Europe – Inside World Football

Future uncertain for Sheffield Wednesday after relegation by arch rivals

Andy Elliott — Tue, 24 Feb 2026 09:41:52 +0000

February 24 – For any club as steeped in English football history as Sheffield Wednesday, relegation would be painful. But to have their three-year stay in the Championship ended by a derby defeat away to Sheffield United gave the moment a particularly brutal edge.

Relegation before February concludes is rare enough. That it was sealed by the Blades only sharpened the sense of humiliation. This was the earliest relegation in English Football League history.

Serbia opens Academy for sports management professionals

Andy Elliott — Tue, 24 Feb 2026 08:44:32 +0000

February 24 – In what is being hailed as a revolutionary step for Serbian football, the Football Association of the Western Serbia Region (FSRZS) has officially opened enrolment for the country’s first-ever Academy for Sports Professionals.

For decades, Serbian football has faced a critical shortage of qualified administrative and operational staff. To address this alarming deficit—a concern recently echoed by the national Football Association of Serbia (FSS)—the FSRZS leadership, led by President Nebojša Živanović and General Secretary Darko Bradonjić,

European Leagues says it will not budge on case against FIFA as it focuses on the threats of economic imbalance

Paul Nicholson — Mon, 23 Feb 2026 04:19:53 +0000

February 23 – The European Leagues board in its first meeting of the year has prioritised its focus on the international match calendar and changes to the distribution of club revenue generated from international club competitions, saying they are “critical issues” that must be addressed.

The European Leagues (EL) has an ongoing legal action against FIFA in a bid to make the world governing body comply with European Union (EU) law.

EL has been excluded from FIFA’s stakeholder discussions despite FIFA needing the clubs from their leagues to make up FIFA’s new and rapidly expanding club competition ambition.

Belgian court rules Qatargate probe can continue

Paul Nicholson — Mon, 23 Feb 2026 03:47:02 +0000

February 23 – A Belgian court has dismissed an attempt to stop the Qatargate corruption investigation into state influence in European politics.

Qatargate, the scandal that rocked the European Parliament three years ago, has been winding its way through the Belgian courts. After judge Michel Claise stood down over conflict of interest allegations, the high-profile case seemed destined to die a slow death.

However, the appeals court has ruled that the prosecutors didn’t mishandle the case,

Werder Bremen cancel US pre-season citing safety concerns and ‘immigration’ issues

Paul Nicholson — Mon, 23 Feb 2026 03:04:43 +0000

February 23 – German club Werder Bremen have called off their summer tour of the United States because of safety concerns.

The Bundesliga club, which had planned to stage matches in Minnesota and Detroit, justified its withdrawal because of the political climate in Minneapolis and strong disagreement with the current US administration’s immigration policies.

A club spokesperson confirmed to The Athletic: “In Minnesota, two people were shot dead by state authorities.

Turkish police swoop on five past and present Konyaspor board directors

Paul Nicholson — Fri, 20 Feb 2026 11:32:33 +0000

February 20 – Turkey’s Konyaspor have released a statement this morning (Friday) confirming that five individuals associated with the club have been arrested.

The club’s official statement is in response to an ongoing legal investigation led by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office under Law No. 6222 (Law on Prevention of Violence and Disorder in Sports).
According to the statement, the detainees include оne current member of the club’s board of directors and four former members who served in previous administrations.

Turks bank on future national team success with Fuzul

Paul Nicholson — Fri, 20 Feb 2026 10:05:17 +0000

February 20 – The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) has signed a major sponsorship agreement with Fuzul, a leader in the savings-based finance sector.

The partnership, formalized at the Hasan Doğan National Teams Camp and Training Facilities, designates Fuzul as the Main Sponsor for both the Men’s and Women’s A National Teams for the next two years. No value was given for the sponsorship.

Opening the ceremony at the Orhan Saka Conference Hall,

Rosenior takes zero tolerance line on racists – kick them out

Paul Nicholson — Fri, 20 Feb 2026 09:45:16 +0000

February 20 – Chelsea FC head coach Liam Rosenior has said that anyone found guilty of racist behaviour in football should be removed from the sport, as UEFA investigates allegations arising from this week’s Champions League fixture in Lisbon.

