USA 1 Saudi Arabia 0
June 19 – American comedian Rodney Dangerfield used to say, “I don’t get no respect.” The same could be said for the United States Men’s Soccer Team as barely 10,000 fans showed up for a supporter friendly 8.15 pm kickoff versus Concacaf Gold Cup, Group D opponents, Saudi Arabia in a 1-0 win that again raised more questions than answers.
December 8 – Nottingham Forest have announced they will include as part of their diversity programme an initiative to embrace the Jamaican diaspora in Nottingham and the contribution they have made to the city.
December 7 – A Brazilian marketing executive has told the FifaGate trial in New York how he helped set up an enticing bribe to powerful South American football officials to secure the rights for a new tournament that never happened.
December 7 – Serie A side AS Roma have been given the go-ahead to build their own stadium after an on-off project planning process that has taken five years to complete.
By Andrew Warshaw
December 7 – In an unexpected twist, Qatar has offered Kuwait the chance to take over as host nation of the forthcoming Gulf Cup in order to ensure full participation of those eligible to take part, according to unconfirmed local reports.
December 12 – Already reeling from the doping scandal that has reverberated through world sport, Russian football has been hit with its latest claim of racism, this time against Liverpool striker Rhian Brewster who has alleged he was abused by a Spartak Moscow player during a UEFA Youth League game on Wednesday.
December 7 – The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has announced a significant boost in prize money for the second year running for its growing regional club competitions.
December 7 – It has been a slow burn but ticket sales have suddenly ignited for the Russia 2018 World Cup following the Final Draw last Friday. 1,318,109 tickets were requested in the first 24 hours from when the sales window opened December 6.
December 7 – The president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Amaju Pinnick, has apologised for neglecting Nigeria’s women national team. The Super Falcons haven’t played a single match since winning the 2016 African Women Cup of Nations (AWCON).
December 7 – Australian football has won a stay of execution after FIFA decided not to take over the running of the sport in the midst of an internal power struggle.
December 7 – Are English transfer fees at last paying off at European level after Premier League clubs made Champions League history?
By David Owen
December 7 – It may come as a bit of a kick in the teeth to Russia’s sparkling wine industry, but Taittinger has just launched a limited-edition 2018 World Cup souvenir bottle of its highly-regarded Brut Réserve NV champagne.
By Andrew Warshaw
December 6 – The position of Russian World Cup supremo Vitaly Mutko has been catapulted back into the spotlight following the International Olympic Committee’s far-reaching decision to ban all Russian athletes from competing under their own flag at next year’s winter Olympics as punishment for a state-sponsored doping programme.
By Andrew Warshaw
December 6 – Organisers of this month’s Gulf Cup in Qatar look set to imminently announce whether the event can go ahead, with prospects given a huge boost by FIFA lifting its suspension of Kuwait after two years in the sporting wilderness.
December 6 – The US, whose law enforcement bodies are intent on cleaning up world football and its global corruption surrounding high value marketing rights in the Americas, now has a dedicated whistleblower line for athletes, sports execs and even members of the public who want to report misconduct.
By Paul Nicholson
December 6 – The iron fist of democracy with which Musa Bility rules the Liberian FA (LFA) has once again landed on his arch critic Rochell Woodson who has been suspended for a second time by the LFA from fulfilling her duties as an executive committee member.