Governing Bodies
LA LIGA PLANS RETURN BY JUNE BEHIND CLOSED DOORS
Daily tests for the coronavirus. Only two people in the gym at a time. Players dressing for practice at home.
These are just some of the protocols La Liga deems necessary to allow even practice to take place before Spanish top-flight games can resume.
The league has been on ice since March 12 owing to the coronavirus pandemic, but despite the ongoing nationwide lockdown, the league is gearing up to resume behind the scenes.
Rafael Ramos of the Spanish Association of Football Team Physicians told local radio on Thursday (April 23) night that La Liga is planning to return to action in stages, saying: “The idea according to La Liga is to (first) test everyone on April 28 and 29.”
Once that is out of the way, Javier Tebas, who is the league’s president, is targeting May 4 as the date for clubs to resume training, with the end of next month, if not June, for the return to play.
He said: “The scenarios we are looking at could see La Liga restart as early as May 28-29, but it could also be June 6-7 or even as late as June 28.”
The league appears to be leaving nothing to chance in official documents seen by the New York Times, despite the pursuit to get back on the field being driven by commercial reasons as much as sporting merit.
Tebas has said calling off the season, with 11 rounds to play, would amount to a financial catastrophe, costing teams as much as €1 billion (S$1.54 billion) in losses.
But with the world’s second-highest number of Covid-19 infections in Spain – over 219,000 cases and the third-highest number of deaths at over 22,500 as of yesterday – ensuring the safety of the players will be key to the competition resuming.
With that in mind, the league is aiming to start playing games without spectators in June.
To get there, it has consulted with experts to devise a month-long training protocol divided into four parts. Two days before the regimen begins, all players, coaches and staff deemed necessary to have contact with them will be tested for both Covid-19 symptoms and immunity to the virus.
The tests will continue throughout May, with players tested in their cars before being allowed to enter practice facilities.
A positive test at any point would result in the player being sent home to isolate until he is deemed no longer contagious. His teammates would also be sent home and tested again before being allowed to return.
However, La Liga’s proposal was yesterday slammed by the Spanish Footballers’ Association (AFE) as diverting away critical public health services.
It also reiterated concerns about returning to work while Covid-19 remains such a threat and said the players were wary of being stigmatised over utilising the large-scale testing despite other sections of society being in greater need of the facility.
A statement read: “AFE wishes to point out footballers have made it clear that other groups in society need tests and access to healthcare equipment more than they do.
“As workers, footballers will do as they are asked to by their clubs as long as there are no risks, which is why we believe it is absolutely necessary that the government provides clarity about testing.”
Real Madrid forward Gareth Bale also feels La Liga is rushing its return too quickly, urging patience to adopt a wait-and-see approach.
“Everyone wants to play football, but the most important thing is everyone stays safe, we don’t want to come back too early,” he told BT Sports. “We need to make sure everything is done safely so we avoid the second wave of this virus.”
Espanyol goalkeeper Diego Lopez agreed with Bale, questioning if the plans made logical sense, adding: “Ask yourself if this is really a good idea. Is it safe? Isn’t our main concern everybody’s safety?”
The outbreak has also prevented Serie A players from returning to training, with Italian Sports Minister Vincenzo Spadafora earlier this week saying the government was not ready to set a resumption date.
Given the uncertainty, Italy’s football chiefs on Thursday announced that the end of the season will be pushed back from June 30 to Aug 2.
The German Bundesliga is likely to be the first European league to resume. Games could be played from May 9, pending state lawmakers’ approval.
The French Ligue 1 aims to start on June 17 but players are yet to return to training.
The English Premier League has not set a date to restart.
– AFP, REUTERS, NYTIMES
The National Institute for Sports (NIS) has announced plans to establish its South-West Zonal Office in Ogun State, citing the state’s outstanding commitment to sports development and youth empowerment.
The Director General of the institute, Philip Shaibu, made this known during a courtesy visit to Governor Dapo Abiodun at the Governor’s Office in Abeokuta, where both parties held what was described as a highly productive discussion on strengthening sports education and development across the region.
Shaibu disclosed that the decision was formalised in a letter to the governor dated October 10, 2025, in which the NIS outlined its ongoing institutional reforms under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
These reforms, he said, include the digitisation of training systems, expansion of coaching certification programmes, and the establishment of sports science laboratories to enhance research and professional development.
He added that Ogun State’s strategic investment in youth and sports infrastructure, coupled with its historical role as the “Gateway to Nigeria,” made it a natural choice for hosting the zonal office that will serve the entire South-West region.
In his response, Governor Abiodun expressed delight at the development, describing it as a significant milestone in his administration’s efforts to promote grassroots sports and talent discovery.
“This decision aligns perfectly with our vision to make Ogun State a leading hub for sports excellence,” the governor said. “We are fully committed to supporting the National Institute for Sports in ensuring the successful take-off and operation of this zonal office.”
