Doping: Russian player in 2018 squad was on drug programme, says Rodchenkov
June 1 – A member of Russia’s World Cup squad could be guilty of a doping violation according to famed whistleblower Grigory Rodchenkov.
Gold Cup 2025
Stars and stripes edge past resilient Haiti
USA 2-1 Haiti
June 22 – Motivation was never going to be an issue in this Concacaf Gold Cup Group D encounter between Haiti and the United States Men’s National Team (USMNT).
FIFA ends Guatemala suspension in time for Russian Congress and 2026 vote
June 1 – Timed just two weeks before the FIFA Congress in Moscow, FIFA has lifted its suspension imposed on Guatemala 18 months ago over its failure to comply with anti-corruption rules.
Coca-Cola cuts new 5-year sponsorship deal with French FA
June 1 – The French Football Federation and Coca-Cola have agreed a five-year extension of their long-standing partnership taking them through to June 2023.
Real Madrid reeling after Zidane decides to quit after Champions League win
June 1 – It came as a bombshell to both players and fans. The intriguing question now is who takes over at Real Madrid following Zinedine Zidane’s shock decision to step down just days after clinching a third consecutive Champions League title.
Russian racism reports finds abusive chants up but racist banners down
June 1 – Just two weeks before the start of the World Cup, a report released by European football’s leading anti-discrimination body warns of a rise in racist and homophobic chants at Russian matches this season and claims FIFA and the Russian authorities have missed “valuable opportunities” to change attitudes.
Portuguese sports journos honour SIGA with Recognition Award
June 1 – A month after co-hosting a sports integrity conference in Porto, Portugal, the Portuguese sports journalists’ representative body, CNID (National Club of Sports Press) has given the Sport Integrity Global Alliance (SIGA) a ‘Recognition Award’.
Conifa World Cup set for London kick off with passion, pride and Green Cards
By Andrew Warshaw
May 31 – None of the players are household names and there are no millionaire superstars or over-inflated egos. But there is no doubting the passion and patriotism of everyone involved.
Benzema bits back as French chief Le Graet consigns him to histoire
May 31 – Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has slammed French Football Federation chief Noel Le Graet, who has claimed that the French national team has moved on from the striker.
Turkey see 2020 Champions League hosting as gateway to big events
May 31 – The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) has hailed the decision to award the final of the 2020 Champions League Final to Istanbul as a positive move in the build-up to the September ballot to choose the 2024 Euro hosts.
FIFA stands down Saudi ref Al Mirdasi from World Cup duty for soliciting bribes
May 31 – The Saudi referee appointed by FIFA for the World Cup has been dropped after he was handed a life ban in his homeland for match-fixing.
Sky Bet to fund ‘safe betting’ workshops for EFL but steers clear of match-fixing dangers
May 31 – The English Football League’s title sponsor Sky Bet is spending £1 million on delivering a responsible gambling series of education workshops to all 72 of its clubs next season.
New look for new season: Europa League gets ‘edgier’ rebrand
May 31 – The UEFA Europa League is getting a new look for next season that UEFA says will emphasise the “scale and dynamic nature of the competition.”
Shots and possession are key ingredients for Europe’s winning teams, show stats
May 31 – A ‘production index’ developed by the CIES Football Observatory using InStat data shows that the top teams in the Big 5 European leagues all have similar performance data characteristics that correlate to their league positions.
Blatter warns of unhappy ending if Infantino’s FIFA continues on its current path
May 30 – He may still be suspended over that infamous CHF 2 million “disloyal payment” to Michel Platini but that hasn’t stopped former FIFA president Sepp Blatter from speaking his mind when it comes to the injustices he feels he has suffered.
AFC roadmap for India pushes hard for unification of I-League and ISL
By Samindra Kunti
May 30 – In a confidential report the Asian Football Confederation, the AFC, has recommended a unified domestic Indian football league to replace the concurrent Indian Super League (ISL) and I-League. The All India Football Federation (AIFF) and Indian clubs face exclusion from the continental club competitions if they don’t comply with the recommendations.