Lausanne, Switzerland | AFP | FIFA president Gianni Infantino is suspected of having intervened with Switzerland’s attorney general to try to get an investigation dropped, a Swiss newspaper alleged on Monday. The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) launched an investigation in early 2016, shortly after Infantino was elected president of world football’s governing body, …
Read More »A month into lockdown, football forced to play waiting game
Paris, France | AFP | A month has now passed since the last football matches were played before packed stadiums in Europe, and the havoc wrought by the coronavirus pandemic means that nobody can say with any certainty when the sport might return. A crowd of 50,000 filled Ibrox Stadium in …
Read More »‘No match worth risking a life’, says FIFA boss Infantino
Zurich, Switzerland | AFP | FIFA president Gianni Infantino on Friday said that “no match” is worth “risking a single human life” and that world football’s governing body would be able to help financially national federations during the coronavirus pandemic. The majority of top football leagues and international competitions have been suspended due to the …
Read More »FIFA President Infantino happy with progress in African football
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The President of the Federation of International Football Associations (FIFA), Gianni Infantino has said he is happy with the progress made in African football. “Look at the talent from Africa that is key to the progress of many teams around the world. African talent keeps …
Read More »Magogo elected CAF executive member
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The President of the Federation of Uganda Football Association (FUFA), Moses Hassim Magogo has been elected on the executive of the Confederation of African Football (CAF). Magogo was elected to represent the Central East Zone during the CAF Ordinary General Assembly held at the …
Read More »Infantino waved in for second term as FIFA president
Paris, France | AFP | Gianni Infantino said Wednesday he had turned FIFA into an organisation “synonymous with credibility” as he was re-elected for a second term as president of world football’s governing body. It was a formality that the 49 year-old would be waved through for a new four-year mandate, …
Read More »Qatar World Cup to be played with 32 teams: FIFA
Lausanne, Switzerland | AFP | The 2022 World Cup in Qatar will be played with 32 teams after a proposed expansion of the tournament to 48 sides was scrapped, FIFA announced on Wednesday. World football’s governing body said in a statement that “following a thorough and comprehensive consultation process with the …
Read More »Five things we learned in European football this weekend
Paris, France | AFP | Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain both squandered chances to retain their domestic titles on a weekend which saw a much-changed Barcelona take their eye off the ball in La Liga. In France, the weekend was overshadowed by racist abuse suffered by Amiens player Prince-Desir Gouano. AFP Sport …
Read More »FIFA Qatar 2022 plan would ‘exacerbate’ Gulf tensions
Doha, Qatar | AFP | FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s plan to expand the Qatar World Cup to 48 teams and increase the number of host countries risks worsening existing Gulf diplomatic tensions, claim analysts. The ambitious expansion proposal — which Infantino has optimistically stated might help Middle East peace — could …
Read More »FIFA says it trusts Russia to ensure safe World Cup despite clashes
Moscow, Russia | AFP | The world football governing body FIFA expressed “complete trust” Friday in Russia’s ability to ensure a safe World Cup despite fan violence in Spain during which a policeman died. The Basque officer suffered a heart attack Thursday as hundreds of security forces clashed with supporters …
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