Governor Abiodun also reaffirmed this commitment in a post on his X (formerly Twitter) handle, noting that the siting of the NIS Zonal Office in Abeokuta underscores Ogun State’s strategic importance in sports development and youth empowerment within the South-West geo-political zone.
He added: “We assure the NIS leadership of our government’s full cooperation and support toward the successful take-off of this zonal office. This initiative aligns with our vision to promote grassroots sports, talent development, and youth engagement. We look forward to a strong and enduring partnership with the National Institute for Sports as we continue to make Ogun State a true Gateway to sporting excellence and opportunities.”
The establishment of the NIS South-West Zonal Office is expected to further decentralise sports administration, enhance capacity building for coaches and athletes, and strengthen collaboration between the institute and state governments in the region.
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The FIFA Museum in Zurich has launched a new special exhibition titled Innovation in Action: Football Technologies on and off the Pitch, offering visitors an unprecedented glimpse into how innovation is transforming the world’s most popular sport.
Opened on Monday, October 1, 2025, the immersive showcase was developed in collaboration with the FIFA Innovation Team and other departments within world football’s governing body. It explores how cutting-edge technology supports players, referees, and fans—enhancing performance, ensuring fairness, and enriching the overall football experience—while preserving the game’s passion and human spirit.
“What makes this exhibition truly special is that we can give visitors a never-before-seen behind-the-scenes look that allows them to step inside football innovation, experiencing it hands-on rather than just reading about it,” said Marco Fazzone, Managing Director of the FIFA Museum. “We offer a glimpse at technologies and tools that fans don’t normally get to experience up close, while also showing how innovation has evolved over almost 100 years of FIFA World Cup history.”
Organised around five themed sections — Broadcasting & Media, Intelligent Data, Refereeing & Fair Play, Staging the Game, and the Innovation Lab — the exhibition blends rare artefacts with interactive displays. Visitors can relive football’s broadcast evolution, from the black-and-white footage of the 1954 World Cup to today’s ultra-slow motion 4K replays, and even step into a virtual referee booth to experience the pressures of officiating in real time.
Among the standout features is the FIFA Player App, which allows fans to explore Chelsea star Cole Palmer’s performance statistics from the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Final, illustrating how data helps players refine their craft.
Another exhibit showcases Canada goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan’s water bottle from the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 — marked with opponents’ penalty data — revealing how analytics influence critical moments.
Visitors can also view a referee body camera used at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, giving a fresh perspective on decision-making from the official’s point of view.
The exhibition invites visitors to engage directly with football technology. They can test their reflexes and judgment as referees, operate goal-line technology systems, or assume the role of a broadcast director managing live match feeds. Data enthusiasts can analyse player movements, while aspiring innovators can design their own football tech concepts inside the Innovation Lab.
Innovation in Action runs until 31 March 2026 at the FIFA Museum in Zurich. Entry is included with a standard museum ticket.
With its rich mix of storytelling, interactivity, and history, the exhibition promises to be a must-see experience for anyone passionate about the future of the beautiful game.
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FIFA President Gianni Infantino said on Thursday that football could not solve conflicts, but it must carry a message of peace and unity as Israel’s military operation in Gaza and other global tensions fuel calls for the sport to take a stand.
“At FIFA, we are committed to using the power of football to bring people together in a divided world,” Infantino told a FIFA Council meeting in Zurich where he met Palestinian federation president Jibril Rajoub.
“Our thoughts are with those who are suffering in the many conflicts that exist around the world today, and the most important message that football can convey right now is one of peace and unity.”
Infantino said world football’s governing body could not solve geopolitical crises, but “it can and must promote football around the world by harnessing its unifying, educational, cultural and humanitarian values.”
“I met Palestinian Football Association (PFA) President Jibril Rajoub today at the Home of FIFA in Zurich to discuss the ongoing situation in the Middle East region,” Infantino later wrote on Instagram.
“I commend President Rajoub and the PFA for their resilience at this time and I reiterated to him FIFA’s commitment to using the power of football to bring people together in a divided world.”
FIFA has faced repeated calls to act over the war in Gaza, with Palestinian officials pressing for Israel to be suspended from international football.
The issue has been under review by FIFA for months, but no decision has been taken. Infantino has consistently said such matters require consensus with the confederations and must be handled with caution.
The comments came a day after FIFA Vice President Victor Montagliani noted that any decision over Israel’s participation in European competitions, including World Cup qualifiers, was a matter for UEFA to decide, effectively putting the onus on the European body.
“First and foremost, it (Israel) is a member of UEFA, no different than I have to deal with a member of my region for whatever reason… They have to deal with that,” Montagliani told reporters at the Leaders sports business conference on Wednesday.
Israel are third in Europe’s Group I of the qualifying stage for next year’s World Cup in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Amnesty International on Wednesday sent a letter to FIFA and UEFA calling on them to suspend the Israel Football Association.
-Reuters
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