Inter Milan role out Academy project in Brazil with IT.Sports
February 20 – Internazionale are expanding Inter Academy portfolio, agreeing a partnership with IT.Sports to launch a series of football schools throughout country.
Gold Cup 2025
Mexico open Gold Cup defence against aspiring Dominican Republic
June 13 – Mexico approach the 2025 Gold Cup with typical confidence, having secured early silverware through March’s Concacaf Nations League triumph – a psychological boost that sets them up beautifully for the right to be called Kings of the Region.
Man City’s Soriano blasts UEFA ban as being about politics, not justice
By Andrew Warshaw
February 19 – Five days after the club were sensationally banned from Europe for two seasons by UEFA, Manchester City’s chief executive has denounced allegations of financial fair play “serious breaches” as totally untrue and politically motivated.
Sport must contribute financially to the battle against organised crime, says SIGA boss
By Paul Nicholson
February 19 – If sport, and football in particular, wants to get rid of the increased presence of organised crime both within their ranks and profiting from their activity, then sport must allocate some of its revenue to tackle criminals head-on.
Bundesliga breaks €4bn revenue barrier, 28 out 36 clubs profitable
February 19 – Germany’s Bundesliga has reported record 2018/19 combined revenue for the 18 clubs in its top tier, breaking the €4 billion barrier for the first time, a 5.4% increase on the previous season.
Wenger weighs into VAR/offside debate with new rule proposal for Euro 2020
February 18 – Former Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger, now FIFA’s head of global development, is pushing for the offside rule to be tweaked in time for this summer’s Euro 2020 finals in response to a spate of VAR controversies this season.
Gent agree Belgian TV terms leaving Antwerp as remaining block to deal
February 18 – KAA Gent has signed up to the Belgian broadcast deal with Eleven Sports, leaving Antwerp as the only club to oppose the agreement for the country’s domestic TV rights.
India confirms cities for U17 Women’s World Cup
February 18 – India has confirmed the host cities for the U-17 Women’s World Cup in November. Navi Mumbai’s DY Patil Stadium will host the final with Ahmedabad, Bhubaneswar, Guwahati and Kolkata serving as other host cities.
Match-fixing: FIFA probe Myanmar World Cup qualifiers
February 18 – FIFA is investigating suspected match-fixing in Myanmar’s 7-0 defeat in a World Cup qualifier last year.
Cincinnati coach Jans quits after out-of-tune racist comments
February 18 – Football-related racism doesn’t usually hit the United States but FC Cincinnati head coach Ron Jans (pictured) has resigned in the wake of an incident in which he is accused of making “extremely inappropriate comments”.
VAR makes its Moroccan club debut
February 19 – Morocco has become the first African country to use VAR in a top-flight league game.
Miserable Mourinho bemoans a break he didn’t need as Son sidelined
February 19 – Tottenham Hotspur’s South Korean international forward Son Heung-min has fractured his arm and could miss the rest of the season, a crushing blow to last season’s Champions League finalists who are already without long-term injury victim Harry Kane.
Wolves enjoy life back in Premier League with £22m profit
By David Owen
February 18 – Wolverhampton Wanderers, the famous old Midlands club currently engaged on their first European campaign in almost four decades, have reported a rebound to profitability for their first season back in the Premier League.
Italian mafia judge calls for money from organised crime cases to be returned to sport
By Paul Nicholson in Rome
February 18 – Money confiscated from the prosecution of sport crime should be returned to sport, says Franco Frattini, Justice and Chamber President to the Italian Supreme Administrative Court and the leading judge tackling mafia and organised crime in Italy.
Osasu Obayiuwana: Will PwC audit bring a day of reckoning for CAF’s toxic culture?
When two [or more] elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers” – African proverb.
When FIFA, CONCACAF, CONMEBOL and the OFC were brought to their knees, in 2015, as a result of the financial scandals that exposed shocking levels of graft and maladministration in the game, informed watchers of the African football landscape always wondered when the continent’s inevitable moment of reckoning would come, as it was virtually unscathed during this tumultuous period.
Japan unveils plan for new women’s pro-league as 2023 WWC bid inspectors due
February 18 – In 2021, Japan will replace their existing women’s Nadeshiko League with a fully-professional league that will require one female executive at each club.