World Cup final half-time show has been coming, but Fifa must be careful July 19, 2026 For a very long time, the World Cup final has needed no additional entertainment. The match was the spectacle. The players, the history and the occasion were enough. That is why Fifa’s decision to stage the first World Cup final half-time show has made me and plenty of others feel a bit uncomfortable. Madonna, Shakira, [...]
Did this World Cup have too much of Sir David Beckham? July 18, 2026 Graham McKenna assesses whether David Beckham proves this World Cup had too much celebrity As the curtain starts to fall on another World Cup, a lot of conversation around this year’s tournament hasn’t been about the football itself, but the business surrounding it. The introduction of mandatory hydration breaks sparked plenty of debate, with many [...]
Starmer took sport freebies worth tens of thousands of pounds while PM July 17, 2026 Outgoing Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer took sport-related freebies worth tens of thousands of pounds in his two years at Downing Street. Official data declared by the Prime Minister in the register of accepted gifts and hospitality shows the sport-mad leader has enjoyed £33,000 worth of perks since winning a landslide victory for his Labour [...]
The real winner of the Fifa World Cup? Beer July 17, 2026 Whatever happens in Sunday’s final, one World Cup winner is already clear: beer. For generations, football fans around the world have gathered at their local, celebrating victories and consoling one another after defeats with a pint in hand. Beer does not simply accompany football, it transforms watching a match into a shared experience. This summer’s [...]
Over 1,000 World Cup final tickets unsold as resale site demands $2.3m July 17, 2026 Over 1,000 tickets remain unsold for the World Cup final on Fifa’s resale site as some prices reach $2.3m. Spain will take on Argentina on Sunday at New Jersey’s 82,500-capacity MetLife Stadium – known during this tournament as the New York New Jersey Stadium – in the World Cup final as the 104th and final [...]
What can the Rugby World Cup learn from US nailing of Fifa World Cup? July 17, 2026 With a United States Rugby World Cup just five years away, Ollie Phillips asks what can the sport learn from the Fifa World Cup. Sitting here in the UK looking across the Atlantic to a World Cup mainly staged in the United States, it is difficult not to get just a little bit excited about [...]
World Cup demand pushes price of private jet charters up 30 per cent July 16, 2026 The price of chartering a private jet between some US cities has surged by up to 30 per cent due to “exceptionally strong demand” during the World Cup. Corporate groups, wealthy football fans and syndicates of supporters travelling together have turned to private charters in increasing numbers to navigate the biggest and most geographically dispersed [...]
England semi pulls in 24m on BBC but falls short of Euros final July 16, 2026 BBC coverage of England getting dumped out of the World Cup broke 2026 records but fell short of other football matches in historical rankings. Around 24m watched Argentina’s late 2-1 win in Atlanta, making the match the most-watched live television moment of the year. The broadcast averaged 22.1m viewers on the BBC with the channel’s [...]
2026 Open Championship set to double spending in Royal Birkdale July 16, 2026 This week’s Open Championship at Royal Birkdale is set to double takings at businesses in the local area, according to data from Mastercard. Last year’s edition at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland delivered a 119 per cent increase in spending within 5km of golf’s oldest major tournament, while the 2024 Open saw an 82 per [...]
Calls for Argentina to be banned from World Cup over Falklands banner July 16, 2026 MPs have called for Argentina players to be banned from the Fifa World Cup final after showing a banner relating to the Falkland Islands. Argentina players celebrated their 2-1 semi-final victory over England by waving a banner which read “Las Malvinas son Argentinas”. Translated as “The Falklands are Argentine”, the banner appears to be against [...]