Governing Bodies
PREMIERSHIP CLUBS OPPOSED TO NEUTRAL VENUES
Premier League clubs are hoping they can avoid having to play the remainder of the season at neutral grounds, chief executive Richard Masters said after a meeting of all 20 clubs on Monday (May 11).
Masters also revealed that for the first time clubs discussed what might happen if the season could not be completed – although they continue to believe it can be finished.
That aim was given a boost on Monday by the UK government offering guidance that elite sport could return from June 1 if conditions allow for a move into the next phase of its response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Last week clubs were told any return to complete the season would have to be with games played behind closed doors and at neutral venues – to limit the risk of supporters turning up outside grounds.
But that idea had been rejected by some of the clubs facing the threat of relegation, such as Watford and Brighton & Hove Albion, who expressed concerns about the fairness of playing games at neutral venues.
Discussions continue between the league and the government about the precise details of how a resumed season would be carried out and Masters said the clubs hope they can still find a way to play games on the usual home and away basis.
“We talked about neutral venues – obviously it is the preference of all our clubs to play at home if at all possible, but all must be cognisant of what authorities are telling us and we will continue with that conversation,” Masters told reporters.
The clubs did agree to allow players whose contracts run out at the end of June to extend their deals until the end of the season.
Any restart to the campaign would see matches played beyond the June 30 date, which is normally considered the formal end of the season.
World soccer’s governing body FIFA has produced guidelines suggesting that contracts be extended until the end of the lengthened season but clubs are concerned about the legal situation if players refuse.
“We’ve been working as far as possible to ensure that clubs complete the season with the same squad they had prior to the suspension,” said Masters.
“What was agreed today is that players can extend their contracts beyond June 30 until the end of the season but it must be agreed by both parties and a later date can be scheduled for that; no later than June 23.” The worst-case scenario for the league is that conditions do not allow for a restart to the season.
“I’m happy to reveal (curtailment) was discussed for the first time but the contents of that discussion have to remain confidential. What I can say is that all of the talk was about finishing the season,” added Masters.
“No conclusions were reached on any other models. Those are future conversations we may need to have.
“There was a desire to see all the different implications; the adaptations, if you like, to the Premier League model as we know in order to play out the season and then discuss what the fairest way forward is,” he said.
The government expected on Tuesday to publish a paper on plans and guidelines for a return of elite sport.
The Premier League has to give European soccer’s governing body Uefa details of their plans by May 25.
-Reuters
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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