Former FIFA Official, Luis Chiriboga Banned From Football For Life

Former Fifa official Luis Chiriboga has been banned from football for life after being found to have taken bribes to award media and marketing contracts.

Chiriboga took illegal payments in exchange for rights connected to the Copa America and Copa Libertadores.

The 72-year-old, who served as president of the Ecuadorian Football Association, has also been fined one million Swiss francs (£770,000).

US authorities charged Chiriboga and several other Fifa officials in 2015.


He was sentenced to 10 years in Quito on corruption charges in 2016.

Former Guatemalan Football Association president Rafael Salguero, another of those investigated by the Department of Justice on alleged corruption, was given a seven-year ban last week.

Exclusive Report - World Cup final drew global audience of 1.12 billion, says FIFA

A combined global audience of 1 . 12 billion watched the World Cup final between France and Croatia in July , FIFA , the governing body of world football , said on Friday.
In total , FIFA said , a “ combined 3 . 572 billion viewers – more than half of the global population aged four and over – tuned in to world football ’ s ultimate competition ” for at least a minute , over the course of the World Cup’ s from June 14 to July 15.

A survey it had commissioned by FIFA found that 3 . 04 billion viewers caught at least three minutes, a 10. 9 per cent increase on Brazil 2014 , and 2 . 49 billion watched at least 30 minutes, or one third of one match , up on 2014 ’ s 1 . 95 billion.
FIFA calculated that the average live audience for each of the 64 matches was 191 million .
The survey estimated that 9 . 5 per cent of that audience , or 309 . 7 million people, watched no coverage at home but “ caught the action on digital platforms , in public viewing areas or in bars and restaurants . ”

That proportion was higher for the final between France and Croatia . FIFA said 884 . 37 million viewers tuning in to traditional TV coverage and a further 231 . 82 million watching outside the home or digitally.

Via Punchng

Luka Modric named Best FIFA Men’s Player of the year

Luka Modric has been named Best FIFA Men’s Player of the Year at a ceremony in London, beating Mohammed Salah and an absentee Cristiano Ronaldo to the top prize.

The Croatian Captain, who was crowned UEFA Player of the Year last month and has now also lifted the prestigious Best FIFA Men’s Player award,  ended the 10-year reign of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi at the FIFA awards.33-year-old Luka Modric who was voted Player of the Tournament in Russia as well as at the FIFA Club World Cup – with the latter one of his four trophies in addition to the UEFA Champions League, the UEFA Super Cup and the Supercopa de Espana, was in fine form last season and lifted four trophies with Real Madrid, while he also led his country to their first ever FIFA World Cup final.

With this win, Luka Modric became the first player other than Ronaldo and Messi to lift FIFA’s The Best award since Ricardo Kaka won it in 2007, ending the 10-year reign of the superstar duo. Ronaldo had won four ofthe last five editions of the award but only ended up in second place this time around, which means the Portugal captain and his long-term rival Messi both stayed on five FIFAThe Best awards – with the award known as FIFA Ballon d’Or between 2010 and 2016, while before 2010it was called FIFA World Player of the Year. On the other hand, Egyptian star and Liverpool attacker, Mohamed Salah won The Puskas Award for best goal at FIFA’s The Best Awards in London.

The 26-year-old claimed the gong for hisstrike against Everton, which saw him wriggle past three defenders before curling home, while Gareth Bale‘s overhead kick in the Champions League finalmissed outOn receiving the award, Salah said: ‘I am very happy and very proud. I have to thank everyone who for voted me.’

SPORTS - FIFA, Nigeria move to avoid ban

In a bid to avoid the impending ban on Nigeria Football Federal , the Federal Government had reportedly contacted FIFA over the weekend assuring it that Amaju Pinnick and his executives were in charge of football affairs in the country.

Sources told Kwesé ESPN that the government sent a letter to FIFA concerning the faction that was in charge of football in the country.

The report also said the government assured FIFA that football in the country was being run, and would continue to be run — in full compliance with FIFA Statutes.

FIFA set deadline for Nigeria & Ghana Football Federations

Football governing body FIFA has given August 20th & 27th deadlines on banning Nigeria and Ghana football federations over government interference.

Nigerian football politics took a new dimension last Monday, when Chris Giwa resumed at the offices of the Nigeria Football Federation in Abuja, as the president of the football body.
Ghana’s problems stem from a corruption scandal engulfing suspended Ghana Football Association (GFA) federation boss Kwesi Nyantaki.

FIFA, in a statement by its Media Office, said it had been notified about ongoings in the two federations, and it viewed them as “undue interference in their affairs’’
Nigeria will face the wrath of the world football’s governing body unless “the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) offices are handed back to the legitimate NFF executive committee under President Amaju Pinnick”, a Fifa statement warned.
FIFA are on the warpath after the country's Attorney General ordered the GFA to be dissolved.

