By Andrew Warshaw
August 24 – In a hard-hitting ruling that could well enflame tension in the region but will be viewed by others as a logical move, FIFA has handed outspoken Palestinian FA leader Jibril Rajoub a one-year match ban and fined him 20,000 Swiss francs for inflammatory remarks made against Lionel Messi.
By Andrew Warshaw
August 24b – The idea of turning the FIFA presidency into a rotating arrangement on a Continental basis is being mooted in the higher echelons of global football administration according to a German publication.
By Andrew Warshaw and Paul Nicholson
August 22 – Did he jump, was he pushed or was his departure actually entirely mutual? Whatever the real story behind Marco Villiger’s exit from FIFA immediately after his summer vacation, questions are inevitably being asked about how the organisation could afford to lose its most astute legal brain.
August 22 – In another blow to the reputation of South American football administration, FIFA have intervened to take control of the Uruguayan federation after it was plunged into chaos following the sudden resignation of president Wilmar Valdez (pictured) last month.
August 21 – Spain and Japan reached their maiden U-20 Womens World Cup final after eliminating hosts France and England respectively. The tournament will culminate on Friday in Vannes with the final showdown.
August 20 – Marco Villiger, the brains behind much of FIFA’s decision-making for over a decade, parted company with the organisation today as Gianni Infantino’s regime completed a clean sweep of the old guard that served under Sepp Blatter.
August 20 – The long-awaited sentencing of former Brazilian supremo Jose Maria Marin (pictured right) is scheduled for Wednesday (August 22) in Brooklyn, New York, with federal prosecutors reportedly pushing for a 10-year jail term for the 85-year-old.
August 17 – Authorities in Ghana finally appear to have backed down in their determination to snub a FIFA directive ordering them to stop interfering in football or risk a global ban.
August 16 – The Women’s U-20 World Cup has reached the business end of the competition with heavyweight quarter-finals set to decide the last four. Hosts France take on reigning champions Korea DPR, Spain meet Nigeria and Germany face Japan. Debutants the Netherlands play England in the last quarter-final.
By Andrew Warshaw
August 16 – Ghana’s authorities appear to be digging in their heels over FIFA’s ultimatum to get their house in order by August 27 or be thrown of international football.
By Andrew Warshaw
August 15 – Nigeria and Ghana, whose respective federations have been gridlocked for several weeks, have been warned by FIFA to halt “undue influence” in their affairs by outside authorities or risk being thrown out of international football.
August 13 – FIFA has banned Zambia’s former federation chief Kalusha Bwalya for two years following an investigation into his links with disgraced ex-Asian football boss Mohammed Bin Hammam and fined him CHF100,000.
August 10 – Mexican broadcaster Televisa is failing to shake off allegations that it bribed its way to the broadcast rights to the 2018, 2022, 2026 and 2030 World Cups, with an amendment to a March complaint in the NY Federal court being filed this week.
August 8 – The 2018 World Cup qualifications were riddled with accusations of match-fixing in Africa in particular – including FIFA for the first time ordering one game to be replayed – but the finals tournament itself was clean.
August 6 – France kicked off the U-20 Women’s World Cup on home soil with an emphatic 4-1 win over Ghana, on an opening day of the tournament held plenty of surprises with defending champions DPR Korea slipping to defeat against England, debutants the Netherlands defeating New Zealand and Mexico recording a first-ever win over Brazil.