Atlético Madrid is "reportedly considering investing in starting a club in Mexico as part of a franchise." Last week, reports came out of Mexico stating that Liga MX side Chiapas and the Mexican state of San Luis "were interested in a deal," but Atlético has since "denied the information" (MARCA, 11/9).
Albania has moved Saturday’s World Cup European Group G qualifier with Israel from the northern city of Shkoder to a venue near the capital Tirana "due to security concerns," the Israeli FA said on Tuesday. Israel’s counter-terrorism bureau issued a statement saying that "a number of people identified as having links to Islamic State militants" had been arrested "in the Balkans" over the past week on the suspicion that they were "planning attacks." It said the Albania-Israel fixture was "one of the intended targets of the detained suspects and others connected to them," and advised Israeli fans not to travel to the match, citing a "Level 2… high, concrete threat" (REUTERS, 11/9).
The former president of Venezuela's football federation is "expected to plead guilty to U.S. charges stemming from a bribery investigation involving FIFA," according to court records filed on Tuesday. Rafael Esquivel, who was also an exec committee member with CONMEBOL, is "set to plead guilty on Thursday in federal court in Brooklyn, becoming the latest individual to admit wrongdoing in the case." Neither a lawyer for Esquivel nor a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Brooklyn "responded immediately to requests for comment" (REUTERS, 11/8).
Greece has "suspended all football competitions in the country after an alleged arson attack" at the home of the president of its refereeing committee. Giorgos Bikas' house in northern Greece suffered "major damage" following a fire early on Wednesday. Neither Bikas nor his family were at the property at the time (BBC, 11/9).
FIFA's Ethics Committee on Wednesday called for Rafael Callejas to be banned from football for life, alleging the former president of the Honduran FA "breached" the FIFA's code of conduct. The committee said that Callejas contravened rules on bribery and corruption, and four other rules, following an investigation into "allegedly illegal payments he received from sports marketing companies" (REUTERS, 11/9).
Representatives from the China Soong Ching Ling Foundation, Jaguar Land Rover China and Tottenham Hotspur teamed up to launch the third Jaguar China-UK Football & Cultural Exchange, which is seeking to strengthen ties between British and Chinese children. During the exchange, 40 children, including some from underprivileged areas of China, will embark on an intensive week of coaching at Tottenham's training center in Enfield (Tottenham).
Ahead of the Uruguayan national team's World Cup qualifier against Ecuador, Uruguay's players "are protesting against the fact that Uruguayan FA partner Tenfield manages their image rights." In a "convincing gesture," Diego Godín and Álvaro González appeared at a press conference "refusing to wear national team gear." They also ordered "that sponsorship signage in the press room be taken down." Before that, "all of Uruguay's players practiced in uniforms without the presence of any sponsors" (CLARÍN, 11/9).
