By Paul Nicholson and Andrew Warshaw
July 16 – Comments made by FIFA President Sepp Blatter at the World Cup closing press conference in Brazil have caused confusion in Russia both with the 2018 World Cup organisers and amongst the media.
By Andrew Warshaw
July 15- FIFA President Sepp Blatter delivered a generally positive report on the World Cup in Brazil – but admits his organization came up short when it came to dealing with discrimination.
Despite all the fears about lack of organization and street protests, the tournament was widely considered one of the best off the field – and perhaps THE best on it.
By Ben Nicholson
July 15 – The 2014 World Cup has set new records for both Twitter and Facebook, becoming the most talked about sporting event in history on social media and living up to its pre-tournament moniker of being ‘The Mobile World Cup’.
By Andrew Warshaw
July 14 – FIFA have made their first public comment on the ongoing World Cup ticketing scandal saying they fully support their long-term partner Byrom and its wholly owned subsidiary Match Services AG against the allegations concerning Match’s British accommodation chief Ray Whelan who is at the centre of an investigation by Brazilian authorities.
By David Owen
July 12 – As attention now switches to the new crop of club shirt deals – and Manchester United £600 million kit sponsor chase looks like the next ‘big’ one on the horizon – the 2014 World Cup Battle of the Brands drew to a close in Brazil this weekend with an all-Nike third-place play-off, followed by an all-Adidas final.
By Andrew Warshaw
July 14 – The choice of Lionel Messi as the recipient of the Golden Ball award as the best player at the World Cup was somewhat controversial after an in-and-out performance by the Argentine maestro in Sunday’s showpiece finale.
July 14 – Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari has quit following his country’s World Cup disaster, according to Brazilian media including leading broadcaster Globo TV.
By Andrew Warshaw
July 14 – If ever the expression ‘good things comes to those who wait’ is applicable to football, look no further than Germany’s thoroughly deserved World Cup triumph in the Maracana on Sunday night. A repetition of their semi-final humiliation of hosts Brazil was never likely against a resolute, spirited Argentina team who had the better chances yet didn’t record a single shot on target, Lionel Messi being one of the culprits.
July 14 – The Ghanaian government has dismissed the claims made by Ghanaian asylum seekers in Brazil that there is reason to flee the nation due to religious conflict.
By Andrew Warshaw
July 11 – The World Cup tickets scandal plaguing FIFA in the build-up to Sunday’s showpiece final is further intensifying with Brazilian police now treating the figure at the centre of their inquiries, Ray Whelan (pictured), who works for one of FIFA’s key associate companies, as a fugitive while his employers insist he is totally innocent of any wrongdoing.
By Andrew Warshaw
July 11 – Not surprisingly Luis Suarez and the Uruguayan football federation have had their protest against his ban for that notorious World Cup bite rejected by the FIFA appeals committee.
By Mark Baber
July 10 – Russia’s Federation Council on Wednesday passed a bill which will suspend the ban on alcohol advertising which had initially been brought in to help tackle the country’s most acute public health crisis – alcohol abuse. The new measure allows TV advertising of alcohol, but only in conjunction with sports events.
July 9 – As Brazil and the rest of the world comes to terms with the exit of the hosts, the Dutch and the Argentines face off to see who will meet Germany in the Maracana on Sunday. This match will be close but it might not be pretty. Will Messi’s genius overcome Van Gaal’s preparation.
July 9 – Thousands of fans turned out to greet Costa Rica’s footballers when they arrived home after reaching the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time in their history.
July 9 – All doping tests on players competing at the World Cup have proved negative, according to FIFA. Jiri Dvorak, FIFA’s chief medical officer, said both blood and urine samples from the first 58 games came back clean as did 777 out-of-competition tests conducted between March 1 and June 11.