January 14 – The global transfer market is still reeling from the impact of Covid-19, shrinking to $4.86 billion in 2021, down 13.6% from the $5.63 billion spend in 2020, FIFA’s Global Transfer Report has found.
January 11 – Almost a year after launching an appeal, Swiss prosecutors have a second chance to win their case against beIN Sport supremo and Paris St Germain boss Nasser Al-Khelaifi over the allocation of World Cup TV rights.
January 10 – In keeping with tradition, Lionel Messi is once again nominated in the final three of The Best FIFA Men’s Player awards. FIFA will probably keep nominating him when he retires.
January 10 – Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola, Chelsea’s Thomas Tuchel and Italy manager Roberto Mancini are on the shortlist for FIFA’s best men’s coach of the year with the winner to be announced on January 17.
January 7 – FIFA’s ticket sales process for the Club World Cup UAE 2021, has gone from an exclusive pre-sale window that ended today, to a last-minute ticket window opening today.
January 5 – Erik Lamela’s remarkable rabona for Tottenham Hotspur in last season’s north London derby against Arsenal, Patrik Schick’s long-distance screamer at the Euros and Mehdi Taremi’s overhead kick against Chelsea have been nominated for FIFA’s annual Puskas award for the best goal of 2021.
January 4 – Having spent months extolling the virtues of a biennial World Cup, met with fierce resistance by UEFA and sceptics everywhere, Gianni Infantino is now suggesting the Euros could go the same way.
January 4 – Tickets for the Club World Cup in the UAE that kicks off 3 February have gone on-sale in an exclusive pre-sale six-day window with prices starting as low as $5.
December 23 – Belgium will be top of the men’s FIFA rankings for a fourth successive Christmas and New Year, while the US women remain top of their rankings, a position they have held since 2017.
By Andrew Warshaw
December 21 – The entire narrative of a biennial World Cup, thought to have been irrevocably stalled because of widespread opposition, has been catapulted back into the limelight with FIFA president Gianni Infantino claiming it would “benefit everyone without harming anyone”.
December 21 – FIFA has announced VISA as its first Global Women’s Football Partner under its newly launched commercial partnership structure that has separated the mens and women’s commercial sales sponsor offers and which comes into effect in 2023.
By Samindra Kunti in Al Khor, Qatar
December 20 – In an all-North African final, Algeria defeated Tunisia 2-0 with extra-time goals from Amir Sayoud and Yacine Brahimi to claim their first Arab Cup, a tournament that served as a dress rehearsal for World Cup hosts Qatar.
By Paul Nicholson
December 17 – Ahead of FIFA’s much vaunted Global Summit on the Future of Football – that will focus on the international calendar and in particular FIFA’s proposal for a biennial World Cup – a report has been released that predicts if FIFA’s proposals were implemented, Europe’s federations would lose revenues of €2.5 – 3 billion over a four-year cycle.
By Paul Nicholson
December 16 – The Swiss Federal Assembly has confirmed the appointment of two senior magistrates to continue the criminal investigation into FIFA president Gianni Infantino and his dealings with former Swiss Attorney General Michael Lauber.
By Samindra Kunti in Doha, Qatar
December 16 – Algeria broke Qatari hearts on Wednesday, eliminating the Arab Cup hosts 2-1 in the semifinals following a dramatic, seesaw 19 minutes of injury time. The African champions will take on Tunisia in the final.