Gate money in decline at top-flight European clubs
By David Owen
February 5 – Top-flight European football clubs took less in gate money in 2011 than they did in 2008, according to UEFA.
World Football
Dodd to challenge Nsekera for Exco hot seat
By Mark Baber
February 4 – Australia’s Moya Dodd will challenge Lydia Nsekera (pictured) for the newly created position of women’s representative on FIFA’s Executive Committee.
Diego Maradona and the hand of the €40 million tax collector
By Mark Baber
February 4 – The saga of Diego Maradona’s tax woes in Italy has taken another turn with his solicitor, Angelo Pisani, claiming that the Argentine’s tax bill, had been cleared by the Central Tax Commission, a claim that has been dismissed by Italy’s tax collection agency, the Agenzia delle Entrate.
IFAB to discuss offside, goal-line technology, women and its own reason for being
February 4 – The International Football Association Board (IFAB) will discuss a clarification of the offside rule as well as consider a report on goal-line technology at its 127th Annual General Meeting on Saturday 2 March under the chairmanship of The Scottish FA in Edinburgh.
UEFA puts match data contract out to bidders
February 4 – UEFA have moved to take greater commercial control of their match data with a request for proposals (RFP) for the collection of UEFA match data and the distribution rights for official match data.
Egypt’s Premier League kicks off behind closed doors
February 4 – A year and a day after Egypt’s Premier League was suspended following violence at the Port Said stadium where 74 fans died, the league restarted this weekend with two matches on Saturday and two on Sunday.
Reggae Boyz fuelled by Coke sponsorship
February 3 – Coca-Cola has come to the rescue of Jamaica’s Reggae Boys through its local distributor Wisynco, who have committed US$1.6-million to support the national team through its World Cup qualifying campaign and provide a much-needed cash injection into Jamaican football.
Guinness Nigeria gets big and shirty with the Super Eagles
As Nigeria made their way through the group stages at the Africa Cup of Nations, the official Super Eagles sponsors Guinness Foreign Extra Stout, made it a double celebration when it recorded a world record with the unveiling the world’s largest football jersey.
David Beckham joins the PSG revolution
On a transfer deadline day and with his usual flair for a dramatic headline grabbing entrance, David Beckham was officially presented as a PSG player this afternoon after passing his medical.
MP & Silva grabs Premier League TV rights for Middle East and North Africa
The Premier League have awarded audio visual broadcast rights for all 380 Barclays Premier League matches per season for three seasons, 2013/14 to 2015/16, to media agency MP & Silva for the Middle East and North Africa region.
Transfer window closing sparks last gasp activity
January 31 – Europe’s big spending clubs are reporting winter flurries of activity as they rapidly manoeuvre in the player transfer market to close their deals as the window starts to close across the continent tonight – from 19:00 CET in Germany to 24: 00 CET (23:00 GMT) in England and France.
AZ’s Jozy Altidore gives racist abusers a lesson in dignity and respect
By Mark Baber
January 31 – AZ Alkmar striker Jozy Altidore responded to racist abuse by Den Bosch fans, Tuesday, by insisting the match continue and going on to score a penalty, as his side ran out 5-0 winners.
Rummenigge questions logic of playing in the snow
By Mark Baber
30 January – Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (pictured), chairman of the European Club Association and Bayern Munchen, says a rescheduling of the season away from winter football could be on the cards.
Egyptians still planning to kick off Premier League this weekend
January 30 – The Egyptian Premier League, which hasn’t seen a ball kicked in competitive action since February 2012, may still start this weekend (February 2) despite on-going street violence and instability within the country. Games will be played behind closed doors.
Shanghai Shenhua claim Drogba is still their player
January 30 – Shanghai Shenhua have issued a statement on their website claiming that Didier Drogba is still under contract at the Chinese club, two days after the announcement he had signed for Turkish club Galatasaray.