SMC Partners with Extreme H to Drive Sustainable Motorsport Growth in Saudi Arabia

The Saudi Motorsport Company (SMC) has entered into a strategic commercial partnership with Extreme H, marking a significant step in advancing sustainable innovation while reinforcing Saudi Arabia’s ambitions as a global motorsport hub.

Extreme H operates the FIA Extreme H World Cup, the world’s first hydrogen-powered racing series, featuring mixed-gender driver line-ups competing across three-day race formats in remote and environmentally challenging locations.

The agreement builds on an established collaboration between the two parties, with SMC having previously played a key role in the development of Extreme E, including hosting a flagship event in Saudi Arabia. That relationship now evolves into the hydrogen era through Extreme H.

Under the new partnership, both organisations will work together to expand the commercial footprint of the FIA Extreme H World Cup within the Kingdom, leveraging SMC’s local market expertise and Extreme H’s global platform. The collaboration is expected to unlock new opportunities for partners, rights holders and fans, while accelerating the integration of sustainable technologies across the motorsport ecosystem.

Genius Sports Strikes AI partnership with the Swiss Football League

Genius Sports Limited (“Genius Sports”), a global leader in real-time sports data, has struck an exclusive, multi-year technology and AI partnership with the Swiss Football League, the governing body of the Brack Super League and dieci Challenge League.

This agreement executes upon Genius Sports’ position as the operating system of modern sport as well as its innovation partnership with the European Leagues, which represents 18 members leagues and 46 professional competitions across the continent.

From the start of the 2026/27 season, Genius Sports’ data and AI platform, GeniusIQ, will be deployed in every 1st tier stadium – creating a single intelligence layer for tracking data, and commercial activation.

Swiss Football League coaches and analysts can harness Genius Sports’ Performance Studio, the world’s most advanced football analysis platform. Used by top teams in the Premier League, Ligue 1, Belgian Pro League and more, it applies advanced machine learning to the richest data set in football to provide unmatched insights across match preparation and analysis.

By deploying GeniusIQ, the Swiss Football League has created an incredible platform for future innovations across augmented broadcasts, semi-automated offsides technology and data-driven sponsor activations.

Genius Sports will also provide tracking capabilities and access to Performance Studio to multiple teams across the Swiss FA national team setup. 

“This partnership marks an important step in strengthening the data foundations of Swiss professional football,” said Claudius Schäfer, CEO of the Swiss Football League. “By providing our clubs with positional tracking data alongside event data and video feeds, we are enabling them to analyse the game in greater depth and support their sporting decision-making.”

“As the operating system of modern sport, Genius Sports is integral to how leagues worldwide run, grow and monetise their competitions,” Steven Burton, Chief Partnerships Officer at Genius Sports. “We’re delighted to partner with the Swiss Football League, executing on the vision set out with the European Leagues, and delivering industry-leading tracking and performance solutions across their competitions.”

Professional Triathletes Organisation Appoints Peter Hutton To Chairman As Chris Kermode Steps Down

The Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO) has announced that Peter Hutton will become its Chairman, as Chris Kermode steps down.

The long time PTO Board member moves into the role on an interim basis as the organisation prepares for its next phase of global growth and builds towards the launch of the new Triathlon World Tour in 2027.

The former Meta Head of Sport and Eurosport CEO has been a member of the PTO board since December 2020, and brings a valuable combination of commercial, broadcast and digital expertise, alongside a deep understanding of the rapidly evolving social landscape.

The departing Kermode was appointed in 2022 and brought extensive experience and credibility to the PTO, helping establish the organisation through an important phase.

This transition comes as the PTO sharpens its focus on scaling the organisation following the acquisition of Challenge Family earlier this year and evolving its strategic partnership with the sport’s international governing body, World Triathlon.

Speaking about his appointment, Hutton said: “I want to first of all thank and congratulate Chris on his tenure as Chairman and the huge impact that he has made. From joining as an early board member and becoming Chairman in 2022, to then announcing the next phase of our growth with the Triathlon World Tour in December last year, his experience, positive energy and practical know-how have been invaluable to the organisation’s rapid progress.”

“With the PTO now entering an incredibly exciting phase as we prepare for significant growth and transformation through the launch of the Triathlon World Tour, I look forward to helping our growing team and our partners, World Triathlon, to take the sport mainstream.”

