Lucas Paqueta spared fine amid mental health concerns following fixing probe October 31, 2025 Lucas Paqueta has avoided a fine despite being found guilty of not cooperating with an FA spot-fixing investigation in part because of concerns about the West Ham star’s mental health. An independent regulatory commission said that Paqueta, who was cleared of spot-fixing earlier this year, would typically have been fined but that “the truly exceptional [...]
The Hundred: New owners relax salary rules to attract top talent October 31, 2025 The Hundred’s new overseas investors have rung the changes for next year’s competition, confirming that an auction will replace the player draft and that franchises will have new maximum and minimum salary budgets. In moves designed to attract more top global talent to the summer white-ball cricket tournament, individual player salaries will be uncapped and [...]
Real Madrid to turn Santiago Bernabeu stadium into money-spinning Winter Wonderland October 31, 2025 Real Madrid have hit on a novel way to maintain their status as the world’s richest football club: turning their Santiago Bernabeu stadium into a festive theme park over Christmas. From 24-31 December, during a two-week break in LaLiga’s schedule, the Spanish giants will transform the 84,000-seater arena into “a family-friendly experience filled with dazzling [...]
World Rugby Nations Championship silence is deafening but predictable October 31, 2025 The World Rugby Nations Championship starts next year after the last ever autumn internationals campaign this year. Or does it? This is the last ever autumn rugby union series, not that you’d have any idea. Gone will be the days of friendly matches on chilly November evenings and in will come games with a trophy [...]
Roll-on the World Cup! Spain’s young guns sign deal with Old Spice October 30, 2025 Not so long ago Old Spice was a punchline; a brand associated with a bygone era and reliant on an ageing – not to say, perishing – demographic. More recently it has tried to shake off this stuffy image, leaning into sports such as the NFL. This week made perhaps its most intriguing move yet: [...]
New Principality Stadium naming rights deal ‘challenging’, says former negotiator October 30, 2025 The timing of a new deal for the naming rights of Cardiff’s Principality Stadium has been described as “challenging for Welsh rugby” given the state of the game across the River Severn. The 73,931-capacity stadium on the banks of the Taff is the fourth largest in the UK and plays host to the Wales rugby [...]
Football M&A shake-up as investors swap mega-deals for lower league takeovers October 30, 2025 Football’s M&A market has seen a drop in mega-deals as investors have turned their attention to lower leagues, expanding multi-club networks and strategic minority acquisitions. A new report by independent consultancy Football Benchmark said its analysis of the 76 deals to take place so far this year reflected “a maturing market”. While recent years have [...]
Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium to host first non-football match October 30, 2025 Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium is gearing up to host its first non-football sporting event as the rugby league Ashes arrives on Merseyside. The 52,000 capacity Bramley-Moore Dock venue is the newest in the Premier League, hosting its first trial match in February, and will this weekend add a new sport to its roster. England head [...]
Dettori lands role with big-spending Amo Racing months after bankruptcy October 30, 2025 Frankie Dettori has announced that he will take up a new role as an ambassador for Kia Joorabchian’s Amo Racing after his US swansong at this weekend’s Breeders’ Cup. The record-breaking jockey, 54, has five rides booked at Del Mar on Friday and Saturday, with his appearance on Argine in the Breeders’ Cup Mile set [...]
Punk Padel and Tough Mudder: It pays for sports to buy into fun innovation October 30, 2025 I am happy to go down any rabbit hole, or country lane, in search of innovation in sport. Driving back from a trail race the other day, I passed a small sign tucked on a grassy verge in deepest Sussex. “Punk Padel”, it seemed to whisper rather than shout, as if conscious it was out [...]