Fifa hopes a bigger Club World Cup will help to grow the Chinese game
![Fifa hopes a bigger Club World Cup will help to grow the Chinese game](https://elephantsport.myblog.arts.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/lazy-load/images/1x1.trans.gif)
Yongjia Cui explores why China was chosen to host an expanded Club World Cup in 2021
Doping claims won’t go away as Russia prepares to host World Cup
![Vladimir Putin posters](https://elephantsport.myblog.arts.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/lazy-load/images/1x1.trans.gif)
Harry Dunning asks if the corruption issues within Russian sport will impact on this summer’s World Cup Finals
A united Ireland team? ‘It’s not going to happen anytime soon’
![A united Ireland team? 'It’s not going to happen anytime soon'](https://elephantsport.myblog.arts.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/lazy-load/images/1x1.trans.gif)
Marcus Hogg talks to Irish sports journalist Jamie Casey about the likelihood of an all-Ireland football team
Fifa blocking ‘political’ poppies is madness
![Fifa blocking 'political' poppies is madness](https://elephantsport.myblog.arts.ac.uk/files/2016/11/theo-walcott-boots-150x150.jpg)
Shannon Gambling takes Fifa to task over its refusal to allow England and Scotland’s players to wear Remembrance poppies
Tarnished lustre of the Ballon d’Or
![Tarnished lustre of the Ballon d'Or](https://elephantsport.myblog.arts.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/lazy-load/images/1x1.trans.gif)
Oliver Norgrove argues that Fifa’s annual player of the year award ignores football’s intrinsic collective spirit