By Osasu Obayiuwana in Cairo, Egypt.
July 10 – In what is yet another chapter in the diary of governance troubles for the Confederation of African Football (CAF), the organisation’s Disciplinary Committee (DC) failed to deliver a verdict in the case of Fouzi Lekjaa, its 3rd Vice-President, returning the case to the body’s secretariat.
July 10 – Following up on their 1XBet has announced a five-year sponsorship deal with FC Barcelona, 1XBet has unveiled a new multi-year partnership with Liverpool. No value or term for the Liverpool deal has been released.
July 10 – Lionel Messi’s much-publicised altercation with Conmebol, whom he accused of fixing Argentina’s Copa America semi-final in favour of hosts Brazil, could land the Barcelona star with a potential two-year ban according to local reports.
July 10 – Major League Soccer has signed its first spirit sponsor with Captain Morgan becoming the league’s official spiced rum and exclusive spirits partner.
July 10 – Edu Gaspar has returned to Arsenal to become the club’s new technical director. The Brazilian held a similar role with the Selecao, which won a ninth Copa America last Sunday on home soil.
By Osasu Obayiuwana in Cairo, Egypt
July 9 – Fouzi Lekjaa, 3rd Vice-President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), is at grave risk of being fined and banned by the organisation of which he is a high-ranking member, when CAF’s Disciplinary Committee sits in Cairo on Tuesday, to hear a complaint the Ethiopian Football Federation (EFF) have filed against the Moroccan.
By Paul Nicholson
July 9 – Zelkifli Ngoufonja, who stood as a candidate for an African FIFA Council position in 2017, has written to CAF member association presidents on the eve of their Congress in Cairo this week urging them to do “the right thing” and not cede control of CAF and African football to FIFA.
July 9 – French champions Paris St-Germain have said they will take “appropriate action” after Brazil striker Neymar failed to turn up for the first day of pre-season training. The 27-year-old was due back at the club’s training ground on Monday, but remained in Brazil for a charity event.
July 9 – The crisis in Indian football has reached the office of prime minister Narendra Modi. The I-League clubs have written to India’s head of state demanding a commission probe the functioning of the All India Football Federation Federation (AIFF).
July 9 – Fan groups from the four English clubs that contested UEFA’s two club finals have been backed by Europe’s largest supporters group in their efforts to persuade UEFA to be more fan-friendly in future when choosing where to play their showpiece events.
July 9 – Saudi-based broadcaster beoutQ has continued its theft of live broadcast rights, tacitly backed by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and more overtly backed by Arabsat. It has stolen all 36 group matches of CAF’s Total Africa Cup of Nations.
By Osasu Obayiuwana in Cairo, Egypt
July 9 – As the Confederation of African Football (CAF) is engulfed by governance problems that could, unbelievably, lead to FIFA’s direct intervention in its day-to-day affairs, its poor image could have an immediate and long-term impact on its financial future, as sponsors are increasingly uncomfortable with the negative publicity surrounding the body.
July 9 – Manchester City will play their first ever Women’s Super League derby match against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on September.
By Andrew Warshaw
July 7 – Rarely has one team at a major international tournament been so far ahead of the opposition in terms of skill, tactics and game management.
July 7 – The president of the Egyptian Football Association Hani Abou-Rida has resigned after the host nation suffered a shock defeat in the last-16 of the African Cup of Nations.