Barca scandal is ‘serious’ but Ceferin makes no comment on detail
April 6 – UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin believes the refereeing scandal facing Barcelona is a massively serious issue for the Spanish giants.
World Football
Pavelko hangs on to UEFA executive committee seat despite corruption allegations
April 6 – It is perhaps no surprise that of the seven men elected on to the UEFA executive committee on Wednesday, the one gaining the fewest votes was Ukraine FA boss Andriy Pavelko (pictured).
Liverpool fans launch personal injury class action against UEFA for Champions League chaos
April 6 – Nearly 900 Liverpool fans caught up in the chaotic scenes at last year’s Champions League final are to sue UEFA, according to their lawyers.
Serbian government bails out Partisan Belgrade with €2.5m grant
April 6 – The Serbian government has given the country’s two biggest clubs – Partizan Belgrade and Red Star Belgrade – financial aid of €2.5 million each. The financial assistance was granted following a request from the Serbian Football Federation (FSS).
CPL dials in telecoms giant Telus for 2023 kick off and a five-year deal
April 6 – The Canadian Premier League (CPL) has unveiled Telus as the league’s Official Telecommunications, Digital Health and Home Security Partner in a five-year deal.
Re-elected Ceferin slams ‘reckless’ club owning ‘cartels’ and vows to fight for football’s meritocracy
By Andrew Warshaw
April 5 – UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin was elected unopposed by acclamation for another four-year term today but not before launching a scathing attack on irresponsible club owners, accusing them of running their businesses in a “high-risk even reckless manner that defies all logic and principles.”
Klaveness fails in bid for UEFA exco seat as Europeans go to the polls
By Samindra Kunti in Lisbon
April 5 – Lise Klaveness has left the Portuguese capital empty-handed. After the Nordic bid for Euro 2025 fell short, the Norwegian FA president failed to win a seat on the UEFA executive committee, falling well short with just 18 votes.
War games: UEFA strips hosting of U-19 Women’s Euros from Belarus
By Andrew Warshaw
April 5 – For the first time since the start of the war in Ukraine, Russia’s neighbour and ally, Belarus, has been stripped of staging a major multi-nation football competition after UEFA announced it had removed the country as hosts of the 2025 women’s under-19 event.
NWSL awards 14th franchise to Sixth Street backed Bay Area team
April 5 – The top tier National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) in the US has awarded an expansion franchise to an investment group who will set up an as yet unnamed team in the Bay Area in Northern California.
Belgian tax collectors chase non-profit Genk for €39m
April 5 – Belgian tax authorities are chasing €39 million from league leaders Racing Genk, arguing that the club’s legal status as a non-profit does not exempt it from paying corporation tax.
Levski Sofia fans donate to help with €5.5m tax bill, as club launches share offer
April 5 – Supporters of Bulgaria’s Levski Sofia have raised over BGN 243,000 (€121,000) to help the club in pay off its debts to the National Revenue Agency (NRA).
Swiss beat off Nordic, French and Polish bids to win Women’s Euro 2025 hosting
By Samindra Kunti in Lisbon
April 4 – In a bidding race that went down to the wire, Switzerland won the right to host Euro 2025 after seeing off the combined bid from Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland as well as hosting hopefuls France and Poland.
Barca demand Tebas resigns over false evidence reportedly provided to Spanish police
April 4 – Barcelona have made another request for outspoken Spanish league president Javier Tebas (pictured) to resign because of his attacks on the club.
James Dostoyevsky: Gone potty
So, the genius who doesn’t have much of a clue about football, other than watching soccer in his native USA, but decided to put a few associates together and buy Chelsea FC, has really stirred the pot now.
Libya detains two Marumo Gallants officials over unpaid hotel bill
April 4 – Two South African club officials held in Libya for more than two weeks over unpaid bills will not be allowed to travel home until the debt is settled.