Goodbye, Hilal: Saudi Pro League ends Neymar deal which cost £37m per game January 28, 2025 It will go down as one of the most expensive failed experiments in world football, with Neymar’s move to Al-Hilal reported to have cost the Saudi Pro League side more than £250m. But after 17 months, a meagre seven games and only one goal, the Brazil international, 32, looks bound for a return to his [...]
Saudi Public Investment Fund nearing $1bn stake in Dazn January 14, 2025 Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund is nearing a $1bn acquisition of a small minority stake in sport streaming platform Dazn. The London-based rights holder, which enjoys relationships with boxing’s Riyadh Season and a number of the top European football leagues, could potentially see its value pushed into the tens of billions after the injection. It [...]
British golfer to ditch PGA Tour to join Legion XIII on LIV Golf January 7, 2025 Northern Irishman Tom McKibbin is set to snub his newly-earned place on the PGA Tour to sign a shock deal with Jon Rahm’s LIV Golf team. McKibbin won a PGA Tour card in November via the DP World Tour’s Race to Dubai but the 22-year-old Brit will instead take the final spot in Legion XIII. [...]
Sport in 2025: A rallying cry to London, Mayor Khan and Londoners January 2, 2025 For at least the past five years it has felt as if London was disappearing off the global sporting stage. The capital may boast the Home of Cricket, 17 professional football clubs and five stadiums with a capacity of over 50,000 but huge sporting events have sought refuge in the likes of Saudi Arabia, the [...]
Ahead of the Game: Man United cuts could be copied by other clubs December 30, 2024 Manchester United’s controversial move to slash the funding it provides to its charitable foundation as part of cost-cutting measures introduced by Sir Jim Ratcliffe could be followed by other Premier League clubs. The Manchester United Foundation are set to be the latest victims of Ratcliffe’s drive to cut costs at Old Trafford, with Sky News [...]
What to expect from sports law in 2025: Man City, Saudi and the ‘unlikely MVP’ December 21, 2024 What will the big talking points be in sports law in 2025? We asked the experts at one of the industry’s top firms. This year will be remembered as one in which key sporting decisions were made in the courtroom rather than the boardroom. With the Football Governance Bill, ongoing financial regulatory disputes, and the [...]
Heathrow to invest £2.3bn as Ardian and Saudis take stake December 18, 2024 Heathrow's investment is an uplift from prior forecasts of around £244m and will be used for upgrades across all its terminals.
Saudi Arabia promises ‘tournament of lifetime’ after getting 2034 World Cup December 11, 2024 Saudi Arabia has vowed to stage “the tournament of a lifetime” after Fifa confirmed the country as hosts for the 2034 World Cup. Its was the only bid and its appointment was a formality confirmed by acclamation at a virtual Fifa congress on Wednesday. As expected, six nations – Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Uruguay, Argentina and [...]
European football to rebel over winter World Cup in Saudi Arabia December 10, 2024 European football leagues are set to rebel against plans to host the 2034 Fifa World Cup in Saudi Arabia in the winter. The Middle Eastern kingdom is set to be officially confirmed as hosts for the 2034 edition of the World Cup on Wednesday at a Fifa congress meeting. The move could see Saudi Arabia [...]
Starmer to visit Gulf states as he strives to deepen trade ties December 7, 2024 Keir Starmer will strive to strengthen trade ties with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in his first trip to the Persian Gulf as prime minister. The PM will meet UAE president Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed and Saudi Arabia’s crown prince Mohammed bin Salman on Monday, after flying to the Gulf on Sunday [...]