Papua New Guinea to join NRL in £301m ‘diplomacy deal’ against China funded by taxpayer December 12, 2024 A team from Papua New Guinea will join Australian rugby league competition the NRL in a “diplomacy deal” that will cost the taxpayer £301m. It is understood the deal is part of an Australian push to counteract increasing Chinese influence in the Indo-Pacific and follows Australian support for Pacific island rugby union teams participating in [...]
NFL confirms third European city for 2025 international games December 11, 2024 The NFL will expand its international game programme with a match in Berlin in 2025, the sporting league has announced. It comes as the NFL announced a “multi-year commitment” to playing games in the German capital following successful stints in Munich and Frankfurt. Berlin’s Olympic Stadium is not new to NFL, having hosted pre-season matches [...]
Saudi Arabia promises ‘tournament of lifetime’ after getting 2034 World Cup December 11, 2024 Saudi Arabia has vowed to stage “the tournament of a lifetime” after Fifa confirmed the country as hosts for the 2034 World Cup. Its was the only bid and its appointment was a formality confirmed by acclamation at a virtual Fifa congress on Wednesday. As expected, six nations – Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Uruguay, Argentina and [...]
Exclusive: Forest, Chelsea and Inter players join £1.1m boot firm Sokito’s funding round December 11, 2024 Players from clubs such as Nottingham Forest, Chelsea and Inter Milan have joined a £1.1m funding round for eco-friendly football boot firm Sokito. A total of 60 players, 44 of whom are new investors, have joined the roster of investors from leagues including the Premier League, MLS and the Bundesliga. Chelsea’s Trevoh Chalobah is on [...]
Firefoot can scorch rivals on way to first Hong Kong win December 10, 2024 THERE is little doubt finding winners at the city track today will need plenty of patience and a thorough inspection of the form book to have any chance of success. Many of the gallopers lining up have run against each other umpteen times and it could be a case of whose turn it is to [...]
J-Mac and Yiu Simply the go-to pairing at the Valley December 10, 2024 FOLLOWING all the drama and razzmatazz associated with international racing in Hong Kong last week, it is back to Happy Valley today for another fiendishly difficult and competitive nine-race programme starting at 10.40am. Trainer Ricky Yiu certainly endeared himself to the majority of the 70,000 spectators at Sha Tin on Sunday, saddling well-backed and popular [...]
Forward Planning set to pay off for Honeyball at Doncaster December 10, 2024 THERE’S no doubt that Cheltenham’s Saturday action will capture most punters’ attention this weekend, but I think I’ve found a bet on a less heralded card on the same day. Kateira is clearly a mare going in the right direction for the Skelton team, but her price is on the short side for my liking [...]
Fugitif can escape with December’s Gold Cup December 10, 2024 WE’RE back at the home of the Jumps this week as Cheltenham hosts its two-day Christmas Meeting. While there’s some good racing on Friday, Saturday’s card makes more appeal at this stage from an ante-post perspective and the big handicap, the December Gold Cup (1.50pm), is definitely a race to focus on. This is the [...]
Ferrari to help General Motors and Cadillac Formula 1 entry December 10, 2024 Ferrari will provide engines and a gearbox to the General Motors and Andretti bid that will see Cadillac enter Formula 1 in 2026. The agreement, subject to the American newcomers having their application approved by both Formula 1 and the sports governing body the FIA, represents a huge obstacle passed for the General Motors team, [...]
European football to rebel over winter World Cup in Saudi Arabia December 10, 2024 European football leagues are set to rebel against plans to host the 2034 Fifa World Cup in Saudi Arabia in the winter. The Middle Eastern kingdom is set to be officially confirmed as hosts for the 2034 edition of the World Cup on Wednesday at a Fifa congress meeting. The move could see Saudi Arabia [...]