Sorry performative politicians, a 2026 World Cup boycott just won’t work January 29, 2026 Politicians calling for a boycott of the World Cup are only proving how out of touch and powerless they are, writes Ed Warner. Every four years, politicians rediscover our football. And inevitably, they then threaten to take it away from us. Think Russia, then Qatar. This time, President Trump is the trigger. Quelle surprise! The [...]
10 years of Laver Cup: Nerves, serves and Federer’s ‘lucky’ London farewell January 29, 2026 Tony Godsick vividly remembers the day, exactly 10 years ago, when he and Roger Federer, his biggest client, went public with their big idea: the Laver Cup. “I was nervous,” Godsick tells Morning Wire. “I had been in the sport for a long time already, and this concept was screaming to be done, but no [...]
Tyson Fury’s comeback fight will be broadcast on Netflix January 28, 2026 Netflix will broadcast its first ever live event from the United Kingdom when Tyson Fury exits retirement to take on Arslanbek Makhmudov. The card has been scheduled for 11 April with the location as yet unknown, but the bout has been agreed in conjunction with boxing’s latest tycoon Turki Alalshikh and his magazine, The Ring. [...]
LIV Golf lands Rolex partnership in major boost ahead of fifth season January 28, 2026 LIV Golf has struck another blow in its battle for mainstream recognition by securing the backing of one of the sport’s biggest sponsors, Rolex. The luxury watch brand, which already has deals with the leading men’s and women’s majors, tours and both the Ryder and Solheim Cups, has become an official partner of the LIV [...]
Coral ditches Cheltenham Festival as Reeves tax rises on gambling bite January 28, 2026 Betting giant Coral has ditched the Cheltenham Festival after over 50 years due to government taxes on gambling. Duty on UK horse racing wagers was exempted from Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ Budget last autumn but taxes on remote sports betting will be hiked from 15 per cent to 25 per cent in 2027. Coral’s parent firm [...]
Tottenham chiefs lobby Uefa to increase Champions League squad size January 28, 2026 Tottenham Hotspur are lobbying Uefa to increase Champions League squad sizes after Thomas Frank was forced to drop Mathys Tel for the second time this season. Tel, who joined the club in a £30m deal last summer, was cut from Tottenham’s squad before last week’s 2-0 win over Borussia Dortmund to enable Dominic Solanke’s return [...]
Exclusive: Parliament must scrutinise Prem Rugby franchise plans, MP says January 27, 2026 The government has been called upon to scrutinise Prem Rugby’s franchise plan, which promises to be the biggest shake-up of the domestic game since professionalisation. It comes as the Department for Culture, Media and Sport is also accused of passing the buck over Covid loans to English professional rugby. Liberal Democrat MP Edward Morello told [...]
ICE a ‘militia’, says Milan mayor as agency sends agents to Winter Olympics January 27, 2026 The mayor of Winter Olympics host city Milan has called US ICE agents being sent to the Games part of a “militia” that is “not welcome”. The US immigration agency, which has been at the centre of two fatal shootings in Minneapolis in recent weeks, is sending agents to the Winter Olympics to support American [...]
Darts, private equity and fuelling the booming sport’s growth in America January 27, 2026 Nodor Group CEO Tom Brown and PDC chief Matt Porter on private equity in darts and how to realise the sport’s potential in North America. To the south-east of Nairobi, a world away from Alexandra Palace, 2,000 Kenyans are working diligently to feed the global explosion in popularity of darts. There, at the Nodor Group’s [...]
2030 World Cup final to be held in Spain not Morocco, claims Spanish FA January 27, 2026 Spain’s football federation, the RFEF, is confident that it will stage the final of the 2030 World Cup despite co-hosts Morocco building the biggest stadium on the planet for the tournament. RFEF president Rafael Louzan believes Morocco’s hopes of holding the final at the 115,000-capacity Grand Stade Hassan II have been dented by the country’s [...]