EFL Boss Trevor Birch to Quit at End of 2026-27 Season
Trevor Birch, chief executive of the English Football League since January 2021, announced he will step down at the end of the 2026‑27 season. The EFL confirmed a 12‑month transition period during which Birch will work with the board, executive team and 72 member clubs to ensure a smooth handover. His tenure featured notable initiatives, including expanding the Championship playoffs from four to six teams. EFL chair Rick Parry, re‑elected for a three‑year term, praised Birch’s leadership and pledged support for an orderly succession.
Ipswich Town Submit Plans for Stadium Improvement
Ipswich Town has lodged a planning application to redevelop the West Stand at Portman Road. The proposal would almost double the stand’s concourse from 864 sq m to 1,759 sq m, add 16 automated turnstiles, new food outlets and a multifaith room, and create...
FIFA+ Completes Move to DAZN Streaming Platform
FIFA and streaming giant DAZN have merged the FIFA+ service into the DAZN platform, creating a single global hub for football content. The new offering will stream roughly 8,500 live matches each year and house an extensive archive of World...
Unnamed French Investors in Talks to Buy Bulgaria’s Lokomotiv Plovdiv
Lokomotiv Plovdiv disclosed that unnamed French investors are in active talks to acquire the Bulgarian club. Current owner Hristo Krusharski, whose relationship with fans has been strained, said he will meet supporter groups to facilitate a smooth ownership transition. The...
South Africa’s MultiChoice Extends Rights to South Africa’s Premier Soccer League
Canal+ has renewed its long‑term media‑rights agreement with South Africa’s Premier Soccer League, extending the partnership that began when MultiChoice’s SuperSport first signed a five‑year deal in 2007. The new contract, whose financial terms were not disclosed, covers the top‑flight...
EA Sports Launches “The World Game” Update for FC 26 and FC Mobile
EA Sports FC has rolled out “The World’s Game” update for FC 26 and FC Mobile, introducing a 48‑team World Cup‑style tournament featuring 53 licensed national squads. The mode mirrors the expanded 48‑team format slated for this summer’s World Cup and adds...
PUBG MOBILE Keen to Tap Into Football Market with “Flame On Football Season”
PUBG Mobile launches the "Flame On Football Season" event from June 1 to July 21, aligning with World Cup fever. The activation offers national‑team‑themed items, co‑branded Portugal‑Argentina jerseys, and exclusive collectibles tied to Uzbekistan, Iraq and Brazilian forward Richarlison. Players can trade...
Champions League Final Proves a Top Draw Across Europe for Armchair Fans Despite Move From Prime-Time TV Slot
The 2026 UEFA Champions League final in Budapest drew strong TV audiences across Europe despite a 6 p.m. French kickoff that moved the match out of prime time. In France, the game averaged 9.1 million viewers (6.2 million on free‑to‑air M6 and 2.9 million...
Canada Launches 50/50 World Cup Raffle to Raise Money for Grassroots
Canada announced the FIFA World Cup 2026 Canada 50/50 Draws, a lottery‑style fundraiser limited to Ontario and British Columbia. Fans can purchase tickets—5 for C$10, 20 for C$20, 80 for C$50, or 200 for C$100—with half of each jackpot awarded to a...
Real Madrid Top European Club Value Ranking, Six of the Top 10 Are in the Premier League
Real Madrid topped Football Benchmark’s 2026 European club valuation, reaching a record €7.7 billion enterprise value (about $8.3 billion). The Spanish giant sits €1.8 billion ahead of Barcelona, while Manchester City moved into third place, overtaking Manchester United. Six Premier League teams occupy...
EA’s Head of Esports Monica Dinsmore Wraps up Flagship eChampions League Finals, Next Stop Asia
EA Sports head of esports Monica Dinsmore closed the eChampions League finals in Budapest, emphasizing the tournament’s role in showcasing EA Sports FC’s independent competitive ecosystem after the 2022 split from FIFA. She highlighted the strategic partnership with UEFA, which...
On Location Breaks World Cup Hospitality Records with 500k Hospitality Packages ‘Allocated’
On Location has allocated more than 500,000 hospitality packages for the 2026 FIFA World Cup across the United States, Canada and Mexico, making it the largest hospitality program in the tournament’s history. The allocation already exceeds half of the firm’s...
