Pachuca beat Al Ahly on penalties to set up Real Madrid final
December 16 – Mexico’s Pachuca will play Real Madrid in the final of the Intercontinental Cup after defeating Egypt’s Al Ahly in a penalty shootout following a goalless draw.
Baller League raises £33m for 6v6 entertainment product
December 16 – New platforms of football continue to evolve with the latest iteration being ‘Baller League’ an innovative 6-a-side football league, which hopes to blend the ‘beautiful game’ with the energy of street culture.
San Diego FC set new franchise record for shirt sales launch
December 16 – San Diego FC, who will make their debut in Major League Soccer (MLS), next season, are already breaking records before they’ve even stepped foot on the pitch.
Subway takes naming rights to Women’s League Cup
December 15 – Fast food giant Subway has signed a multi-year agreement with Women’s Professional Leagues Limited (WPLL), making it the new title partner of the Women’s League Cup.
Kelly Cates transfers from Sky to lead the line at the BBC
December 16 – The identity of the presenter to replace the beloved Gary Lineker on the BBC’s flagship show, Match of the Day is Kelly Cates who will be leaving her current role at Sky Sports.
TOGG parks logo on Bursaspor shorts
December 16 – Turkey’s Bursaspor has signed a sponsorship deal with local car manufacturer TOGG that will see its logo placed on Bursaspor’s team shorts and one of the stands at the Centennial Atatürk Stadium will be renamed.
Montagliani reflects on Concacaf’s 8-year journey from darkness to light and their next steps
December 13 – Speaking at Concacaf’s annual Presidents’ Meeting in Orlando, FL, USA, last weekend, Concacaf president Victor Montagliani, reminded his member associations how far the organisaton had progressed over the past eight years.
Concacaf adds centralised final four format for Nations League’s B and C divisions
December 13 – Concacaf is expanding its Nations League B and C divisions to include a final four competition, starting with the 2026/27 edition.
Man City report rise in 2023/24 revenue to £715m but pending FFP ruling is still the elephant in the room
December 13 – Manchester City have announced a club-record revenue of £715 million for their 2023/24 financial year, alongside profits of £73.8 million.
European draw for 2026 group qualifying sees England rematched with Serbia
December 13 – Thomas Tuchel’s first official duty as England’s new head coach was to see his team drawn in a 2026 World Cup qualifying group with Serbia, Albania, Latvia and Andorra today.
Saudi Arabia will cover up its reality to west in run-up to 2034, claims rights activist
December 13 – Fans visiting Saudi Arabia for the 2034 World Cup will live in a “bubble” during the tournament and will not see what really goes on behind the scenes, according to a Saudi rights activist living in the UK.
Conmebol adds Women’s World Cup 2027 qualifying tournament to calendar
December 13 – Following in the footsteps of Europe, South America will stage a standalone qualifying tournament for the Women’s World Cup, the region’s governing body Conmebol confirmed on Thursday.
Lidl adds to its UEFA deals, becoming partner of Women’s Euro 2025
December 13 – UEFA has announced Lidl as an Official Partner for UEFA Women’s Euro 2025, the largest women’s Euro in history, set to take place in Switzerland across eight host cities in July 2025.
Swissquote champions financial equality with Euro 2025 national sponsorship
December 13 – UEFA has announced Swiss online banking provider Swissquote as an Official National Partner for Women’s Euro 2025 next summer. The partnership also includes Swissquote’s joint venture, Yuh, further strengthening the company’s commitment to fostering equality in sport.
AFC pushes eSports button with club competition launch at knowledge-sharing forum
December 13 – The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has taken the next step into the virtual world with the conclusion of its first-ever AFC Football eSports Forum in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Tuesday.