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, Morning Wire 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 Morning Wire 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 Morning Wire 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 [...]
Arsenal owner Stan Kroenke becomes largest private landowner in US January 14, 2026 Arsenal’s billionaire owner Stan Kroenke has flexed his financial muscle to become the largest private landowner in the US, according to a new ranking. Trade publication The Land Report’s annual list of the top 100 US landowners places Kroenke top following his acquisition of almost 1m acres of New Mexico last month. The real estate [...]
NBA invests in Silicon Valley firm ahead of London game at the O2 January 14, 2026 The NBA has announced an investment in Silicon Valley firm Evergent Technologies on the eve of the US basketball league’s long-awaited return to London this weekend. The tech firm is a key cog in the competition’s successful NBA League Pass direct-to-consumer platform, which offers live streaming of games to subscribers in more than 185 countries. [...]
London Broncos: Sunday fixture begins wild ride on journey to Super League January 14, 2026 On Sunday at the home of AFC Wimbledon, a rebranded, refreshed and resurrected London Broncos will make their Championship rugby league debut under new ownership. After former owner David Hughes put the club up for sale in 2024, the Broncos were staring down the barrel of extinction, a fate visited on a number of sports [...]
Exclusive: Former Man United CEO’s firm partners with CVC volleyball league January 14, 2026 Former Manchester United chief executive Richard Arnold’s sport commercial consultancy has entered into a partnership with the CVC Capital Partners-run Volleyball World, Morning Wire can reveal. Red Tiger Marketing will today announce a deal with the league, owned by the private equity giant thrusted into the sporting world through Formula 1, which will “drive the [...]