UEFA has opened investigative proceedings following claims that Real Madrid CF forward Vinicius Junior was racially abused by SL Benfica midfielder Gianluca Prestianni during Tuesday’s match. Prestianni denies the allegation – though if found guilty under UEFA’s disciplinary regulations,

Cooperman increases Manchester United stake

Andy Elliott — Thu, 19 Feb 2026 12:48:00 +0000

February 19 – American billionaire Leon Cooperman has increased his stake in Manchester United, taking his holding to 5.2% of the club’s publicly traded Class A shares.

The move gives the 82-year-old investor control of more than 2.9 million shares, a position supposedly worth in excess of $50 million at current market value.

Cooperman first moved on United in the autumn of 2023, purchasing roughly 900,000 shares as Sir Jim Ratcliffe prepared to finalise his minority takeover.

The post Cooperman increases Manchester United stake appeared first on Inside World Football.

Serie A clubs unanimously oppose fan shareholding bodies

Andy Elliott — Thu, 19 Feb 2026 12:38:23 +0000

19 February – Serie A clubs have formally opposed a bill on popular shareholding in sports clubs, despite the reform having already cleared the Italian Chamber of Deputies.

Meeting earlier this week, the Lega Calcio Serie A assembly voted against the legislation. The bill is awaiting examination in the country’s Senate, with Serie A writing to the President of the Senate and the Senate’s Seventh Committee to outline their concerns

According to reports from Italian news agency Radiocor,

Aurenche becomes second senior LFP Media figure to leave

Andy Elliott — Thu, 19 Feb 2026 12:04:23 +0000

February 19 – For the second time in as many weeks, the French Professional Football League (LFP) has suffered the loss of a senior media executive, further destabilising an organisation already rocking from multiple media-rights crises.

The LFP has confirmed Martin Aurenche, senior director of media at its commercial arm LFP Media, has left the company. Aurenche played a central role in domestic and international media-rights sales and helped launch Ligue 1+,

BFU triumphs in dramatic court ruling against former national team coaches

Andy Elliott — Thu, 19 Feb 2026 09:00:14 +0000

February 19 – The Bulgarian Football Union (BFU) has secured a significant legal victory in its ongoing dispute with former national team head coach Mladen Krstajić and two members of his coaching staff at the Swiss Federal Tribunal.

The national association had been the subject of a €312,00 compensation claim from Krstajić and his assistants Stefan Janković and Nemanja Milinčić following their dismissal in November 2023, with said legal action successful under rulings handed down by FIFA and the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

Real Madrid close to walk off after Vinícius target of Prestianni’s alleged ‘monkey’ abuse

Paul Nicholson — Wed, 18 Feb 2026 11:28:51 +0000

February 18 – Vinícius Júnior said “racists are, above all, cowards who need to hide behind their shirts to show how weak they are,” as he criticised the referee’s failure to respond after he was allegedly abused by Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni during Real Madrid’s 1–0 victory in the Champions League.

Tuesday’s Champions League match between the two clubs was overshadowed by the racism incident involving the Brazilian star, who wanted to walk off.

Lazio plan 2032 opening of new €480m Stadio Flaminio

Paul Nicholson — Wed, 18 Feb 2026 10:01:17 +0000

February 18 – The proposed overhaul of Lazio’s Stadio Flaminio will carry a projected price tag of €480 million, with ambitions for the ground to stage its first fixture in 2032.

Claudio Lotito, president of SS Lazio, presented the plans last week, setting out a redevelopment that would more than double the stadium’s current 20,000 capacity to 50,750.

“It’s not just a construction project, it’s a vision,” Lotito said.

“The redevelopment of the Stadio Flaminio isn’t just about SS Lazio.

English football bodies join forces with police and regulator to battle online abuse

Paul Nicholson — Wed, 18 Feb 2026 08:32:15 +0000

February 18 – A new cross-organisation partnership, comprised of the English football authorities, the UK Football Policing Unit and regulator Ofcom, has been launched to strengthen efforts to combat online abuse in football and protect the players.

The working group – which includes the The Football Association, Premier League, English Football League, Women’s Super League, Professional Footballers’ Association and Kick It Out – will share intelligence and data on the scale and nature of online hate and abuse directed at those working across the professional game.

