Pokatok Sports World’s Fair launched with debut event in Houston, April 2024
August 16 – World Cup 2026 host venue Houston will be the venue for a newly launched global sports festival aimed at the sports business to be held 4-7 April 2024.
Fledgling airline Riyadh Air lands on Atlético Madrid’s shirt ahead of 2025 take-off
August 16 – Saudi Arabian airline Riyadh Air has been confirmed as the main and official airline partner of LaLiga’s Atlético de Madrid in a ‘multi-year’ agreement.
AFC revamps its top tier men’s club comps, adds Women’s CL and boosts prize money
August 15 – The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has radically revamped its men’s club competition structure into three new tiers, as well as launching a Women’s Champions League and boosting prize money across the competitions to record levels.
Red card for WWC2023 climate messaging as Infantino sets tone with a private jet lap of the world
By Samindra Kunti in Sydney
August 15 – Former Socceroo and human rights activist Craig Foster has criticised FIFA and Women’s World Cup organisers for failing to take the lead in the fight against climate change.
WWC2023: Spain through to final with last gasp win over Sweden
August 15 – Spain reached their first-ever Women’s World Cup final with a dramatic 2-1 victory against a solid Sweden courtesy of an 89th-minute winner by Olga Carmona.
Greeks keep rioting Croatian fans locked up as they hunt killer
August 15 – All 105 fans suspected of being involved in extensive clashes in the Greek capital that led to the death of a 29-year-old AEK Athens supporter have been ordered to be detained pending their trial.
Caicedo deal takes Chelsea spending to $1bn since Clearlake arrived
August 15 – Chelsea have taken their spending spree to a staggering $1 billion in 15 months under their American owners after smashing the British transfer record by signing Ecuador midfielder Moises Caicedo from Brighton for a reported £115 million.
CSKA Sofia ultras vandalise home stadium after losing away to Bulgarian champions
August 15 – Ultras of Bulgaria’s CSKA Sofia stormed their home Bulgarian Army stadium after another disappointing match by their team away to Ludogorets.
Premier League attendances: Seagulls flying high with Luton Town sell-out
August 15 – The first round of the 31st edition of the Premier League kicked off with clubs across the league in touching distance of reaching maximum capacity at almost every game.
Neymar poised to exit PSG in €90m move to Saudi’s Al Hilal
August 15 – Lionel Messi might have opted for the MLS but yet another superstar looks set to join the gravy train to Saudi Arabia with Neymar reported to be quitting Paris Saint-Germain to move to Al-Hilal.
Deals not done: Maguire frustrates West Ham, Man City close in on Paqueta
August 15 – West Ham are growing frustrated in their £30m pursuit of Manchester United defender Harry Maguire, 30, as they feel that transfer talks are taking much longer than they should.
Monaco adds shirt and short sponsors for season kick-off
August 15 – AS Monaco have announced two new kit sponsorships to add to their growing roster for the new season.
Messi drives Inter Miami into Leagues Cup semis and a first shot at Concacaf silverware
August 15 – Lionel Messi has brought Inter Miami wins, goals (8 in five games) and now new sponsors in the form of international freight forwarder and logistics service provider Fracht Group, the club’s first global partner of it its new era.
Caicedo opts for Chelsea in £115m record deal
August 14 – Having seemingly smashed the British transfer record by agreeing to lay out £111 million for Ecuadorian international midfielder Moises Caicedo from under the noses of Chelsea, Liverpool are the ones with egg on their face after the player opted to join the London club instead, according to multiple reports.
LaLiga files EC complaint over ‘market distorting’ effect of PSG’s state funding
August 13 – LaLiga has kept up its crusade against Qatari-owned Paris St Germain with its latest complaint being to the European Commission asserting that subsidies received by the club from Qatar distort the market and contravene new European Union Foreign Subsidies Regulation.