English Investec Champions Cup winner good for franchise investment January 16, 2026 Despite Northampton Saints’ loss at the weekend to tournament favourites Bordeaux Begles, the Investec Champions Cup could see its first English winner in over five years. Phil Dowson’s team, as well as Bristol Bears and Bath Rugby, are flying high in the European competition while Harlequins and others have qualified for the next round with [...]
London role revealed for historic 2027 Tour de France Grand Departs January 15, 2026 London will play a key role when the Grand Departs of both the men’s and women’s editions of the Tour de France are held in the UK for the first time next year. The men’s Grand Depart – a short series of stages that begin the world’s most famous cycling race – will begin with [...]
SailGP: How series got on its foils, and away from Ellison’s wallet January 15, 2026 Ahead of its first season in 2019, the American billionaire Larry Ellison agreed to fund a new racing league on water called SailGP for five years. At the conclusion of its fifth season last year, when British entry Emirates GBR picked up a first title, that funding agreement came to an end. But the league [...]
Manchester United owner Ratcliffe cuts asking price in bid to offload club January 15, 2026 Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has cut his asking price for OGC Nice as he attempts to trim the French club from his shrinking Ineos sports portfolio. Ratcliffe bought the Ligue 1 outfit for €100m in 2019, two years after the side based on the French Riviera had finished third in the domestic league, [...]
Exclusive: RFU ready to block London Irish or Ealing move to URC January 15, 2026 The RFU is ready to block London Irish or Ealing Trailfinders from competing in the United Rugby Championship amid interest from the multi-national league, City PM understands. Reports in Wales this week stated that URC chiefs are open to a London team joining the league to fill a gap that will be left by the [...]
Nike returns to British and Irish Lions shirt for first time since 1993 January 15, 2026 Nike will produce the British and Irish Lions shirt for the first time in over 30 years after agreeing a partnership with the touring rugby side. The brand will be the official kit provider of the Lions, and will make the kit for the inaugural Lions Women’s Team tour to New Zealand in 2027. The [...]
England cricket fans rivalled players’ drinking during Ashes, data reveals January 15, 2026 The England cricket team’s alcohol consumption on the ill-fated recent Ashes tour may have grabbed the headlines but new data reveals their supporters matched them drink for drink. Figures collated by Revolut and shared with City PM show that spending in Australian bars, nightclubs, restaurants and other venues by British visitors and expats reached £6.9m [...]
Magic of the FA Cup has resisted tinkering and is only getting stronger January 15, 2026 Macclesfield’s historic defeat of Crystal Palace warmed even this Eagles fan’s heart and shows the FA Cup retains its powerful magic, writes Ed Warner. The first WhatsApp arrived seconds after the final whistle. “Will this get a mention in the next edition of your column?!!!” Of course it does. After Macclesfield went ahead against Crystal [...]
Exclusive: Hundred investors in power struggle with counties January 15, 2026 The honeymoon period for some Hundred franchises following their windfall from overseas investors appears to be over, with relationships between counties and the new co-owners at multiple teams described as “fractious”. Sources with knowledge of the power struggle told City PM that “culture clashes” between investors, mostly from India and the US, had led to [...]
Game, set, appeal: Wimbledon’s £200m expansion hits the court January 14, 2026 The battle over Wimbledon’s £200m expansion has reached match point: while tournament chiefs aim for a net gain of 39 new courts, a campaign group is fighting back by dragging the planning decision to the Court of Appeal. The All England Lawn Tennis Ground plans to build 39 new tennis courts and an 8,000-seat stadium [...]
