Brexit "could thwart the return of standing" at the top of English football in the current parliament after U.K. Sports Minister Tracey Crouch warned the matter was not “a massive issue in my inbox.” Crouch said that the government had “no current plans” to change legislation requiring any club that has spent three or more years in the Premier League or League Championship to play in an all-seat stadium (London TELEGRAPH, 10/28).
The Africa zone qualifiers for the 2018 FIFA Women's U17 World Cup were "hit by four withdrawals in the preliminary round with Sierra Leone the latest to pull out." The Sierra Leone FA said that it is "due to a lack of funds" and it came ahead of its preliminary round return leg match against Gambia in Banjul, which was scheduled for Saturday. Three other countries -- Mali, Kenya and Libya -- withdrew from the qualifiers before the preliminary round first leg fixture (BBC, 10/28).
Ethiopia and Rwanda will meet in a two-leg playoff for the right to replace Egypt at the 2018 African Nations Championship in Morocco. Egypt pulled out of the tournament -- "which is for African players based in their domestic leagues -- because of a timing clash" (BBC, 10/28).
The German Football League (DFL) signed a cooperation agreement with the Colombian División Mayor del Fútbol Colombiano (DIMAYOR) that will see the two leagues "develop joint sports, marketing and management initiatives." A DIMAYOR delegation -- including execs from 10 of its clubs -- "is currently on a four-day fact finding visit to Germany" (INSIDE WORLD FOOTBALL, 10/27).
