The Premier League confirmed Tuesday that six people tested positive for COVID-19 out of 748 players and staff who have been screened for the virus. The relatively low infection rate boosted the Premier League’s attempts to restart its season, though some players are skeptical about the idea. Woan, Mariappa Among […]
Soccer
The Bundesliga Returns: Betting Odds, Preview for Saturday’s Matches
The Bundesliga will become the first elite soccer league to return to action during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, as the German league plays nine matches over three days beginning on Saturday. The action starts with six matches on Saturday, with all 18 teams in Germany’s top tier competing over the […]
City Football Group (CFG) Adds Lommel SK to Growing Empire
City Football Group just acquired Belgian club Lommel SK. With the addition of this second division team, CFG now owns nine clubs, including the Premier League’s Manchester City. Lommel SK, like most lower-tier football clubs, was struggling in the wake of the global pandemic. It had recently been denied a […]
UK Government Clears Premier League to Restart as Early as June 1
The United Kingdom has authorized the Premier League and other major sporting events to return starting on June 1, provided the nation meets certain standards in its coronavirus response. The UK government released a 60-page document titled Our Plan to Rebuild, which includes the return of sports in the second […]
IFAB Temporarily Allows Five Substitutions to Aid Soccer’s COVID-19 Return
The International Football Association Board (IFAB) has accepted a FIFA proposal to allow up to five substitutes per game for the remainder of 2020 in an effort to protect player health as the sport returns from the coronavirus pandemic. The new regulations come into effect immediately, and only apply to […]
Germany’s Bundesliga Announces May Return, First Major European Soccer League to Resume Play
German government officials announced Wednesday that the Bundesliga – the country’s top soccer league – can resume play later this month. Chancellor Angela Merkel and state prime ministers agreed that the Bundesliga could resume as soon as May 15, though league officials may still decide to start a week later […]
How the USWNT Equal Pay Lawsuit Derailed, Settlement Still Possible
A federal judge dismissed the equal pay portion of the US women’s national soccer team’s (USWNT) lawsuit. Although some working conditions claims against the US Soccer Federation (USSF) can proceed, Friday’s decision puts more pressure on the USWNT to settle out of court. The USWNT is strong and strident. The […]
Private Equity Fund to Buy Minority Stakes in Professional Sports
Arctos Sports Partners, a new private equity firm, is looking to buy minority stakes in US major league sports teams and European soccer clubs. Private equity firms often buy troubled assets and — in the coronavirus era — sports franchises now fit that model. But high franchise valuations may be […]
French Prime Minister Announces Major Sports Ban Until September, Ending Soccer Seasons
French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe announced that the country will prohibit major sporting events until at least September, a move that puts an end to the Ligue 1 soccer season. The order affects rugby and other league sports as well, though the soccer season will face the most dramatic impact. […]
Sports Economists Warn of Looming Financial Crisis for Football’s Lower Leagues
While football’s largest leagues pull out all stops to weather the financial storm caused by the global pandemic, smaller soccer clubs have fewer levers to pull. As a result, the current coronavirus shutdown could prove to be an “extinction-level” event for lower-tier clubs across the globe — according to a […]
Amnesty International Pushes EPL to Block £300M Newcastle Sale
Amnesty International entered the Newcastle United takeover saga this week, writing a letter to the Premier League raising concerns about Saudi Arabia’s human rights record. The letter followed reports that Newcastle owner Mike Ashley’s £300 million sale of the club to a Saudi-backed syndicate involving Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman […]
Premier League Eying June Restart for Competitive Matches, September Start for Next Season
The English Premier League may be able to start playing competitive matches again as soon as June 6, a date that could allow for the 2020-21 season to begin before the fall – albeit several weeks later than normal. Unnamed sources told ESPN that a mid-September start date could be […]
Got £200 Million? Spurs Put Star Striker Harry Kane Up for Sale
The latest example of every player having his price comes from Tottenham Hotspur, which apparently made standout striker Harry Kane available in an effort to alleviate financial pressures stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. That price? A record £200 million, according to published reports. Kane’s £200 million price tag is more […]
Barcagate Continues: Six Barcelona Board Members Resign Over Disagreements with Club President
One of Europe’s most prestigious soccer clubs finds itself in turmoil as FC Barcelona is reeling after six board members resigned on Thursday over disputes with the club’s president, Josep Maria Bartomeu. The resignations included two club vice presidents and four other directors, continuing a string of behind-the-scenes troubles for […]
Southampton Reaches Wage Agreement With Players
As other English Premier League teams wrestle with payrolls of both playing and non-playing staff during the coronavirus pandemic, Southampton became the first EPL team to reach an agreement with players over wage deferrals. Under the agreement, the entire first-team squad will take 10% pay deferrals through June. In addition, […]
Robots, Mannequins Serve as Alternative Fans for Professional Sports Teams
A handful of sports leagues are still playing games, and eventually, many more competitions will join them as the world regains some sense of normalcy in the future. But even when athletes retake the field, they’ll likely do so without supporters in the stands, which has led some teams to […]
Swedish Amateur Soccer Team Receives Death Threats Over Friendly Match Featured at Betting Sites
A seventh-tier Swedish soccer club says it dealt with online abuse after drawing a friendly match on Monday, apparently because betting sites offered odds on the match. Skabersjo IF and Vastra Ingelstad IS drew their match, 1-1. Outside of the friends and families of the players on both teams, few […]
UEFA Indefinitely Suspends Champions League, Europa League, Season Could Be ‘Lost’
UEFA announced an indefinite suspension for the Champions League and Europa League on Wednesday, as officials acknowledge that, at a certain point, Europe may simply lose the remainder of its soccer schedule. European soccer has almost entirely shut down, with the exception of the Belarusian Premier League, which continues on […]
How (And Why) The Belarusian Premier League Keeps Playing During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Throughout the world, sports leagues have chosen to shut down in the face of the coronavirus pandemic as a way to help slow the spread of COVID-19. But bettors around the world have noticed there’s one notable exception: The Belarusian Premier League, where soccer teams continue to compete every weekend. […]
Japanese Soccer to Return Gradually, J. League Set for May 9 Start
J.League chairman Mitsuru Murai announced Tuesday that Japanese soccer leagues will restart beginning in late April, with the top-tier J. League coming back in early May. The staggered restart will begin with the third-tier J3 league opening again on April 25, followed by J2 on May 2, and J. League […]