The Guardian

Fifa’s 25-page sales deck produced by JP Morgan Reference made to doubling global tournaments Fifa’s sales pitch to persuade members to approve the sale of the World Cup’s commercial rights clearly states that its plans for financial growth will be achieved by staging more tournaments, having higher ticket prices and debt financing. A 25-page sales deck titled “Fifa Forward Enterprise Member Mate…

Hull: ‘I think people need to lighten up’ Thitikul leads on -7; double major winner Ryu on -5 Charley Hull has delivered an emphatic, unapologetic response towards those who criticised a prank on the eve of the Women’s Open. Hull used pre-tournament media duties to reveal she bought fake scratchcards in a Blackpool joke shop, before using one to trick her caddie, Adam Woodward, into believing he …

Everything was looking rosy for Howe at St James’ Park until Alexander Isak’s departure led to rushed signings and a messy season Last September, David Hopkinson, just installed as Newcastle’s chief executive, perched on a stool at a downstairs corner table in Shearer’s Bar at St James’ Park and between sips of zero alcohol lager, likened Eddie Howe to Bruce Springsteen. According to Hopkinson, N…

The champions are capable of shattering every record in a temporary aligning of the planets, the elusiveness of pure perfection Treble-20. “Ohh, he couldn’t.” Treble-19. “Oh, you spiteful young man.” Bull. “You spiteful person! That is ridiculous! ” As ever, Wayne Mardle – commentating on the World Matchplay final for Sky Sports on Sunday night – put it most succinctly of all. The great individua…

Athlete set a new Commonwealth record in +86kg final before revealing she is to appear on MasterChef By the time Emily Campbell stepped on to the platform for a final time on Thursday, the women’s +86kg weightlifting final had all the fervour of a revivalist meeting. Everyone was cheering. There were loud shouts and exhortations. And people who didn’t know a snatch from a clean and jerk two hours…

Unbeaten filly lands fourth Group One prize Trainer Aidan O’Brien considering Arc trial The high summer sun was still beating down on Glorious Goodwood on Thursday but thoughts were beginning to turn towards the autumn’s showpiece events in France and the US after Diamond Necklace extended her unbeaten record to six races with an effortless success in the Nassau Stakes. Diamond Necklace had just …

Olympic champions pipped by their old rivals Women defend title in final against New Zealand Australia’s team pursuiters have had mixed fortunes on day one of the Commonwealth Games track cycling. The men suffered a surprise loss in their Ashes final as England gained some revenge for the Paris Olympics, where Australia beat Great Britain for the gold medal. Continue reading...

New Zealander has won the County Championship and makes those around him better but is also not averse to mind games With two games of the 2005 season remaining Nottinghamshire, under the captaincy of Stephen Fleming, were sitting precariously at the top of the County Championship, still needing to visit their two main rivals. First up was Kent: Notts were 397 for five after the first day, but ra…

Discrimination ‘continues to be challenge’ Current minimum ban is six matches The FA is to increase the minimum punishment for discriminatory behaviour to 10 matches, in an attempt to counteract behaviour it says “continues to be a challenge across the game”. The changes will come into force at the start of the new season and will apply to players and other football participants who are found gui…

Sign up now! Sign up now! Sign up now? Sign up now! That a vote of confidence isn’t worth the paper it’s written on has long been a footballing cliche. But not until this day did we know that this even applies to a vote of confidence that comes from Jonjo Shelvey – a man so devoted to the righteously upstanding that he once accused Alex Ferguson of grassing, following a high tackle committed in f…

Gianni Infantino’s plan for a Fifa subsidiary is odious – but it’s hard to feel surprised Just when you thought global soccer couldn’t get more odiously capitalistic, Gianni Infantino said: “Hold my beer” (as long as that beer you’re holding is a Michelob Ultra, one of the official sponsors of the 2026 World Cup ). The World Cup, one of the largest and most prestigious sporting competitions on th…

Uefa vote passes 55-0 at emergency meeting on Thursday Boycott would begin with next year’s Women’s World Cup European countries have agreed to boycott all Fifa competitions if Gianni Infantino pushes forward with his proposals to sell chunks of the World Cup to US-based private investment. In an extraordinary development all 55 Uefa members resolved not to participate in future World Cups or oth…

Clubs voted unanimously for ‘new deal for football’ ‘Lifeboat’ fund for clubs in crisis would be set up The Premier League has agreed on a proposal to reset financial distribution within English football’s top four divisions, one that would see an extra £1.5bn shared across the pyramid over the next decade. Clubs voted unanimously to support the so-called “new deal for football” at a meeting on T…

Family syas Smith faced ‘dementia caused by CTE’ College Football Hall of Famer played 10 NFL seasons Former San Diego Chargers linebacker and College Football Hall of Famer Billy Ray Smith Jr has died. He was 64. Smith’s family said in a statement Wednesday that Smith died following a bout with CTE-caused dementia. Continue reading...

Midfielder grateful to be back with boyhood club Hardly played at Villa but won the Europa League Harvey Elliott believes he has been given “a second chance” at Liverpool and denied his ill-fated loan to Aston Villa was a lost year in his career. Elliott joined Villa on a season-long loan last September with an obligation for them to buy the midfielder for £35m once he made 10 appearances for the…