EFL board set to discuss National League promotion demand February 5, 2025 The EFL board will meet on Thursday amid renewed pressure from the entire National League to increase the number of promotion places from two to three. All 72 National League clubs, which represent the fifth and sixth tiers of English football, wrote to the EFL this week demanding the increase with immediate effect. The issue [...]
Cristiano Ronaldo wants to own ‘several football clubs’ February 5, 2025 Cristiano Ronaldo wants to take his prolific streak into the boardroom when he retires from playing football by owning a multi-club network. Ronaldo shows no sign of hanging up his boots as he turns 40 today, with the forward still breaking goalscoring records for Portugal and Al Nassr in the Saudi Pro League. But the [...]
Making it Raine: US bank to earn £10m from Hundred franchise sales February 5, 2025 The Raine Group is on course to bank around £10m in commission from its role in the sale of the eight Hundred franchises. Morning Wire has learned that the New-York based bank will earn fees worth two per cent of the price paid for 49 per cent stakes in the franchises sold by the England [...]
Man City splurge drives third biggest Premier League January spend February 4, 2025 Manchester City’s record £180m outlay saw Premier League clubs rack up their third biggest January transfer window spend ever. English top-flight clubs spent a total of £370m during the winter transfer window, which closed on Monday night after a flurry of late activity. The biggest deal saw struggling champions Manchester City make Spanish midfielder Nico [...]
Eyeball.Club: The AI scouting platform shaking up the January transfer window February 3, 2025 The January transfer window has underlined the importance of finding football’s next big thing earlier, and AI scouting platform Eyeball.Club is built for that, says founder Benjamin Balkin. Manchester United’s £30m signing of Danish left-back Patrick Dorgu, 20, wasn’t just one of the biggest deals of the January transfer window. It also distilled one of [...]
Why the Champions League playoff round draw is a load of balls January 30, 2025 If you thought the new format for the tournament was needlessly long and convoluted, wait until you hear about the Champions League knockout stage draw. Actually, make that draws. Because despite many elements of the draw being pre-determined by the final table of the league phase, Uefa will be conducting three separate draws to finalise [...]
2026 World Cup: Visa backlog could keep teams and fans locked out of US January 30, 2025 US officials have raised concerns that visa backlogs may prevent overseas football fans and even teams from attending the men’s 2026 World Cup. Wait times for interviews for business and tourism visas exceed 330 days at 18 US embassies and consulates, the LA Times reported. With tickets for the World Cup not expected to go [...]
EE: Home nations agree four-year contract extension with telco January 29, 2025 The Football Association (FA) will continue with EE as its lead partner after the telco signed a four-year contract extension. The agreement covers the England men’s and women’s senior teams, the 90,000 capacity Wembley Stadium and the other three home nations football associations up to the 2028 Euros, which Great Britain and Ireland will co-host [...]
Manchester set to become ‘global capital of football’, says Burnham January 29, 2025 Manchester will become “the global capital of football” following a major regeneration project centred around a new Manchester United stadium, says the city’s mayor Andy Burnham. The government and Trafford Council have pledged to support the wider revamp of the area, which is set for a transformation like that catalysed in Stratford by the London [...]
Apple eyes MLS sell-off as even Messi can’t save £2bn deal January 29, 2025 Apple TV is considering selling off some of its international rights to Major League Soccer (MLS) just two years into a 10-year deal. The streaming company is paying $250m (£200m) a year for global MLS rights in a bet that interest in the American domestic league would grow significantly on the back of Lionel Messi’s [...]