Will AI replace gambling as Premier League front-of-shirt preference? March 29, 2026 AI companies have set their sights on sports. The Premier League already has competition-wide AI deals with Microsoft and Adobe, and recently Chelsea FC cut a front of shirt deal with industrial AI company IFS. These firms are in an extraordinary period of growth, and they have deep pockets to elevate their brands. They know [...]
Premier League +, VPN piracy and lessons from Norway and France March 28, 2026 The Premier League is built on its precious media rights but will its new streaming service be susceptible to the piracy that just scuppered a similar service in Norway? In less than five months’ time the Premier League will take one of the most significant steps in its history when it launches its own direct-to-consumer [...]
Cole Palmer: Why Chelsea and England star trademarked ‘Cold Palmer’ celebration March 27, 2026 With Cole Palmer set for the Fifa World Cup this summer, why did he choose to trademark his Cold Palmer celebration? City AM asked the team behind the move. “Intellectual property: intangible property that is the result of creativity, such as patents, copyright or other,” the Oxford Dictionary says. It’s something we’d expect to be [...]
Tottenham Hotspur relegation: A black swan event the Premier League needs? March 26, 2026 The Premier League trades on its unpredictability so the relegation of Spurs, one of its ever-present clubs, could offer a Leicester-like lift in a dull season, says Ed Warner. Barnsley, Oldham Athletic, Bradford City, Swindon Town, Portsmouth. Just a few members of the not-so-exclusive club of 16 teams that Tottenham Hotspur fans will be desperate [...]
Ligue 1+: French football league losing hundreds of millions to piracy March 23, 2026 French football chiefs say they have lost hundreds of millions of euros to illegal streaming of Ligue 1 matches in the latest blow to the value of their media rights. Despite the competition being broadcast legally on Ligue 1+, the league’s own streaming platform, and pay TV network BeIn Sports, research found that 59 per [...]
Clubs like Chelsea won’t be able to hide from regulator scrutiny March 22, 2026 English football is a global entertainment and cultural powerhouse, contributing more than £9bn annually to the UK economy. Matches are broadcast to hundreds of millions worldwide, with clubs operating not just as teams but as global brands. But with that status comes increased scrutiny of how clubs are run. Under the new Independent Football Regulator [...]
Millwall stadium development inches closer with 999-year lease deal March 20, 2026 Millwall’s stadium development plans jumped forward on Friday with a 999-year lease for The Den officially signed off by government officials. The south London club secured a deal with Lewisham Council back in 2024, with long-term ambitions for the development of their South Bermondsey relying on the club’s future being at The Den. Plans for [...]
Erling Haaland follows Eze and Salah chess passion with investment March 20, 2026 Manchester City and Norway striker Erling Haaland has followed fellow Premier League stars Eberechi Eze and Mohammed Salah in sharing his passion for chess after investing in the game. Haaland has backed Norway Chess and its modernised format, the Total Chess World Championship Tour, alongside Norwegian business leader Morten Borge. It is the superstar’s latest [...]
Football missing bank-grade infrastructure as regulator powers grow March 19, 2026 English football is entering a new era: the Premier League has just handed Chelsea a record fine for hidden payments, while the Independent Football Regulator (IFR) is starting to flex its intentions to improve financial soundness and resilience across the pyramid. The latest licensing proposals go further, allowing the regulator to categorise clubs as “high‑risk” [...]
Government ‘must not delay’ over Abramovich’s £2.5bn Chelsea funds, Tories say March 18, 2026 Shadow chancellor Mel Stride has insisted the government “must not delay taking further action” against Roman Abramovich to unlock £2.5bn held after his sale of Chelsea. The Russian was forced to offload the Premier League club in 2022 after Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, with the proceeds of the sale to a consortium led by [...]