By Andrew Warshaw in Johannesburg
November 30 – FIFA President Sepp Blatter (pictured) today admitted for the first time that the World Cup playoff system had to be seriously re-examined as a result of Thierry Henry’s infamous handball that cost Ireland a place in the finals.
By Duncan Mackay in Johannesburg
November 30 – Sepp Blatter has praised the South African Football Association (SAFA) for its preparations for next year’s World Cup after meeting its new President, Kirsten Nematandani, here.
David Triesman finds himself in the position not dissimilar to Prime Ministers: more popular abroad than at home. But this happened to Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair towards the end of their long reign. It has happened to Triesman barely two years in as FA chairman and just as he faces his greatest test leading England’s bid for the 2018 World Cup.
November 29 – Durban’s new 70,000-seater World Cup stadium opened today, but rain kept the crowd down to around 15,000.
By Duncan Mackay in Johannesburg
November 29 – England’s bid to host the 2018 World Cup received another morale-boosting endorsement today when Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (pictured) said that England deserved to host the tournament for the first time in more than half-a-century.
November 29 – FIFA President Sepp Blatter (pictured) revealed today that he has telephoned France captain Thierry Henry to offer him support over his controversial handball in the World Cup play-off win over Ireland.
By David Owen
November 29 – Belgium and Holland can set an example for smaller countries by showing that they too can become candidates to host a World Cup, according to Michel D’Hooghe (pictured), the Bruges-based doctor who is chairman of FIFA’s Medical Committee.
By Duncan Mackay
November 28 – Gary Lineker (pictured), the man many are trying to persuade to take over from Lord Triesman as the leader of England’s bid to host the 2018 World Cup, tonight insisted that his commitments with the BBC would rule him out from playing a more prominent role.
By Duncan Mackay
November 28 – The first official match to be staged at Durban’s new R3.1 billion (£254 million) World Cup venue, the Moses Mabhida Stadium, a South African Premier League match between AmaZulu and Maritzburg United tomorrow, has sold out.
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By Duncan Mackay in Johannesburg
November 28 – Qatar were the first of the countries bidding for the 2018 or 2022 World Cup to arrive here today to attend Soccerex, the global football conference.
November 28 – India plans to use next year’s Commonwealth Games as the launchpad for a bid to host the FIFA World Cup, they announced today.
By Duncan Mackay
November 27 – Jack Warner, the FIFA vice-president, has met the British and Australian Prime Ministers Gordon Brown (pictured) and Kevin Rudd to discuss the countries respective bids to host the World Cup in 2018 or 2022.
By Duncan Mackay
November 28 – Sami Al Jaber (pictured), who played for Saudi Arabia in four consecutive World Cup finals, has joined Qatar’s bid to host the 2022 World Cup as an ambassador, it has been announced.
November 27 – Chilean club Rangers has dropped a court case that threatened the national team’s participation at next year’s World Cup.
November 27 – Uli Hoeness (pictured) has replaced Franz Beckenbauer as president of Bayern Munich, taking the top job after 30 years as general manager it was announced today.