Elite women's sport revenue to top $2 billion: Deloitte

Global revenues for women's elite sport are on track to top $2 billion in 2025, with commercial appeal at an all-time high, according to financial experts Deloitte.The company said Tuesday that the combination of matchday, commercial and broadcast income would push revenues to $2.35 billion (2.15 billion euros) worldwide, up from $1.88 billion in 2024.That would represent a 240 percent rise in four years. Deloitte valued the 2022 market at $692 million.Jennifer Haskel of the Deloitte Sports Business Group said: "The commercial appeal of women's sports and its athletes has never been higher, as the sector continues to shine on the global stage."She added: "The growth of women's sport has continued to exceed expectations as various competitions, leagues, clubs and athletes generate significant returns despite limited resources."Crucially, the industry is moving beyond short-sighted metrics to focus on evolving structures and legacy programmes through enhanced investment and bold action."The two highest revenue-generating sports are basketball and football.Deloitte said the 2025 Women's...

Read More........ → March 27, 2025

In a globalised world, the football World Cup is a force for good

Steve Georgakis, University of SydneyFIFA, world football’s governing body, is not a perfect multinational corporation. It would be quite naïve to envisage that the World Cup should have the capacity to bring world peace, fix global inequality, stamp out racism and overcome other issues espoused by various academic, media and public commentators in recent weeks. On balance, however, the World Cup as an institution is a force for global good – for a number of reasons. First, the tournament brings the world together. FIFA has 209 national football associations affiliated to it that compete in the various competitions it organises. These members also aim to qualify for the World Cup finals every four years. While only 32 countries compete in the World Cup finals, over the years many countries have qualified. In 2014, Bosnia and Herzegovina became the 77th country to take part in the World Cup. This high level of global participation is unprecedented among sporting events and provides many opportunities for international contact and soft diplomacy. Second, football is played in all...

Read More........ → January 17, 2025

Messi to kick off new Club World Cup, Neymar to face Real

MIAMI - Lionel Messi and Inter Miami will kick off FIFA's new 32-team Club World Cup when the Major League Soccer side take on Egypt's Al Ahly in the June 15 opener, the draw for the tournament revealed on Thursday.Brazilian team Palmeiras and Portugal's Porto complete Group A alongside Argentina World Cup winner Messi, whose Miami team were handed a spot by FIFA after finishing top of the regular season standings in MLS.Messi's former Barcelona team-mate, Brazilian Neymar, will have a reunion with La Liga rivals and European champions Real Madrid in Group H.Twelve European clubs will feature in the tournament with Manchester City facing Juventus in Group G of a tournament which FIFA president Gianni Infantino said would "start a new era in club football".Paris Saint-Germain were drawn in a tough group with Atletico Madrid, Copa Libertadores winners Botafogo of Brazil and Seattle Sounders.FIFA has had to deal with some scepticism over the need for the tournament and the chances of it capturing the imagination of fans but there was plenty of support for the competition among those at...

Read More........ → December 10, 2024

As 2026 World Cup planning kicks off, smooth border crossings are a goal

An influx of soccer fans attending the 2026 FIFA World Cup could exacerbate the typical summer backups at the Canadian border. Ideas for smoother crossings are getting kicked around that could last beyond the tournament. (Photo by Tom Banse)This article was first published by the Salish Current.Legions of soccer fans will descend on the Pacific Northwest in peak summer 2026 for the men’s FIFA World Cup. It seems like a long time away, but not if you’re a transportation or travel planner.The Pacific Northwest will host 13 World Cup matches — split between Seattle and Vancouver. The potential for monumental backups at the U.S.-Canada border as superfans ping-pong between the host cities is one factor causing a range of local figures to raise yellow flags. Event organizers have already passed the ball to the Washington Legislature and Congress with requests for assistance totaling millions of dollars.“What are we, 597 days out? Not that we’re counting,” said April Putney, barely missing a beat to recall numbers during a late October interview. Putney is the chief strategy officer with...

