By Paul Nicholson
August 1 – The name of Tokyo Sexwale is being whispered as a potential candidate for the FIFA presidency with business leaders and politicians apparently encouraging the South African businessman to consider running for football’s top job and bring about the global change the organisation needs.
By Andrew Warshaw
July 31 – Claims that Michel Platini is already odds-on favourite to win the FIFA presidency on February 26 is being tested by some choice remarks from CONCACAF, purportedly one of four confederations behind him, and by Africa.
By Andrew Warshaw
July 30 – Twenty-four hours after declaring he was running for FIFA president, UEFA chief Michel Platini has learned the identity of his first rival for the job, with former FIFA vice president Chung Mong-joon saying he too intends to throw his hat into the ring to take over from Sepp Blatter on February 26.
By Mark Baber
July 28 – The on-pitch rivalry between Zico and Platini, two of the greatest goalscoring midfielders ever to grace a football pitch, may be played out again in FIFA’s halls of power if the Brazilian Football Federation (CBF) accedes to Zico’s request to put his name forward for FIFA president.
By Andrew Warshaw
July 28 – As anticipated, Michel Platini has confirmed he will run for FIFA president saying the corruption-battered organisation needs to “turn over a new leaf”.
By Andrew Warshaw
July 28 – Michel Platini could remain in temporary charge of UEFA even if he takes over from Sepp Blatter as FIFA president, Insideworldfootball has learned.
By Andrew Warshaw
July 28 – The much-anticipated Reform Task Force set up by FIFA in response to its burgeoning corruption crisis appears to have hit a potentially serious snag after Domenico Scala (pictured), favourite to land the job as the body’s chairman, said he would not take it on unless he was guaranteed full independence.
July 28 – Former FIFA vice-president Jack Warner has bought yet more time in his bid to avoid being extradited from his native Trinidad and Tobago to the United States to face corruption charges as part of the FBI probe into widespread corruption involving senior football officials.
By Andrew Warshaw
July 28 – Far from being in any way responsible for the corruption crisis that has embroiled FIFA, Sepp Blatter in fact deserves the Nobel Peace prize for the way he has run the organisation, according to Russian president Vladimir Putin.
By Andrew Warshaw
July 27 – Was it deliberately held back in order to have maximum impact at Saturday’s World Cup draw?
By Andrew Warshaw
July 24 – FIFA’s number two, secretary-general Jerome Valcke, has admitted for the first time that he will leave the organisation when Sepp Blatter is replaced but says the next urgent priority is an emergency summit with front-line sponsors as a result of the corruption crisis enveloping the organisation.
July 24 – Another of FIFA’s top World Cup sponsors has expressed its concern at the lack of progress in cleaning up the organisation and says the recently established Reform Task Force does not go nearly far enough.
By Andrew Warshaw
July 24 – Prince Ali bin Al Hussein of Jordan, who failed in an attempt to wrest the FIFA presidency away from Sepp Blatter in May, says the veteran Swiss should not be allowed to oversee the reform process at his corruption-plagued governing body and should leave it to his successor.
By Andrew Warshaw
July 23 – The United Nations’ chief sports administrator admits Sepp Blatter has “made some very bad mistakes” during his 17-year tenure but does not believe the outgoing FIFA president is corrupt.
By Mark Baber
July 22 – FIFPro has revealed details of a case they have been working on involving children from Africa being trafficked to Laos, telling FIFA “the current Transfer Matching System (FIFA TMS) does not guarantee the protection of minor players.”