Football

Eleven Sports has announced that it will respect the Saturday afternoon 3pm blackout in the UK and no longer show European football matches at this time. However, it is not yet known how long Eleven Sports will continue to respect the rule which in a statement the company described as “unfit for the modern, digital era”.

The OTT streaming service had previously ignored the FA ruling that prohibits matches being broadcast in the UK between 2.45pm and 5.15pm in order to not adversely affect match attendances in domestic leagues across the country.

International and European competitions still dominate fan interest in the UAE, but domestic football is on the rise according to results of a new nationwide survey from SMG Insight and CSM Sport & Entertainment.

The results point to a positive future for football development and sponsorship in the region. According to the survey, hosting international tournaments was the top factor in developing regional football, followed by improving the quality of local leagues and providing better stadium facilities. 

UEFA is increasing funding in its Women's Football Development Programme by 50% in order to show the organisation's commitment to supporting the women's game. The announcement forms part of UEFA's pledge to the #WhatIf campaign.

Digital football business Dugout has agreed a partnership with the PA news agency to distribute exclusive video content from the world’s leading football clubs to media outlets worldwide.

Dugout is a content platform and publisher jointly owned by some of the sport’s biggest clubs including Chelsea FC, FC Barcelona, FC Bayern Munich, Juventus, and Paris Saint-Germain. Additional content partners include more than 70 other international clubs, as well as leagues and federations that all share video content with fans via the platform.

Football media brand COPA90 has teamed up with Carling, Official Beer of the Premier League, to create a platform for Premier League fans to share their opinions on their clubs.

“Carling Call-In” will give supporters the opportunity to share their spontaneous and joyful reactions to their teams’ Premier League performances with fellow fans around the country. 

Manchester City is to collaborate with top European esports team Epsilon to compete in the Gfinity Elite Series, Season 4 in the FIFA 19 category.

The move will see the football club's esports division join Epsilon’s slot in the tournament, which is entering its fourth edition and attracts top teams from across Europe. It follows the addition of FIFA 19 to the series in early 2018. 

Epsilon was a founding competitor in the Gfinity Elite Series and has a strong track-record in competitive FIFA, stretching back to 2012. 

Stars from English Football League (EFL) clubs turned heads at King’s Cross on World Mental Health Day, as part of a live exhibit highlighting the role football can play in tackling mental health problems.

Four footballers from across the leagues – James Shea (Luton Town), Deji Oshilaja (AFC Wimbledon), Luke Prosser (Colchester Utd) and Darius Charles (Wycombe Wanderers) – took centre-stage at a special temporary installation on the King’s Cross station concourse, on behalf of the EFL and its charity partner, the mental health charity Mind.

As part of its activation in UK football, Sure is launching a new ‘Make Your Move’ content series, starting with Chelsea FC.

The video sees England’s first team striker coach, Allan Russell, put Chelsea players Morata, Pedro and Zappacosta through an elite test of their movement and finishing to replicate certain pressure situations in a game.

FIFA has launched its first-ever global strategy for women’s football, seeking to double the size of the global women’s game by 2026.

Eight-year targets include doubling the number of female players to 60 million as well as doubling the number of member associations with organised youth leagues.

By 2022, football’s global governing body also aims for 100% of its 211 member associations (MAs) to have developed comprehensive women’s football strategies of their own.

The Football Foundation, in collaboration with The Football Association (The FA), has announced a landmark partnership agreement that will see the charity become the official lead sponsor of the England Men’s Senior Team for the upcoming UEFA Nations League fixtures against Croatia and Spain. 

The team will wear the Football Foundation’s logo on the front of their training kits, with the charity’s brand also set to feature during pre-match press conferences over the upcoming international period.