“A central part of that vision, beyond the 80+ events, is to grow the triathlon community worldwide, feeding them with a year-round calendar of enhanced live, linear and digital content. By doing so, we can create deeper connections with fans, bring new audiences into the sport, showcase the incredible athletes and unlock the full potential of triathlon as a global property.”

Kermode commented: “It has been a privilege to serve as Executive Chairman of the PTO and to support the organisation through such an important period of its development. I am proud of the progress that has been made in establishing the PTO as a credible and ambitious force within global sport.”

“I believe this is the right moment to step aside and allow the next phase of leadership to take shape. I am confident the organisation will continue to go from strength to strength as it builds towards 2027 and delivers on its long-term vision to transform the sport and take it mainstream.”

Sam Renouf, CEO of the PTO, thanked Kermode by saying: “On behalf of the Board and everyone at the PTO, I would like to thank Chris for the outstanding contribution he has made during his time as Executive Chairman. His leadership, insight and experience have been instrumental in shaping the organisation and setting us on a strong path for future growth.”

“As we prepare for the industry-changing launch of the Triathlon World Tour, we are delighted to welcome Peter as Chairman. Much of the PTO’s commercial appeal to partners and investors stems from pioneering a new model for professional sport – one that leverages emerging media to build a diversified business, rather than relying solely on traditional media rights. Peter’s leadership in these areas makes him an invaluable guide as we pursue our ambitions to grow the sport.”

Hublot Becomes E1’s Official Timekeeping Partner

E1, the world’s first all-electric raceboat Championship, announced luxury watchmaker Hublot has become the sport’s Official Timekeeping Partner.

Renowned for its bold design ethos and technical excellence, Hublot brings its Swiss craftsmanship and precision timekeeping expertise to E1’s close on-water racing.

The partnership brings together a shared passion for innovation, performance and design, as E1 continues to push the limits of motorsport and electric marine technology, racing across four continents.

Through this global partnership with the UIM E1 World Championship presented by PIF, Hublot will be prominently integrated across the season, delivering precision timing operations, alongside visibility on the Championship’s global feed shown in over 230 territories.

The partnership is set to make its Championship debut during the upcoming E1 Lake Como GP 2026 presented by Villa d’Este which takes place on 25 April.

The watchmaker will also activate within the exclusive E1 Ocean Club VIP hospitality offering, affording invited guests an elevated, luxurious race viewing experience including access to some of the Championship’s pilots and personalities.

The partnership reinforces E1’s position as a global platform for forward-thinking brands aligned with innovation, technology and high-performance engagement.

Alejandro Agag, founder and Chairman, E1, said: “Precision is not simply a feature of what we do at E1; it is the foundation. Hublot is built on the same belief. This partnership is a natural meeting of two global brands that refuse to separate ambition from performance. I look forward to what we will build together.”

Jamie Copas, Chief Executive Officer, E1 said: “This partnership brings together two brands that are redefining what is possible in their respective fields.

“Hublot shares our belief that innovation should be felt, not just measured, and that is exactly the experience we want every fan to have with E1. We are excited to have them alongside us and look forward to everything we will achieve together.”

Julien Tornare, Chief Executive Officer, Hublot said: “Hublot is delighted to partner with the E1 World Championship that provides the perfect platform for us to engage with our clients and our Hublotista community. We see E1 as an exceptional space for client activation, offering unique and unforgettable experiences that align perfectly with the spirit of our brand.”

Illegal IPTV Empire Dismantled in €43M Court Ruling

The Criminal Chamber of the National Court has handed down a judgment  against one of the largest illegal IPTV networks for offences against the market and consumers,  intellectual property, and money laundering, setting one of the largest compensation awards in the  history of Spain for an intellectual property offence. 

The case, opened years ago following an initial complaint by Nagravision, was driven forward thanks to the complaint and subsequent extension filed by LALIGA, which provided decisive purchase  evidence for the verification of the facts. Multiple companies later joined the judicial proceedings as  private prosecutors, such as Movistar Plus+, Mediapro, and Egeda, and the case was ultimately  resolved with the defendants accepting the joint accusation brought by the Public Prosecutor’s Office  and the rest of the private prosecutors. 

