Manchester City: Sheikh Mansour faces calls for ban from English football over UAE links to genocide Sport Business Manchester City owner Sheikh Mansour could be barred from the Premier League if the UK government heeds calls to sanction him over alleged links to genocide in Sudan. Human rights group FairSquare has called on the government to investigate the man who has led Manchester City’s transformation into one of the world’s richest and most [...]
Chelsea score £10m commercial boost with major sponsorship renewal Sport Business Chelsea FC have extended their £10m-a-year training kit sponsorship deal with crypto platform BingX into a fourth season. The agreement will see the Singapore-headquartered firm remain on the front of the shirts worn by the men’s team in training and for pre-match warm-ups. An early renewal is a boost to Chelsea’s commercial department, which has [...]
Abramovich foundation trustee has links to Starmer advisor Powell Sport Business A new charitable foundation at the heart of Roman Abramovich’s dispute with the UK government over the £2.35bn in funds from the sale of Chelsea has a named trustee with links to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. Martin Griffiths, a UK diplomat and former coordinator for the United Nations, co-founded a ‘peacemaking’ organisation with Starmer’s [...]
E1: Thibaut Courtois joins ex-Chelsea teammate Didier Drogba as team owner April 2, 2026 Real Madrid and Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has become a co-owner of Sierra Racing Club, one of the newest teams in the E1 electric powerboating series. Courtois has acquired a stake in the Turkish-backed team, which joined the PIF-backed E1 this year, through his investment vehicle Nxtplay Capital. He joins a host of sports stars [...]
Chelsea suffer biggest financial loss in Premier League history April 1, 2026 Chelsea have confirmed by far the biggest annual financial loss in Premier League history after they recorded a deficit of £262m last season. The figures surpass the previous record, the £197m loss made by Manchester City in 2010-11 during a period of rapid investment by their Abu Dhabi-based ownership. It also takes the amount lost [...]
Chelsea punishment ‘extremely lenient’, says club’s former exec Purslow March 18, 2026 Former Chelsea executive Christian Purslow has labelled the club’s punishment from the Premier League for making undisclosed payments totalling £47.5m “extremely lenient and favourable”. Chelsea escaped with a £10.75m fine and suspended transfer ban after the club’s current owners self-reported offences they said they had discovered in an audit of the previous ownership of Roman [...]
Abramovich to fight UK Government over funds from £2.5bn Chelsea sale March 9, 2026 Former Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has vowed to fight the UK Government if it follows through with a threat to seize the proceeds from his £2.5bn sale of the club. Prime Minister Keir Starmer warned Abramovich late last year that “the clock is ticking” on his pledge to donate the funds to victims of the [...]
Chelsea reveal first ever back-of-shirt sponsor – but it could last just one game March 6, 2026 Chelsea have unveiled a second new kit sponsor in as many weeks after agreeing a deal for trading platform TMGM to appear on the back of their shirts. The deal is an expansion of the club’s partnership with the Australian company, which has been Chelsea’s official regional forex and CFD trading partner in Asia-Pacific since [...]
Williams F1 ‘competing with top 50 teams in sport’, says Kenyon March 4, 2026 Atlassian Williams F1 Team advisor Peter Kenyon on selling commercial deals in football and Formula 1, and why the historic outfit’s revival will be tech-driven. Peter Kenyon is a man who knows a thing or two about commercialising sports teams. One of the architects of Manchester United’s development into a sponsorship powerhouse, he then helped turn [...]
Is Guinness Bristol City deal a sign of football shirt sponsorships to come? February 4, 2026 Looming exit of betting companies from football front-of-shirt sponsorship opens the door for more consumer brands like Guinness to return, writes Matthew Fletcher-Jones. Having made the often-regrettable decision to support Tottenham Hotspur in the 1980s, I’m still pleased to see any corner shop selling Holsten Pils – the club’s shirt sponsor throughout my youth. Chelsea [...]