being banned by FIFA’s ethics committee from all involvement in the game for 90 days pending a full inquiry.
June 4 – Ethiopian football has a new leader, albeit after a protracted election process, in Esayas Jira who takes over Juneidi Basha after polling 87 of 145 votes at the national federation’s General Assembly.
June 3 – FIFA will return to London for the third edition of their Best Awards in September. Nominations will be released July 23, after the World Cup final in Russia, with public voting open until August 10.
June 1 – Timed just two weeks before the FIFA Congress in Moscow, FIFA has lifted its suspension imposed on Guatemala 18 months ago over its failure to comply with anti-corruption rules.
May 30 – He may still be suspended over that infamous CHF 2 million “disloyal payment” to Michel Platini but that hasn’t stopped former FIFA president Sepp Blatter from speaking his mind when it comes to the injustices he feels he has suffered.
By Paul Nicholson
May 25 – FIFA’s Moscow Congress on June 13 will not be asked to vote on president Gianni Infantino’s $25 billion new competition proposals. But it will be asked to push forward the 48-team World Cup agenda with the approval of a feasibility study for the expansion of Qatar 2022.
May 25 – The budget beleaguered FIFA World Football Museum that has been a major casualty under FIFA president Gianni Infantino’s sweeping cost cuts, has phoenix-like re-emerged for the Russian World Cup to host major exhibition at Hyundai Motorstudio Moscow.
May 25 – For the second year running London will host the FIFA eWorld Cup Grand Final 2018. The finals organised by FIFA video gamemaker Electronic Arts will be played from August 2-4, though the venue is still to be announced.
By Paul Nicholson
May 23 – The $25 billion international calendar revamp proposal that FIFA was going to ask its members to vote on at its annual Congress in Moscow has reportedly been postponed. It is now unclear when a decision and vote will be taken, though more detail of the proposal is expected to be shown to FIFA Council members when they meet June 10 prior to the June 13 full member congress.