Gibraltar will make its debut as "European football's newest member in a friendly against Slovakia on Tuesday." The match against Slovakia follows "more than a decade-long battle to be admitted as the 54th member of UEFA." Gibraltar "officially joined UEFA in May" (MUNDO DEPORTIVO, 11/18). ... Real Madrid officials said that the Real Madrid Foundation "is likely to set up a football academy in Qatar beginning next year." A formal announcement "is expected to be made on the day of the exhibition match" between Real Madrid and Paris St. Germain, which will played in Qatar on Jan. 2 (THE PENINSULA, 11/18). ... Frustrated with South Africa's continual refusal "to put its own house in order," FIFA's ethics committee prosecutor Michael Garcia "has opened an investigation into allegations of match-fixing in friendlies in the lead-up to the 2010 World Cup." FIFA said that Garcia "was taking action because the South African authorities had still not set up an inquiry, seven months after they agreed to do so and more than three years since the matches in question took place" (INSIDE WORLD FOOTBALL, 11/18). ... Former Dutch footballer Ronald de Boer, who was one of the Qatar 2022 World Cup ambassadors, feels May 1 "is the best date for the start of the World Cup in Qatar." De Boer said, "I have played here. I think it can be moved to the beginning of May. I have played in May. It is perfect at night" (GULF TIMES, 11/17).
