In what "will be judged as bitter disappointment" for both FIFA and regional confederations CONCACAF and CONMEBOL, a U.S. judge "ruled that they can collectively recoup" just $2.63M from two former officials convicted on bribery charges, a "small fraction" of the roughly $125M the organizations had sought. The decision on Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Pamela Chen is a "huge setback" for the bodies, which were seeking "considerable restitution" from former Brazilian Football Federation (CBF) President José Maria Marin and former CONMEBOL President Juan Angel Napout (INSIDE WORLD FOOTBALL, 11/22).
Barcelona CEO Oscar Grau did not rule out the club giving its backing to "playing La Liga games in China in future years." Grau and the club "have given their backing to playing their league game against Girona in Miami this season and want to play future league games away from Spain" (FOOTBALL ESPANA, 11/23).
In a move "designed to stop cynical time-wasting," players will leave the pitch at the nearest goalline or touchline when substituted "rather than walk, sometimes at a snail’s pace," to the technical area under new proposals recommended by the Int'l FA Board. Other recommendations made at IFAB’s annual business meeting in Glasgow on Thursday included abolishing the "ABBA" format for penalty shootouts and introducing yellow and red cards for team officials (INSIDE WORLD FOOTBALL, 11/23).
The FA is concerned that England’s appearance in the UEFA Nations League finals in Portugal next summer "could be overshadowed" by more anti-social behavior from fans, "with the potential for trouble exacerbated by a clash with the Primavera Sound music festival, which takes place on the same weekend in Porto." England’s past two away matches to which visiting fans were permitted to travel "were marred by disturbances" (LONDON TIMES, 11/24).
Scotland donated £10,000 ($12,800) to Doddie Weir's charity from its match fees against Argentina. Former int'l Weir, 48, was diagnosed with motor neurone disease in '17 (BBC, 11/25).
