Rugby needs its Premier League to step up and take control, Raine says Sport Business Merchant bank Raine Group has warned that professional rugby is not big enough for “five or six leagues” and that it is “time for someone to put the hammer down” and become the sport’s equivalent to the Premier League. Rugby union has been going through a crisis of late, with different leagues using different structures [...]
Saudi Arabia’s PIF sign Queen’s deal despite wider sporting retreat Sport Business Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund has announced a new partnership with the HSBC Championships despite a wider retreat from sport. The agreement, described by the Lawn Tennis Association as a multi-year deal, will see the sovereign wealth giant, a partner of both the ATP and WTA Tours, link up with the London tournament. It follows [...]
Fifa boss Infantino pips PSG chief Al-Khelaifi in CityAM Football Power List Sport Business Fifa president Gianni Infantino has topped the inaugural CityAM Football Power List, a week before the biggest ever men’s World Cup is due to kick off. The ranking, compiled with a 16-strong panel of expert judges drawn from across the sports industry, is designed to be a snapshot of who controls the most popular [...]
CityAM Football Power List 2026: Who really runs the world’s most popular sport? June 4, 2026 The CityAM Football Power List seeks to answer a simple question: ahead of the 2026 World Cup, who really runs the planet’s favourite sport? To answer it, we assembled a panel of experts from across the sports industry and picked their brains for nominations and, ultimately, a top 25. You can read more about [...]
Uefa probes Brighton and Hearts connection under Tony Bloom ownership May 20, 2026 Uefa is scrutinising the relationship between Hearts and Brighton and Hove Albion, with both clubs connected to Tony Bloom on course to qualify for Europe. Brighton owner Bloom holds a 29 per cent stake in Hearts – deliberately below the 30 per cent threshold Uefa prohibits owners from holding in more than one club in [...]
Matchroom’s Eddie Hearn on darts in US, Bruin Capital, Saudi and Dana White May 19, 2026 Matchroom Sport chair Eddie Hearn on wooing Bruin Capital, darts breaking America, Saudi Arabian money, AJ-Fury and getting back at Dana White. A night at the darts might not seem the obvious place to clinch a billion-pound deal but that’s where Matchroom boss Eddie Hearn invited Bruin Capital to show the US firm why it [...]
LIV Golf players knew the risks of rebel tour, Rory McIlroy says May 12, 2026 Rory McIlroy says LIV Golf players knew the risks they were taking when they jumped ship to the rebel league, as uncertainty clouds the tour’s future. LIV’s backer, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, this month confirmed that it will withhold further funding following the end of the season. The move has come as part of [...]
Surj reiterates sports commitments following PIF’s partial retreat May 7, 2026 Surj Sports Investment has reiterated its commitment to its stakes in ATP tennis, T100 triathlon and broadcaster Dazn in the wake of cuts to some Saudi-backed events. LIV Golf has been rocked by the withdrawal of further financial support from the Public Investment Fund, while Saudi Arabia has also axed snooker and flag football competitions. [...]
LIV Golf’s decline leaves sport with more questions than answers May 7, 2026 LIV Golf. What was that all about? Ok, the past tense might be a bit harsh. But could anyone have the appetite and depth of pockets to rescue a venture that has burned through $5bn from the ignominy of collapse? Where too does this embarrassing failure leave Saudi Arabia and its sporting ambitions? Time has [...]
Is Mercedes-Benz’s $500m WTA Tour partnership value for money? May 7, 2026 With the deal between Mercedes-Benz and the WTA Tour well underway, Matt Hardy heads to Madrid to see if its value for money. The supermarket meal deal, the cost of an upgrade to business class, the Category A versus Category B match ticket; value for money is one of capitalism’s greatest dilemmas. It is a [...]