Adidas, Burberry and so much Beckham: The six best 2026 World Cup ad campaigns Sport Business An unnecessarily serious review of the best ads around the 2026 World Cup, including campaigns by Adidas, Nike and Burberry, as picked by amateur footballer and professional creative Harriet Russell-Vick. Football ads in 2026 finally remembered a crucial detail: football is supposed to be fun. After years of ultra-serious slow-motion shots of rain hitting crossbars [...]
Real Madrid underline financial power by signing new €1bn kit deal with Adidas Sport Business Real Madrid have received a financial boost after signing a new eight-year kit deal with Adidas that is believed to be the most lucrative in world football. The 15-time European champions and the German sportswear behemoth have opted for an early extension to their partnership, which will now run until at least 2034. Real Madrid’s [...]
Fifa boss Infantino pips PSG chief Al-Khelaifi in City AM Football Power List Sport Business Fifa president Gianni Infantino has topped the inaugural City AM Football Power List, a week before the biggest ever men’s World Cup is due to kick off. The ranking, compiled with a 16-strong panel of expert judges drawn from across the sports industry, is designed to be a snapshot of who controls the most popular [...]
City AM Football Power List 2026: Who really runs the world’s most popular sport? June 4, 2026 The City AM Football Power List seeks to answer a simple question: ahead of the 2026 World Cup, who really runs the planet’s favourite sport? To answer it, we assembled a panel of experts from across the sports industry and picked their brains for nominations and, ultimately, a top 25. You can read more about [...]
I’m a Manchester United fan and marketing expert but Arsenal are cool May 25, 2026 Arsenal’s long-awaited success on and off the field has been earned with smart, patient planning, says Pitch founder (and Man Utd supporter) Henry Chappell. As a Manchester United fan since before the Fergie years, Arsenal’s march to Premier League glory and a Champions League final is a tough watch. And it’s just as hard to [...]
Arsenal Champions League final run banks £123m and sets up record revenue May 6, 2026 Arsenal’s run to the Champions League final has already banked the club more than £120m in prize money, paving the way for their highest-earning season ever. The north Londoners reached the final for only the second time in their history in Tuesday’s 1-0 win over Atletico Madrid, which clinched a 2-1 aggregate victory. And the [...]
Sabastian Sawe and the need for clean sporting heroes we can believe in April 30, 2026 Trust in performances like Sabastian Sawe’s at the London Marathon is the cornerstone of sport’s success, writes Ed Warner. The modern sports economy is anchored in belief: belief that the successes we celebrate are genuine, hard-earned, and comparable across eras. Without this belief records lose meaning, fans become disillusioned, sponsors turn tail and there is [...]
Sawe and Adidas London Marathon record could see athletes jump from Nike April 27, 2026 Sabastian Sawe’s use of Adidas footwear at the London Marathon to break the two-hour barrier could lure non-contracted runners away from Nike, experts have warned. Kenya’s Sawe became the first person to legally dip under the two-hour mark on Sunday to etch his name in athletics folklore alongside Roger Bannister and Jim Hines, and did [...]
Manchester United’s £10m boost; £5k Masters gnomes and Southgate TikTok April 15, 2026 Manchester United are set for a £10m boost from kit sponsor Adidas if, as now seems likely, they qualify for the Champions League. The club sit third in the Premier League with a seven-point cushion over sixth-placed Chelsea, despite Monday’s shock defeat by struggling Leeds United. Uefa confirmed last week that the top five Premier [...]
Icons, purpose and gastronomy: How brands can win at the 2026 World Cup December 7, 2025 The Fifa men’s World Cup is more than a tournament, it’s becoming the most glamorous, immersive and culturally defining sporting event of the decade. With 48 teams, three host nations, and a projected $17bn economic impact, the scale of the World Cup is staggering. And in true American style, Fifa has even announced the 2026 [...]