Governing Bodies
English Premier League at a cross-roads as Covid-19 wrecks fixture list
Several clubs are advocating for a shutdown of the English Premier League for about a month in an effort to deal with the surge in Covid-19 cases, ESPN reported on Thursday (Dec 16).
The outlet cited unidentified sources.
Britain has experienced a surge in the coronavirus, reporting a total of 88,376 new cases on Thursday, up from 78,610 cases 24 hours earlier.
The surge has ripped the EPL’s pre-Christmas schedule to shreds, with six more matches being called off on Thursday, taking the total to nine this month, including Manchester United’s game against Brighton on Saturday.
However, the league has ruled out a ‘pause’ to the season to allow club squads to recover despite the season reaching a crucial phase and any slip-ups now by title contenders could prove extremely costly.
The matter has not been lost on managers with Brentford boss Thomas Frank, whose team has experienced several positive Covid tests, calling for this weekend’s games to be suspended.
“We think we should postpone the full round of Premier League games this weekend,” he said on Thursday, according to ESPN.
“Covid cases are going through the roof at all Premier League clubs; everyone is dealing with it and having problems.”
Liverpool were missing Virgil Van Dijk, Fabinho and Curtis Jones because of positive Covid tests on Thursday but came from a goal down to beat Newcastle 3-1.
Manager Jurgen Klopp said he “hoped” Sunday’s Tottenham game would go ahead but did not sound too optimistic. Spurs have had their last two league games postponed because of infections.
“It’s a really tricky situation. Nobody knows exactly how we’ll be tomorrow,” the German said on Thursday. “I’ve never had three players on match day pull out. The most important thing is because the boys are vaccinated they will not feel it really. That’s good. We have to wait for them.
“Should we stop the league? I have no real answer for it. If you stop it for two weeks and we come back, I really don’t know what to do.
“I saw the Everton line-up today, I don’t know half of the players.
“We have three players out because of Covid … then we play on the 26th and the 28th (of December) and you have 13 players available, that’s not possible. There are plenty of questions we need to find answers for but I don’t have the solution.”
Chelsea, who were missing Romelu Lukaku, Timo Werner and Callum Hudson-Odoi because of Covid, were held to a surprise home draw with Everton on Thursday, which left them four points behind league leaders Manchester City.
But when asked if the title race should be put on hold while the protagonists deal with Covid infections, Tuchel said he did not want to get involved in sports politics.
“We are all worried about Covid, it is close to us, we had four positives. Other games get cancelled, ours didn’t. If they decide we have to play we play,” he told reporters.
But some players maintained an optimistic front, with Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold, who scored a thunderbolt four minutes from time, saying: “Until we’re told otherwise we’ll be in there every day and making sure we’re fit for Sunday. The games come thick and fast so any minor slip can prove costly come April or May.”
-Reuters/ Xinhua
World football governing body, FIFA, today clocks its 122nd anniversary, celebrating more than a century of overseeing and expanding the global game.
Founded on May 21, 1904, in Paris, France, FIFA began with just seven member associations — France, Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
From that modest beginning, the organisation has grown into the most influential sports governing body in the world, with 211 member associations spread across all continents.
Over the decades, FIFA has transformed football into a truly global phenomenon through competitions such as the FIFA World Cup, Women’s World Cup, Club World Cup, youth tournaments, and developmental programmes aimed at growing the game worldwide.
The organisation has also witnessed remarkable milestones, including the expansion of the men’s World Cup from 13 teams in 1930 to 48 teams beginning from the 2026 edition to be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
FIFA’s journey has equally reflected football’s growing influence beyond sport, with the game becoming a major tool for diplomacy, social inclusion, youth empowerment, and economic development across the world.
As FIFA celebrates 122 years of existence, attention is now focused on the future of the game, technological innovations, expanded competitions, women’s football growth, and the continued globalisation of football.
Visit the Sports Village Square Channel:
UEFA has issued a lifetime ban to Petr Vlachovsky, a Czech women’s soccer coach who secretly filmed his players, the governing body announced on Tuesday.
Czech media reported that the coach was convicted in May 2025 and initially received a suspended one-year prison sentence and a five-year domestic coaching ban for filming FC Slovacko’s players in changing rooms, the youngest of whom was 17.
In a statement, UEFA’s Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body (CEDB) said it had decided to ban Vlachovsky “from exercising any football-related activity for life” following the appointment of an Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector to investigate allegations of potential misconduct.
“The CEDB further decided to request FIFA to extend the abovementioned ban on a worldwide level and to order the Football Association of the Czech Republic to revoke Mr Petr Vlachovsky’s coaching licence,” the statement added.
