Saudis investigate match-fixing allegation in top league
July 1 – Saudi Arabia is the latest Asian country to probe possible match fixing in the kingdom’s top football league.
Federations
Indian federation battles rival Futsal league as more I-League clubs protest
By Samindra Kunti
June 24 – The All India Football Federation (AIFF) is once again fighting fires. A rival futsal competition and the departure of two I-league clubs have caused new headaches for the federation that is managing the merger of the high profile Indian Super League into its professional league structure.
Chinese set to clamp down on imported foreign players quota
June 23 – China is reportedly considering a change to its foreign player quota at Super League clubs. Chinese clubs hit the news with a number of big international signings in the winter.
Another Kuwaiti own-goal? Government on edge of dissolving all sports bodies
By Matt Scott
June 17 – Kuwait’s government is reportedly planning to dissolve every one of its national sports federations, including its National Olympic Committee, after the Court of Arbitration for Sport [CAS] upheld a FIFA decision to ban the Kuwait Football Association over government interference.
AFF boost data tools with new management platform
June 7 – The ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) has beefed up its tournament management tools with a three-year agreement with Sportradar for its Federation Management Platform (FMP) competition management tools.
Kuwaiti clubs lobby FIFA members for return to international competition
By Andrew Warshaw
May 13 – Hours away from the start of the 66th FIFA congress in Mexico, on the sidelines Kuwaiti clubs were stepping up their protest to end the country’s exclusion from international football.
Kuwaiti club delegation lobbies FIFA to end suspension and save game from ‘dying’
By Andrew Warshaw
May 9 – Representatives of Kuwaiti clubs are planning to be in Mexico City later this week to drum up support against FIFA’s decision to ban the Gulf state over government interference in sport.
Aussies and Japanese team up in bid for greater glory
By Mark Baber
May 3 – The Hyundai A-League and Japanese J-League have signed a co-operation agreement which will see the two leagues share technical, marketing and administrative expertise as well as paving the way for more matches at elite youth level between Australian and Japanese clubs and encouraging loan deals between the leagues.
India: Patel confirms IPL and I-League will merge as AIFF builds French bridge
By Mark Baber
April 21 – Speaking at a press conference to announce cooperation between the All-India Football Federation (AIFF) and France’s FC Metz academy over youth training, AIFF President Praful Patel (pictured) argued the blanket ban on sporting activities in Maharashta was unfair on football and revealed that the Indian Premier League (IPL) and I-League are to be merged in the near future.
Bengaluru celebrate I-League win as India debates merger with ISL
By Samindra Kunti
April 18 – Bengaluru FC have been crowned Indian champions for the second time in three years after defeating Salgaocar 2-0, but the future of the I-League remains in doubt.
China pump cash into getting 50 million people playing by 2020
By Andrew Warshaw
April 12 – China, which is already spending like crazy to lure a string of big-name overseas players to its domestic Super League, has announced plans to transform the country into a world football power by 2050.
Bizarre FIFA fine for Kuwait for not playing matches it was banned from playing
April 7 – FIFA’s ongoing spat with Kuwait, and by association the Asian football heirarchy, has deepened with the Kuwaitis being fined a symbolic SFr30,000 for failing to play two World Cup qualifying matches last month.
Indian federation promises a women’s league and targets Asian Cup qualification
By Samindra Kunti
April 5 – The All India Football Federation (AIFF) president Praful Patel has announced that India will start a women’s football league later this year.
Chinese wall broken with central powers handed to federation
By Samindra Kunti
February 26 – The Chinese Football Association (CFA) will have more decision-making latitude as the government-run Chinese Football Administrative Center has been removed from the Chinese football structure in a sweeping move to reform the game in China.
