Governing Bodies
PREMIER LEAGUE MATCHES TO BE BROADCAST FREE FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER
The BBC will broadcast four live matches when the Premier League returns next month – the first time in 32 years that the public-service broadcaster will show top-flight football live.
It is also the first time ever that the Premier League will have matches live on free terrestrial television, as it was confirmed that all 92 remaining games will be live on UK television.
The news comes after the Premier League announced on Thursday that football in the UK will return on Wednesday, June 17, with Aston Villa vs Sheffield United and Manchester City vs Arsenal the first fixtures to be played.
The Premier League announced that all 92 remaining matches will be broadcast live in the UK by the League’s existing broadcast partners – Sky Sports, BT Sport, BBC Sport and Amazon Prime – given games will take place behind closed doors.
The BBC will air four live games – currently unknown – alongside their usual weekly highlights Match of the Day programme.
Sky Sports will broadcast 64 of the remaining 92 games, with 25 to be made freely available – including Everton vs Liverpool on the first weekend back.
The 25 free-to-air games on Sky will be made available via Sky’s ‘Pick’ channel and simulcast on Sky Sports.
BT Sport will show a total of 20 live matches, while streaming service Amazon Prime will also show four live games.
In addition, planned kick-off times in the UK for live matches will also differ from traditional times (see right).
There are four different time-slots on a Saturday and Sunday stretching from 12pm-8pm, as well as 6pm kick-off times for midweek games.
Premier League chief executive Richard Masters said: ‘Sadly, matches will have to take place without fans in stadiums, so we are pleased to have come up with a positive solution for supporters to be able to watch all the remaining 92 matches.
‘The Premier League and our clubs are proud to have incredibly passionate and loyal supporters. It is important to ensure as many people as possible can watch the matches at home.’
Director of BBC Sport, Barbara Slater said: ‘This opportunity creates an historic moment for the BBC and our audiences. At a time when sports fans across the country are in need of lift, this is very welcome news.
‘We are delighted and excited to have the chance to show live Premier League games on the BBC.
‘This will offer audiences, who haven’t had the opportunity in the past, live , free to air access to the best football league in the world, as the BBC continues to keep the country entertained during these unprecedented times.’
When the Premier League returns next month, a number of innovative new features, ‘to give fans an even more immersive experience’, will also be launched by Sky Sports as the Premier League’s leading broadcast partner.
A BT Sport statement on Thursday read: ‘We’re delighted to see the provisional plan to restart the Premier League next month. Should all proceed safely, we look forward to broadcasting 20 Premier League games to our BT Sport customers.’
-Daily Mail
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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