September 24 – In one of the game’s more unusual takeovers, a Singapore businessman who not so long ago tried to buy Liverpool has agreed to enter into partnership with five former Manchester United players and taken a 50% share in a club playing in the eighth tier of English football.
Transparency. It’s clear to see what an easy word it is to throw around. Get it wrong, fake it, claim it, and people will see through you. But genuinely aspire to deliver it, and do it voluntarily, however tough that path is, can do wonders for reputation. Of an individual or organisation.
By Mark Baber
September 23 – Former Gambian sports minister Modou Lamin Kabba Bajo has won elections for president of the Gambia Football Federation (GFF) opening the way for a lifting of suspension of the country from international football.
September 23 – English football may be trying to take a lead in stamping out racism but discrimination is far from being eliminated on social media as witnessed by the fact that police have opened an investigation after Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli was subjected to racist online abuse for sending a tweet.
September 23 – Leading Russian club CSKA Moscow are poised to introduce banning orders and take legal action to stop continued violence by their fans in European games “pushing us over the edge,” according to general director Roman Babayev.
By Andrew Warshaw
September 23 – A senior FIFA executive committee member has broken ranks to predict that the 2022 World Cup will be switched from Qatar, incurring a strong and immediate reaction from the organisers who insist there is no chance of the Gulf state being stripped of host status.
By David Owen
September 23 – A 40% increase in broadcasting revenue boosted FA Cup winners Arsenal’s turnover to more than £300 million in 2013-14, and kept the North London club in the black, despite a sharp reduction in profits on player sales.
By Mark Baber
September 22 – The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) met on Saturday to set the date for new elections, in line with FIFA’s directives, but apparently in contravention of a court order obtained by the Chris Giwa faction, who still regard their man as the legitimately elected President.
No-one could possibly argue with Wembley being chosen as host for the climax of Euro 2020. England’s national stadium is among the finest in the world while the country had the best bid and has not held a major football tournament since 1996. But anyone who believes there was no politics involved in last week’s decision by UEFA’s executive committee should think again.
By Andrew Warshaw
September 22 – Revelations that FIFA’s much-discussed report into possible corruption surrounding the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bid process might never be made public threatens to plunge the organisation into yet more discomfort and debate over morality.
By Andrew Warshaw
September 22 – UEFA president Michel Platini has denounced FIFA’s ethics committee over the way it has handled the growing controversy regarding 65 designer watches donated to many of the world’s leading football administrators at the World Cup.
September 22 – UEFA has confirmed that financial fair play fines imposed on clubs will be redistributed among teams who managed to balance their books.
September 22 – Any hopes rivals to Sepp Blatter might have in swaying the African vote away from the present incumbent at next year’s Fifa presidential election look like finding it tough going.
September 22 – Chris Rehner, CEO of Helios Partners, has confirmed he will speaking the session ‘Russia’s Host Cities: Development and Priorities’ at the World Football Forum in Moscow, November 13.
By Ben Nicholson
September 22 – The upcoming MLS expansion team NYC FC has targeted a new site for its soccer-specific stadium in the parking lot south of the Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens. Manchester City owned NYC FC will play its inaugural season, 2015, inside The Yankee Stadium – a baseball arena owned by the New York Yankees, who also own a fraction of NYC FC.