CBS and Paramount+ Build One-Stop Shop for Women’s Game in US
CBS Sports has signed an exclusive four‑year agreement to broadcast England’s Women’s Super League in the United States starting with the 2026‑27 season. The deal allocates 183 matches per season to Paramount+, a weekly game to CBS Sports Network, and...
Great Dane Ander Vejrgang Battles Opponents and Partisan Crowd to eChampions League Title
Ander Vejrgang, the 19‑year‑old Danish star playing for FC Como, captured the 2026 eChampions League title in Budapest, completing a full set of EA SPORTS FC trophies. The final, part of UEFA’s Champions League week, featured Europe’s top eight players competing for a...
EA Sports FC’s eChampions League Stars in Budapest for Finals Tonight
The eChampions League 2026 Finals took place in Budapest, where the top eight European EA Sports FC players competed for a $281,000 prize pool. The event, co‑hosted by UEFA and EA Sports, featured unique team‑building constraints that required players to manage a 15‑million‑coin...
Forget Spygate, the Play-Off Final Is All About the Money. That’s the Real Target for Middlesbrough
The Championship play‑off final between Hull City and Middlesbrough is driven by a massive financial prize, with Deloitte estimating a £205 million (≈$262 million) revenue boost over three seasons for the winner, potentially rising to £365 million (≈$467 million) if the club stays in...
Aussie Brokers Double Deal in A-League
Aussie has re‑entered Australian sport through a groundbreaking joint‑venture partnership with Western Sydney Wanderers and Melbourne Victory, linking the brand to two of the A‑League’s biggest clubs. Unlike traditional sponsorships, the deal bundles kit, broadcast and community assets across both...
Guinness Lays Down ‘The World’s Cup’ Challenge
Guinness has revived its decades‑old "The World’s Cup" tagline as the FIFA World Cup looms, positioning the stout’s pint as a literal world cup. The move pits the beer brand against FIFA’s historically aggressive enforcement of the "World Cup" trademark,...
FC Barcelona Add Emirates Islamic as Commercial Partner in Middle East
FC Barcelona has signed a five‑year commercial banking partnership with UAE‑based Emirates Islamic, making the bank its official partner in the United Arab Emirates through June 2028. The deal includes a co‑branded Barça Cashback Card that offers rewards, ticket access and...
Sky Deutschland Extends EPL Contract Until 2030/31 Season
Sky Deutschland has extended its Premier League broadcast agreement through the 2030‑31 season, adding three more years to its existing deal. The contract guarantees coverage of all 380 league matches each season, with more than 280 shown live, and includes public‑screening...
Portuguese League’s Streaming Channel Liga TV to Air Play-Offs Live
Portugal's top‑flight league will broadcast its relegation and promotion playoffs worldwide via its proprietary streaming platform Liga TV, in partnership with Sport TV. The live fixtures feature Casa Pia AC, SCU Torreense, SC Farense and Belenenses SDUQ. Liga TV, which already counts more than 30,000 subscribers, is shifting...
FIFA’s Dominguez “Took Millions” In Recovered Funds, Complaint Alleges
Alejandro Domínguez, CONMEBOL president and FIFA vice‑president, is under an ethics complaint alleging he received more than $5 million from funds recovered after the 2015 FIFA‑gate scandal. The complaint, filed by a whistleblower, has been known to senior FIFA officials for...
Botafogo Enters Judicial Reorganisation as Textor Empire Crumbles
Botafogo, the reigning Copa Libertadores champion, entered Brazil's judicial reorganisation on May 14 to stave off imminent financial collapse. The club alleges that majority owner John Textor’s Eagle Football Group siphoned roughly R$900 million ($179 million) without replenishing capital, while a fellow...
Pressure Builds on Premier League Clubs with Betting Sponsors Unlicensed in UK
Entain has written to six Premier League clubs—Burnley, Bournemouth, Fulham, Everton, Sunderland and Wolverhampton Wanderers—demanding they replace offshore betting partners with UK‑licensed operators. The clubs currently work with Asian‑focused bookmakers 96.com, BJ88, SBOTOP, Stake, W88 and DEBET, most of which...