The investigation was carried out mainly by the Central Cybercrime Unit of the Directorate General of  the Police, as well as by the Intellectual Property Group of the Central Unit for Specialized and Violent  Crime (UDEV), with the support of Europol and Eurojust in international coordination. 

The judgment sets compensation of 12 million euros for the affected companies and more than 30  million euros in fines for money laundering. The network, led by the well-known ‘Dash, the Iranian’,  operated through channels such as rapidiptv.com, rapidiptv.net, and iptvstack.com, illegally  distributing football broadcasts, films, and series, including LALIGA content, to more than two million  people from servers spread across 13 countries on three continents. 

To launder that money, the organisation used payment gateways, cryptocurrency exchanges, shell  companies, and false invoices. Among the identified operations were the construction of a residential  building in Iran, the purchase of a property in Barcelona valued at 1.7 million euros, and the acquisition  of two high-end vehicles for 400,000 euros. The agreement includes the confiscation of all seized  assets and funds and the permanent shutdown of the domains. 

Javier Tebas, LALIGA’s president, stated “Audiovisual fraud is a scourge that threatens the survival of  an industry that is fundamental to the European economy, namely live sport. We are proud of this  exemplary sanction, which shows that piracy must be fought forcefully at every level, especially against  the organisations and mafias behind it.” 

This result demonstrates the relevance of LALIGA’s global anti-piracy strategy, which in the 2024/25  season succeeded in reducing piracy consumption in Spain by 60%. This set of actions, beyond strictly  judicial measures and operations with the State Security Forces and Corps, includes other pillars such  as education, institutional action, and technology.

ITTF and World Sports Photography Awards Launch Centenary Visual Archive Initiative

The International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) has partnered with the World Sports Photography Awards to launch a special centenary photography project, celebrating 100 years of table tennis through powerful visual storytelling.

The initiative will run alongside the ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships Finals London 2026, presented by ACN, and will feature a blend of iconic modern images, archival discoveries, and global fan participation.

At the heart of the project are the ITTF Centenary Photography Awards, which combine a professional photography competition with a worldwide search for historic images sourced from fans, families, former players, clubs, and member associations.

Professional photographers will be invited to submit images that best define each decade of the modern game, from the 1970s onwards, helping to narrate the sport’s evolution over the past 50 years. For earlier decades, particularly from the 1920s to the 1960s, the initiative will focus on uncovering and preserving rare archival photographs, encouraging communities across the world to contribute to the sport’s visual heritage.

Together, these two strands aim to create the most comprehensive photographic record of table tennis’s first century.

Petra Sörling said:
“Approaching our centenary gives us a chance not just to celebrate table tennis, but to recover and preserve memories and images from its history that might otherwise be lost. This project will honour the sport’s greatest photography while helping us discover unknown gems.”

The professional awards will be judged according to the standards of the World Sports Photography Awards by a panel jointly assembled by ITTF and WSPA. The archive initiative will further promote the digitisation and preservation of historically significant imagery.

Selected works from both categories will be showcased as part of the wider centenary programme.

Simon Burton added:
“Great sports photography does more than capture action. It preserves memory, emotion, style, and cultural change. We are proud to help ITTF celebrate its visual history in its centenary year.”

The Championships Finals will take place in London from 28 April to 10 May 2026, hosted at OVO Arena Wembley and Copper Box Arena. Marking 100 years since the first World Championships were held in London, this edition carries historic significance as the sport returns to its birthplace.

A total of 64 men’s and 64 women’s teams will compete over 13 days for the prestigious Swaythling Cup and Corbillon Cup, making it one of the most significant editions in the tournament’s history.

The awards will open in conjunction with the Championships via the World Sports Photography Awards platform and will remain open for entries until July 2026.

Founded in 1926, the ITTF represents 227 member associations worldwide and continues to drive the global growth of table tennis through development, engagement, and innovation as it marks its centenary year.

beIN SPORTS expands motorsport portfolio with FIA World Endurance Championship coverage

beIN MEDIA GROUP (‘beIN’), the global sports, entertainment and media group, has secured a multi-year deal to broadcast all races of the FIA World Endurance Championship in 35 territories across the Middle East & North Africa (MENA) and Asia Pacific (APAC). Fans will be able to watch all races live via beIN’s flagship sports network, beIN SPORTS, and beIN’s OTT platform TOD across the MENA region.

