By: Sam Cunningham

Sam Cunningham is a freelance sports journalist who writes the weekly Between The Lines column for City AM. Sam has previously been published in The Times, Guardian, Observer, Daily Mail and i Paper.

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Frying squad: England’s World Cup bid fuelled by cooking oil and leftover food

July 8, 2026

England’s World Cup campaign in the USA, Mexico and Canada is being powered by used cooking oil, leftover food and algae. The decision to maintain a World Cup training base in Kansas City has meant England are racking up the air miles for matches. A 2,800-mile round trip to Mexico City for Sunday night’s last-16 [...]
Hated World Cup hydration breaks here to stay for even hotter 2030 and 2034

July 1, 2026

Hydration breaks are expected to remain a feature of future World Cups despite attracting widespread criticism, City AM understands. The divisive three-minute pauses, taken midway through each half, have become one of the tournament’s hottest talking points. They have effectively turned football into a game of four quarters and head coaches have said they are [...]
Manchester United debt pile may force owners to fund new stadium

June 24, 2026

Doubts have emerged over Manchester United’s capacity to fund their £2bn-plus new stadium unless the owners inject cash. The club announced on Monday that they had secured the land required to build the 100,000-seater venue – dubbed a “Wembley of the North” – from Indurent, which lets industrial units. The 25-acre site is only 350m [...]
England’s secret weapon against World Cup heat? British company’s £26 product

June 17, 2026

England have turned to a British hot water bottle maker for help coping with the extreme World Cup heat ahead of their tournament opener against Croatia in Dallas tonight. High temperatures are expected to be a defining feature of this tournament – with dangerous conditions possible in 14 of the 16 host cities – and, [...]
Everton chief calls for full review of England academy talent funding

June 10, 2026

Everton technical director Nick Cox, one of the most respected figures in the academy world, has questioned the Premier League’s model for investing in youth development. Cox, who worked at Manchester United’s academy for nine years – six as its director – before joining Everton last year, believes big clubs receive too big a slice [...]
Chelsea to hand Joao Pedro wage boost as club prepare for tough summer

June 3, 2026

Chelsea face a difficult summer ahead following their failure to qualify for Europe, but Joao Pedro is set for a base-salary increase that may help them keep hold of one of their star players. The Brazilian forward – a £60m signing from Brighton last summer – was a rare bright spark in an otherwise gloomy [...]
West Ham face exodus threat amid 50 per cent cut to player wages

May 27, 2026

West Ham’s players will be hit with a 50 per cent wage cut after their relegation from the Premier League was confirmed. City AM understands that a relegation decrease clause is written into all player contracts, a factor that will make retaining their star players difficult as the club attempts to rebuild a squad capable [...]
Uefa probes Brighton and Hearts connection under Tony Bloom ownership

May 20, 2026

Uefa is scrutinising the relationship between Hearts and Brighton and Hove Albion, with both clubs connected to Tony Bloom on course to qualify for Europe. Brighton owner Bloom holds a 29 per cent stake in Hearts – deliberately below the 30 per cent threshold Uefa prohibits owners from holding in more than one club in [...]
Arsenal in talks with architects Populous over Emirates expansion

May 13, 2026

Arsenal are in talks with Populous, the architects behind the original Emirates Stadium design, as they weigh up how best to expand their 60,000-seater home. Sources familiar with the process insist that all options remain on the table, from major works that would likely require a temporary a move away from the Emirates, to smaller [...]
Bournemouth: Vitality Stadium expansion setback hits European plans

May 6, 2026

Bournemouth’s plans to redevelop the Vitality Stadium ahead of a potential first season in Europe have been hit by delays. In what has been a remarkable season, it is still on the cards for the south coast club to qualify for the Champions League. They sit sixth in the Premier League, which will earn a [...]

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By: Sam Cunningham

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