EA Expands in Mobile Esports Space with Launch of FC Mobile Pro
Electronic Arts announced FC Pro Mobile, a global esports circuit for its EA Sports FC Mobile game, featuring a $350,000 prize pool. The season starts with online qualifiers in June, leads to a $100,000 Mid‑Season Playoffs in July, and culminates in an October World Championship...
RTL and AMC Enter Negotiations for UEFA’s Men Club Competitions in Hungary
UEFA’s commercial arm UC3 has opened exclusive negotiation periods for all three men’s club competitions in Hungary. RTL will retain Champions League rights for the 2027‑31 cycle, extending its 2024‑27 hold on 192 matches across linear TV and the RTL+...
Konami Returns to Bangkok for eFootball Championship 2026 World Finals
Konami announced that the eFootball Championship 2026 World Finals will be held in Bangkok on July 26 as part of the eFootball World Festival. The event will blend competitive esports with fan activations, interactive experiences and community events to broaden appeal beyond...
Shakira Tunes up for a Big World Cup
Shakira and Burna Boy’s collaborative track “Dai Dai” has been released as the official song for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, coinciding with her confirmed halftime‑show performance at the final. Distributed by Sony Music Latin, the single is now streaming worldwide and...
Concacaf Revamps W Champions Cup Format From 2027
CONCACAF announced a revamped W Champions Cup format that will debut in 2027, eliminating the group stage in favor of a pure knockout structure with 11 clubs and 16 matches. The competition will begin with two single‑leg preliminaries in July, followed...
$2m Ticket Now Includes a Hot Dog and (on Brand) Coke From Infantino; Toronto Makes FIFA U-Turn on Pricing
FIFA president Gianni Infantino quipped he would bring a hot dog and Coke to anyone willing to spend $2 million on a 2026 World Cup final ticket, after resale listings showed prices as high as $2.3 million. He defended the pricing structure,...
BT Group Dialed Into Euro 2028 to Create ‘Most Connected’ Event Ever
BT Group has been named the official telecommunications partner for UEFA Euro 2028, covering the tournament from June 9 to July 9 across nine venues in the UK and Ireland. The deal leverages BT’s BT, EE and Plusnet brands to deliver connectivity at...
FIFA Swaps Panini for Topps in Long Term Deal Starting in 2031
FIFA and Fanatics have signed a long‑term exclusive deal that hands Topps the rights to produce World Cup trading cards, stickers and games beginning in 2031, ending Panini’s decades‑long partnership. The financial terms were undisclosed, but Fanatics projects its collectibles...
Solutions Sought to Keep Whitecaps in Vancouver
Canada Soccer announced it will work with provincial officials to keep the MLS Vancouver Whitecaps in the city after a U.S. consortium made a formal offer to buy and relocate the franchise to Las Vegas. The current owners cite the restrictive...
Besitas Adds Crytpo Partner OKX TR
Turkish football powerhouse Beşiktaş JK has signed a strategic digital collaboration with OKX TR, one of Turkey’s leading cryptocurrency exchanges. The agreement grants fans who register on OKX TR a three‑month free trial of the club’s premium SuperApp tier, Karakartal+, while OKX TR...
Bundesliga Expands African Footprint with SAFA MoU
The Bundesliga has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the South African Football Association to launch the Bundesliga Dream South Africa program, giving the U‑16 national team training opportunities in Germany. The partnership expands the league’s grassroots, coaching and fan‑engagement...
AFC Announces EAFC Deal for Asian Cup 2027
The Asian Football Confederation has signed a licensing deal with EA Sports FC, making the video‑game franchise the official product for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia. The integration will appear in EA FC 27, slated for release in September,...
FENAPAF Joins the Ranks of FIFPRO as Special Observer Amid AIF Launch
Brazilian players’ union FENAPAF has been accepted as a special observer of the global players’ union FIFPRO, adding representation for roughly 10,000 professionals across 17 states. The move comes as FIFPRO seeks to reinforce its international standing while the newly...