Read More........ → December 04, 2024

Messi hopeful of quick return from injury

Miami, (IANS) Argentina captain Lionel Messi expressed hope that he would recover quickly from an ankle sprain sustained during his team's 1-0 victory over Colombia in the Copa America final.The 37-year-old was forced off the pitch in the 66th minute of the match at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, after rolling his ankle while chasing a Colombian opponent, reports Xinhua."I'm fine, thankfully, and I hope I can soon be on the pitch again doing what I most enjoy," the forward said in a social media post.Messi paid tribute to his teammates - including retiring star Angel Di Maria - after the Albiceleste became the first team to successfully defend the Copa America crown while also holding the World Cup trophy."I'm very happy, especially because we achieved the goal we had and Fide [Di Maria] leaves us, but with another trophy," the No. 10 said."The older players like him, Ota [Nicolas Otamendi] or me, we live it [the title] with special excitement. We are a team and also a family, a spectacular group."Despite participating in Argentina's victory celebrations, the former Barcelona...

Read More........ → July 31, 2024

'Not many players in world as lethal as Ronaldo', opines Sunil Chhetri

New Delhi, June 11 (IANS) The 2024 Euros are just around the corner and just like it has been for the past two decades, the spotlight will fall on Cristiano Ronaldo who has often been hailed as Portugal’s greatest player ever.The 39-year-old has not scored an international goal since November, 2023 and has also been benched a few times for young striker Goncalo Ramos.Ahead of the tournament, India’s all-time top scorer Sunil Chhetri talked about Ronaldo's role and importance in the team in an exclusive conversation with IANS."I hope Ronaldo starts as many games as possible. I would love to see him. I think if there’s one team that can keep him as a number nine and not expect too much defensive work, I don’t mean that he should not or that he does not but I’m saying can expect less is Portugal," Chhetri told IANS."It is a star-studded team they're very good at keeping the ball, more than often they're dominating. They are dominant when it comes to keeping the ball more than often. They have some top players so they can afford to have Ronaldo on the box," he added.Ronaldo is only one...

Read More........ → June 16, 2024

18 years on, Germany hopes to relive World Cup 'fairytale' with Euro 2024

BERLIN - As Germany prepares to host Euro 2024, the 2006 World Cup -- the last major international football tournament on German soil -- still plays a formative role in the nation's collective consciousness.Now widely known as the Summer Fairytale (Sommermaerchen), the tournament is remembered as the moment a unified Germany shook off the shadows of its dark past and showed the world a new, modern face.On the field, the German team coached by Jurgen Klinsmann overcame dire pre-tournament predictions to make it to the semi-finals.Despite losing in extra time to eventual champions Italy and eventually finishing third, Germany's performance kick-started a decade of dominance that peaked with the 2014 World Cup triumph in Brazil.Off the field, the tournament changed not only the way the world saw Germany, but the manner in which Germany saw itself.Philipp Lahm, a key player in 2006 who captained Germany to World Cup glory eight years later, told AFP: "In 2006 we were able to experience the whole nation standing behind the team and giving us energy."The celebrations are good. That people...

Read More........ → May 15, 2024

Hosts France get kind Olympic draw as Mbappe uncertainty lingers

PARIS - Thierry Henry's France side are firm favourites to progress following a kind group draw for men's football at the 2024 Olympic Games on Wednesday, as the hosts wait to see if Kylian Mbappe will be made available. "Nothing is easy," said Henry after the draw, but his side, already amongst the favourites for the gold medal on home turf, avoided potential pitfalls in not drawing Morocco and Egypt. Les Bleus are in Group A of the 16-team tournament with New Zealand, USA and the winners of the AFC-CAF play-off, as they seek to win a second Olympic gold after success in 1984. "It's never easy to win a home tournament, I think Brazil and Spain did it (in 2016 and 1992, respectively) but it doesn't happen often," said Henry. "We will try to make it happen, but it'll be a long journey." It is understood that Paris Saint-Germain superstar Mbappe is also very keen to represent his country at the Olympics, but he would likely have little time to rest after Euro 2024. Football's world governing body FIFA does not oblige clubs to release players for the Olympics, which could complicate Mbappe's...

