Inter Milan build on their Chinese connections with Monalisa addition
June 18 – The work Internazionale have been doing in China is paying off with the country’s Monalisa Group having signed a partnership with the club.
Gold Cup 2025
Mexico and Costa Rica top the Las Vegas bill with a fitting Group A finale
Mexico 0 Costa Rica 0
June 22 – Mexico and Costa Rica drew a blank in an enthralling no holds barred encounter at the Allegiant in Las Vegas in front of 35,000 fans.
Iranian women take to World Cup stage to protest stadium their ban at home
By Samindra Kunti in St Petersburg
June 17 – Iranian women, who have been banned from attending football in the Islamic state since 1980, have protested at Iran’s World Cup opening game against Morocco, seizing the exposure the world’s biggest sporting event, the World Cup, offers.
Defining moments: Ronaldo hat-trick leaves Messi out in the Icelandic cold
By Andrew Warshaw in Moscow
June 17 – A freekick that will be talked about for years to come followed, 24 hours later, by a penalty miss that was equally, in its own way, memorable if only for the context involved.
Italian ‘disruption’: Serie A sell 114-game live package to Perform’s DAZN
By Paul Nicholson
June 18 – The controversial on-off sale of Italy’s Serie A TV rights have taken a new technology turn with Perform’s streaming service DAZN picking up a package of 114 matches a season in a three-year deal.
Finally! Iran end eight years of World Cup disappointment for Asia
By David Owen
June 16 – Iran ended eight years of Asian hurt at the World Cup finals in St Petersburg on Friday, cashing in on Aziz Bouhaddouz’s stoppage time own goal to record a hard-fought 1-0 win over Morocco.
Icelandic warriors warm World Cup hearts before biggest fight of their lives
By Andrew Warshaw in Moscow
June 15 – They’re back. And before they’ve even kicked a ball, everyone has fallen in love with them – again. Two years after making the quarterfinal at Euro 2016, guess what were Icelandic head coach Heimir Hallgrimsson’s first words at his media conference on the eve of the country’s World Cup debut against mighty Argentina.
Ronaldo settles tax fraud case with £16.4m fine and 2-year suspended jail sentence
June 15 – On the day Portugal opened their World Cup campaign in Russia against Spain, their superstar player Cristiano Ronaldo has accepted a suspended prison sentence to settle his tax fraud case, and agreed to pay £16.4 million to the Spanish tax authorities.
Palestine’s Rajoub comes under FIFA fire over Messi shirt burning call
By Andrew Warshaw in Moscow
June 15 – Palestinian football has suffered a second off-the-field blow in a matter of days after FIFA announced it is taking disciplinary action against Jibril Rajoub (pictured), the federation’s tub-thumping leader, for threatening Lionel Messi.
Adidas off to dream start in Russia 2018 Battle of the Brands
By David Owen
June 15 – It was a dream start for the host nation; but Thursday’s 5-0 thrashing of Saudi Arabia in the opening match of Russia 2018 was also the perfect entrance for sports equipment group Adidas at the 21st FIFA World Cup.
Matchfixing: Skenderbeu lose first round of CAS appeal to have European ban stayed
By Paul Nicholson
June 15 – Albanian club KS Skenderbeu has failed in its bid at CAS to have its ban from European competition stayed. The club is appealing a 10-year European ban and €1 million fine imposed by UEFA for matchfixing.
Bookmaker William Hill opens up US club sponsorship with Las Vegas Lights deal
June 15 – With the US having opened up the market for legal sports betting nationwide, it now looks set to embrace another of Europe’s football phenomena, the growth of the football betting sponsorship dollar.
Russian notes: FIFA referees boss promises VAR will end controversial decisions
By Andrew Warshaw in Moscow
June 15 – FIFA’s top refereeing watchdogs are urging the public not to expect miracles from the Video Assistant Referees (VAR) system that is making its World Cup debut in Russia. But director of refereeing Massimo Busacca nevertheless insists the system will be a help rather than a hindrance despite lingering doubts about whether VAR has been implemented too quickly in FIFA’s flagship event because of confusing rulings and long delays.
Spurs book Wembley for home opener as new stadium stumbles over construction delays
June 15 – Premier League Tottenham Hotspur will play their first home game of the 2018/19 season at Wembley before moving to their rebuilt stadium for its first Premier League fixture against Liverpool on the weekend of September 15-16.
LaLiga drives deeper into China with Dongfeng Fengguang car sponsorship
June 15 – LaLiga has Chinese automobile brand Dongfeng Fengguang as the Official China Regional Automobile Sponsor of LaLiga for the 2018-19 season.
Russia open the greatest show on earth with singing, dancing and a patriotic 5-0 winning smile
By Andrew Warshaw in Moscow
June 14 – Walking round the streets of Moscow in the days leading up to tonight’s World Cup opener, you wouldn’t necessarily have known the Russian capital was about to herald the start of a competition that has taken eight years to organise and was so vital in terms of image and public relations.