FC Slovacko did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.
Football players’ union FIFPRO welcomed the ban as well as UEFA’s request for world soccer governing body FIFA to impose an international ban on Vlachovsky.
“This outcome sends a strong and necessary message that abusive and inappropriate behaviour has no place in football and that safeguarding the well-being of players must remain a priority at every level of the game,” FIFPRO added in a statement.
Vlachovsky had also previously served as coach of the Czech women’s Under-19s team.
RELATED STORY: https://sportsvillagesquare.com/2026/04/08/outrage-as-male-coach-who-secretly-filmed-women-players-still-free-to-work-in-football/
-Reuters
Visit the Sports Village Square Channel:
https://www.whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
Southampton have been kicked out of the Championship playoff final after being found guilty of spying on semi-final opponents Middlesbrough, the English Football League said on Tuesday.
Middlesbrough, who lost 2-1 to Southampton on aggregate in the semi, have been reinstated and will face Hull City on Saturday in what is dubbed the world’s richest soccer match.
Promotion to the Premier League, even with an immediate relegation, is estimated to be worth in the region of 200 million pounds ($268.10 million) over three seasons.
Southampton, who admitted the charges, were also found guilty of filming training sessions involving Oxford United in December and Ipswich Town in April during the regular season.
They have also been deducted four points from the start of next season in England’s second tier.
“An Independent Disciplinary Commission has today expelled Southampton from the Championship play-offs after the club admitted multiple breaches of EFL regulations related to the unauthorised filming of other clubs’ training,” the EFL said.
“Southampton admitted breaches of Regulations requiring Clubs to act with the utmost good faith and prohibiting the observation of another Club’s training session within 72 hours of a scheduled match.
“The effect of today’s order is that Middlesbrough are reinstated into the 2026 play-offs and will proceed to the play-off final against Hull City. The final remains scheduled for Saturday 23 May, with the kick-off time to be confirmed.”
The EFL confirmed that Southampton could appeal against the decision and that “parties are working to try and resolve any appeal on Wednesday 20 May.
“Subject to the outcome, it could result in a further change to Saturday’s fixture,” the statement said.
‘BORO CALLED FOR SOUTHAMPTON EXPULSION
Middlesbrough had called for Southampton’s expulsion after having a training session at their Rockliffe Park site filmed 48 hours ahead of the first leg of their playoff semi-final with Southampton which ended 0-0.
The north-east club said they welcomed the decision.
“We believe this sends out a clear message for the future of our game regarding sporting integrity and conduct,” the north Middlesbrough said in a statement.
“As a club, we are now focused on our game against Hull City at Wembley on Saturday.”
Southampton were relegated from the Premier League last season and were struggling in the early part of this campaign until a storming finish in which they went unbeaten in 19 league games to finish fourth and enter the playoffs.
The south-coast club are the first to fall foul of the Football League’s regulation 127 — brought in after Leeds United were found guilty of spying on Derby County seven years ago, an offence for which they were fined 200,000 pounds.
-Reuters
Hossam Hassan Blames Refereeing Decisions For Egypt’s Heartbreaking Exit
Switzerland end 72-year quarter-final wait with shootout victory over Colombia
Historic Blow! Fernandez’s 3,000th World Cup Goal Sinks Egypt
Breaking! Uzoho suspended from Super Eagles’ next match with Sierra Leone
No longer Super League as CAF changes name of its new clubs competition
NIGERIAN FOOTBALL CHIEF EXECUTIVE, SANUSI CHARGES NIGERIAN COACHES TO BE UPRIGHT, DILIGENT
- World Cup6 days ago
What a Load of Rubbish! How Senegal Threw Away a World Cup Dream
- World Cup2 days ago
Bizarre! FIFA makes U-turn to clear Balogun for US v Belgium World Cup clash following call from Trump
- World Cup1 week ago
Beyond the World Cup: A Journalist’s Reflection at Ground Zero
- World Cup6 days ago
Cry for Africa, My Beloved Continent: How four decades of World Cup heartbreak continue to haunt African football
- World Cup6 days ago
Celebrating a Decade of World Cup Coverage: A Tribute to Kunle Solaja
- World Cup4 days ago
Pharaohs End World Cup Knockout Hoodoo, Beat Australia on Penalties to Reach Last 16
- World Cup1 week ago
Mbappe Double Fires France into Last 16 as Sweden Swept Aside
- World Cup2 days ago
Article 27: The Little-Known FIFA Rule Behind Balogun’s World Cup Reprieve