Iran hit back at Trump and Fifa: US should be axed from World Cup, not us Sport Business Iran’s national football team has hit back at President Trump after he warned that it may not be safe for them to take up their place at this summer’s World Cup in the US, Canada and Mexico. Trump’s comments appeared designed to discourage Iran from participating, despite Fifa insisting the US had offered assurances following [...]
Man City Puma kit deal helps UK sponsorship market hit £5bn Sport Business Manchester City’s Puma kit extension helped the UK sponsorship market top £5bn in 2025, up over 10 per cent on 2024. City signed a record-breaking 10-year kit partnership extension last year which could be worth around £100m per season. It, combined with other sponsorship activity across the UK saw the sector grow 10.5 per cent [...]
England and Scotland World Cup games saved by Patriots owner Kraft deal Sport Business Billionaire New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft has helped to resolve a row over security costs that was threatening England and Scotland games at this summer’s World Cup. Local authorities in Foxborough, near Boston, were refusing to grant a licence for seven fixtures due to be staged at the Gillette Stadium owing to fears the [...]
Women’s Super League fans spend more on matchdays than Premier League counterparts March 12, 2026 Football fans attending Women’s Super League matches spend more than those going to Premier League games, according to new research commissioned by Barclays. Fan spend per matchday, excluding tickets, averaged £145 for supporters in the WSL compared with £138 in the Premier League, the research found. Non-food spending – merchandise and match programme – was [...]
Sheffield Wednesday: New preferred bidder’s quick deal incentive revealed March 11, 2026 Sheffield Wednesday’s new preferred bidder, US group Arise Capital Partners, hopes to complete a cut-price takeover of the fallen English giants before the end of the season. The group, made up of investors David Storch, Michael Storch and Tom Costin, has emerged as the club’s latest would-be saviour with an offer reported to be in [...]
2026 Fifa World Cup: Iran ‘welcome’ despite US military attacks, Trump March 11, 2026 Fifa president Gianni Infantino says he has received assurances from President Trump that Iran are welcome at this summer’s World Cup despite ongoing US strikes on the country. Iran have qualified for this summer’s tournament in the US, Canada and Mexico but their participation has been in doubt since an American-Israeli offensive began last month. [...]
Birmingham City: How Wagner and West Mids Mayor unlocked stadium plan March 11, 2026 Last year, at the end of January, the Mayor of the West Midlands Richard Parker picked up the phone to Birmingham City owner Tom Wagner to hear a football club shareholder frustrated with the public interest surrounding the construction of a new arena for Manchester United rather than his stadium project in Britain’s second city. [...]
£9bn World Cup too big to be derailed by Middle East conflict, says Fifa chief March 10, 2026 Fifa has ruled out the prospect of the escalating conflict in the Middle East posing a threat to this summer’s World Cup and is still hopeful that Iran will take up their place. The US and Israel’s attacks and Iran’s retaliatory strikes have caused huge upheaval in the region just three months out from the [...]
Tottenham Hotspur Women MD: ‘We want to be challenging for the WSL’ March 10, 2026 You could be forgiven for thinking that it’s all doom and gloom at Tottenham Hotspur, but there is a good news story unfolding in N17. While the men’s team toil to stay in the Premier League as their mortal enemies from down the road close in on the title, Spurs Women are on a gloriously [...]
Football investors Mercury13 take majority stake in top flight Spanish club March 10, 2026 Women’s football multi-club group Mercury13 has expanded its ownership roster with the majority acquisition of Spanish Liga F side FC Badalona Women. The move brings the top-flight club into a portfolio which includes WSL 2 team Bristol City Women and Italian outfit FC Como Women. Lauren Holiday, chairwoman of Mercury13 and incoming board member of [...]