The 2026 season will span five global regions – Europe, North America, South America, APAC and MENA. The action begins in April with the 6 Hours of Imola in Italy, before moving through a European leg – including the 24 Hours of Le Mans taking place in June – and concluding with a run of international rounds across the Americas and Asia. The rearranged Qatar 1812km will take place in late October, ahead of the season finale in Bahrain. 

Richard Verow, Chief Sports Officer of beIN MEDIA GROUP said: “The addition of the FIA World Endurance Championship is another key moment in the evolution of our premium motorsport offering. We are delighted to offer our subscribers across MENA and APAC comprehensive coverage of one of the world’s most prestigious endurance racing series – including the iconic 24 Hours of Le Mans – for years to come.”

Frédéric Lequien, CEO of the FIA World Endurance Championship said: “We are very pleased to have struck such a comprehensive and long-term broadcast agreement with beIN MEDIA GROUP to bring the excitement and energy of FIA WEC to fans throughout two key regions. These are exciting times indeed for our sport, and we look forward to introducing more people than ever before to the pinnacle of international endurance racing!”

The addition of the FIA World Endurance Championship strengthens beIN SPORTS’ position as the home of global motorsport – which includes Formula 1, MotoGP, FIA European Rally Championship, FIA World Rally Championship, FIM Superbike World Championship and Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters.

All races of the 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship season will be available to beIN subscribers across the following 35 territories: Algeria, Bahrain, Chad, Djibouti, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, UAE, Yemen, Brunei, Cambodia, East-Timor, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand.

Rugby Football Union Signs Capgemini As Official Digital Transformation Partner

The Rugby Football Union (RFU) has announced the appointment of Capgemini as its official Digital Transformation Partner in the UK. Harnessing Capgemini’s deep expertise in technology, data and AI, this collaboration will enable the RFU to maximise the value of its digital ecosystem, creating a more connected, engaging and innovative experience for rugby players, volunteers and fans across England.


Capgemini will support the RFU with its transformation strategy by leading the day-to-day running and evolution of its digital services to meet the RFU’s Plan 2030: More than a game ambitions. Building on the strong foundations of the RFU’s Digital Transformation programme, Capgemini will optimise and enhance core platforms, tools and capabilities to improve reliability, performance and user experience. Through structured innovation cycles, Capgemini will also introduce new ways of working, applying emerging technologies, data and AI to generate fresh ideas and scale innovation from grassroots to the elite game.

“We are delighted to welcome Capgemini onboard as we work together on our Digital Transformation programme,” said Claudio Borges, Executive Director of Commercial and Marketing at the RFU. “Our partnership with Capgemini means we can accelerate digital transformation at all levels of the game. We want our sport to be accessible, engaging and innovative, and this partnership amplifies this. We aim to continually evolve, and, with the help of Capgemini, we will be able to do so effectively.”

“We are incredibly proud to join forces with the RFU at such an exciting time for the sport, especially following the recent success of the Red Roses for England,” said Steven Webb, UK Chief Technology and Innovation Officer at Capgemini. “By bringing together Capgemini’s deep expertise in AI-led digital transformation and the RFU’s ambition for the game, we will help elevate and enrich the rugby experience for players, volunteers and fans nationwide.”

Capgemini is focused on transforming sport by unlocking the full potential of technology and innovation. In addition to supporting major global sporting events across golf, sailing, cycling and motorsports, Capgemini has a longstanding legacy within the field of rugby, exemplified by its work with World Rugby and most recently through its partnership with Six Nations Rugby.

The RFU and Capgemini are also committed to strengthening the positive social impact that rugby brings to communities across England. Through this partnership, the organisations will work together to increase participation in rugby by widening access, supporting volunteering, empowering young people, and helping make rugby a force for inclusion, confidence-building, and community connection.

Netflix Secures Exclusive Mexico Rights to Concacaf Nations League & Concacaf Gold Cup from 2027

Concacaf and Netflix have announced a new four-year broadcast rights agreement in Mexico, covering the Confederation’s flagship national team tournaments: the Concacaf Nations League Finals and the Concacaf Gold Cup.

As part of the agreement, Netflix will become the exclusive home in Mexico for the 2027 and 2029 editions of both competitions, offering fans across the country a new way to follow these premier international tournaments, as well as their favorite national teams and players.

