Belgian team greenlighted for first Covid jabs ahead of Euros
May 27 – The Belgian national team will receive a Pfizer vaccination before Euro 2020 with a second jab to follow after the continental finals, the Belgian FA (KBVB) has confirmed.
Barca bigs up its brand with Rakuten ecommerce deal for Japan
May 27 – Never mind their ongoing battles in Europe, in Japan they are golden. Barcelona have added to their agreement with existing sponsor Rakuten with the Japanese ecommerce company acquiring exclusive club merchandising rights in Japan.
Ibrahimovic fined and told to cut links with Bethard, but he can keep playing
May 27 – UEFAhas fined Swedish legendZlatan Ibrahimovic for having a financial interest in the online sportsbookBethard Group and ordered that he cut ties with the organisation.
Real Madrid top valuation ranking, man Utd drop to 3rd. Pandemic drops total valuation by €6bn+
By Paul Nicholson
May 27 – The pandemic has knocked €6.1 billion off the value of Europe’s leading 32 clubs, according to the latest annual football club valuation report from the KPMG Football Benchmark team.
UEFA declares war on Real, Barca and Juve with Champions League slots at stake
By Andrew Warshaw
May 26 – UEFA has followed up on previous warnings by opening formal disciplinary proceedings against Super League rebels Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus – the only three founder members who still refuse to abandon the aborted project.
Former Conmebol boss Deluca fined after Swiss money laundering probe
May 26 – A former secretary general of Conmebol, Eduardo Deluca (pictured), has been fined CHF 5,000 as part of an official Swiss inquiry into money laundering.
Palestine’s Balata carry the hope and joy of a nation into final AFC Cup group round
May 26 – Palestine’s Markaz Balata, the team that from the Balata refugee camp in the West Bank that won the country’s national league in 2019 and carried the nation’s hopes into the AFC Cup , are on the verge of creating more football history.
Ligue 1 winner Galtier quits Lille
May 26 – Just two days after steering Lille to their first top-flight title since 2011, Christophe Galtier has stepped down as head coach saying four years at one club is “long enough and I just feel I have done my time here.”
Euro 2020: England’s Southgate names provisional squad but waits on finish of UEFA club finals
May 26 – England boss Gareth Southgate has named an extended 33-man provisional squad for Euro 2020, with the Three Lions boss sweating over injury concerns and the all-English Champions League final on Saturday in a selection process he has called “more complicated than any other country”.
Aussie leagues agree $155m broadcast deal with ViacomCBS
May 26 – Australia’s men’s and women’s top tier leagues have agreed their first major commercial partnership since taking control of their rights from the national federation, securing a five-year $155.5 million broadcast deal.
Germany turn to departing Bayern boss Hansi Flick to takeover from Low
May 26 – The German FA has officially named Bayern Munich’s departing manager Hansi Flick as the country’s new head coach when Joachim Low steps down following this summer’s European Championship.
AFC referees body puts focus on development of Asia’s match officials
May 26 – The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has issued new referee criteria emphasising the need to “continuously enhance the foundations for AFC MAs through the new criteria”.
Solskjaer hunts for his first Man Utd title against Europa League specialist Emery
May 26 – Ole Gunnar Solskjaer can win his first trophy as Manchester United boss in Wednesday’s Europe League final in Poland’s Gdansk, but his side will have to overcome the competition’s ultimate expert Unai Emery and his Villareal, and lingering injury concerns over Harry Maguire.
UEFA releases 1,700 Champions League final tickets
May 25 – UEFA has this afternoon (Tuesday) opened up its general sales for tickets for the Champions League final on 29 May at the Estádio do Dragão in Porto, Portugal.
Night of long knives: CAF fires key staff including legal and finance chiefs
May 25 – The Confederation of African Football (CAF) will restaff key positions within the organisation after a number of high-profile dismissals including director of legal affairs and compliance Achta Mahamat Saleh and head of finance Sheriff Elkhadem on Monday.