Int'l Champions Cup organizer Relevent Sports Chair Charlie Stillitano said that the Premier League is not "that far away" from switching to an "unbalanced schedule that would allow for a 39th game to be played abroad." The Premier League proposed "adding an extra round to its schedule" in '08, but "eventually gave up on the idea after opposition from both fans and FIFA." Top European clubs have since been drawn to the ICC, and Stillitano said that adding a game to the domestic league schedule would be "a logical step" (ESPN.com, 4/4).
The English, Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish FAs "have held further talks" over a Team GB women's football team taking part in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Plans for the teams to compete at the 2016 Games "were scrapped after protests from the Irish, Scottish and Welsh FAs." Though there is "no prospect of a return for a men's side," it is believed there could be a possibility of a women's team competing in '20 (BBC, 4/5).
Former Barcelona President Joan Laporta and La Liga side Valencia Owner Peter Lim met with the Indonesian FA (PSSI) to "assess partnership possibilities." Laporta: "I've won everything with Barcelona. That philosophy [of Barcelona] could tune in with Indonesia. The appointment of Luis Milla by the PSSI was a good start to find the best style for the country" (JAKARTA GLOBE, 4/5).
Police "looking after the Champions League final in Cardiff" have been given a £1.4M ($1.8M) grant to help with security. Thousands of fans "are set to descend on the city" on June 3 for the CL final. The U.K. government said that the security was of "paramount importance" and awarded the grant to South Wales Police (BBC, 4/5).
FIFA has sold 211,745 tickets for this year's Confederations Cup. The first-come, first-serve phase ended on Wednesday. The majority of ticket requests have come from the host country, Russia, but foreign fans have also shown increased interest, particularly those from Chile, who have requested more than 7,111 tickets. Ticket sales will restart on April 19 when the last minute sales phase kicks off (FIFA).
