Dry in the desert: Alcohol to be banned at 2034 Fifa World Cup in Saudi Arabia Sport Alcohol will not be allowed at the 2034 Fifa World Cup in Saudi Arabia, the kingdom’s ambassador said on Wednesday. Prince Khalid bin Bandar Al Saud said that “there’s no alcohol at all” in the country, adding that there would not be an exemption for the World Cup, which Saudi Arabia won last year. The [...]
Dear England: Gareth Southgate to write book on leadership Sport Business Former England manager Gareth Southgate will publish a book, Dear England: Lessons on Leadership, later this year. It will draw on “the defining moments that shaped his leadership style, principles that defined his decisions, and the resilience that enabled him to perform under the most intense public scrutiny,” said publishers Century, part of Penguin Random [...]
2026 World Cup: Visa backlog could keep teams and fans locked out of US Sport Business US officials have raised concerns that visa backlogs may prevent overseas football fans and even teams from attending the men’s 2026 World Cup. Wait times for interviews for business and tourism visas exceed 330 days at 18 US embassies and consulates, the LA Times reported. With tickets for the World Cup not expected to go [...]
EE: Home nations agree four-year contract extension with telco January 29, 2025 The Football Association (FA) will continue with EE as its lead partner after the telco signed a four-year contract extension. The agreement covers the England men’s and women’s senior teams, the 90,000 capacity Wembley Stadium and the other three home nations football associations up to the 2028 Euros, which Great Britain and Ireland will co-host [...]
Football Governance Bill ‘weird’ and regulator could be ‘terrible’, says Brady January 23, 2025 West Ham United vice-chair Karren Brady has laid out her case for opposing the introduction of the football regulator, arguing that it “could have a really detrimental effect” on the game. Baroness Brady has been one of the most vocal peers in questioning the plans for a watchdog, the key plank of the Football Governance [...]
Man United legend Bryan Robson to be hit with tax bill over ambassador role January 21, 2025 Former Man United legend Bryan Robson has lost a chunk of his IR35 case against HMRC leaving him exposed to a undisclosed tax bill
England star named world’s most valuable footballer January 8, 2025 England and Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham has been named the world’s most valuable football player in a new independent ranking. Bellingham’s double-winning success with the Spanish side and leading role at international level have lifted his value to £210m, according to the CIES Football Observatory. That puts the 21-year-old ahead of record-breaking Manchester City [...]
Hamilton world title or Fury vs Joshua? The betting trends set to dominate 2025 January 4, 2025 Millions of Brits love a little betting flutter now and again, and sport is where the majority of our punts go. Government reports state that “the provisional 2024 to 2025 year-to-date [April to September] total for betting and gaming receipts is £1,78bn, which is £102m (6 per cent) higher than the same period during the [...]
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 [...]
Ratcliffe, IPL and Littler: The City AM Sport 2024 year in review December 31, 2024 It was the year that was in sport; when iconic athletes retired, major brands made fascinating choices and one pole vaulter was knocked out of the Olympics because of his hefty package. The 12 months that made up 2024 weaved the retirement of cricketer James Anderson with the iconic breakdancer Raygun, it saw a German [...]