How a Fifa climbdown has paved the way for expanded Club World Cup to start in 2025 March 1, 2023 Europe’s top football teams are closing in on a deal with Fifa that would give the green light to an expanded Club World Cup in 2025 but rule out a switch to biennial international World Cups. After months of tense exchanges, talks between umbrella organisation the European Club Association and world governing body Fifa are [...]
Former Chelsea bidder hints at interest in Liverpool and Manchester United March 1, 2023 Former Chelsea bidder Stephen Pagliuca has hinted that he could be interested in buying Liverpool or Manchester United but says he won’t be sucked into overpaying. The private equity veteran and co-owner of Italian club Atalanta and the NBA’s Boston Celtics missed out on Chelsea to Todd Boehly’s consortium last year. Pagliuca says he is [...]
Why Japanese advertising darling Dentsu has been charged with corruption over Tokyo 2020 Olympics contracts March 1, 2023 Japanese advertising giant Dentsu is among several companies and individuals charged with corruption over the awarding of contracts for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Dentsu’s competitors Hakuhodo and Tokyu Agency and event production companies Cerespo, Fuji Creative and Same Two have also been charged. Former Tokyo 2020 operations executive Yasuo Mori and former Dentsu executive Koji [...]
Why football clubs are like tomatoes – and these are salad days for the likes of Manchester United’s owners February 28, 2023 The salad shortage and the appeal of elite football clubs such as Manchester United are both being driven by the same thing, writes Neil Hopkins. Early 2023 seems destined to be remembered for shortages. For most of us, a shortage of tomatoes and other salad produce. For cash-rich investors from the Middle East, a shortage [...]
Kop of living crisis: Soaring bills hit Liverpool’s bottom line February 28, 2023 It seems that even the world’s richest football clubs are not immune to the cost of living crisis after soaring bills put a dent in Liverpool’s profits. The Premier League club achieved record revenues of £594m last season but turned a pre-tax profit of just £7.5m following a steep rise in matchday overheads. The return [...]
Ben Stokes: England captain to fulfil £1.6m IPL contract despite Ashes injury fears February 28, 2023 England cricket captain Ben Stokes insists he will fulfil his £1.6m Indian Premier League (IPL) contract despite injury restricting his participation in a blockbuster second Test in New Zealand and threatening his fitness for this summer’s Ashes. A knee injury meant Stokes took the ball for just two of the 216 overs bowled by England [...]
Tottenham Hotspur sign 15-year partnership with Formula 1, strengthening US links February 28, 2023 Formula 1 and Tottenham Hotspur chiefs are building an electric karting track under the Premier League club’s stadium as part of a new long-term partnership. The facility, due to open this summer, will be London’s longest indoor track and the first electric karting circuit in the world to be housed in a sports stadium. Tottenham’s [...]
Free-to-air victory for cricket as some IPL games set for ITV, reports February 27, 2023 Free-to-air broadcaster ITV will show 16 regular season matches of this year’s Indian Premier League (IPL) after the broadcaster struck a deal with DAZN for the rights to the cricket franchise competition. The two broadcasters have purchased the rights for the famous competition with 16 matches to be exclusively shown on ITV while DAZN will [...]
Erik ten Hag heralds new era for Manchester United after winning first trophy in Carabao Cup February 26, 2023 Manchester United celebrated their first silverware under manager Erik ten Hag and the end of a six-year trophy drought after beating Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup final. Midfielder Casemiro’s header and an own goal from Newcastle defender Sven Botman decided an absorbing contest at Wembley that United deserved to win. Newcastle, seeking their first [...]
Why this has to be the turning point in David Moyes and West Ham’s season February 26, 2023 Before West Ham United welcomed fellow strugglers Everton to the London Stadium last month, reports emerged that manager David Moyes might be for the chop if they lost to his old team. The Hammers duly won their first Premier League match in eight attempts and Moyes lived to fight another day. Five games later, having [...]