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☆ Man City beat Chelsea to move level with WSL leaders Man Utd
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

MANCHESTER, March 26 (Reuters) - Manchester City shook up the Women's Super League (WSL) title race with a 2-0 win over reigning champions Chelsea on Sunday to move up to second place behind leaders Manchester United, level on 38 points but behind on goal difference. Chelsea had the opportunity to move to the top of the standings with a victory but looked far from their best as the result dropped Emma Hayes's side to third, one point behind United and City. City took the lead in the 21st minute when Filippa Angeldahl scored her first WSL goal from the corner of the box, floating a shot past goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger, who stood rooted to the spot as she watched the ball sail into the top corner. The home side doubled the lead at the half-hour mark when Lauren Hemp, who assisted the opener, pounced on a poor clearance and took her shot on the half-volley to beat the keeper. Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Louise HeavensOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ West Ham United's Baroness Brady on what it takes for women to succeed
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-06 | by ( Tania Bryer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailWest Ham United's Baroness Brady on what it takes for women to succeedMarking International Women's Day 2023, the Vice-Chair of West Ham United Football Club tells CNBC's Tania Bryer her thoughts on the biggest issues facing women and girls today, the personal challenges she faced as a woman at the top of football and how she wants to help the Women's Super League grow.

☆ Arsenal beat Chelsea to lift Women's League Cup
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/5] Soccer Football - FA Women's League Cup - Final - Chelsea v Arsenal - Selhurst Park, London, Britain - March 5, 2023 Arsenal players lift the trophy after winning the FA Women's League Cup final Action Images via Reuters/Matthew ChildsLONDON, March 5 (Reuters) - Arsenal fought back from a goal down to beat Chelsea 3-1 in the FA Women's League Cup final on Sunday and claim the trophy for a record-extending sixth time. Chelsea, who were the losing finalists for a second straight year, struck first with Sam Kerr's close-range header beating goalkeeper Manuela Zinsberger in the second minute. The game slowed down after a breathless first half and, though Chelsea enjoyed large spells of possession, Arsenal held on to secure their first trophy since 2019. The teams now shift their focus back to the Women's Super League, where defending champions Chelsea are third in the standings with 31 points from 12 games, while fourth-placed Arsenal are five points behind them. Reporting by Aadi Nair in Bengaluru; editing by Clare FallonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ England's prized soccer league to face regulation and tough new ownership rules
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( Jenni Reid | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Fans of Chelsea Football Club protest against the European Super League outside Stamford Bridge on April 20, 2021 in London, England. LONDON — The U.K. government on Thursday confirmed plans to set up an independent regulator to oversee soccer clubs following a slew of controversies around acquisitions, new tournament plans and allegations of financial rule-breaking. It follows widespread fan opposition to plans for a new European Super League in 2021. Rights groups have previously insisted that potential Premier League club owners should be subjected to human rights probes. Currently, the rules prohibit prospective owners that have previous criminal convictions or breaches of major football regulations.

☆ Government gives green light to independent regulator for English game
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( Martyn Herman | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Once made law, the Government says the independent regulator would have statutory powers to license and sanction clubs, oversee the financial sustainability of the game and prevent unscrupulous owners buying clubs. It would also have the power to prevent English clubs joining breakaway competitions such as the European Super League which six Premier League clubs signalled their intent to join in 2021 before abandoning plans after a fans' backlash. Although the Premier League, launched in 1992, has been an unprecedented financial success, lower down the English pyramid the situation has been grim. Reacting to the publication of the white paper, Derby owner David Clowes said: "Derby County stared extinction in the face for far too long. The Government says the independent regulator would have targeted powers as a "last resort" to facilitate agreement on the redistribution of funds.

[1/5] Police officers stand in the aftermath of an attack on a police station in Karachi, Pakistan February 17, 2023. REUTERS/Akhtar SoomroKARACHI, Pakistan, Feb 17 (Reuters) - Islamists stormed a police station in the southern Pakistani city of Karachi on Friday, killing two people in a hail of gunfire and a series of loud explosions before they themselves were killed, officials said. Security forces retook the building after several hours and killed three militants, a government spokesman said. A huge explosion was heard inside the station after a series of blasts when it was first attacked. The Pakistani Taliban, or Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), took responsibility for the attack in a message sent by their spokesman to journalists.

Manchester United, INEOS, Tesla and Musk did not reply to requests for comment. "For potential buyers, football clubs like Manchester United are considered trophy assets driven by the perception of exclusivity. The size of that bid has fuelled speculation Manchester United will attract significantly more. Manchester United is the fourth richest soccer club in the world, according to analysis by Deloitte. A small portion of Manchester United shares is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

☆ A future European Super League could have 80 clubs - A22 CEO
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/IllustrationBERLIN, Feb 9 (Reuters) - A future European Super League could include as many as 80 teams, Bernd Reichart, the chief executive of A22 Sports Management, a company formed to sponsor and assist in the creation of a breakaway soccer league, said on Thursday. "The vast majority of them share the assessment that the very foundation of European football is under threat, and it is time for change," A22 said. "Feedback suggests a European football league that is open, based solely on sporting merit, multidivisional with 60 to 80 clubs and a minimum of 14 guaranteed European matches per club." Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus were among 12 clubs to announce a breakaway Super League in April 2021. "The walking corpse that is the European Super League twitches again with all the self-awareness one associates with a zombie," said FSA chief executive Kevin Miles in a statement.

☆ How the boom in sports documentaries on streaming is opening up a new path for athletes as content creators
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( Elaine Low | Ashley Rodriguez | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

A boom in sports documentaries has offered athletes more ways to be on screen and build their brands. Players and their agents are looking for hits like Netflix Formula 1 doc series "Drive to Survive." Being featured in a sports doc can dramatically raise an athlete's profile, giving them more fans and more branding power. Netflix's "Drive to Survive" was credited with doing wonders for F1 fandom, particularly stateside, where American interest has historically been scarce. "These people can go on the air and broadcast their own content and they can capture and keep their own content," said Octagon VP of content and development Jason Weichelt.

☆ Rule-bending Chelsea take transfer gamble to give Potter ultimate selection headache
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Peter Hall | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Premier League soccer clubs spent a record 815 million pounds ($1.00 billion) in the January transfer window, an analysis from Deloitte's Sports Business Group said on Wednesday. It has, however, angered those who claim the Premier League is becoming a de facto European Super League due to its spending power. "What I'm worried about is the Premier League, and I've been worried for many years now," Spain's La Liga president Javier Tebas told a new conference this month. There is no sustainability in the Premier League. The Premier League is not a financially sustainable model."

☆ Ronaldo's Saudi switch another symbol of Chinese decline
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-29 | by ( Michael Church | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The Portuguese striker's Saudi Arabia switch following the cancellation of his Manchester United contract has highlighted a shift within Asian football that started before the COVID-19 pandemic and which continues to have a significant impact. With money pouring into clubs often owned by debt-fuelled property developers, the Chinese Super League (CSL) had been enticing an increasing number of leading players and coaches to the country since early last decade. The downturn in Chinese football has spared few. Two-time Asian champions Guangzhou FC, once Chinese football's dominant force, went into decline after their owners, developers China Evergrande, were forced to limit funding after the government restricted borrowing. With attention now squarely focused on the oil-funded riches on offer in a newly assertive Saudi Arabia, Chinese football's lustre has all but disappeared.

☆ Exclusive: JPMorgan looking to finance Italy's Serie A for up to 1 bln euros - sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Elvira Pollina | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The sources said the 20 clubs which comprise Serie A were informed of the interest by the U.S. bank at a closed-door meeting of their top executives on Thursday. Serie A has been looking at options to extract more money from its media rights, which account for roughly half the revenues of its clubs. Like other European soccer leagues, Serie A lags behind England's Premier League in terms of income and is looking at ways to revive its global appeal. Back in 2021 JPMorgan had offered to support soccer clubs looking to launch a breakaway European Super League, a plan which collapsed due to a storm of protest from fans and politicians. The sources said the Serie A clubs will assess in the coming weeks how to proceed in relation to the interest expressed by both the funds and JPMorgan.

☆ Exclusive: JPMorgan looking to finance Italy's Serie A for up to 1 bln euros -sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Elvira Pollina | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The sources said the 20 clubs that comprise Serie A were informed of the interest by the U.S. bank at a closed-door meeting of their top executives on Thursday. Serie A has been looking at options to extract more money from its media rights, which account for roughly half the revenues of its clubs. Like other European soccer leagues, Serie A lags England's Premier League in terms of income and is looking at ways to revive its global appeal. The sources said Serie A clubs learnt on Thursday that Apollo Global Management (APO.N) had also come forward, without providing further details. Prior to that meeting, clubs are due to discuss in mid-February the sale process of the media rights, which is expected to start later this year.

United and Liverpool are the two most successful teams in English football but have won only one league title each in the past decade. "You get a lot of money from the Premier League, from broadcasting and sponsorship, but you also have to put a lot of money in to keep your team." "The failure of the proposal and the failure of Premier League clubs to gain greater power in the running of the league are likely influencing factors," said Spencer Harris, Associate Professor of Sport Management at the University of Colorado. "The current owners (of Liverpool and United) don't have the finances to compete and invest on the level of these other clubs." "(There is a) general realisation that English Premier League teams, the two biggest ones per se, are relatively uncapitalized versus NFL franchises, which have been a barometer for a longer period of time."

☆ Agnelli warns of Premier League dominance as he quits Juventus
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( Giulio Piovaccari | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

SummarySummary Companies Agnelli warns Premier League will marginalise rivalsStepping down from Juventus and two other board rolesNew Juventus board faces legal battle over accountsTURIN, Italy, Jan 18 (Reuters) - Outgoing Juventus <JUVE.MI> Chairman Andrea Agnelli, who could face trial over the club's accounting, signed off on Wednesday with a plea for reform of European soccer to counteract the power of the English Premier League. As well as leaving Juventus, Agnelli also said he would step down from his board roles at carmaker Stellantis (STLA.MI) and Exor (EXOR.AS), the Agnelli family holding company which controls the football club. Prosecutors in Turin have requested that Agnelli, 11 other people and the club stand trial over allegations of false accounting. "I believed and still believe that European soccer needs structural reforms to tackle the future," he said. Andrea Agnelli retains his role as board member at Giovanni Agnelli B.V., Exor's controlling shareholder, which groups all descendants of Fiat founder Giovanni Agnelli.

☆ Who could buy Manchester United and how much is it worth?
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Jan 18 (Reuters) - Jim Ratcliffe's company INEOS formally entered the bidding process to buy Manchester United on Tuesday, months after the club owners, the Glazer family, said they were considering selling the club as they explore "strategic alternatives". MIDDLE EASTERN INVESTORSUnited's local rivals Manchester City are bankrolled by the Abu Dhabi United Group, while Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund completed a 300 million pound buyout of Newcastle United in 2021. Bloomberg News reported this week that United, Tottenham Hotspur or Liverpool were being targeted by QSI for a potential acquisition. The Times newspaper, which first reported Ratcliffe's INEOS entering the bidding, said that interest from the United States and Asia is also expected. Asked by the BBC at the time if he needed to raise four billion pounds to buy United, O'Neill said: "I'm not sure if it'll necessarily be that much, but let's see."

☆ Australia withdraw from ODI series against Afghanistan in March
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Jan 12 (Reuters) - Australia's men's team has withdrawn from their one-day international (ODI) series against Afghanistan in March following further restrictions on women's and girls' rights imposed by the Taliban, Cricket Australia (CA) said on Thursday. Australia and Afghanistan were scheduled to play three ODIs in the United Arab Emirates but CA scrapped the series after "extensive consultation" with stakeholders, including the Australian government. The series formed part of the International Cricket Council's (ICC) Super League, where the top eight teams automatically qualify for the 2023 World Cup. Australia were scheduled to play a test match against Afghanistan in November 2021 but the fixture was postponed after the Taliban seized power in August of that year. They have continued to appear at ICC events since the Taliban takeover, however, and faced Australia during last year's Twenty20 World Cup.

☆ Why Liverpool and Manchester United, two giants of soccer, are up for sale at the same time
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-24 | by ( Jenni Reid | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

In November, the owners of first Liverpool and then Manchester United confirmed they were open to new investment offers, with the potential for full sales of the top flight English clubs. Meanwhile New York-listed shares in Manchester United popped 18% on the news on Nov. 23 that its owners were similarly opening themselves up to investment opportunities. Big money competition One recurring complaint Manchester United fans have had of the Glazers is a lack of investment in the club, across both facilities and players. Old Trafford Stadium, the home of Manchester United Football Club. "In the cases of Liverpool and Manchester United, both owners have held the clubs for a long time, and both assets have appreciated a lot as their leagues and brands and global fan bases have developed.

☆ How athletes are cashing in on 'the Netflix effect' as sports documentaries boom at Apple TV+, Amazon, and more streamers
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-22 | by ( Elaine Low | Ashley Rodriguez | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A boom in sports documentaries has offered athletes more ways to be on screen and build their brands. Players and their agents are looking for hits like Netflix Formula 1 doc series "Drive to Survive." Apple TV+, HBO, and Amazon are all competing for sports docs that bring viewers into athletes' lives. Being featured in a sports doc can dramatically raise an athlete's profile, giving them more fans and more branding power. Netflix's "Drive to Survive" was credited with doing wonders for F1 fandom, particularly stateside, where American interest has historically been scarce.

☆ Soccer-In year of drama, World Cup shines spotlight on growth in the sport
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( Manasi Pathak | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Dec 20 (Reuters) - Lionel Messi's World Cup fairytale lit up the year in soccer as heroics and heartbreak at the finals captivated fans and highlighted the growth of the world's most popular sport despite the criticism of host country Qatar's human rights record. With matches played in air-conditioned stadiums to cope with the heat of the desert state and no beer on tap in stadiums, spectators experienced a World Cup like never before. Playing in a fifth World Cup for Argentina, the incomparable Messi once again left everyone in awe of his magical powers on the field as he smashed records and delivered on the hopes of a nation, bringing the World Cup home after 36 years. The South American giants were handed a shock defeat by Saudi Arabia in their first group game, which statisticians Gracenote credited as the biggest upset in World Cup history. With every continent represented in the World Cup last 16, the most diverse knockout stage in the tournament's history was evidence of the sport's expanding reach.

☆ FIFA, UEFA rules compatible with EU competition rules, EU court adviser says
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BRUSSELS, Dec 15 (Reuters) - Soccer bodies UEFA and FIFA's rules giving them the right to block clubs from joining a breakaway league and penalise players who do so are compatible with EU antitrust laws, an adviser to Europe's top court said on Thursday. The case centres on the dispute between UEFA, FIFA and the European Super League last year but could also impact other sports, clubs and players tempted by lucrative deals offered by rebel bodies and seeking to cash in during relatively short careers. The Super League took its case to a Spanish court which subsequently sought guidance from the Luxembourg-based Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU). "The FIFA-UEFA rules under which any new competition is subject to prior approval are compatible with EU competition law," Advocate General Athanasios Rantos at the EU Court of Justice (CJEU), Europe's highest, said. While the Super League is free to set up its own independent football competition outside the UEFA and FIFA ecosystem, it cannot at the same time continue to participate in FIFA and UEFA football competitions without their prior authorisation, he said.

☆ FIFA and UEFA did not breach EU laws in blocking European Super League, but proponents aren’t for giving up
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( Sammy Mngqosini | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —The decisions taken by soccer bodies FIFA and UEFA to block the European Super League (ESL) are in line with European Union (EU) competition laws, according to an EU Opinion issued on Thursday. “The FIFA-UEFA rules under which any new competition is subject to prior approval are compatible with EU competition law,” Advocate General Athanasios Rantos at the EU Court of Justice (CJEU) said. The ESL was set up in 2021 by 12 European clubs with the intention to break away from European football governing body UEFA to create their very own competition. FIFA also welcomes the Advocate General’s recognition of FIFA’s exclusive rights to market international competitions organized by FIFA. Fans of Chelsea Football Club protest against the European Super League outside Stamford Bridge on April 20, 2021.

The PSG chaiman also told Anderson that he believes media criticism of the country was down to the fact that many had not visited Qatar. The 49-year-old told Anderson that PSG would want any potential bidder to share a long-term commitment to the club. The 49-year-old told Anderson that he remains opposed to the idea, but is not against other changes. Al-Khelaifi told Anderson that PSG has a two-year contract with Messi, but will discuss his next steps after the tournament ends. Al-Khelaifi told Anderson he expected the star to be okay for the tournament’s knock-out stages, but that he needs referees to give him more protection.

☆ Juventus drama calls for an Exor exit strategy
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-29 | by ( Lisa Jucca | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Chairman Andrea Agnelli and the other directors resigned en masse on Monday amid intense legal and regulatory scrutiny of the Italian soccer club’s accounts. Prosecutors in the club’s Turin home region, and Italian market regulator Consob, queried how Juventus accounted for its players’ pay. Soccer clubs are in high demand, with Chelsea’s sale earlier this year attracting a feeding frenzy among would-be owners. CONTEXT NEWSJuventus FC Chairman Andrea Agnelli resigned on Nov. 28 along with the Italian soccer club’s entire board, citing pending legal and accounting matters. Prosecutors and Italian market regulator Consob have been scrutinising the club for possible false accounting and market manipulation.

☆ Manchester United buyer will need love and money
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-23 | by ( Neil Unmack | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

LONDON, Nov 23 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Anyone who wants to buy Manchester United (MANU.N) will need deep pockets and a big heart. The famous soccer club’s controlling shareholders, the Glazer family, said on Tuesday they’re considering selling after 17 years. The Glazers kicked off the trend of American sport investors buying British clubs when they took control of Manchester United in 2005. Soccer clubs’ revenue has boomed due to increasing demand from broadcasters and richer sponsorship deals. Manchester United benefited not just from being one of global football’s strongest brands, but also by roping in local sponsors like Japanese noodle makers.

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