FAI weighs up venue for Israel clash following Nations League draw

Andy Elliott — Tue, 17 Feb 2026 12:08:08 +0000

February 17 – The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) is still weighing up the venue for the UEFA Nations League match against Israel in October. Meanwhile, the Israel Football Association (IFA) wants to stage international fixtures at home again.

Last week’s Nations League draw paired Ireland and Israel in League B, prompting a scramble over the venues for the double header because of political and security considerations.

The teams are due to play home and away in the Nations League in late September and early October.

Duka gets four more years at FSHF after unanimous vote

Andy Elliott — Tue, 17 Feb 2026 10:30:57 +0000

February 17 – Armand Duka has won a new four-year term as President of the Albanian Football Federation (FSHF) after a unanimous vote at the governing body’s General Electoral Assembly.

The decision was taken by all members with voting rights during proceedings held at the Federation’s headquarters, the “House of Football”, in a strong show of unity across the Albanian game.

Delegates gathered to formally renew their confidence in the current leadership,

Müller headlines Sportdigital’s Concacaf coverage

Andy Elliott — Tue, 17 Feb 2026 08:40:12 +0000

February 17 – German football fans are getting a closer look at a competition that is rapidly going global.

German broadcaster Sportdigital has secured a rights package for North America’s Concacaf Champions Cup, underlining the growing international pull of the confederation’s flagship club tournament. The deal allows the broadcaster to air up to 15 matches of the 51-game knockout competition, exclusively on its Sportdigital1+ pay-TV channel.

Coverage begins with Canada’s Vancouver Whitecaps and Costa Rica’s CS Cartaginés –

Mourinho says keeper Trubin won’t play upfront in Real Madrid re-match

Paul Nicholson — Mon, 16 Feb 2026 06:48:41 +0000

February 16 – Benfica boss Jose Mourinho believes Real Madrid will arrive in Lisbon with their pride hurt – and that makes them all the more threatening – when the two sides renew acquaintances in the Champions League playoffs on Tuesday night.

The Portuguese side booked their play-off place in unforgettable fashion last month, stunning Madrid 4-2 on the final night of the league phase – decided deep into stoppage time thanks to goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin’s 98th-minute header to seal a famous victory.

EC to renew UEFA agreement as Micallef warns ‘risks are greater than ever’

Paul Nicholson — Fri, 13 Feb 2026 11:24:15 +0000

February 13 – Speaking at UEFA’s Congress in Brussels yesterday, European commissioner Glenn Micallef said the EC will renew its co-operation agreement with UEFA which he said is a “relationship (that) is stronger than ever.”

Micallef is European commissioner for intergenerational fairness, youth, culture and sport, and has been an outspoken political advocate for game and in particular the European sports model, and its principals of competitive balance and solidarity in the face of the threat of the European Super League breakaway.

Shevchenko urges Infantino not to reopen doors to Russia as ‘nothing has changed’

Paul Nicholson — Fri, 13 Feb 2026 10:48:24 +0000

February 13 – Ukraine’s football boss Andriy Shevchenko has urged FIFA to uphold Russia’s ban from the international game.

On the sidelines of the Uefa Congress, Shevchenko met with the leadership of FIFA and reinforced Ukraine’s position that a reintegration of Russia is not acceptable, with the war in Ukraine still raging.

In 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine and following the refusal of several national team captains to play the Russians, the country was banned from international football.

UEFA Nations League draw sees England-Spain rematch, Irish say they will play Israel

Paul Nicholson — Fri, 13 Feb 2026 10:28:03 +0000

February 13 – England will play Spain, Croatia and the Czech Republic in the Nations League following the tournament’s draw on Thursday. Ireland were paired with Israel.

Following promotion to the A-League, the Three Lions will take on familiar foes Spain and Croatia as well as the Czechs. The English won their group in the 2018-19 Nations League when they were paired with Spain and Croatia.

Two summers ago, England lost the final of the European championship against the Iberian pass masters.

Ceferin says UEFA unchanged on Russia, though ‘world is changing fast’

Paul Nicholson — Fri, 13 Feb 2026 09:23:42 +0000

February 13 – European football boss Aleksander Ceferin has reiterated that UEFA’s position on Russia has not changed.

In a short press conference following the 50th UEFA Congress in Brussels, the UEFA president largely refused to be drawn on the issue of Russia, banned from the international game following the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, but repeated that the European confederation’s position has not changed.