Read More........ → March 22, 2024

Messi leaves door open to 2026 World Cup

BUENOS AIRES - Lionel Messi is not ruling out another bid for World Cup glory with Argentina in 2026 despite acknowledging that time is working against him.Messi, who recently won his eighth Ballon d'Or, raised the World Cup almost a year ago after starring for Argentina in the final against France in Doha.The 36-year-old had suggested at the time that the tournament in Qatar would be his last and that he wouldn't be around for the next tournament which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.But having moved to Major League Soccer's Inter Miami and continued performing for the national team in qualifiers for 2026, he says the door remains open."I'm not thinking about the World Cup and I'm not saying 100 percent that I won't be there because anything can happen. Because of my age, the most normal thing is that I won't be there. Then we'll see," said Messi in an interview with Argentina's Star+.The Argentina captain said his focus on June's Copa America which will be held in the United States."Maybe we'll do well at the Copa America and everything will work out for...

Read More........ → December 02, 2023

How Saudi Arabia’s unchallenged 2034 World Cup bid could weaken Fifa’s human rights demands

David McGillivray, University of the West of ScotlandIn 2010, Qatar was awarded the rights to host the 2022 Fifa men’s World Cup. It marked the culmination of the small, oil-rich gulf nation’s long-term strategy to diversify its economy and strengthen its international standing through investment in sport, culture and tourism. However, from the moment the hosting rights were awarded until the event’s conclusion in December 2022, the Qatar World Cup was marred by controversies. These controversies included allegations of bid bribery, violations of human rights, and what has come to be known as “sportswashing” – the strategic use of the positive image associated with sport to divert attention away from the less palatable aspects of a nation’s social and political culture. Qatari officials have consistently denied all allegations of bid bribery levelled at them. However, in 2020, the New York Times released information from a US Department of Justice indictment that revealed details about payments made to five members of Fifa before the 2010 vote of Russia and Qatar as World Cup...

Read More........ → November 09, 2023

Lionel Messi, Alexia Putellas voted best players at FIFA awards again

FEB 28, 2023 NEW DELHI: World Cup winner Lionel Messi edged Kylian Mbapp again, this time to take FIFA's best men's player award on Monday. The best women's player was Spain's Alexia Putellas for a second straight year. After steering Argentina to World Cup glory in an epic final against Mbapp 's France last year in Qatar, Messi won the best player vote against Mbapp and Karim Benzema to secure the FIFA prize for the seventh time in 14 years. The three players made the final shortlist in voting by a global panel of national team captains and coaches, selected journalists in each of FIFA's 211 member countries, plus fans online. The 35-year-old Messi also beat Mbapp who was seeking his first best player award from FIFA to the Golden Ball trophy awarded by FIFA for the World Cup's best player. Putellas won her award from Alex Morgan of the United States and Beth Mead, who led England to the European Championship title in 2022. Barcelona playmaker Putellas made the top three again despite being injured days before the Euro and missing the tournament. Mead was the joint top scorer at the...

Read More........ → February 28, 2023

Ronaldo named best player of 21st century at Globe Soccer Awards

Cristiano Ronaldo was handed over the best footballer of the 21st century award at the Globe Soccer Awards on Sunday night; Photo: CollectedCristiano Ronaldo has been named the best footballer of the 21st century at the Globe Soccer Awards. Lionel Messi, Mohamed Salah and Ronaldinho were in contention to win the award.The Portuguese star was handed the award for the best footballer of the 21st century from 2001 to 2020 in a glittering ceremony in Dubai on Sunday night.Cristiano Ronaldo, 35, has won five UEFA Champions League titles between 2001 to 2020. He also won the Euro and UEFA Nations League for Portugal and won three English Premier League titles for Manchester United. Besides, he won two La Liga titles for Real Madrid and won two Italian Serie A titles for Juventus. He also scored the highest 134 goals in the history of the UEFA Champions League and won Ballon d’Or five times. With all these, Cristiano Ronaldo has been selected as the best footballer of the 21st century.The Footballer of the Year has been selected at the Globe Soccer Awards since 2011. Ronaldo won the award...

