By Andrew Warshaw, chief correspondent
January 20 – The first battle lines in the bid to become the next president of FIFA were drawn today when Jerome Champagne, one of the organisation’s most senior former administrators, officially announced his intention to run for the top job in world football.
By Paul Nicholson
January 17 – Premier League clubs Arsenal and Liverpool have both announced exclusive global sponsorship partners, while Manchester City have unveiled a regional sponsorship.
By Alexander Krassimirov
January 17 – 583 football clubs will be entitled to vote in the upcoming Congress of Bulgarian Football Union on 14 February, when the elections for a new president of the federation will take place. That was announced after a meeting of the Executive Committee – 137 clubs were excluded because they are not currently engaged in any activity.
January 17 – A new Spanish football anti-corruption unit has been set up to try to combat the scourge of match-fixing and illegal betting. Manuel Quintanar (pictured), director general of the so-called integrity department at the Spanish league, says those found guilty should be given far stronger sentences.
By Andrew Warshaw
January 17 – Scottish football has become caught up in a new betting scandal after Michael Moffat (pictured), a striker with League One club Ayr United, was banned for six games for breaking the rules.
By Andrew Warshaw
January 17 – In the latest move of an intriguing guessing game, FIFA president Sepp Blatter says he will decide before the World Cup whether to stand for a fifth term as head of football’s world governing body.
By Paul Nicholson
January 17 – The National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) is holding its 2014 NWSL College Draft today with more than 180 players submitted for selection by the nine teams in the US-based professional league. Now preparing for its second season, the eight founding clubs have been joined by an expansion franchise – Houston Dash – who were given an initial pre-draft 10-player selection.
By Andrew Warshaw
January 16 – In another blow to the image of Brazil’s status as World Cup and Olympic hosts, the prestigious annual Laureus sports awards – dubbed the Oscars of sport and due to have taken place in March in Rio de Janeiro – have suddenly been called off.
By Andrew Warshaw
January 16 – Amidst the razzmatazz of this week’s world player of the year award, FIFA president Sepp Blatter provided small but significant new details of the time scale leading up to a decision on the timing of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
By Alexander Krassimirov
January 16 – German company IFS has reached an agreement with the Bulgarian Football Union to build a new modern stadium in Sofia. The facility will be built on the site of Slavia stadium and will be the national stadium for home games as well as being used by Slavia FC.
By Paul Nicholson
January 16 – Fans who are being priced out of attending the Brazil World Cup because of the high rates of accommodation should take a look at a campsite option launched by two Englishmen in Recreio, in the west of Rio de Janeiro. For £35 a day per person, campers can turn up and get the full World Cup experience in one of Rio’s safer districts and in an area of outstanding natural beauty.
By Andrew Warshaw
January 16 – In what might be perceived, somewhat controversially, as a sign that Lionel Messi is losing his lustre, millions of fans have bizarrely left the Barcelona and Argentine superstar out of UEFA’s team of the year.
January 16 – Leeds United, one of the biggest names in English football but struggling to rekindle past glories, have moved a step closer being taken over after Bahrain-based investment company Gulf Finance House (GFH) agreed to sell part of its stake in the iconic club.
January 16 – The prospect of a women’s Club World Cup to mirror the men’s event has reportedly moved a step following the first session of the FIFA Task Force for Women’s Football, chaired by Moya Dodd, the Australian co-opted member of FIFA’s Executive Committee.
By Paul Nicholson
January 16 – CONCACAF President Jeffrey Webb was in Senegal, Africa, last night to receive a special recognition award from the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS).