UK Football Associations Announce Joint Bid To Host UEFA EURO 2028 Across All Five Countries

Following an extensive feasibility study, which assessed the potential opportunities in international football, the football associations of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and the Republic of Ireland have agreed to focus on a bid to host UEFA EURO 2028, the third largest sports event in the world.

In a statement released by the FA, the organisation says:

The feasibility study included an analysis of the economic impact, the political football landscape and likely costs of hosting major international tournaments. On balance, the five associations have decided to focus solely on an official bid to host UEFA EURO 2028, and have agreed not to bid for the 2030 FIFA World Cup.

Hosting a UEFA EURO offers a similar return on investment, with the European tournament carrying a far lower delivery cost and the potential of the benefits being realised sooner.

It would be an honour and a privilege to collectively host UEFA EURO 2028 and to welcome all of Europe. It would also be a wonderful opportunity to demonstrate the true impact of hosting a world-class football tournament by driving positive change and leaving a lasting legacy across our communities.

We believe the UK and the Republic of Ireland can offer UEFA and European football something special in 2028 – a compact and unique five-way hosting collaboration that will provide a great experience for the teams and the fans. We continue to collaborate with our Government Partners of the UK and Ireland about the next steps.

iSportConnect: This is a very interesting development potentially signalling that the UK’s football associations believe they have a much better chance of securing the 2028 Euros rather than the World Cup of 2030, otherwise it is plausible to assume they would have pursued the latter.

After the Euros last summer where UEFA trialled the multi-country approach with numerous cities around Europe hosting tournament fixtures (to limited success, particularly due to the Covid pandemic) the competition will revert to a sole-nation hosting in 2024 in Germany.

Budapest Awarded 2022 FINA World Championships Following Second Fukuoka Postponement

The Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and FINA President Husain Al-Musallam today announced an agreement for Hungary’s capital city to hold a FINA World Championships from 18 June – 3 July 2022.

The agreement ensures athletes have a global aquatics championship to target in the summer of 2022. The agreement was reached after approval from the FINA Bureau today.

FINA and key stakeholders of the Fukuoka 2022 Organising Committee jointly agreed last week to move the FINA World Championships from 13-29 May 2022 to 14-30 July 2023 due to the current health impacts of the Omicron COVID-19 variant and the pandemic measures currently in place in Japan.

“As an aquatics community, we are finding solutions around the pandemic and today’s announcement is an important step in this process,” FINA President Husain Al-Musallam said. “We know we need to be imaginative in our approach in navigating through the current health crisis for our athletes. Today’s agreement is a testament to this work. FINA also recognises that the pandemic is evolving differently according to time and place. We are extremely fortunate to have event hosts that share our passion for aquatics and have the willingness, capability and flexibility to organise FINA’s most prestigious event. We are deeply grateful to all our hosts and know that aquatics athletes feel the same way.”

“With four FINA World Championships and the Paris 2024 Olympic Games over the next four years, we are maximising the racing opportunities and earnings potential for established and emerging aquatics athletes alike,” FINA President Al-Musallam added.

A regular stop for FINA Swimming World Cup, FINA Water Polo World League and FINA World Series events, Budapest previously hosted the FINA World Championships in 2017. That event saw 12 world records set in the pool during an event that drew record-breaking numbers of spectators and television viewers.

This FINA World Championships is set to feature five FINA aquatics disciples: swimming, diving, water polo, artistic swimming and open water swimming. FINA will continue to work towards similar event programming for high dive athletes and masters competitors.

FINA continues to consult athletes and stakeholders on the schedule for the FINA World Championships in Doha, Qatar and more information will follow as soon as possible.

Bilbao To Host Basketball Champions League Final 4

The city of Bilbao, Spain, has been awarded the hosting of the 2022 Basketball Champions League Final 4. The season-ending tournament will be organized from May 6-8, 2022 and signals the first time the arena of a non-participating team is selected as host.

The four teams that will qualify out of the Quarter-Finals will participate in the pinnacle event of Basketball Champions League’s sixth season, which will be played in a single-game knock-out format over the first week of May in Bilbao, the 10th largest city in Spain. The games are set to take place in the Bilbao Arena (10’000 seating capacity), regular home court of Surne Bilbao Basket.

As part of this host city announcement, the logo of the 2022 Final 4 has also been unveiled:

“We are very excited to have Bilbao host the Basketball Champions League Final 4. We are grateful to the city of Bilbao, the Spanish local and regional authorities, the Spanish Basketball Federation and the ACB for their commitment to help us organize this event in the best and safest way possible for all stakeholders, especially the players and the accompanying members of all qualified teams. We have acknowledged the fervour of the city to organise this historical event and we look forward to working together to deliver a fantastic season-ending tournament,” said Patrick Comninos, CEO of the Basketball Champions League.

“Despite the challenging situation created by the COVID-19 pandemic, we are thrilled to have the opportunity to award this Final 4 to an environment that has proven experience in organizing top-level basketball events. This will guarantee a unique weekend of basketball for fans across Europe,” he added.

The Mayor of Bilbao, Juan Mari Aburto, is very pleased with the holding of this event in Bilbao: “Once again, Bilbao proves to be an attractive city for major international sporting events”.

“Bilbao will host this great event of basketball at the Bilbao Arena and I hope that both fans and all those who visit us can enjoy a fantastic event, and also take advantage to know and discover our city, our gastronomy, our shops and our traditions,” he added.

“For the Spanish Basketball Federation, it is a great pleasure and honour to see Bilbao hosting the Final 4 of the BCL, a great competition where Spanish teams usually perform very well,” proclaimed Jorge Garbajosa, President of the Spanish Basketball Federation and FIBA Central Board member. “Organising such a major event is no easy task, but in such a great arena, and with the expertise of the local authorities of Bilbao, with the support of Surne Bilbao Basket club and all relevant stakeholders, the ACB league and the Spanish Basketball Federation, we will do our best to organise the best event possible. The level of the previous editions of the Final 4 or Final 8 will be challenging to match, because they were excellent events, but we will do our very best to help this competition to develop and grow this year as well,” he added.

Antonio Martin, ACB President and Member of the BCL Board declared that “having the BCL Final 4 at Bilbao is a great news for Spanish basketball. Bilbao will be a perfect host, has a great arena and the city is perfectly suited for an event that grows every year”.

The Round of 16 has started on January 25 and will conclude on March 23, 2022.

A Draw will determine the Quarter-Finals, that will be played over the month of April, and Final 4 brackets and will take place on March 25. The event will be livestreamed on championsleague.basketball.

The Semi-Finals will be played in Bilbao on May 6, with the Third-Place Game and Final scheduled for May 8.

The event will be organized in accordance with the FIBA Return to Play Protocol and the relevant regulations applicable by the Spanish authorities. The decision concerning the presence of fans in the arena will be taken at a later stage and in accordance to the rules and regulations set by the Spanish official authorities. 

UFC And Bet365 Extend Partnership In UK And Ireland

UFC, the world’s premier mixed martial arts organisation and bet365, have announced an extension of their partnership that names bet365 the exclusive ‘Official Betting Partner’ of UFC in the UK and Ireland, following a successful collaboration in 2021.

As part of the agreement, fans will be treated to top-class MMA content as UFC and bet365 reveal the launch of a new YouTube show entitled ‘One on One,’ hosted by UFC analyst and commentator Laura Sanko. Sanko brings her exceptional MMA insight as she sits down with some of the best MMA fighters in the world. The show will include behind the scenes action as well as fight previews, reviews, and feature-based content.

In addition to this bespoke content, bet365 will also be placed in front of UFC’s fanbase as it features in select UFC digital content distributed across the promotion’s social media platforms. This includes fan favourite series ‘If you don’t know, now you know,’ hosted by UFC President Dana White.

“After such a successful 2021 with bet365, we’re looking forward to expanding our partnership to include the creation of new digital content for our fans this year,” said Nick Smith, Vice President of Global Partnerships at UFC. “This is the continuation of what we believe will be a long relationship with bet365.”

A bet365 spokesperson commented on the partnership: “We are delighted to extend our relationship with UFC in a year that sees the organisation return to the UK with live events. We are looking forward to giving Laura Sanko an additional platform to engage with the UFC fan base and show her technical insight and analysis.”

The agreement also includes visibility for the sports betting organisation on UFC FIGHT PASS, the leading digital subscription service for combat sports, as it becomes the presenting partner of the Cage Warriors playlist on UFC FIGHT PASS. bet365 branding will also have visibility within the world-famous Octagon® at select UFC events.

DP World Tour Signs Hero MotoCorp As Title Partner

The DP World Tour has announced that Hero MotoCorp will be the Title Partner for the upcoming Ras Al Khaimah Team Challenge – which will now be known as the Hero Challenge.

The Hero Challenge is a one-day exhibition event that will be played on Tuesday February 8 at Al Hamra Golf Club. It will feature 26 teams of two professionals per team playing over nine holes in a classic Scramble format. The event takes place in the build-up to the Ras Al Khaimah Classic, which takes place from February 10-13, and as part of this agreement, Hero MotoCorp will also be an Official Partner of the Ras Al Khaimah Classic.

Hero MotoCorp, the world’s largest manufacturer of motorcycles and scooters, is a big supporter of innovation in golf and the DP World Tour in particular. This includes its existing Title Partnership of the Hero Indian Open and the Hero Open at Fairmont St Andrews. The upcoming exhibition event is the latest in a series of Hero Challenges that take place on the DP World Tour each season, which see the world’s best players compete in unique challenges and competition formats.

Dr. Pawan Munjal, Chairman and CEO, Hero MotoCorp, said; “Golf has rapidly gained popularity on the world stage, and yet there is a constant need to push the envelope and bring innovation to attract younger audiences. Hero MotoCorp has been one of the largest promoters of multiple disciplines of sports around the world for more than two decades now, and Golf remains a key focus for us. The Hero Challenge has been one of our initiatives as part of this commitment. We are delighted to be the Title Partner of this unique one-day exhibition event. As part of this collaboration, we are also happy to be an Official Partner of the Ras Al Khaimah Classic.”

Guy Kinnings, Deputy CEO and Chief Commercial Officer of the European Tour group, added; “Hero MotoCorp have been a key partner in our drive to introduce innovative new formats into the game of golf. Whether it’s setting new Guinness World Records or bringing players together for fun exhibition events, our series of Hero Challenges are attracting more fans to the game. The Hero Challenge in Ras Al Khaimah will certainly be a unique test for the world’s best players, with a classic Scramble format no doubt leading to some remarkably low scoring.”

Manchester United Set To Unveil $27m Deal With Tezos

Manchester United is ready to unveil multi-year sponsorship deal with crypto network Tezos, according to The Athletic.

Both parties have reportedly agreed to a deal worth over $27 million per year, and Tezos will be featured on the football club’s training kit.

Tezos will replace the previous eight-year deal with American insurance company AON, which concluded at the end of last season.

This news follows a long line of crypto-related sports marketing, which has

UEFA Highlights Investment In Youth And Women’s Football In The European Club Footballing Landscape Report

UEFA has released the thirteenth edition of The European Club Footballing Landscape report, its annual club licensing benchmarking report on European club football.

One of the starkest findings of the report is that the majority of the lost revenues, €4.4bn and counting, comes from lost gate receipts, with this revenue stream almost wiped out (88% down) during the financial year 2020/21 as a result of empty stands from the health emergency. Gate revenues contributed just 2% of club revenues across Europe, down from 16% pre-pandemic.

Naturally, the loss of gate receipts has had a profound impact on overall club finances. The report shows that the overall pandemic impact effect on club revenues over the 2019/20 and 2020/21 seasons is expected to be €7 billion.

But the publication shows that two key forms of club income remain strong. The report shows healthy television revenues in 2021, after disruption and rebates in 2020. In addition, the new UEFA club competition rights cycle (2021/22–2023/24) has seen further growth in broadcast rights revenue.

€1billion in youth investment
Prize money will increase to over €2.7bn per year, to be shared among the 96 clubs participating in the three club competitions. Solidarity payments for youth development to clubs not qualifying for UEFA club competitions, are projected to increase by more than 60%. Since the start of the UEFA Champions League, more than €1billion has been distributed to more than 1,500 clubs and academies across Europe for youth investment purposes.

The report also shows that players aged 23 or under accounted for 55% of total transfer spending (by value) across Europe’s 20 largest transfer markets, compared with a ten-year average of 47%. This suggests that clubs increasingly believe that value can be found in younger players, given their resale potential.

Women’s focus

The report includes a dedicated and detailed chapter on the growth and status of women’s football in Europe. It shows that a major contributing factor in the growing commercialisation of the women’s game is the increased exposure gained through match broadcasts. Twenty of Europe’s 42 top divisions now have structured domestic broadcasting deals in place across a range of media platforms.

There is also a new players section. Among the wealth of information contained within, it shows that among the Big 5 leagues, Italy’s Serie A clubs used the most players on average, fielding an average of 30.9 players, four more than clubs in the Premier League. LOSC Lille fielded the fewest players (21) of all clubs in the Big 5 leagues, with only Sweden’s Halmstads BK using fewer (20) overall. By contrast, FC Schalke 04 used 42 players, the most of all the Big 5 league clubs, while Russia’s PFK Tambov fielded an extraordinary 50 players over the course of their league season. The report also simulates the likely impact of new FIFA regulations on European clubs.

Aleksander Čeferin, looking ahead: “One lesson of the past two years has been that it is only by showing solidarity and working together that European football can overcome existential challenges such as the pandemic. That was also a lesson drawn from the so-called Super League project. The self-interested actions of a misguided few were thwarted by the unity of European football – fans, clubs, players, and national associations.

“This report provides sobering details of the post-pandemic challenges that await us, but it also illustrates the remarkable robustness and resilience of European football, with its unified approach. Ultimately, the pandemic will only make us stronger. The COVID crisis has also highlighted to what extent football is part of the fabric of European life. Football was a true lifeline for many. I will make no bold predictions for the year ahead, except to say that, whether the pandemic stays or goes, European football will remain strong, stable, and united in 2022.”

WNBA Raises Capital Investment Of $75m For Brand Elevation

The WNBA announced the largest-ever capital raise for a women’s sports property, featuring new investors and existing WNBA and NBA owners.

This groundbreaking transaction is part of a multi-faceted financial growth strategy designed to generate new revenue through increased investment in priority areas as part of the league’s long-term business transformation.

Proceeds from this transaction are expected to be used for brand elevation and marketing; globalization of the WNBA; innovation, digital, and growth of consumer touchpoints; and human capital and operational optimization as part of an overall effort to address some of the league’s obstacles to growth and generating new revenue.

“We are incredibly fortunate to be able to capitalize on the current momentum around women’s sports and are grateful to the investors who have chosen to support the WNBA in an unprecedented way and to our team governors who continue to invest in the players and teams,” said WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert. “Our strategy is to deploy this capital to continue to drive the league’s brand as a bold, progressive entertainment and media property that embodies diversity, promotes equity, advocates for social justice, and stands for the power of women. Having just completed our historic 25th season, with this access to additional capital, we are setting the WNBA up for a successful future and it represents a sign and signal of the future direction of women’s sports as a whole.”

As part of its ongoing commitment to empowering women athletes and women’s sports, NIKE, Inc., one of the league’s current premier partners and inaugural WNBA Changemaker, has made a significant equity investment in the WNBA. Nike’s investment further deepens the company’s support for women’s basketball and enables the WNBA to elevate the marketing and storytelling of WNBA athletes.

“Women’s sport is one of the best investments, with great potential to impact and grow the next era of basketball,” said Sonja Henning, VP, North America League Partnerships, NIKE, Inc. “Nike has always been more than a sponsor with the WNBA – we’re a strategic partner. And we’re proud to be part of a movement to redefine the future of sport for a new generation – for WNBA players, fans and girls.”

The initial investors are: Micky and Nick Arison, Carnival Corporation and Miami HEAT; Bill Cameron, CEO and President, American Fidelity, Dallas Wings; Swin Cash, WNBA legend and current New Orleans Pelicans Vice-President of Basketball Operations and Team Development; Baron Davis, NBA legend; Michael and Susan Dell, Dell Technologies and minority investors, San Antonio Spurs; Karen Finerman, CEO and Co-Founder, Metropolitan Capital Advisors; Pau Gasol, NBA legend and Member of the IOC Athletes’ Commission; Ginny Gilder, Seattle Storm; Dee Haslam and Whitney Johnson, Haslam Sports Group, Cleveland Browns and Columbus Crew; Linda Henry, Boston Globe, Boston Red Sox, Liverpool Football Club; Brad Hilsabeck, former CEO, Grantham, Mayo Van Otterloo & Co. and minority investor, Dallas Wings; Eric Holoman, President and CEO, EquiTrust Life Insurance, Los Angeles Sparks; Mark Walter, CEO, Guggenheim Partners, Los Angeles Sparks; Laurene Powell Jobs, Founder and President, Emerson Collective; Ted Leonsis, Founder, Chairman, and CEO, Monumental Sports & Entertainment, Washington Mystics and Washington Wizards; James and Heather Murren, former Chairman and CEO of MGM Resorts International; NIKE, Inc; Condoleezza Rice, Stanford University and 66th US Secretary of State; Angela Ruggiero, CEO and Co-Founder, Sports Innovation Lab; Herb and Steve Simon, Fever Basketball, LLC; and Joe and Clara Tsai, New York Liberty and Brooklyn Nets.

“Susan and I are excited about the growth opportunity in women’s sports and specifically the WNBA,” said Michael Dell, CEO, Dell Technologies and minority investor, San Antonio Spurs. “We also are proud to support a league that is committed to empowerment, and we look forward to supporting Cathy and all the accomplished and diverse women of the WNBA to make a positive impact in the world.”

AS Monaco To Keep Time With Purnell Until 2025

AS Monaco has named Purnell as the Club’s official timekeeper until 2025.

Purnell distinguishes itself in the field of avant-garde fine watchmaking and in particular in the field of the tourbillon, a mechanism used for watches combining beauty and luxury.


The partnership between AS Monaco and Purnell includes the creation of an exclusive co-branded collection, the models of which will be unveiled in the spring of 2022, the display of the products in the club’s emblematic locations, such as the Stade Louis-II and the Performance Centre, as well as digital and money can’t buy activities.

We are delighted to welcome Purnell to the AS Monaco family. Purnell is a brand known for its know-how, its audacity, its sense of innovation and performance, notions that fit perfectly with our philosophy.

Maurizio Mazzocchi, CEO of Purnell : “Like our watches, AS Monaco represents prestige, style and dynamism. Our two brands are rare jewels in their respective fields, and we fully identify with AS Monaco’s slogan: RISE. RISK. REPEAT. !”

Oleg Petrov, Vice President General Manager of AS Monaco : “We are delighted to welcome Purnell to the AS Monaco family. Purnell is a brand known for its know-how, its audacity, its sense of innovation and performance, notions that fit perfectly with our philosophy. We are looking forward to this collaboration.”

McLaren Racing Expands Partnership With AzkoNobel

McLaren Racing has announced a multi-year extension to its long-standing partnership with paint and coatings partner AkzoNobel. In addition, the partnership will now expand to see AkzoNobel become a Sustainability Partner of McLaren Racing.

AkzoNobel will continue to create and develop paint technology for the McLaren Formula 1 team, using products and technologies to support McLaren’s performance while driving innovation in other industries.

As a Sustainability Partner, AkzoNobel will now expand its collaboration with McLaren to explore new possibilities in the areas of sustainability, technical innovation and product development.

Matt Dennington, Director of Partnerships, McLaren Racing, said: “It’s fantastic to extend and expand our partnership with AkzoNobel. We’re looking forward to taking this innovative and long-running relationship into a new chapter, taking a more integrated approach to development that will see AkzoNobel support us on our mission to become a more sustainable team.”

Patrick Bourguignon, Director of Automotive and Speciality Coatings, AkzoNobel, said: “We’re incredibly proud and excited to be enhancing our relationship with such a long-standing and valued partner so that we can achieve more together. Our shared focus on outstanding performance and pioneering innovation will help to propel us both forward and add a new dimension to our formula for success.

“We’re also looking forward to incorporating our People. Planet. Paint. Approach as we strive to play an active role in McLaren Racing’s sustainability journey. It’s all about building on the amazing success we’ve had so far and shaping the partnership for the future.”