The Danish women's national team "called off a strike over a wage dispute" with the Danish FA (DBU) that saw a World Cup qualifier against Sweden canceled, putting the team's '19 bid "at risk." The DBU and the players' union issued a joint statement Friday saying that the two parties had "reached a temporary agreement that ensures the staging of an important match," a qualifier against Croatia on Tuesday (RTÉ, 10/20).
A reform of administrative rules and a "fairer distribution of funds" is required if European football's main club competitions are to become "more competitive," European Professional Football Leagues President Lars-Christer Olsson said on Friday. Wrapping up the EPFL conference in Tel Aviv, Olsson added, "We would like to see 40-50 clubs vying for top honors in the Champions League, rather than the 10, or so, outfits currently in contention and we think that this is something that we can bring to the table" (REUTERS, 10/20).
Former FIFA President Sepp Blatter accepted an invitation from Russia President Vladimir Putin to attend the 2018 World Cup. Blatter's 17-year spell in charge of world football's governing body ended "amid a corruption scandal" in '15 (BBC, 10/20).
