FIFA cosies up to ECA with new MoU and the promise of more money for the big clubs
March 28 – The European Club Association (ECA) and FIFA have extended and expanded a Memorandum of Understanding that will now run until the end of 2030.
FIFA
Belgium, Netherlands and Germany make 2027 WWC bid official
March 27 – You’ve got mail. With those words, Belgium, Netherlands and Germany launched their bid for the hosting of the 2027 World Women’s Cup.
FIFA opens bidding process for Women’s World Cup 2027 with first deadline April 23
March 24 – FIFA has released first details of the bidding process for the hosting of the 2027 Women’s World Cup with the deadline for expressions of interest set for April 23. The final vote on hosts will be made at the FIFA Congress on 17 May 2024, leaving the hosts three years to organise the event.
FIFA suspends Congo coaches and opens into abuse probe
March 23 – FIFA and its Ethics Committee have suspended a number of coaches in DR Congo accused of having abused minor players, the world federation announced on Wednesday.
FIFA goes to Swiss courts to overturn CAS’s release of Jean-Bart back into football
March 21 – Claiming that the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) failed “to evaluate key pieces of evidence” and “substantive flaws” in their reasoning, global governing body FIFA has appealed the court’s decision to overturn the lifetime ban on the former president of the Haitian Football Federation (FHF) Yves Jean-Bart.
Jean-Bart sues French journalist who blew open Haitian sex abuse case
March 21 – French investigative journalist Romain Molina who exposed the reign of terror and sexual abuse allegedly presided over by form Haiti football federation president Yves Jean-Bart, is facing a defamation lawsuit brought by Jean-Bart.
German president Neuendorf calls on FIFA to end secrecy and open up to transparency
By Samindra Kunti
March 20 – One of the few national associations not to support Gianni Infantino in his re-election to the FIFA president, the German DFB and their president Bernd Neuendorf, have demanded more transparency from the global body and a different attitude toward members.
48-team World Cup will increase competitiveness, not dilute it, argues Infantino
March 20 – Gianni Infantino has defended the biggest expansion in World Cup history, saying 48 teams in 2026 will not dilute the quality of the tournament.
Infantino says Saudi deal for WWC is off but country has an equal right to be a major sponsor
By Andrew Warshaw
March 17 – FIFA has admitted defeat over plans to allow Saudi Arabia to be a major sponsor of this year’s Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand even though Gianni Infantino described objections to the idea as “a storm in a teacup”.
FIFA Club World Cup every year… without the Europeans who get a bye to the final
March 17 – While focus has been shifted to the 2025 Club World Cup and how teams will qualify, or have qualified, FIFA have also said they will run a global club competition every year.
Prize money tripled for 2023 WWC but Infantino tells commercial partners they must do more
By Samindra Kunti in Kigali, Rwanda
March 17 – FIFA said it has tripled the ‘prize money’ for the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia/New Zealand as president Gianni Infantino lashed out at broadcasters for not offering enough money for the tournament’s broadcast rights.
Club World Cup 2025 has nine teams qualified but will country quota disqualify big teams
March 17 – While details of the hosts for FIFA’s 32-team Club World Cup in 2025 are still to be announced, nine of the world’s biggest clubs have already qualified for the event as champions of their confederation’s leading club competitions.
Infantino points finger at a sceptical media who aren’t singing the company song
By Andrew Warshaw
March 16 – No sooner had he been re-elected FIFA president for another four years than Gianni Infantino indulged in yet another unexpected monologue today, this time defending his organisation’s global standing and, more tellingly, his own personal reputation.
FIFA’s members dutifully get with the programme and applaud Infantino to third term
By Samindra Kunti in Kigali, Rwanda
March 16 – Gianni Infantino has been re-elected FIFA president by acclamation for a four-year term until 2027. Football’s boss has also cleared a path that could see him seek to stay in power until 2031.
Infantino puts his ‘best ever’ FIFA foot forward in Congress address and promises a new video game
By Samindra Kunti in Kigali
March 16 – With FIFA’s wealth at an all-time high and his power base consolidated, FIFA president Gianni Infantino called on “unity” in the football family with the world federation in a “strong” and “stable” position, having “regained the trust of sponsors and institutions”.