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 [...]
European rugby attendances point to major issue for the sport December 14, 2022 Hopes of a newfound interest in the European Champions and Challenge Cups took a hit this weekend as home sides struggled to fill their terraces for what some argue are the best club competitions in world rugby. Attendances peaked at a bastion of European rugby in Munster’s Thomond Park where 21,884 watched the province lose [...]
Calvin Lo interview: Billionaire on finding a way into Formula 1 December 14, 2022 Hong Kong businessman and billionaire Calvin Lo wants to deepen his roots in Formula 1. The Michael Schumacher fanboy is the latest wealthy individual looking at the motor racing circus that is F1 as a major sporting investment. “If whoever comes in plays their cards right, there are lots of opportunities,” Lo told City A.M. [...]
Putting the Atlas Lions on the map: Morocco aiming to ‘do a Greece’ at the World Cup December 14, 2022 It may not quite be in the realms of Leicester City’s 5,000-1 Premier League triumph, but Morocco’s progress to the last four of this World Cup still represents a minor miracle. In reaching the semi-finals, the Atlas Lions have gone further than any previous African or Arab nation on international football’s biggest stage. Were they [...]
World Rugby No2 Laporte and club owner Altrad guilty of corruption December 13, 2022 World Rugby vice-chairman Bernard Laporte and president of Top14 champions Montpellier Mohed Altrad have been found guilty of corruption-related charges at the Paris Criminal Court this afternoon. The duo – along with three others – went on trial in September over a number of bribery and corruption allegations and were sentenced today. Mohed Altrad was [...]
Premier League: Bournemouth is latest club to be bought out by a US businessman December 13, 2022 Premier League strugglers Bournemouth have been bought out by a US-led consortium including actor Michael B Jordan. Owner Maxim Demin has sold his 100 per cent stake in the firm to Black Knight Football Club (BNFC), managed by American businessman Bill Foley. The bid also has a number of high profile backers, including award-winning actor, [...]
ITV scores best Saturday night ever as record 23m Brits witness England getting trashed by France December 13, 2022 England’s World Cup Quarter Final match was watched by a peak audience of 23m across ITV and ITVX on Saturday evening as the Three Lions were narrowly defeated by France. The game drew the biggest audience of the tournament and the highest peak on any channel this year, the biggest since the final of last [...]