"If the petition to start the liquidation process of the GFA is not withdrawn" by August 27 the association "will be suspended with immediate effect", FIFA said.

FIFA statutes dictate that member states should "manage their affairs independently with no influence from third parties".
The long-running dispute over who is in charge of the NFF dates back to 2014

FIFA celebrate Jay Jay Okocha and others

The Federation International Football Association (FIFA) have celebrated Nigeria legend Austin Jay Jay Okocha, Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini and many others stars.
Super Eagles great Okocha turns 45 years today earning 75 caps scoring14 goals for three-time African Champions during his 13 years spell with the national team,
while Juventus defender Chiellini is 34 on Monday he has been a rock solid for Serie A Champions along three-man backline with Leonardo Bonucci and Andrea Barzagli.

The football governing body FIFA celebrate Okocha, Chiellini, Manchester United star Ander Herrera, former Demark coach Morten Olsen, Samson Siasia, Zambia defender Rainford Kalaba, Valencia coach Marcelino, ex-Brazil international Ze Maria and many other.

See the full list who mark their birthday today on FIFA official website

#FIFA set to release a 10 MAN LIST of the best player of 2018

FIFA is set to release a 10-man list of the best player of the 2018 season, who are running to win The Best award, which has only ever been won by Cristiano Ronaldo.
The World Cup has given room for new candidates to stand a chance to win the award as the likes of Antoine Griezmann, Kylian Mbappe, Luka Modric or Eden Hazard could emerge as new rivals.
The last two seasons, the list has been made up of 23 candidates with the new modification it has been cut down to just 10 candidates.
The list is decided by retired footballers who played at the highest levels, including the likes of Kaka, Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard, among others.
After the release of the list, national team captains, coaches, fans and journalists will be issued with their voting slips which they until August 10 to return.

After the voting FIFA will take charge to announce the three finalists, and only one will be named the best player of the year at the ceremony in London on September 24 later this year.

via fcnaija

Ronaldo and Lionel Messi were not lethal enough in the World Cup in Russia which has made the award more open than the previous edition of the event.

Kenyan referee, Aden Marwa was sacked by FIFA for receiving $600 bribe

Aden Marwa was the Kenyan FIFA assistant referee captured in a video by an investigative Ghanaian journalistAnas Anason BBC Africa receiving a bribe of $600.

He has since been requested by the world Football governing bodyto resign from his position as an assistant referee at the coming 2018 FIFA World Cup.Marwa was one of the linesmen set to officiatein Russia before the BBC aired an expose that saw the celebrated Kenyan blower allegedlyreceiving a bribe Sh60, 000 before a match.

According to reports, Marwa, a Mathematics and Chemistry teacher at Komotobo Secondaryschool in Migori County,was approached by a journalist posing as a Ghanaian football official during the African National Championship.After receiving the paltrysum in bribe, Marwa forfeited at least Sh2.5 million for appearing at the World Cup in addition to Sh200, 000 per game officiated after FIFA confirmed that the referee will not be travelling to Russia.

Marwa, 41, first featuredin the 2011 FIFA U-17 World Cup and was among the only four other referees picked from Africa to officiate in the world biggest football extravaganza that is set to kick-off on June 14 to July 15.It is against the FIFA code of conduct for any match official or officials to accept a bribe.

Cristiano Ronaldo's brilliant exploits with Real Madrid has won him the 2017 FIFA Best Player of the Year award beating Lionel Messi and Neymar.

Ronaldo had a brilliant year, leading Real Madrid to a La Liga and Champions League double.

Ronaldo was announced the winner of the award at the  Best FIFA Football Awards which held at Palladium theatre in London on Monday, October 23.

The 32-year-old who won last year's inaugural award helped Real Madrid to a La Liga and Champions League double. Ronaldo scored 12 goals including a brace in the 4-1 win overJuventus  in the final of the Champions League which Real Madrid won for the third time in four years.

Ronaldo's brilliant year is expected to also see him go on to match Messi's record of five Ballons d'OrwhenFrance Football Magazine announce their winner in early 2018.

FIFA and France Magazine merged for six years to form the FIFA Ballon d'Orbut Ronaldo was the first to win the FIFA Best Player of the Year in 2017 when they split.

He also won the Ballon d'Or in 2016.Messi who scored 54 goals last season as Barcelona won the Copa del Rey finished second behind Ronaldo while his former club teammate Neymar came third.

The voting for the award, equally weighted between national team captains, national team coaches, media and fans, closed last month.