FIFA change in World Cup draw may benefit France

FIFA gave France better odds of avoiding Brazil and Argentina with a new procedure for the World Cup draw.

As the lowest-ranked of nine unseeded European qualifiers, France was expected to go in the Africa-dominated pot — meaning it could not be placed in the same group as a top-seeded European team.

But instead of following its format from 2006, FIFA decided Tuesday that all nine European teams enter an open ballot to decide which can be drawn alongside the five African teams, plus Chile and Ecuador, in Pot 2.

Amnesty International calls on FIFA to take stance against "abuse of migrant workers" in Qatar

Human rights group Amnesty International has called on FIFA to take a stance against the "abuse of migrant workers" in Qatar.

Amnesty International claims in a 166-page report that workers arriving in Qatar to work on construction projects related to the 2022 World Cup are subjected to "non-payment of wages, harsh and dangerous working conditions, and shocking standards of accommodation".

Amnesty International's secretary general Salil Shetty said: "Our findings indicate an alarming level of exploitation in the construction sector in Qatar.

FIFA to use WADA lab in Switzerland during 2014 World Cup

FIFA said it will use a drug testing laboratory in Switzerland to test blood and urine samples during the 2014 World Cup because the facility in Brazil will not be re-accredited in time.

The World Anti-Doping Agency revoked the accreditation of the current Brazil lab in August.

Although a new one is being set up in Rio de Janeiro, it won't be ready in time for the start of the World Cup in June.

Tottenham shouldn't have let Hugo Lloris play on against Everton, says FIFA medical officer

FIFA say Tottenham were wrong to allow keeper Hugo Lloris to play on against Everton after losing consciousness.

The France international was caught in the head when he collided with Romelu Lukaku late on in Sunday's goalless draw.

He later underwent a "precautionary CT scan" that Spurs confirmed was clear but manager Andre Villas-Boas's decision to let him stay on the pitch because he seemed "composed and ready to continue" has provoked widespread condemnation.

Africa's ineligible players worry Fifa

Fifa is concerned at the way a succession of African teams have broken rules on player eligibility in World Cup qualifiers and will address the problem, director of competitions Mustapha Fahmy said on Friday.

Eight matches have been forfeited during the competition because one of the teams involved fielded a player who was ineligible either under nationality rules or through suspension.

In each case, a 3-0 walkover was awarded to the offending team's opponents which in several cases had a significant affect on the outcome of the respective group.

Fifa wants playoff dates by Friday

Fifa has ordered all ten African teams involved in the final phase of the World Cup qualifies to confirm date and venue fixtures of their play-offs by Friday, September 20.

The teams, Cote D’ivoire, Senegal, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Ghana, Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria, Burkina Faso and Camaroon must submit the dates and venue for their respective home fixture in the next four days.

The global body has fixed the weekend of October 11-15 and November 15-19 as dates for both legs with the various teams allowed picking a day within the allotted date.

FIFA launches official 2014 World Cup Brazil™ Facebook pages

ZURICH: FIFA has launched three new Facebook pages, expanding the world football federation’s social media presence to provide fans with further opportunities to interact with each other, and FIFA, wherever they are in the world [PR].

The new Facebook pages are:

2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™ – covering all the build-up to, and action during, the 2014 FIFA World Cup™

FIFA World Cup™ – charting the history of the competition from 1930 to 2010, showcasing 

FIFA’s deep multimedia archive and enabling fans to share their special World Cup memories

Fifa: Confederations Cup will not be cancelled despite protests

The tournament in Brazil has been under threat due to demonstrations spreading across the country, but football's governing body says the show will go on

Fifa says it has no plans to cancel the Confederations Cup taking place in Brazil, despite anti-government protests spreading across the country.

Over one million people took to the streets on Thursday, voicing their anger over the vast extent to which public resources have been spent on the World Cup in 2014 at huge cost to the poor and needy in the country.

However, football's world governing body has insisted that, while it understands the actions of those who have protested, there are no plans to bring an early end to this summer's eight-team competition, nor disrupt next year's World Cup.

"We support and acknowledge the right of free speech and to demonstrate peacefully and condemn any form of violence, [but] at no stage has neither Fifa, the Local Organising Committee nor the Federal Government discussed or considered cancelling the Fifa Confederations Cup or the Fifa World Cup," said a Fifa statement.

"We are in constant contact with all stakeholders, including the teams, and keep them updated on all arrangements made. We have not received any requests to leave Brazil from any team.''

An 18-year-old was killed during the protests after a collision with a car in Sao Paolo on Thursday, while others have been injured.

Latest projections suggest that over €10 billion will be spent on improving stadiums, airports and other projects ahead of next summer's World Cup, with 90 per cent of the cost coming from public funds despite initial promises that money would be provided by private investment.

                                            

The Confederations Cup, used as a test event for the World Cup, began on June 15 and will run until June 30.

FIFA questions Nigeria over reports of Lesbian Soccer ban- CNN

FIFA has written to the Nigerian Football Federation to seek clarification over reports that lesbians have been banned from playing in Nigeria.

A spokesperson from the world governing body told CNN on Friday that a letter has been sent requesting more information.

Earlier this week, reports in Nigeria quoted Dilichukwu Onyedinma, head of the country's women football league, who said lesbian players should be ostracized.

"Any player that we find that is associated with it,should be disqualified,"she was quoted to have said.

Her reported comments drew protest from gay rights campaigners and a number of groups said they have written to FIFA President Sepp Blatter about the alleged ban.

Article 3 of the FIFA status threatens stiff punishments for national federations if the code which focuses on discrimination and racism is broken.

Any action which FIFA might choose to take could be complicated by Nigerian law,under which homosexuality is illegal.

Source:CNN