The agreement applies exclusively to the territory of Mexico and to the Concacaf men’s national team competitions included in this partnership.

The fifth edition of the Concacaf Nations League Finals will be played in March 2027 at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, California, and will feature the four quarterfinal winners. The 19th edition of the Concacaf Gold Cup, featuring 16 teams, will be played in the summer of that same year and will crown the region’s champion.

“We are very excited to partner with Netflix in Mexico as we continue to strengthen how fans connect with our premier national team competitions,” said Philippe Moggio, Concacaf General Secretary. “We know that in Mexico, the passion for football is truly unique, and this agreement allows us to bring these competitions closer to millions of fans through a new platform. It also reflects our commitment to delivering high-quality access to tournaments that mean so much to our region.”

“At Netflix, we are increasingly investing in live events that connect with our audience’s greatest passions, and football is, without a doubt, the passion that unites us as Mexicans,” said Carolina Leconte, Vice President of Content for Mexico and Latin America Acquisitions at Netflix. “Concacaf national team matches bring together millions of fans in Mexico like few other events can. We are thrilled that, over the coming years, fans in Mexico will be able to experience the Concacaf Nations League Finals and the Concacaf Gold Cup exclusively on Netflix, with no additional fees.”

TGP Acquires College Sports Agency Learfield

TPG, a leading global alternative asset management firm has announced the signing of a definitive agreement to acquire Learfield, the nation’s leading media and technology company powering college athletics. 

Learfield is one of the largest at-scale commercial platforms in global sports. The company serves as the monetization engine for collegiate sports intellectual property (IP), linking more than 12,000 brands and over 1,200 institutions with an integrated suite of sponsorship and media solutions, ticketing technology, licensing management, name, image, and likeness (NIL) strategy, and AI-enabled data platforming. Learfield’s physical and digital solutions are powered by a proprietary dataset informed by more than 125 million fan records, serving NCAA Division I institutions and the majority of institutions across the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, and SEC conferences.

“Learfield is reshaping the future of collegiate athletics and live entertainment, uniting fans, brands, athletes, and universities, and growing our partners’ revenues at unprecedented levels,” said Cole Gahagan, President and CEO of Learfield. “As commercialization trends give rise to new IP-based opportunities, we’re excited to partner with TPG to continue investing in data, media, technology, and the creative solutions that power fan engagement.”

The partnership will provide Learfield with additional capital and resources to accelerate growth and innovation across its integrated platform, including sports sponsorships, ticketing (Paciolan), website and mobile app (SIDEARM Sports), and licensed merchandise division (CLC). TPG will invest in Learfield through TPG Capital, the firm’s U.S. and European private equity platform, and TPG Sports, the firm’s dedicated investing business focused on partnering with leading companies and platforms shaping the future of sports.

“Learfield’s platform is catalyzing the growth of college sports by connecting thousands of premier brands to leading athletic programs, facilitating unique monetization opportunities for institutions while connecting sponsors to loyal fan bases nationwide,” said Peter McGoohan, Partner at TPG. “Through its deep network and quality offering, Learfield has positioned itself as a trusted partner to colleges across the country, and we look forward to working with Cole and the team to support the company’s next chapter,” said Kris Wong, Business Unit Partner at TPG.

TPG is one of the most experienced private equity investors in media, entertainment, and sports, with investments that have included Creative Artists Agency (CAA), Entertainment Partners, DIRECTV, Fandom, Musixmatch, Spotify, and Troon, among others. In 2025, the firm launched TPG Sports in partnership with Rory McIlroy, Sean O’Flaherty, and their team at Symphony Ventures to bring the firm’s signature transformation-oriented private equity approach to sports investing.

Charlesbank Capital Partners will remain a minority investor in Learfield and continue its long-standing partnership with the company. Learfield’s other investors will exit their stakes as part of the transaction, which is expected to close in the third quarter of 2026, subject to customary approvals and closing conditions.

Evercore acted as lead financial advisor to TPG. The Raine Group also acted as financial advisor to the firm. Ropes & Gray LLP and Mintz served as legal counsel to TPG. Moelis & Co LLC acted as the lead financial advisor to Learfield, and BofA Securities also acted as financial advisor to the company. Davis Polk served as the company’s legal counsel.