The 2026 World Cup had its flaws, yes, but it was a resounding success for Fifa Sport Business In the coming days following last night’s World Cup final, Fifa will release a report on how many people watched the tournament across its five and a half weeks. Look out for the social media KPIs – impressions, engagement, video views – that major sporting bodies now have to report, but the headline number will [...]
England v Argentina: Bellingham bounce attracts more bets than Messi to score Sport Business Jude Bellingham’s emergence as England’s World Cup hero has seen him backed by more punters than Lionel Messi to score in Wednesday’s semi-final with Argentina. Data from Sportradar, which processes betting tickets for 250 gambling firms worldwide, reveals that Bellingham has accounted for more than half (52 per cent) of wagers in the goalscorer market. [...]
Miami heat: Why climate could be key in 40C England v Norway World Cup quarter-final Sport Business Athletes from Norway are the masters of staying elite in the heat, but their football team hasn’t had the chance to test that theory ahead of their World Cup clash with England in sweltering Florida on Saturday. Out of the frying pan and into the fire. If England’s World Cup last-16 clash was about resilience [...]
World Cup hydration breaks see bookies offer quarter by quarter odds for England v Norway July 9, 2026 Enterprising bookmakers are offering odds on England’s World Cup showdown with Norway by the quarter, in a nod to games now being divided into four discrete parts by Fifa’s introduction of controversial hydration breaks. Punters have long been able to wager on first-half and second-half markets but now the betting company behind the Unibet brand, [...]
Frying squad: England’s World Cup bid fuelled by cooking oil and leftover food July 8, 2026 England’s World Cup campaign in the USA, Mexico and Canada is being powered by used cooking oil, leftover food and algae. The decision to maintain a World Cup training base in Kansas City has meant England are racking up the air miles for matches. A 2,800-mile round trip to Mexico City for Sunday night’s last-16 [...]
England’s secret weapon against World Cup heat? British company’s £26 product June 17, 2026 England have turned to a British hot water bottle maker for help coping with the extreme World Cup heat ahead of their tournament opener against Croatia in Dallas tonight. High temperatures are expected to be a defining feature of this tournament – with dangerous conditions possible in 14 of the 16 host cities – and, [...]
Kane and Rice sign wearable tech deals ahead of World Cup June 11, 2026 England football stars Harry Kane and Declan Rice will wear smart rings during the World Cup after signing long-term deals with Oura. The smart ring, which helps with sleep and recovery, will be worn by the Three Lions captain and the Arsenal stalwart. The pair join an Oura roster, headquartered in San Francisco, that includes [...]
England named most valuable squad at 2026 World Cup, ahead of France and Spain June 10, 2026 No pressure, lads – England have been named the most valuable squad of players at the 2026 World Cup, according to leading football academics. Thomas Tuchel’s 26-man group, featuring stars such as Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham, is valued at €1.454bn (£1.254bn) by the CIES Football Observatory, an independent research centre used by Fifa and [...]
Everton chief calls for full review of England academy talent funding June 10, 2026 Everton technical director Nick Cox, one of the most respected figures in the academy world, has questioned the Premier League’s model for investing in youth development. Cox, who worked at Manchester United’s academy for nine years – six as its director – before joining Everton last year, believes big clubs receive too big a slice [...]
David Beckham becomes Britain’s first billionaire sportsman May 15, 2026 David Beckham has become Britain’s first billionaire sportsman after his wealth doubled in the last year, according to the Sunday Times Rich List. The former captain of the England football team and his wife, Victoria Beckham, are now estimated to be worth almost £1.2bn. Beckham has benefited from the surging valuation of Inter Miami, the [...]