Sponsors and Peta round on West Ham over Zouma February 9, 2022 West Ham United sponsor Experience Kissimmee says it is “evaluating its relationship” with the club after it failed to suspend Kurt Zouma for apparently abusing an animal. The Hammers picked Zouma for last night’s Premier League match against Watford despite earlier condemning footage of him kicking and hitting a cat. Animal protection group Peta, meanwhile, [...]
Fifa Club World Cup: Chelsea set for competition that football doesn’t know what to do with February 8, 2022 For Wednesday afternoon, when they take on Asian champions Al Hilal in the semi-finals, the Fifa Club World Cup will be the focus of Chelsea’s attention. In a season in which the Blues could in theory still win five trophies, however, it is harder to say where the competition ranks among their priorities. Such is [...]
Spotify set for £237m Barcelona sponsorship deal February 8, 2022 Spotify are close to agreeing a sponsorship deal with Barcelona that would be among the biggest in football, according to reports in Spain. The music streaming platform would pay the Catalan club €280m (£237m) over three years, said radio station RAC1. In return Spotify would get naming rights to Barcelona’s stadium, which would be rebranded [...]
Why UK and Ireland want Euro 2028 bid instead of 2030 World Cup February 7, 2022 The UK and Ireland have abandoned plans to bid to host football’s 2030 World Cup almost a year after Prime Minister Boris Johnson trumpeted the project. Instead the football associations of England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland favour bidding to stage the 2028 European Championship. So why has the World Cup [...]
UK and Ireland ditch 2030 World Cup bid in favour of cheaper Euro 2028 February 7, 2022 The UK and Ireland have abandoned plans to bid to host football’s 2030 World Cup but instead hope to stage the 2028 European Championship. It comes 11 months after Prime Minister Boris Johnson pledged £2.8m towards exploring the possibility of a World Cup bid. A feasibility study found that it would be better value for [...]
West Ham and familiar faces in Kidderminster’s FA Cup crosshairs February 3, 2022 West Ham United’s top brass would have been forgiven for wincing when they were drawn to face Kidderminster Harriers in the FA Cup fourth round this weekend. Not only do the lowest ranked team left in the competition pose the threat of a humiliating elimination; the non-league outfit’s taste for an upset is also already [...]
Ed Warner: Why the Olympics is frozen by complacency February 3, 2022 Curl up for the curling. Settle down for dust-ups on the rink. Thrill at the sliders and skiers. Swoon over the skaters. Grumble about geo-politics and overbearing branding. The Olympics are here again. Not the Olympics Olympics, obviously; rather their smaller Winter sibling. Less than half the number of competing nations, a quarter of the [...]
Five trends that defined the January transfer window February 1, 2022 Blockbusting deals did not materialise and most of the big clubs kept their hands in their pockets but the Premier League still managed to register a record-breaking January transfer window. While last year’s winter transfer window was one of austerity as teams absorbed the financial impact of Covid-19, this time enough of them threw caution [...]
Channel 4 to show Chelsea at Fifa Club World Cup February 1, 2022 Channel 4 has snapped up another eye-catching sports deal after securing the UK terrestrial rights to show Chelsea at football’s Fifa Club World Cup next week. The broadcaster will air Chelsea’s semi-final against opponents yet to be determined on Wednesday 9 February on E4 and, should the Blues progress, will show their final on Saturday [...]
Asian Tour CEO Cho Minn Thant: Saudi alliance was ‘a no brainer’ February 1, 2022 “It’s the dawn of a new era,” says Cho Minn Thant, chief executive of golf’s Asian Tour, of this week’s Saudi International, a tournament that has shaken up the sport even before a ball has even been teed up. He is not wrong. The $5m event, which begins in Jeddah on Thursday, is the richest [...]
