News Archives - Inside World Football

UEFA and Decathlon unveil new ball for Europa and Conference Leagues

June 3 – Decathlon have unveiled the new official match balls for both the UEFA Europa League and UEFA Conference League 2026/27 season.

The collaboration, which began during the 2024/25 campaign, marked a significant shift in UEFA’s commercial portfolio by replacing Molten and bringing Decathlon’s football brand Kipsta into the spotlight of elite European competition.

Two years on, the partnership has evolved into a cornerstone agreement that wants to blend performance innovation with a shared commitment to making football more accessible.

Europe

Kane meets his waxwork at Madame Tussauds

June 2 – England captain Harry Kane has joined an elite cast of sporting stars at Madame Tussauds London after the attraction unveiled the first-ever wax figure of the Bayern Munich striker ahead of this summer’s FIFA World Cup.

Europe

UC3 and RFP enter exclusive betting partner negotiations as sales revenues close in on €1bn annually

June 2 – Hard on the heels of announcing a six-year premium partnership with Chinese ecommerce giant Alibaba last week, UC3 and their sales agency Relevent Football Partners (RFP) have said they have entered exclusive negotiations with a betting partner for UEFA’s men’s club competitions.

UC3 did not say who that partner is other than it is a “selected betting company”.

In 2024 UEFA agreed a three-year deal with bet365 as the Official Global Sponsor and the exclusive sports betting partner of the UEFA Champions League.

Europe

China’s e-commerce giant Alibaba inks tech-based deal covering UEFA’s Euro Championships

June 1 – China may not yet be a major force on the international football pitch. Still, the country’s love affair with the global game remains strong, and Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group has just inked one of the most significant European football deals to underline that point.

Through a multi-year agreement unveiled today, Alibaba becomes the global AI, cloud computing, and e-commerce partner of UEFA, spanning both the 2028 UEFA European Championships and the men’s club competition cycle from 2027-28 through 2032-33.

Europe

Ballon d’Or to cross La Manche for London debut

May 29 – The Ballon d’Or, that has traditionally been hosted at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, is moving to London for the first time in its history this year, with organisers confirming that football’s most prestigious individual awards ceremony will be held on October 26.

The move marks the 70th anniversary of the inaugural Ballon d’Or, first awarded to England legend Stanley Matthews in 1956, with co-organisers France Football and UEFA framing the switch as both a tribute to the award’s heritage and a celebration of the global reach of the modern game.

Europe

UEFA Foundation for Children distributes €1m in grant funding to 29 projects

May 29 – The UEFA Foundation for Children has awarded funding to 29 organisations across Europe as part of its 2026 UEFA Foundation for Children Award, recognising projects using football as a tool to support vulnerable children and tackle wider social challenges.

The decisions were confirmed during a UEFA Foundation board meeting in Leipzig ahead of the UEFA Conference League final, with the selected organisations chosen following recommendations from UEFA’s member associations.

A total of €1 million will be distributed equally among the winners,

Europe

Crystal Palace fans attacked ahead of Conference League final in Leipzig

May 27 – Violence broke out in Leipzig, Germany, on the eve of the UEFA Conference League final after Crystal Palace supporters were targeted in an organised attack in the city centre ahead of tonight’s clash with Rayo Vallecano.

According to reports trouble flared on Tuesday evening as Palace fans gathered outside bars in the German city to celebrate the club’s first major European final. Videos circulating on social media showed a group of men,

Europe

Bodø/Glimt’s Champions League heroics rewarded with new Arctic Arena

May 21 – Norweigan club Bodø/Glimt, who became every football fan in Europe’s second team with their unlikely Champions League wins over Manchester City, Atletico Madrid and Inter Milan (twice) before being knocked out by Sporting Lisbon, is getting a new stadium.

Construction has begun on the ‘Arctic Arena’, which will become the home of the four-time Norwegian champions “and a symbol of the club’s continued growth on and off the pitch”.

Europe

LaLiga builds community and confidence in London

May 20 – LaLiga and Bloomsbury Football Foundation brought more than 120 young girls together in London this week for the latest edition of their Girls Schools Programme Finals Day, as the partnership continues to expand its grassroots footprint in the UK.

Held against the backdrop of growing momentum in the women’s game, the event featured 15 teams from 11 schools competing across Cup and Plate competitions, while also taking part in football and education sessions led by the LaLiga foundation.

Europe

UEFA and ACE intensify war on organised crime gangs and their illegal piracy

May 19 – With UEFA’s sales agencies UC3 and Relevent Football Partners rapidly signing new broadcast partners for the next cycle of men’s club competition rights, UEFA has beefed up its war on pirates via an enhanced enforcement programme with more investigations targeting the biggest pirate operations.

Last October UEFA became the first sports rights-holder to join the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE) – the world’s largest coalition dedicated to tackling digital piracy.

Europe

Celtic apologise to Hearts after chaotic pitch invasion leads to violence at Premiership decider

May 18 – Celtic have apologised to Hearts and pledged to fully co-operate with investigations after chaotic scenes followed their dramatic Scottish Premiership title win at Celtic Park on Saturday.

Supporters flooded on to the pitch moments after Callum Osmand scored a 98th-minute goal to seal a 3-1 victory and confirm Celtic’s fifth consecutive league title, with some fans reportedly confronting Hearts players as celebrations spiralled beyond the stands.

Hearts later said their squad were forced to leave the stadium immediately while still wearing full kit due to what the club described as a “menacing and threatening atmosphere”.

Europe

UEFA Medical partners with Haleon to advance football-related pain management

May 14 – UEFA has unveiled Haleon as its first-ever Medical Health Partner in a multi-year agreement that will focus on the science of pain management using the expertise of both organisations.

Europe

Florentino Perez attacks enemies as he struggles to keep control of Real Madrid

May 13 – In an emotional press conference, Florentino Perez confirmed that he wants another term as Real Madrid president and blamed the media for his problems.

Europe

Slavia Prague pitch invasion forces derby abandonment as Sparta players assaulted

May 11 – Slavia Prague face disciplinary sanctions after supporters invaded the pitch and attacked Sparta Prague players during Saturday night’s Czech title derby, forcing the match to be abandoned.

Europe

Botev’s Antoine Conte booked after attempting to walk off after ref allows sustained racial abuse

May 11 – The Bulgarian efbet League was mired in controversy at the weekend following a racism incident in the match between Cherno More Varna and Botev Plovdiv, and the failure of match officials to act in accordance with UEFA guidelines and protocols.