World Cup final is Argentina v France, Messi v Mbappe and past v future December 16, 2022 More than decade of Qatar’s multi-billion-pound investment in football will reach a crescendo on Sunday afternoon when two stars of Paris Saint-Germain, the club owned by the Gulf state’s investment arm, face off at the Lusail Stadium in the World Cup final. But while it is seen as an ideal outcome for Qatar’s rulers, a [...]
EP: 174 Christmas Ante Post Preview & Hong Kong December 16, 2022 The frozen tundra has scuppered jumps racing in the UK for the second weekend running with both Ascot and Haydock having to cancel their meetings due to the frozen ground. City AM Racing editor Bill Esdaile takes this opportunity to look ahead to the exciting King George meeting at Kempton on Boxing Day, plus we [...]
Quins postpone showpiece Big Game over rail strike chaos December 16, 2022 Premiership rugby club Harlequins’ cash cow showpiece event of the season – Big Game – has been cancelled due to the fall out from South Western Rail’s strikes over the Christmas Period, as reported first by City A.M. yesterday. The game – which regularly attracts over 70,000 fans to Twickenham Stadium across the winter festive [...]
More Christmas cheer for King of Kempton December 16, 2022 WHILE most people are looking forward to opening their presents on Christmas Day, Paul Nicholls will be hoping to unwrap his biggest festive gift at Kempton Park shortly after 2.30pm on Boxing Day. The 13-time Champion Trainer has won the Ladbrokes King George Chase an astonishing 12 times, five with the brilliant Kauto Star, and [...]
Ollie Phillips: European rugby, McGuigan and Laporte December 16, 2022 The opening round of European Champions Cup action left me slightly confused; there were some cracking matches but also some really disappointing results. The SA Sharks’ win over Harlequins down in South Africa was proper entertainment, as was Lyon’s loss to the Bulls on the African continent. But Leinster’s demolition of Racing 92 was disappointing [...]
It’s all change at the Rugby Players Association come the new year December 15, 2022 It’s due to be all change at the Rugby Players Association come the new year with a raft of new non-executive directors and a new general secretary of the union coming in. Having dealt with the impact of the pandemic on its members, the RPA has recently had to spring into action following the downfall [...]
ECJ strikes major blow for Uefa and Fifa in legal battle over European Super League December 15, 2022 Three of football’s biggest clubs have suffered a major blow to their hopes of reviving a breakaway Super League at the European Court of Justice. In a recommendation issued by an advocate general this morning that followed a hearing at the ECJ in July, the court has been advised to side with governing bodies Uefa [...]
Ed Warner: Bullingham must own England manager decision if it comes December 15, 2022 “The FA should only look at English managers if Gareth Southgate steps down.” “No, the FA should be prepared to hire a foreign coach.” Discuss ad nauseam. Now imagine you are Mark Bullingham, the Football Association’s chief executive, possibly (but not certainly) about to have to make an appointment whose success or failure would stand [...]
Harlequins’ Big Game in doubt over train strikes December 14, 2022 Premiership rugby club Harlequins’ showpiece annual game, Big Game, has been thrown into doubt over rail strikes on 27 December. In an alleged email seen by City A.M. and posted into a fan forum, fans were told that the club had taken the “extremely difficult decision to postpone the Big Game 14 fixture at Twickenham”. [...]
European Super League: Will ECJ resurrect breakaway or prove final nail in its coffin? December 14, 2022 Abandoned by most of its supporters in the face of widespread outcry, tied up in red tape, and then undermined by the financial problems of its remaining backers, the European Super League has never looked more dead. But the controversial breakaway football competition could be dramatically resurrected on Thursday when an advocate general delivers their [...]