June 24 – Amid widespread condemnation, a new rule that states goalkeepers at the Women’s World Cup must be cautioned for stepping off their goal line at penalties has been suspended.
By Paul Nicholson
June 20 – The corruption-riddled, ungoverned FIFA-fiefdom that Africa has become has now impacted on the offices of the president of FIFA, Gianni Infantino. In an act of demagoguery that may come to define his leadership, and in order to protect his own powerbase, FIFA has stepped in to take charge of Africa.
By Andrew Warshaw
A new rule agreed by football’s lawmakers in the spring which gained little publicity at the time has suddenly burst into controversy within days of taking effect and threatens to cause widespread consternation across the game.
June 20 – More detail is emerging of the 15-hour interview of Michel Platini by France’s Central Office for Combating Corruption and Financial and Tax Crimes (OCLCIFF).
June 19 – Former UEFA chief Michel Platini was released in the early hours of Wednesday after having been questioned by French anti-corruption authorities over the awarding of the 2022 World Cup to Qatar.
June 18 – The Swiss investigation into FIFA corruption looks to be collapsing following a ruling by the Federal Criminal Court in Bellinzona which declared Federal Prosecutor Michael Lauber’s secret meetings with FIFA president Gianni Infantino give the appearance of bias.
June 18 – Ukraine won a maiden U-20 word title after rallying from a goal down to defeat South Korea 3-1 in Poland. Korea’s Kangin Lee won the tournament’s golden ball as best player.
June 14 – Zvonimir Boban, Gianni Infantino’s personal adviser and a member of the FIFA president’s closely guarded inner circle, has quit after just two years to return to AC Milan as the club’s chief football officer.
June 13 – Are the US authorities edging closer to snaring the man they want more than anyone else among the powerbrokers snared in the $200 million FIFAGate corruption scandal?
By Andrew Warshaw
June 13 – FIFA opened an investigation earlier this year into the outspoken head of the Palestinian FA, Jibril Rajoub, for breaching its ethics code according to an Israeli-based media watchdog and widely reported across Israel.
By Andrew Warshaw
June 12 – FIFA president Gianni Infantino wants to resurrect the concept of a ‘world league’ for women in order to generate additional revenue to help address the disparity in prize money compared to the men’s game.
By Andrew Warshaw
June 10 – Battle lines have been drawn in the race to stage the 2030 World Cup with the Spanish FA confirming, after months of speculation, that they and Portugal are seriously considering making a joint bid.
By Andrew Warshaw
June 10 – In its most significant stance yet to combat sexual abuse of women players, FIFA has banned for life one of the most notorious culprits, former Afghanistan Football Federation (AFF) president Keramuudin Karim (pictured), and also fined him one million Swiss francs.
By Paul Nicholson
June 8 – Musa Bility, the CAF executive committee member from Liberia who has spoken out against president Ahmad’s management of the African confederation and in particular his handling of commercial partnerships, has called for a forensic audit of CAF’s finances.
By Samindra Kunti in Paris
June 7 – FIFA and Gianni Infantino have promised to invest $500 million in the women’s game over the next four years, responding to the criticism over the minimal prize money on offer at the Women’s World Cup in France.