Read More........ → December 29, 2020

Italy`s 1982 World Cup hero Paolo Rossi dies

Former Italian footballer Paolo Rossi, who fired the Azzurri to victory in the 1982 World Cup, has died at the age of 64. His wife Federica Cappelletti announced the death with a post on Instagram alongside a photo of the couple, accompanied by the comment “Forever,” followed by a heart.“There will never be anyone like you, unique, special, after you the absolute nothing….,” Cappelletti also wrote on Facebook.She did not disclose the cause of his death but Italian media reported that Rossi had been suffering from “an uncurable disease”.Rossi was the top scorer and the best player of the 1982 tournament in Spain. His memorable hat-trick eliminated favourites Brazil in a match many fans see as one of the greatest in World Cup history.Rossi nearly missed the competition after being banned from football for two years for his involvement in a match-fixing scandal.At club level, the striker was also a prolific goalscorer for Vicenza. He also played for a number of other Serie A outfits, including Juventus and Milan.In 2004, he was named by Brazilian legend Pelé as one of the top 125...

Read More........ → December 11, 2020

Ronaldo scores twice penalty as Juve crush Messi’s Barca 3-0

Barcelona failed to prove their worth in the home match at the Nou Camp. The Spanish giant lost 3-0 to Ronaldo’s Juventus in the Champions League. With this, Juventus got their fifth win and rose to the top of the group points table with 15 points.Cristiano Ronaldo struck twice from the penalty spot to win his battle against Lionel Messi and guide his team to a victory over Barcelona on Tuesday. Ronald Araújo fouled Ronaldo inside the D-Box in the 11th minute of the Messi-Ronaldo rival match, as a result, The Juve superstar did not make any mistake in the penalty. Ronaldo got his first goal in the Champions League against Barcelona. In the 20th minute of the match, Juventus scored their second goal. This time, US midfielder Weston McKennie volleying home Juan Cuadrado’s sweetly clipped cross in the goal bar. This is McKennie’s first UCL goal. Ronaldo scored got his second goal from the penalty kick again in the 52nd minute after Clement Lenglet handled clumsily in the area and gave Juventus a 3-0 lead. Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, the two best footballers...

Read More........ → December 09, 2020

Madrid placed under partial lockdown

Spain imposed a partial lockdown in Madrid to control the second wave of coronavirus infections. Restrictions are being tightened again in Madrid, a city of more than three million people, as infections continue to rise.According to the new restrictions, from this week people will be able to travel outside their home districts in case of emergency only.Bars and restaurants cannot be kept open after 10 pm. And a maximum of six people are permitted to meet in any setting, reports the BBC.The move comes at the behest of the Spanish federal government. Partial lockdowns will also be implemented in 9 more cities outside Madrid. Madrid’s Justice Minister said it would cost the capital’s economy €8bn.A second wave of coronavirus infection is now breaking over Spain. The number of emergency patient admissions to major hospitals in Madrid has increased. Every hour, patients are seen arriving in 12 de Octubre hospital, one of the biggest in Madrid. https://www.daily-bangladesh.co...

Read More........ → October 05, 2020

Messi voted as world's best by Bundesliga players, Klopp best manager

Munich: Barcelona talisman Lionel Messi is the best player in the world ahead of Juventus forward Cristiano Ronaldo, according to Bundesliga players, who recently voted for a number of awards related to German and world football. Messi received 54.8 per cent of the votes in the world's best player category followed by Ronaldo, Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich), Virgil Van Dijk (Liverpool) and Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint Germain). Former Borussia Dortmund manager Jurgen Klopp was voted as the best manager in the world with 74.8 per cent votes ahead of Pep Guardiola (Manchester City), Hans Flick (Bayern Munich), Julian Nagelsmann (RB Liepzig), Diego Simeone (Atletico Madrid) and Zinedine Zidane (Real Madrid). Premier League was chosen as the best football league in the world by the footballers in German top-division with a mammoth 74.4 per cent votes ahead of Bundesliga and LaLiga. The biggest disappointment of the year, according to Bundesliga players, was Mario Gotze, who recently parted ways with Dortmund. Gotze returned to Dortmund in 2016 after a three-year stint...

