FIFA’s international transfer report charts record $9.63bn spent in 2023
January 31 – Clubs worldwide spent a record $9.63 billion on international transfers last year, surpassing the previous record set in 2019 by more than $2 billion.
Klinsmann praises Mancini and Saudi but rues Korea not winning their group
January 31 – South Korea advanced to the quarter finals of the Asian Cup by way of penalty shootout on Tuesday night, as the Koreans left it late but got the job done over the high-flying Saudi Falcons.
Japan start to join the dots as they ease past Bahrain
January 31 – Four-time Asian Cup champions Japan secured their place in the quarter finals of the competition with a comfortable 3-1 victory over group-topping Bahrain.
Under-fire Mancini apologise for his early exit but not Saudi Arabia’s
January 31 – Saudi Arabia coach Roberto Mancini has apologised for disappearing down the tunnel before his team’s Asian Cup fate was sealed in Tuesday’s 4-2 penalty shoot-out defeat to South Korea in the last 16.
AFCON giant killing continues with Morocco latest to fall
January 31 – Morocco became the latest giants to be toppled at a shock-filled Africa Cup of Nations when they fell 2-0 to South Africa on Tuesday, while Mali also booked a quarter-finals place.
Taremi pays the penalty but Iran go though with shoot-out win over Syria
January 31 – Ten-man Iran survived a major scare against Syria winning 5-3 on penalties following a 1-1 draw to complete the quarter-final lineup of the Asian Cup. Sent off, Mehdi Taremi will have to sit out the last-eight clash with Japan.
AFC bans journalists who confronted Iraq coach Jesus Casas in post-match press room debacle
January 31 – Media representatives who accosted Iraq coach Jesus Casas at his post-match press conference following Monday’s shock Asian Cup last-16 defeat by Jordan have been banned from covering all Asian Football Confederation tournaments in the future.
ECA closes in on 500 members as exco meets in Doha to review strategic initiatives
January 31 – Meeting in Qatar on the sidelines of the Asian Cup, the European Club Association’s (ECA) executive committee held its first meeting of 2024 to review key strategic development projects.
Bundesliga outlines new media rights packages for 2025/26 to 2028/29
January 31 – Germany’s Bundesliga has published new detail and parameters for its media rights invitation to tender for the top two leagues for the four-season cycle 2025/26 to 2028/29.
Football Australia signs Nestlé brand to MiniRoos programme
January 31 – Football Australia (FA) has agreed a sponsorship with Nestlé Dairy brand Milo who become an Official Partner of MiniRoos, Australia’s junior football grassroots programme.
Asian Cup smashes attendance records with 11 games still to go
January 30 – With 11 games still to be played, the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023 has broken the tournament’s historic attendance record of 1.04 million, hitting a new high mark of 1,068,587 during yesterday’s knockout stage match between Qatar and Palestine.
Porsche cleared to take 10% stake in Bundlesliga’s VfB Stuttgart
January 30 – Germany’s DFL has approved the acquisition of 10.41% of Bundelsiga side VfB Stuttgart by sports car manufacturer Porsche.
Ceferin says A22’s Super League won’t happen and questions sporting integrity of CWC
January 30 – UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin insists a European Super League is dead in the water despite last December’s ruling by the European Court of Justice that UEFA and FIFA broke EU competition rules by attempting to block the seemingly doomed breakaway league.
Ivory Coast squeeze past Senegal on penalties as despair turns to joy for AFCON hosts
January 30 – Hosts Ivory Coast put a disastrous group campaign behind them on Monday as they stunned holders Senegal 5-4 on penalties to book a surprise Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final against Mali or Burkina Faso.
Dramatic last gasp equaliser spurs South Korea to penalty shoot out win over Saudi Arabia
By Harry Ewing at the Education City Stadium
January 30 – It was another night of red-hot passion and nerve jangling football in the last 16 ties of the Asian Cup in Doha, Qatar.