Reading in takeover talks with mystery bidder after Platek walks away April 9, 2025 Financially stricken Reading are in takeover talks with a new prospective buyer after American businessman Robert Platek walked away from a deal for the League One club. Platek, co-head of global credit at BDT and MSD Partners, entered into a period of exclusive negotiations with current owner Dai Yongge but that has now elapsed. The [...]
Premier League and EFL kick-start talks over billion-pound deal April 4, 2025 The Premier League and EFL are back in ongoing discussions over a new multi-billion-pound financial redistribution deal after more than a year of deadlock. Executives from the top flight and the English Football League, which operates the three divisions directly below, have met twice in the last few weeks and have another summit scheduled for [...]
Fifa president Infantino ‘cheering’ for Russia’s return to football April 3, 2025 Fifa president Gianni Infantino wants Russia to return to world football as part of a peace pact with Ukraine, saying it is “what we have to cheer for”. Russia have effectively been barred from Fifa and Uefa club and national team competitions at all levels since its invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The US is [...]
Why the 2026 World Cup could help the USL to relegate MLS April 3, 2025 The United Soccer League is challenging MLS for US supremacy. If the 2026 World Cup is a hit, the USL’s pro-rel gamble may just pay off, says Ed Warner. Qualifying is well under way for the 2026 World Cup. Four countries have already booked their places to add to the trio of North American hosts. [...]
ECB facing pressure to drop prices in Hundred franchise sale April 2, 2025 The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) could be asked to accept less than the £520m offered by new investors for 49 per cent of the eight Hundred franchises if they refuse to hand over control of the competition’s next television contract, which will begin in 2028. The ECB wants to continue its successful policy [...]
Dazn eyes UK partner deal for Club World Cup rights March 31, 2025 Dazn is looking to sublicense its rights to broadcast the Club World Cup in the UK this summer in a bid to take its coverage of the historic tournament to the widest possible audience. The London-headquartered sports streaming service acquired the global rights to Fifa’s first 32-team edition of the revamped competition earlier this year [...]
What links Elon Musk, Manchester City and a Chinese crypto tycoon? March 29, 2025 What links Elon Musk with Manchester City and one of China’s biggest crypto tycoons? The answer is an English fitness tech company which counts British tennis star Cameron Norrie among its shareholders and, over the next few days, will be boldly going where no man or woman has gone before. Surrey-based Hytro is the company, [...]
Football regulator amendments: No sunset clause but concessions to critics March 28, 2025 The powers to be afforded to the independent football regulator have been clarified after the government published its list of amendments to the Football Governance Bill. Calls for a sunset clause from some Tory peers have been rejected, although the Secretary of State will be required to formally review how well the act is working [...]
Premier League gets extra transfer window for Club World Cup March 27, 2025 Premier League teams will have two transfer windows this summer to allow those playing in the Club World Cup to make last-minute signings. The first summer transfer window will be open from 1 June to 10 June, four days before Fifa’s new 32-team competition is due to kick off in the US. The transfer window [...]
After losing IOC election, how about Seb Coe for chair of football regulator? March 27, 2025 It was, with hindsight, not a “keep Seb Coe out” but a “get Kirsty Coventry in” campaign that determined the International Olympic Committee (IOC) presidential election outcome. I was as guilty as most British observers in believing that Seb Coe would take it to the wire. Unconscious bias and all that. In the event, eight [...]