Ed Warner: Spare a thought for golfers locked out of Saudi Arabia and Greg Norman’s gilded cage February 10, 2022 In the Year of the Sportswash it should be no surprise that Saudi Arabia is at the centre of the struggle for control of pro golf. But would the beefed-up Asian Tour arouse such a frenzy if it had a different backer? The PGA Tour has been accused of greed that is “beyond obnoxious” by [...]
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 [...]
What a night: Senegal coach Aliou Cisse savours long road to Africa Cup of Nations glory February 7, 2022 Aliou Cisse dedicated Senegal’s first Africa Cup of Nations triumph to the country’s people after a nail-biting final victory over seven-times winners Egypt. Liverpool striker Sadio Mane, who had earlier missed a seventh-minute spot-kick, converted the decisive penalty in the shoot-out after the game had finished 0-0 following extra time to spark ecstatic celebrations both [...]
‘Inappropriate text messages’ to female colleagues force Marc Overmars to resign at Ajax with immediate effect February 7, 2022 Marc Overmars has left his role at Ajax after sending a series of “inappropriate messages” to female colleagues, the Dutch giants have announced. Director of football affairs Overmars has stood down after discussions with chief executive Edwin van der Sar and the supervisory board following reports of alleged misconduct. A statement on Ajax’s official website [...]
Five talking points from FA Cup weekend as Nottingham Forest stun Leicester February 6, 2022 If anyone thought their elimination of Arsenal was a fluke, Nottingham Forest underlined that it was nothing of the sort with a barnstorming 4-1win over another top-flight opponent in Leicester City in the FA Cup fourth round on Sunday. Forest were irresistible as they raced into a 3-0 lead inside 32 minutes, albeit helped by [...]
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 [...]