Real Madrid break into Chinese market with Luyuan deal
By Mark Baber
March 31 – Real Madrid has signed its first Chinese sponsorship deal – with Luyuan, an electrical vehicle manufacturer based in Zhejiang.
Saints join swelling ranks of Premier League’s financially virtuous
By David Owen
March 31 – Southampton have joined the stampede of Premier League clubs reporting unusually strong profits for last season. The South Coast club, currently lying an impressive sixth in the league table and playing consistently well under Dutch coach Ronald Koeman, have announced that after-tax profit for the year ended June 30, 2014 reached £33.4 million, compared with a £7.1 million loss the previous year.
Johansson sees no way past Blatter but says Platini should have stood
By Andrew Warshaw
March 31 – The resentment, you feel, still partially lingers and the wounds of defeat have perhaps not completely healed. But ask Lennart Johansson whether Sepp Blatter, who beat him to the FIFA presidency back in 1998 and has reigned ever since , has any chance of being dethroned on May 29 and the Swede provides a categoric one-word answer.
“No.”
CAS turns down Fernando’s appeal against FIFA’s life ban
By Andrew Warshaw
March 31 – The administrative footballing career of former Asian powerbroker Vernon Manilal Fernando has effectively come to an end after his appeal against a life ban was turned down by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
Turkish Cypriot sports minister attempts to derail island’s football reunification
By Andrew Warshaw
March 30 – Historic efforts to use football as a tool for change on the politically divided island of Cyprus have triggered an immediate backlash, with local politicians stepping in to try and block any deal.
Lee Wellings: Time to consider Euro expulsions
I don’t envy the position UEFA are in with hooliganism on and off the pitch in their territories. It’s easy to criticise. What would you do? But I know what I’d like UEFA to consider when they read the referee’s report and decide in action. Something radical.
Greek politicos get tough on violent fans by threatening to shut down clubs
By Jaroslaw Adamowski
March 31 – The Greek government has unveiled a draft bill designed to curb the growing trend of in-stadium fan violence at football matches.
Bale’s golden goodbye propels Spurs to record breaking £65m profit
By David Owen
March 31 – Tottenham Hotspur, the North London Premier League football club, have reported one of the biggest profits in Premier League history – as foreshadowed by Insideworldfootball in August 2013. A concise announcement on the club website notes that profit for the year ended June 30, 2014 after interest and tax was £65.3 million, compared with just £1.5 million the previous year.
Whistle blown on FIFA whistleblower fraudster Mersiades
By Paul Nicholson
March 30 – Bonita Mersiades, the self-outed whistleblower from the Michael Garcia report into corruption in the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bidding process, has again hit the headlines, this time with the revelation that she was found guilty of government fraud in Australia.
80,000 Afghans pack into Tehran stadium as U23s chase Rio Olympic qualification
By Mark Baber
March 30 – The Azadi stadium in Tehran was packed with 80,000 Afghans on Sunday evening as their under-23 team lost 6-0 to the Iranian Under-23 team, ending their hopes of progressing in the AFC Under-23 Championship and of winning a place in the 2016 Olympics in Rio.
2026 World Cup hosts to be named in 2017. Webb says it is CONCACAF’s turn
March 30 – FIFA will announce the host country for the 2026 World Cup nine years earlier in May 2017, with the United States, Mexico and Canada all considered possible contenders.
Wonga keeps flowing in at Ashley’s Newcastle
By David Owen
March 30 – Newcastle United have become the latest Premier League club to report strong financial figures for the 2013-14 season. For the year ending June 2014, the Magpies generated a record after-tax profit of £18.7 million, not far off double the £9.9million achieved in 2013, and the fourth consecutive year in the black for the club which is owned by businessman Mike Ashley.
Cyprus takes big step forward in reuniting Greeks and Turks
By Andrew Warshaw
March 30 – After months of often painstaking negotiations that several times almost collapsed, more than half a century of division is on the verge of being wiped out in Cypriot football.
UEFA sanctions Dynamo Kiev after Everton Europa Cup tie
March 30 – Dynamo Kiev have been ordered to close part of their stadium for next month’s Europa League quarter-final as a result of racist behaviour by fans towards Everton players.
Palestine launches assault on Israel, demanding expulsion from FIFA
By Andrew Warshaw
March 30 – Palestine has formally submitted a resolution to the FIFA Congress in May demanding the suspension of Israel, a blow to FIFA president Sepp Blatter in his efforts over two years to forge a lasting mediation between the two sides.