Sport’s overreachers like Sussex and Leicester are guilty of hope not greed February 12, 2026 As long as sport’s governing bodies and regulators reward risk over restraint, the cycle of boom, bust, sanction, repeat will continue, writes Ed Warner. First the disclaimer: I live in Sussex and although its county side isn’t my first cricketing love – that “honour” belongs to Middlesex CCC – I’ve enjoyed days at Hove’s County [...]
Exclusive: Prem Rugby kicks plan to hike stadiums to 15,000 into touch February 11, 2026 Prem Rugby has torpedoed proposals for a top-flight shake-up that would have seen champions Bath Rugby’s stadium deemed too small for the top flight, City AM can reveal. A study, run by Deloitte, looking at how Prem Rugby can raise the minimum standards of entry to the English top flight raised the prospect of increasing [...]
Dupont image rights row puts Toulouse in rugby spotlight again February 10, 2026 French rugby giants Toulouse are facing the threat of a second salary cap-related sanction after a media investigation into star player Antoine Dupont’s image rights payments. The so-called Le Petit General has been an integral part of France and Toulouse teams in recent years but is now at the centre of a storm, alongside Stade [...]
The real Guinness Six Nations showdown is happening in the pub February 7, 2026 As the Guinness Six Nations kicks off, Britain will do what it does best: argue about referees, over-analyse scrums, and drink a respectable amount of beer. And while the games unfold on the pitch, another contest will play out in pubs, feeds and group chats across the country. For beer brands, live sport remains one [...]
Six Nations Thursday start is smart from organisers February 5, 2026 It feels slightly odd to be looking forward to the Six Nations beginning this evening when it is only Thursday. That’s because Ireland’s trip to take on champions France in Paris has been brought forward to tonight to ensure there’s no clash with the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics in Milan tomorrow. At first [...]
Exclusive: Welsh Rugby Union risks £4m hit as 55,000 Six Nations tickets unsold February 5, 2026 The embattled Welsh Rugby Union is facing a £4m hit from this year’s Six Nations, with more than 55,000 tickets still unsold for their three home fixtures. The financially troubled nation stands to lose out on around £3.8m in ticket revenue over the next two months, with more than 18,000 seats still free for their [...]
ITV in-game Six Nations ads will keep sport free-to-air, experts say February 4, 2026 ITV’s introduction of advertising during matches at the Six Nations is a sign of things to come but will keep more sport on free-to-air television, say experts. Starting tomorrow, the broadcaster will show split-screen adverts during pauses in play at this year’s competition, such as when scrums are being reset. It has led to concerns [...]
Welsh Rugby missed out on £45m in previous Principality Stadium deal January 31, 2026 The Welsh Rugby Union lost £45m from underselling the naming rights to the Principality Stadium, according to a new report. A 10-year deal with insurer Principality is expected to conclude this year, with the decade-long cost of sponsoring Wales’ biggest stadium widely reported to be £1m per season. That’s despite research from The Sponsor shared [...]
Six Nations must move match to US for sake of international game January 30, 2026 The months of February and March really are rugby’s golden period; when the world stops to watch the Six Nations. England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, France and Italy all going at it over five rounds really shows off the best of the sport. It makes money, it is attractive to private equity and fans adore the [...]
Exclusive: Parliament must scrutinise Prem Rugby franchise plans, MP says January 27, 2026 The government has been called upon to scrutinise Prem Rugby’s franchise plan, which promises to be the biggest shake-up of the domestic game since professionalisation. It comes as the Department for Culture, Media and Sport is also accused of passing the buck over Covid loans to English professional rugby. Liberal Democrat MP Edward Morello told [...]