German football clubs "will need the help" of the German Football League (DFL) and the German FA (DFB) to handle trouble by "ultra" fans, club execs said. Premier League side Burnley's preseason match with Bundesliga club Hannover 96 on Saturday was abandoned "on police advice." Cologne Sports Dir Jörg Schmadtke said, "Ultra groups are being formed across the country and we will need to find answers" (REUTERS, 8/8).
Scottish Premiership clubs set a new opening weekend attendance record as fans "turned out in droves to watch the season get under way." A "whopping" 110,583 supporters attended six top-flight matches across Saturday and Sunday, "smashing the previous best by more than 25,000." The crowds ensured the top flight was the "best-supported league in Europe per capita" (Scotland DAILY RECORD, 8/8).
Cameroon's bid to "cling on to hosting" the 2019 African Cup of Nations, which has "come under intense scrutiny" since the decision to expand the tournament to 24 teams, "suffered a further blow" with Confederation of African Football President Ahmad "questioning the country's credentials." Cameroon thought it would be staging a 16-team event and insists it has "no qualms about working with eight more," but Ahmad said, "They will have to work to convince us of their capacity to host the event" (INSIDE WORLD FOOTBALL, 8/8).
Serbian SuperLiga side Partizan Belgrade must play its next two European home games in an empty stadium "as punishment for fan racism and crowd unrest." Partizan was charged by UEFA with various offenses including "racist behavior, firework use, and pitch invasions" following two Champions League qualifying games (AP, 8/7).
