July 18 – Switzerland boss Pia Sundhage has called the quarterfinal against Spain the biggest managerial challenge of her career yet.
By Mark Baber
December 23 – An independent commission set up after former Vitesse Arnhem owner Merab Jordania claimed Chelsea influenced policy at the club has cleared the two clubs of having an improper relationship, according to an announcement of the KNVB.
December 23 – The failed Dutch-Belgian bid for the 2018 World Cup is to be submitted for a FIFA Ethics Committee inquiry following newspaper allegations of possible vote buying.
By Andrew Warshaw
December 23 – After years of debate, the traditionally conservative lawmakers of world football are moving a step closer to approving rugby-style video replays for referees.
By Mark Baber
December 22 – FIFA presidential candidate Tokyo Sexwale appeared before the US Grand Jury last week in relation to the Jack Warner bribery allegations and the infamous $10 million from South Africa. He then jumped straight on a plane to Africa where he continued his lobbying in the FIFA election at the COSAFA (Council of Southern African Football Associations) annual general meeting.
When Sepp Blatter announced a new-look FIFA ethics committee back in March 2012, he did so to weed out corruption within his already tarnished organisation and make sure the cheats never prospered again. Little did he know at the time that he would end up being the committee’s biggest catch.
By Andrew Warshaw
December 22 – As European football takes stock of Michel Platini’s shock suspension from the game, the UEFA president has vowed to take the same action as Sepp Blatter to try and clear his name, calling his eight-year ban over the infamous SFr2 million payment a “pure masquerade”.
By Paul Nicholson
December 22 – English High Street retailers wondering where their shoppers were on the last weekend before Christmas will find a good bulk of them were at Premier League football grounds. Out of more than 400,000 seats available for round 17 fixtures, just 8,976 were unfilled in what is proving to be a bumper season for attendances.
December 22 – Manchester United has launched its third branded casino game with its social gaming partner KamaGames. Manchester United Social Slots is available to download on both the Apple Appstore and Google Play.
By Paul Nicholson
December 22 – As FIFA gathers votes from players, coaches and the media for its annual Ballon D’Or awards ceremony to be held January 16 in Zurich, the CIES Football Observatory has come up with its own list of the best performing big five European league players in 2015 and created, on the basis of stats analysis, the best overall team and best U23 team.
By Mark Baber
December 21- Barcelona’s victory over River Plate in the Club World Cup final on Sunday meant they equalled Al Ahly’s record of 20 international titles – at least according to FC Barcelona. However Al Ahly have disputed this claim, arguing 3 of Barcelona’s wins were in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup and therefore don’t count.
By Andrew Warshaw
December 21 – Defiant to the last, Sepp Blatter accused the very ethics committee he helped set up of portraying him as a liar and kicking him out of football without good reason.
In a passionate last-ditch stand after being banned for eight years along with Michel Platini – effectively bringing the curtain on his 40-year career at Fifa and almost 18 years in charge – Blatter was determined not to go quietly,
By Samindra Kunti
December 21 – FIFA is suspending further transfers from a World Cup legacy fund to Brazil pending further talks with the Brazilian federation, the CBF. Brazil has only received $8.7 million from the fund 17 months after the most profitable World Cup in history.
By Samindra Kunti
December 21 – Santos have signed a sponsorship agreement with Royal Air Maroc as the club seeks financial stability next season.
By Andrew Warshaw
December 21 – FIFA president Sepp Blatter and his would-be successor Michel Platini became the two most high-profile casualties of the organisation’s seismic corruption scandal today as their respective careers suffered a shattering blow when both were sensationally banned for eight years.
By Paul Nicholson
December 21 – FIFA has released more record breaking TV numbers for both for its men’s and women’s world cups – a poignant reminder of the popularity of the world’s favorite event as US justice authorities reiterate their crusade against football corruption on their own continent and their thinly veiled objective of bringing down world governing body FIFA.