November 11 – There are mixed opinions about the World Cup being held in late November and December. It’s created a domestic league situation the likes of which we haven’t seen. Even countries that haven’t qualified for the finals are being affected and are seeing their domestic league seasons fractured.
November 11 – European Club Association chair and PSG boss Nasser Al-Khelaifi, speaking at the UEFA Convention – Future of European Football, the day after European stakeholders met with Super League breakaway protagonists A22, gave a hard-hitting assessment of the group who he said “proved yesterday that they just don’t understand football and itsecosystem”.
November 10 – Qatar’s World Cup organisers have again strenuously denied claims by a former whistleblower that the country offered cash for votes in order to land the tournament.
November 10 – Qatar Airway CEO Akbar Al Baker (pictured) has hit back at the critics of the World Cup host nation, stressing that his nation will “always rub salt into the wound” of its adversaries.
November 10 – Romelu Lukaku will be heading to Qatar, Belgium coach Roberto Martinez confirmed on Thursday, naming his 26-men World Cup squad. The Spaniard also sprang a few surprises at the back, including Zeno Debast, Wout Faes and Arthur Theate.
November 10 – Unsurprisingly, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) have pulled their weight behind Gianni Infantino’s highly controversial ‘shut-up-and-play’ message to the 32 World Cup finalists on the eve of the tournament.
November 10 – A French judge has placed Vinci Construction Grands Projets, a unit of French construction group Vinci, under formal investigation over allegations it violated the rights of migrant workers in Qatar.
November 10 – French coach Didier Deschamps has named only a 25-man squad for the World Cup, despite being able to select one more, and has included Raphael Varane even though the Manchester United defender tore his hamstring last month.
November 10 – His country having just been cleared to play in the World Cup despite an appeal by Chile and Peru that they should have been thrown out for fielding an eligible player in qualifying, Ecuadorean President Guillermo Lasso (pictured) has decided not to attend the high profile opener against Qatar, citing domestic unrest.
November 10 – 2023 Women’s World Cup co-hosts Football Australia have agreed a multi-year sponsorship with LEGO Australia to become the first official partner of Football Australia’s Legacy ’23 programmes.
November 10 – Saudi Arabia’s Tourism Authority has extended its own use of the Hayya Card – the mandatory card that allows fans entry to Qatar for the World Cup – to include three more people travelling with the car holder (‘Hayya with Me (1+3)’).
By Andrew Warshaw
November 9 – World Cup organisers are breathing a sigh of relief after Chile’s protracted appeal to have Ecuador thrown out of the competition was rejected at the 11th hour by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
By Andrew Warshaw
November 9 – The impasse between UEFA and backers of a breakaway European Super League has intensified after a secret meeting between the two sides ended in stalemate and acrimony.
November 9 – Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter has added his once powerful voice to criticism of Qatar staging the World Cup by saying the decision 12 years ago was a mistake.
November 9 – In the latest rebuttal of the constant criticism faced by host nation Qatar, World Cup CEO Nasser Al Khater (pictured) has claimed that Europeans think they hold a monopoly on the tournament.