Pre-season tours: Inside the economics of football’s summer money-spinners August 14, 2026 Football’s summer tours have turned into travelling commercial platforms bringing together big fees, sponsors, merchandise, media and global fan growth, explains Simon Dent. For most football supporters, pre-season used to mean low-key friendlies against a local non-league team, some heavy-legged players and a chance to see the new signing for 30 minutes. For clubs, it [...]
Aston Villa commercial status a tonic for Premier League in big-spending era August 12, 2026 Aston Villa may not have thought they’d feature in a Super Cup anytime soon, but their commercial foundations have allowed them to challenge the best. Amidst much of the doom and gloom that surrounds the Premier league and its inevitable collapse into monotony under the financial suffocation of the ‘Big Six’ – no better represented [...]
English Football League ‘concerned and disappointed’ at PFA legal challenge August 11, 2026 The English Football League (EFL) has criticised player union the PFA for taking legal action to block new cost controls for clubs in League One. The PFA is opposing the Squad Cost Management Protocol on the basis it could damage players’ earning potential, having previously defeated a previous rule change in 2021 on the basis [...]
Ebru Koksal: ‘Women tend to ask difficult questions, and that’s not always liked’ August 10, 2026 Former investment banker turned CEO of Galatasaray, Turkish FA chief and advisor to Fifa and Uefa Ebru Koksal on the barriers faced by women in football, how it compares to the world of finance, and what England has got right. Ebru Koksal’s path to becoming a trailblazing female figure and one of the most respected [...]
Jeff Bezos closes in on Liverpool FC stake as FSG sale deal nears August 10, 2026 Amazon tycoon Jeff Bezos is set to buy shares in Liverpool FC as Fenway Sports Group plans a significant minority sale. A consortium featuring Bezos, as well as Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin, is led by the son-in-law of steel billionaire Lakshmi Mittal and former Queens Park Rangers shareholder Amit Bhatia and is nearing a deal [...]
Prem Rugby team ditch Big Game fixture at Premier League ground August 10, 2026 Prem Rugby club Gloucester have cancelled a planned fixture at Aston Villa’s Villa Park after its inaugural staging last season was criticised by fans. A Slater Cup fixture between Gloucester and Leicester Tigers was held at the Premier League ground last season, with a number of discounted tickets helping the attendance top 20,000 – around [...]
How Britain can stay clear of rivals as home of overseas sport club owners August 9, 2026 Sport is more political than ever. Matt Sutton asks how clubs navigate the geopolitical risks in 2026. Ownership and investment have become increasingly international, with sports clubs, leagues and governing bodies relying on global capital to drive growth. For years an argument has been rumbling on about whether it’s right to have foreign investment in [...]
Why HMRC is huge Premier League transfer window tax headache August 8, 2026 Is HMRC the biggest barrier stopping a healthier Premier League football transfer system, Alistair Culverwell asks. Another World Cup ended after high drama on the pitch and off the pitch,it was the scene of high stakes deal-making as clubs negotiated with agents to secure the most sought after talent – particularly players who shone. And [...]
Mark Kleinman: English football’s New Deal heads into injury time August 6, 2026 Mark Kleinman is Sky News’ City editor and the man who gets the Square Mile talking in his City AM column New season, new deal? As England football supporters dust themselves down from the disappointment of yet another latter stages defeat on the international stage, their attention switches back to the domestic game. The most important early season [...]
Exclusive: Arsenal target Vinicius Jr future at Real Madrid to be decided this week August 5, 2026 Vinicius Jr’s future at Real Madrid will be decided this week amid interest from Arsenal in a blockbuster move, City AM understands. The Brazilian left winger is under contract with Los Blancos until 2027 but negotiations in Spain have stalled having begun over a year ago, opening the door for an audacious attempt by the [...]