Manchester United in Advanced Talks with Betway over Training Kit Deal
Manchester United is in advanced negotiations with betting operator Betway to secure a new training‑kit sponsorship starting next season. The deal is projected to be worth about £18 million (≈ $23 million) annually, making it one of the largest training‑wear agreements in world...
Major League Soccer Set to Unveil New Manhattan Headquarters
Major League Soccer announced its new Manhattan headquarters at 2 Penn Plaza, a 126,000‑square‑foot office that nearly doubles the league’s previous footprint. Around 500 staff now operate on two floors under a four‑day‑in‑office schedule, with an additional 25 employees at the MLS...
Court Ruling Shuts Out Pirate Streaming Channel livetv.sx in Germany
A German court ordered ISPs to block livetv.sx, a long‑standing illegal sports streaming platform that has operated for more than 13 years across the DACH region. The ruling was secured after the DFL and DAZN supplied extensive data and technical...
Aramco Fuels Asian Cup 2027 Sponsorship Roster, Takes New Al Khobar Stadium Naming Rights
Saudi Arabia will host the AFC Asian Cup 2027, marking the nation’s first time staging the tournament. Saudi Arabian Oil Co (Aramco) has been named an Official Global Supporter and secured naming rights for the new 45,000‑seat stadium in Al Khobar,...
Vancouver Gets World Cup Ball Rolling with Transformation of Iconic Landmark Into a Giant Match Ball
Vancouver’s Science World will temporarily become a 40‑metre replica of the Adidas Trionda, the official match ball for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The transformation uses 131 custom panels and is scheduled to finish in early June, creating a striking...
Genius Sports Integrates Multi-Product Portfolio Across LigaMX Data Operations
Genius Sports has sealed a multi‑product partnership with Mexico’s top‑flight Liga MX, rolling out its GeniusIQ data and AI platform across all league stadiums. The suite powers real‑time advertising, augmented broadcasts, semi‑automated offside (SAOT) technology, and a full analytics suite for...
INEOS Edge Closer to OGC Nice Sale After Price Drop
INEOS, the chemical conglomerate owned by Sir Jim Ratcliffe, is accelerating its exit from Ligue 1 club OGC Nice after the asking price of roughly €200 million (about $215 million) proved unsustainable. The club, currently 15th in the French top flight, has attracted...
FIFA Still Has No World Cup TV Rights Deal in India, China
FIFA still has not secured broadcast rights for the 2026 World Cup in India and China, the planet’s two largest markets. In India, a Reliance‑Disney joint venture has offered $20 million, far below FIFA’s original $100 million ask, while Sony walked away...
Man City Move Closer to North Stand Upgrade
Manchester City is set to debut the expanded North Stand at the Etihad Stadium with a phased rollout. A public test event on May 20 will accommodate roughly 3,500 supporters at 50% of the new capacity, evaluating crowd flow, safety systems,...
Macedonia Unveil New Adidas Kits to Mark Partnership
The Football Federation of North Macedonia has signed a new partnership with Adidas, ending its previous agreement with Jako. The unveiling showcased a red home kit with the traditional sun‑ray motif, blending classic national colors with modern performance technology. Federation...
Four More Years. Infantino Confirms He Wants to Keep His FIFA Presidency
FIFA President Gianni Infantino announced his bid for a fourth four‑year term at the organization’s Vancouver congress, aiming to serve a total of 15 years despite FIFA’s 12‑year statutory limit. He secured endorsements from CAF, AFC and CONMEBOL, which together...
Chelsea Weeds Out Ticket Touts with Suspension of 16,000 Club Memberships This Season
Chelsea has suspended more than 16,000 club memberships for ticket touting during the 2025/26 season, a three‑fold increase over the previous year. The crackdown relies on digital ticketing, expanded audit staff, and tighter system controls. Automated bots generating 60,000‑80,000 ticket...
Newco Hometown Soccer Holdings to Sell MLS Next Pro Rights
Major League Soccer and private‑equity firm KKR have created a 50‑50 joint venture, Hometown Soccer Holdings, to manage commercial rights for most MLS Next Pro clubs. The entity will handle venue operations, branding, ticketing, sponsorship, merchandising and finance while parent MLS...