Last week in an interview with Sky News,

The FA extend Thomas Tuchel deal through Euro 2028 in Germany

Paul Nicholson — Thu, 12 Feb 2026 23:45:23 +0000

February 13 – The FA’s decision to extend manager Thomas Tuchel’s contract through to Euro 2028 is a bold move of confidence ahead of another major tournament.

Since arriving in the job, Tuchel has brought a sense of clarity to the national team. Personality and star power are no longer guaranteed starting positions. Training camps have been leaner, tactical messaging more precise, and there is a growing feeling that the squad understands not just what is required of them,

FIFPRO wins seat on UEFA Executive Committee in boost for player power

Andy Elliott — Thu, 12 Feb 2026 11:29:51 +0000

By Samindra Kunti at UEFA Congress in Brussels

February 12 – World players’ union FIFPRO has won a seat on the UEFA Executive Committee, the highest decision-making body in European football.

Current FIFPRO Europe President David Terrier will represent the union and players on the executive committee for a three-year term. Terrier had been an observer at the past three executive committee meetings.

In a statement FIFPRO called it “a landmark development that will strengthen the relationship with between the players’ union and the European confederation.”

FIFPRO Europe President David Terrier said: “European football has today made an important stride towards fair and inclusive governance.

Sean Dyce latest manager to fall foul of Marinakis at Nottingham Forest

Andy Elliott — Thu, 12 Feb 2026 11:04:12 +0000

February 12 – English Premier League side Nottingham Forest are once again searching for a head coach after dismissing Sean Dyche just 114 days into his tenure, with former Wolves manager Vitor Pereira emerging as the leading candidate to replace him.

Forest’s goalless draw at home to bottom side Wolves on Wednesday has left them three points above the Premier League relegation zone with 12 matches remaining, intensifying pressure on a club that have struggled for stability throughout the season –

BFU partners with MES and MYS to develop school system in Bulgaria

Andy Elliott — Thu, 12 Feb 2026 09:54:44 +0000

February 12 – A significant milestone for youth development in Bulgaria was reached as the Bulgarian Football Union (BFU), the Ministry of Education and Science (MES), and the Ministry of Youth and Sports (MYS) signed a long-term Memorandum of Understanding relating to the subject.

This strategic partnership aims to leverage the power of football to foster health, education, and social values within the national school system.

The agreement was officially signed by BFU President Georgi Ivanov,

Super League coffin nailed shut after Real Madrid pull out of their own breakaway plan

Paul Nicholson — Wed, 11 Feb 2026 20:11:17 +0000

February 11 – The final nail in the Super League coffin now looks to have been hammered into place. Earlier this week Barcelona announced they had pulled out of the breakaway European club project, leaving just Real Madrid and its president Florentino Perez at the last man standing.

Now they too have backed down (and out), but perhaps too late to unpick their pariah status. It is a spectacular humiliation for Perez who chased fame and coin to the exclusion of all and everyone else in a war where his opponents championed the European sports model,

Geopolitical undercurrents as European FAs gathering in Brussels for UEFA Congress

Paul Nicholson — Wed, 11 Feb 2026 11:47:05 +0000

February 11 – European football officials are gathering in the Belgian capital Brussels for the UEFA Congress tomorrow (Thursday) and the Nations League draw, with geopolitical questions providing a backdrop to the meetings.

Last week, FIFA president Gianni Infantino, in an interview with Sky News, pushed for a reintegration of Russia, at least for youth teams.

The FIFA boss is expected to address the UEFA Congress and the tone of his address –

PSG drubbing hastens De Zerbi’s OM exit

Paul Nicholson — Wed, 11 Feb 2026 10:48:15 +0000

February 11 – Olympique Marseille have parted company with Roberto De Zerbi days after a humiliating 5-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, bringing an abrupt end to a tenure that had begun with promise but unravelled sharply in recent weeks.

The nine-time French champions confirmed this morning that they had ended their collaboration by “mutual agreement”.

The decision follows Sunday’s chastening night at the Parc des Princes, a result that restored PSG’s two-point lead over Lens at the top after 21 rounds and left Marseille down in fourth.

The post PSG drubbing hastens De Zerbi’s OM exit appeared first on Inside World Football.