Olivia Smith: First £1m transfer shows good and bad of women’s football July 13, 2025 As a snapshot of the state of women’s club football, Arsenal’s world record £1m signing of Canadian forward Olivia Smith from Liverpool works pretty well. The first ever million-pound transfer in the women’s game underlines the rapid financial evolution it has undergone since the turn of the decade, as investment has poured in from clubs, [...]
Why the Football Governance Bill is good news for investors and fans alike July 12, 2025 Two big forces have been reshaping football and the sporting landscape in England: the surge in regulation, and the tidal wave of investment. With the Football Governance Bill soon to enter law, the question remains if, and how well, these two forces can coexist. The stated intentions of the bill are clear enough. Make sure [...]
Wimbledon, Euros and Test cricket set to boost pubs and supermarkets July 12, 2025 Pubs and supermarkets are bracing for a bumper weekend thanks to the heatwave and a deluge of live sport on TV including Wimbledon finals, Test cricket and the Lionesses. A British and Irish Lions tour match, England and Wales rugby internationals, other Women’s Euros fixtures, Tour de France cycling and a trilogy fight between Katie [...]
Crystal Palace face CAS appeal after being kicked out of Europa League July 11, 2025 Crystal Palace must take their case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport if they want to play in the Europa League after being kicked out by Uefa over multi-club conflicts. European football’s governing body decreed on Friday that Palace and Lyon breached rules on multi-club ownership because of their common links to US investor [...]
Coe to help Manchester United secure land for new Old Trafford July 10, 2025 Lord Sebastian Coe has said he is “delighted” to be chairing the group that hopes to deliver Manchester United’s 100,000-seat new stadium. The club is looking to build a replacement for the iconic Old Trafford on land adjacent to the Theatre of Dreams in plans which, when completed, could see Manchester United host the 2035 [...]
Fans will end up paying for football regulator, Tories warn July 9, 2025 Fans of clubs outside the Premier League should expect ticket price rises following the approval of a football regulator, Shadow Sport Minister Louie French has warned. The Championship, League One and League Two are all heavily loss-making but could face a bill of almost £50m towards the operation of the Independent Regulator for English Football. [...]
Crystal Palace Europa League spot in doubt after Lyon decision July 9, 2025 Crystal Palace’s place in the Europa League is in fresh doubt after French club Lyon won an appeal to stay in the top flight across the channel. The Eagles beat Manchester City in the FA Cup to qualify for the Europa League earlier this year, but John Textor – who is Palace’s largest shareholder – [...]
Chelsea set to bag £87m from Club World Cup victory July 9, 2025 Chelsea will add another £7.3m to their already ballooning prize purse if they win the Club World Cup on Sunday in New Jersey. The Blues will head to the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Sunday knowing they’ve already bagged around £80m from the competition Fifa president Gianni Infantino described as the “pinnacle” of club [...]
Fifa opens office in Trump Tower, deepening ties with US President July 8, 2025 Fifa has opened an office at Trump Tower in New York in the latest evidence of an increasingly close relationship between football’s world governing body and the US president. The move follows the relocation of Fifa’s legal department to Miami last year and comes ahead of the US hosting the majority of the men’s World [...]
Beer we go: Football alcohol ban could be reviewed as MPs prepare to vote July 8, 2025 MPs could be asked to vote today on proposals to review the ban on football supporters consuming alcohol in the stands at matches. Fans have been prohibited from drinking in view of the pitch in the top five tiers of English professional football for the last 40 years. But that legislation could be reviewed as [...]