FA Chair Greg Clarke "remains hopeful a women's team will represent Great Britain at future Olympic Games." Team GB's women's squad, including two Scots and no players from Wales or Northern Ireland, reached the quarterfinals at London 2012. The Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish associations "refused to keep the combined team going for Rio 2016." Clarke: "The home nations are discussing how we can achieve that for the women's game" (BBC, 3/6).
Asia wants a "significant increase" in its allocation of places in the 48-nation 2026 World Cup, Asian Football Confederation President Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa said. He added that Asia "was counting on a fair distribution of 2026 World Cup slots, demanding a rise from its four guaranteed places to reflect its economic power and the popularity of football there." Sheikh Salman "declined to put a figure on Asia's demands at the expanded World Cup although experts say it could be as high as eight" (AFP, 3/7).
Premier League players will "be reminded to leave on-field emergency procedures to trained medical staff after cases where players have intervened in the belief they are assisting colleagues knocked unconscious." The Premier League Doctors' Group will discuss players' reaction to injuries, "however well-intentioned," at its routine meeting later this month (London GUARDIAN, 3/7).
South African FA President Danny Jordaan pulled out of the race to be a member of the FIFA Council. South Sudan's Chabur Goc Alei also withdrew from the race, as he did in '16, while Zambian Kalusha Bwalya abandoned his bid over the weekend (BBC, 3/7).
The Pro League Committee launched its strategic plan for the next four years on Thursday, as it seeks to "continue the Arabian Gulf League’s recent growth." The PLC, the body that governs the UAE top flight, laid out its objectives at the Dust Thani in Abu Dhabi, with the pillars of the program to be branding, financial independence, partnerships and professionalism (THE NATIONAL, 3/6).
