Uefa blocks Fifa’s World Cup sell-off if it stands up to Infantino again July 30, 2026 If Gianni Infantino’s plan to carve out the commercial rights to Fifa events including the World Cup is to be nipped in the bud, the rearguard action will – as it has in the recent past with similar power grabs – likely have to be led by Uefa. Here’s why. Uefa has repeatedly shown itself [...]
Meet the 33-year-old British former IPL boss changing Indian basketball July 30, 2026 Ahead of the launch of the Indian Basketball League, City AM sat down with the 33-year-old Brit tasked with taking on cricket and kabaddi Jake Lush McCrum is not your run-of-the-mill sports executive. Despite being just 33, the Brit is nearly a decade into senior leadership in sport. But he hasn’t worked his way up [...]
Adidas shares plunge after hike in World Cup marketing spend July 30, 2026 Adidas shares sank this morning after the sportswear behemoth missed quarterly profit expectations amid a hike in World Cup marketing spend. Shares in the German firm opened more than 15 per cent down after missing second quarter profit expectations. The dent came despite revenues rising 14 per cent to £5.7bn but the firm maintained its [...]
Cristiano Ronaldo on Mars: Where will sport take us in the next five years? July 30, 2026 Tech disruption, athlete power and new formats: sport has changed dramatically since Ed Warner started writing weekly about the industry in 2021. This column – based on my weekly newsletter, Sport Inc. – has just reached its fifth anniversary. The book of the same name is three years older. In this short span of time, [...]
World Cup sponsors could pay price if Infantino’s Fifa sell-off goes ahead July 29, 2026 It’s not just match-going football fans who fear the financial ramifications of Fifa’s sell-off of commercial rights; World Cup sponsors could also find themselves paying more or getting less for their money, experts have warned. Sponsors currently contribute around a quarter of Fifa’s $15bn income over a four-year cycle and include some of the biggest [...]
Fifa World Cup sell-off is a money-grab and faces defeat, says Uefa July 29, 2026 Uefa has warned Fifa it is facing defeat in its plans to sell stakes in a new subsidiary that will run the World Cup and accused it of using football to “enrich themselves and their friends”. Fifa president Gianni Infantino wants to set up a spin-off company to manage the commercial rights to the World [...]
Industry backs mooted Burnham plans for return of alcohol on football terraces July 29, 2026 Industry has backed mooted government plans to consult on allowing football fans to drink alcohol on the terraces for the first time in more than 40 years. Fans of clubs in the football league were barred from drinking in view of the pitch in the 1980s to stop football hooligans from fighting. But the Prime [...]
Investors – and fans – should welcome Fifa’s $20 billion World Cup stake sale July 29, 2026 Ignore the outcry, Fifa’s plans to sell a minority stake in the World Cup will make international football more transparent and accountable and raise huge sums to develop the game, says Chad Teixeira Football’s governing bodies agree on almost nothing, so when UEFA announces that the World Cup “isn’t Fifas to sell”, it’s worth asking [...]
Europe to host Formula 1 finale if Iran war scuppers Qatar and Abu Dhabi plans July 29, 2026 Europe will host the Formula 1 finale if the ongoing war in Iran scuppers planned Grands Prix in Qatar and Abu Dhabi. Formula 1’s 24-race season had already taken a double hit, with races in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain postponed indefinitely earlier this year. The Bahrain Grand Prix will now take place in Malaysia. But [...]
European Commissioner vows to probe Fifa sell-off amid furious backlash July 29, 2026 Furious European Commissioner for Sport, Glenn Micallef, has vowed that the EC will investigate Fifa’s controversial proposals to sell stakes in a new commercial entity to outside investors. Football’s world governing body on Monday revealed plans to raise $4bn by selling minority holdings in a new vehicle, Fifa Forward Enterprise, that would control all commercial [...]