Governing Bodies
LA LIGA PREPARES FOR POSSIBLE DATES OF RESTART
La Liga could resume as early as 28 May in the best-case scenario as the league discusses its options, according to president Javier Tebas.
No Spanish side has played a competitive game since 11 March, when Atletico Madrid knocked holders Liverpool out of the Champions League.
Tebas says training will not return until emergency measures – in place until 26 April – are lifted in Spain.
He estimates clubs could lose 1bn euros if the current campaign is cancelled.
Tebas revealed three start dates are currently being discussed with Uefa, saying: “Of all the different scenarios we have been looking at with Uefa to go back to competing, the most probable ones are 28 May, 6 June or 28 June,” he said.
“We can’t say an exact date. This will be given to us by the authorities in Spain. But we still have time to get back to training before that.”
Tebas says La Liga is not contemplating a failure to complete the domestic campaign, which still has 11 rounds of matches to play.
However, having done the maths, Tebas is conscious that even if games are played with supporters in stadiums, a scenario he does not feel is likely in the short term, the losses will be extreme.
He said: “If we are looking at the economic impact, including the money we would get from European competitions, the revenue Spanish clubs would miss out on if we don’t get back playing again is 1bn euros. If we do get playing but without spectators, it would be 300m.
“Even if we get back to playing with spectators, the damage this situation has already caused would be 150m euros.”
Two plans to get season completed
UEFA has urged individual leagues not to follow Belgium’s example by scrapping competitions – and warned they risk not being allowed into next season’s European competition if they do.
A working group – which also includes representatives from the European Clubs’ Association and the European Leagues – expects to have a proposal to put forward by the middle of May.
Tebas says two strategies are being worked on.
One involves domestic league matches being played at weekends and European and general cup competitions in midweek. The second is to play blocks of fixtures, with domestic competitions being finished in June and July, before European games are played in July and August.
With uncertainty over when the current restrictions across Europe will be lifted, Tebas said it was “logical” some leagues may start before others.
“If they can start, they should,” he said, while stating some clubs may not be able to play games at their own stadiums due to planned construction work.
Tebas was careful not to state any date by which the 2019-20 season must be finished.
However, he spoke regularly about August being a finishing point and underlined why, no matter when the campaign eventually ends, scrapping and altering tournaments next season to create space for a full league programme is fraught with difficulty.
“It is much more complicated than just making a decision,” he said.
“Each country is different. In England, you have three competitions. In Spain and Italy it is two. There are 18 teams in the German league but all the others have 20.
“The leagues who have problems in their calendar should look for internal solutions. If that is impossible, we might need some kind of co-ordination with UEFA but at the moment, we are not considering changing formats.
“Think about the top leagues. We have sold our broadcasting rights based on certain formats. We have 20 clubs and 380 matches played during a specific period of time.
“UEFA has also sold its rights based on a format, including the qualifiers and the group phase. This applies to everyone.”
‘It’s complicated to get players to accept less money’
Tebas revealed La Liga has received 90% of its broadcasting right payments. However, with 28% of the season remaining, a hefty repayment will be due if no games are played.
As with England, the Spanish league has been looking for assistance from the players. As with England, so far, there has been no agreement, although Barcelona and Atletico Madrid have reached individual deals with their clubs.
“It is quite complicated to get players to accept less money,” he said.
“They can’t do activities in a normal manner, so there should be a reduction- but we have not managed to reach global agreement with the union.
“It means the clubs have two options: a legal one in the form of a temporary lay-off – eight clubs in the top two leagues have registered to be part of this agreement – and reduced salaries by 70% a day.
“Other clubs have to reach individual agreements with players.”
Bottom of Form
FIFA’s independent Ethics Committee has banned former Guyana Football Federation (GFF) General Secretary Ian Alves from all football-related activities for five years after finding he sexually harassed female staff members.
FIFA also fined Alves 20,000 Swiss francs ($22,000) after determining that he had breached provisions of the FIFA Code of Ethics relating to the protection of physical and mental integrity, abuse of position and general duties.
“FIFA has a strict stance against all forms of abuse in football,” the organisation said on Monday.
The decision followed a review of written statements from the victims, documents provided by the GFF, submissions from Alves, and other evidence gathered during the investigation.
Alves stepped down from his position in 2024.
The ban came into force on Monday, when the terms of the decision were notified to Alves, and the full grounds for the ruling will be communicated within 60 days in accordance with the Code of Ethics, FIFA added.
The GFF did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. Alves could not immediately be reached for comment.
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FIFA President Gianni Infantino said on Thursday that he planned to seek re-election for a fourth term in a bid to continue to lead the governing body of world soccer.
Infantino confirmed he would run for the 2027–2031 term in the closing moments of the FIFA Congress in Vancouver, which comes less than two months before the start of the World Cup.
The election will be held on March 18 in Morocco, which is set to co-host the 2030 World Cup.
Infantino said he was “honoured and humbled” to have the chance to run for a fourth term.
The Italian-Swiss took office in 2016, replacing Sepp Blatter, and was re-elected unopposed in 2019 and 2023.
Infantino has pushed for the expansion of FIFA competitions during his tenure, with this year’s World Cup in North America the first to feature 48 teams, while the women’s tournament in 2023 has been expanded to 32 teams.
Infantino’s tenure has also drawn some criticism over issues such as high World Cup ticket prices and the decision to award the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize to U.S. President Donald Trump at the World Cup draw in December.
Earlier this month, the council of South American football’s governing body (CONMEBOL) said in a statement it would unanimously support the 56-year-old if he decided to seek another term.
-Reuters
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The supporters of Vancouver Whitecaps, a professional football (soccer) club in Canada, have staged a protest outside the FIFA Congress on Thursday, voicing fears that the Major League Soccer club could be relocated as uncertainty deepens over its ownership and long-term future.
The club is one of Canada’s most historic football institutions and has long been a central part of Vancouver’s sporting identity.
Around 100 fans gathered as delegates arrived for the annual FIFA meeting in Vancouver, chanting, singing and waving club flags in a show of solidarity. The demonstration comes just days after Vancouver Whitecaps FC revealed difficulties in securing a buyer willing to keep the club in the city.
The Whitecaps disclosed earlier this week that “stadium economics, venue access and revenue limitations” have complicated efforts to sell the club, despite a 16-month search for new ownership.
Season ticket holder Derek Hawksworth said supporters felt compelled to act amid growing fears of relocation.
“I wanted to come down given the threat of the team possibly moving,” he said. “It’s a rich history with the Whitecaps in North America… we want Vancouver to stay and not relocate. The history is here, and we want to continue with that history moving forward.”
The Vancouver Whitecaps are a professional football (soccer) club based in Vancouver, Canada. They currently compete in Major League Soccer (MLS), the top-tier league in the United States and Canada.
Concerns were heightened by reports that cities such as Las Vegas and Phoenix are leading contenders should the club relocate.
Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim has urged intervention, calling on the provincial government — which owns BC Place — to negotiate a “bridge deal” that would allow the team to remain while plans for a new stadium are explored. The club’s current lease at BC Place expires at the end of the year.
Despite the off-field uncertainty, the Whitecaps have been one of the standout teams this MLS season. They currently sit second in the Western Conference with 24 points from nine matches, just three points behind the San Jose Earthquakes.
For supporters, however, performances on the pitch offer little comfort as the future of their club hangs in the balance — a situation they hope global football leaders gathering in Vancouver will not ignore.
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