Unilever chief on how to activate 35 brands at the Fifa World Cup June 30, 2026 With the World Cup a sponsor’s heaven, Matt Hardy asks Unilever how the FMCG behemoth activates 35 brands amid a need to be noticed. A number of the brand campaigns at this Fifa World Cup have been sublime, others have fallen a little flat. Activating at a tournament watched by billions across nearly 200 countries [...]
Enzo Maresca pays Chelsea compensation to become Manchester City manager June 29, 2026 Manchester City have confirmed the appointment of Enzo Maresca as manager – but only after he personally paid compensation to former club Chelsea. City are themselves reported to have paid £17m to the Blues in order to secure Maresca’s signature on a three-year contract, but Chelsea have made clear that the Italian was also forced [...]
World Cup: How brands will activate as the knockouts begin June 27, 2026 Most eyes will be firmly fixed on the pitch as the World Cup enters the knockout phase next week. But for the discerning observer, there is another contest playing out in the background: what are the sponsors up to? With marketing and sponsorship deals related to the World Cup reported to generate between $2.5bn and [...]
World Cup proves film and music walked in the US so that sports can run June 26, 2026 With the US experiencing football fever Alistair Watkins argues that we have seen this before, with sport following in the footsteps of film and music When people think about European culture making its mark in the United States, they tend to think of music, film and television. From The Beatles to Harry Potter and One [...]
World Cup spending: England fans could spend £150m if they beat Panama June 26, 2026 An England win against Panama at the World Cup on Saturday could lead to an extra £150m in consumer spending, while fans are expected to fork out an extra £22m in pubs across the country this weekend. England are top of Group L, level on points with Ghana, ahead of Saturday’s final match of the [...]
Yokohama F Marinos: City Football Group offloads second club in space of six months June 25, 2026 City Football Group, owner of 10 football clubs including Manchester City, has divested its minority stake in Japanese side Yokohama F Marinos to carmaker Nissan. The J1 League outfit will remain a CFG partner club but is now wholly owned by Nissan, who founded them as a works team in the 1970s. It comes six [...]
Messi, Ronaldo, Serena, Novak: What sport stars dodging retirement tells us June 25, 2026 Sport heroes used to retire at the top but now the likes of Messi, Ronaldo, Serena and Djokovic have other ideas, writes Matt Readman. Sport is nothing if not storytelling. And every athlete wants the perfect ending to their own story. The crowning moment. The final wave to the crowd. Departing with dignity on your [...]
Premier League clubs warned crypto deals could be worthless in a year June 25, 2026 Premier League football clubs have been warned that long-term sponsorship deals with crypto firms could be rendered worthless in a year’s time. It comes after the Financial Conduct Authority took the unusual step of writing to teams about the issue this month and as the watchdog rolls out plans for tighter scrutiny of the sector. [...]
Is football eating itself? Not before it eats other sports first June 25, 2026 The World Cup has become so big that it now puts all other sports in the shade, laments Ed Warner. I remember the summer of 1976 as a swathe of bleached playing fields, jumpers for goalposts and pick-up games of cricket. There happened to be an international football tournament that June, but I defy anyone [...]
Brentford in talks to host Shakhtar Donetsk Champions League fixtures June 24, 2026 Brentford are among the clubs in talks to host Shakhtar Donetsk’s home fixtures in the Champions League next season. The Ukrainian club are prohibited by Uefa for safety reasons from staging their European games in the war-torn country and last season hosted teams in Krakow, Poland. But Brentford’s Gtech Community Stadium has emerged as a [...]