Mutko replaced by Simonian on temporary basis
November 25 – Nikita Simonian (pictured) will serve as interim President of the Russian Football Union (RFU) until February after Vitaly Mutko officially stepped down.
World Football
Billion dollar deal for Asian football
November 24 – The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has today officially signed $100 billion (£604 million) deal with World Sport Group (WSG), extending a partnership that stretches back to 1993 and emphasises the sport’s growing value in the area, the world’s largest and most populous continent.
Blatter calls emergency meeting after a week that rocked football
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November 23 – FIFA president Sepp Blatter (pictured) has called a crisis meeting of the Executive Committee following a series of incidents that have rocked football, including Thierry Henry’s handball and allegations of widespread match-fixing in Europe.
US rebel league has a familiar ring about it
November 23 – Rebel clubs from the second tier championship in the United States and Canada will compete in a new North American Soccer League (NASL) from April next year, officials announced tonight.
Beckham given option to buy MLS franchise
November 23 – David Beckham (pictured) will be given the first option of buying Major League Soccer’s (MLS) 20th franchise team, Commissioner Don Garber has revealed.
Brazilian President wants world champions to help in peace process
November 23 – Five-time world champions Brazil would be prepared to play an exhibition match against a joint Palestine-Israel team to help the peace process in the Middle East, the South American country’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said today.
Irish Football Association agree to six-figure payout to Wells
November 21 – Former Irish Football Association (IFA) chief executive Howard Wells (pictured) has said he is satisfied with his six-figure payout for unfair dismissal, which has been settled out of court.
Beckham role in US praised by MLS Commissioner
By Duncan Mackay
November 22 – David Beckham (pictured) has been credited by Don Garber, the Commissioner of Major League Soccer (MLS), for his role in helping the sport establish itself in the United States.
Iraq vows to fight FIFA suspension
November 21 – Iraqi officials has promised that they will appeal against a decision by FIFA to suspend the country’s football association because of state interference.
Former Zenit President emerges a contender to replace Mutko
November 21 – Sergei Fursenko, the former President of Zenit St Petersburg and a close ally of Vladimir Putin, has emerged as a serious contender to become the new head of the Russian Football Union (RFU).
The Fix author hails match-rigging scandal revelations
By Duncan Mackay
November 21 – Declan Hill (pictured), author of the book The Fix, which alleged major matches across Europe had been rigged, has hailed the revelations that a continental-wide police investigation has uncovered widespread evidence of corruption.
Major match-fixing scandal uncovered in Europe
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November 20 – Europe was riddled with a match-fixing betting scandal involving more than 200 suspected members who fixed or tried to fix around 200 matches across the continent, it has been claimed by police in Germany today.
Former Chelsea chief executive takes up new role at Sheffield United
November 20 – Trevor Birch (pictured), the man who helped Roman Abramovich buy Chelsea, has joined Sheffield United as its new chief executive.
Israeli Government warn Palestine new stadium could be demolished
November 20 – Work on a football stadium being built in the West Bank, and financed by FIFA, has been stopped, after Israel claimed that it wanted to use some of the land for its own use.
Exclusive: Beckham has revived football in US says Marsh
By Duncan Mackay
November 20 – David Beckham is the most influential figure in English sport since Bobby Moore who has helped revive the fortunes in the United States, former Manchester City and England star Rodney Marsh says today in a new column for insideworldfootball.