Read More........ → July 21, 2020

12 Iranian soccer players contract COVID-19

Tehran: 12 soccer players from two Iranian clubs of Esteghlal and Foolad have contracted novel coronavirus, Tasnim news agency reported. According to the report, six players of Esteghlal have tested positive for the novel coronavirus. Esteghlal's training was shut down on Saturday. The club's doctor Kaveh Sotoodeh has said there are several more players suspected of having the virus while awaiting test results. Foolad club also announced that six players of the team have tested positive for the coronavirus. According to new regulations of the Iranian health authorities, if five players of one team contract the virus, the team's matches will be canceled. Iran's soccer super league matches resumed last week after nearly four-month suspension over COVID-19 outbreak in the country in late February. Source: https://timesofoman.com...

Read More........ → July 08, 2020

Ronaldo: I want to play until I am 41

Cristiano Ronaldo said on Monday that he hopes to carry on playing football for another 10 years when he will be 41 years old. The Portuguese international made his comments at the press conference held after he extended his current contract with Real Madrid until the summer of 2021, when he will be 36 years old. After thanking the club and the fans, Ronaldo said it was a "very important" day for him. "I have renewed my contract for the next five years, but it will not be my last contract. I want to play on until I am 41," he said, adding he intended "to carry on making history with Real Madrid." "Five years is a long time and I am going to give my best... I want to continue winning and I want to carry on learning," commented the striker. "I have a long time ahead of me to enjoy at a professional level. I have 10 years left to play," insisted Ronaldo, who also didn't rule out remaining at the club when he finally hangs up his boots. "You never know; I am very happy in Madrid, my son is also happy seeing his father here, so are my family and friends... I don't know...

Read More........ → November 09, 2016

China to help Russia hold 2018 FIFA World Cup

© Photo: RIA Novosti/ Alexei Danichev Xi Jinping,General Secretary of the Communist Party of China, said during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin that China would help Russia hold the 2018 FIFA World Cup, RIA Novosti says, citing China’s president. "It doesn't depend on whether China participates in the finals or not, we will help Russia hold the championships," Xi Jinping said. After the end of the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, Russia received the right to hold the next FIFA World Cup in 2018. A symbolic handover ceremony was attended by Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, the Head of the International Federation of Football Associations (FIFA), Joseph Blatter and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The 2018 FIFA World Cup will be held from June 8 to July 8 in 11 of Russia's cities. Source: http://sputniknews.co...

Read More........ → May 31, 2016

Chelsea 'cleared to sign Lionel Messi'

Messi is 'unsettled' at Barcelona, reports suggest – and Chelsea are poised to swoop BY Bill Mann: The Premier League's finest will be dismayed to hear that Barcelona have got their beady eye on Paul Pogba, but is that because Chelsea are poised to deprive the Spanish giants of Lionel Messi in the summer? Transfer Talk dishes the dirt on the latest tittle-tattle. • If Metro has its facts correct then Chelsea "have been cleared to sign Lionel Messi" at the end of the season. The paper claims that the Barcelona goal machine is weighing up his options after allegedly becoming unsettled at the Camp Nou, and then mentions the sum of ￡200m as the likely transfer fee for the Argentine ace. It's believed that Messi wants to take up the challenge of playing in the Premier League and Chelsea are prepared to pay the astronomical sum "all up front" in order to secure his signature. • Barcelona will have their sporting director Ariedo Braida in Germany tonight to watch Paul Pogba in action for Juventus against Borussia Dortmund. That comes as a blow to Arsenal, Man Utd and Chelsea, who...

Read More........ → February 26, 2015