Latest news with #DavidSquires
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
The Fifa Club World Cup, explained: everything you wanted to know about the tournament
Hang on, I thought the World Cup was next year … The 2026 World Cup is what is technically known as the Proper World Cup, for national teams. This summer's tournament is the Club World Cup, featuring some (with the emphasis on 'some') of the world's best domestic teams – Real Madrid, PSG, River Plate and the like. Advertisement Related: David Squires on … Infantino's Club World Cup buildup in the land of Trump Didn't that already exist? It did! Manchester City are technically the holders. But if there's one thing Fifa likes, it's grossly expanded tournaments and the Club World Cup is no exception. Since the tournament started in 2000, it usually featured six or seven teams representing Fifa's various confederations. The teams would turn up, play a few knockout games in half-full stadiums – and the whole thing would be done in around 10 days with very few people remembering who actually won the thing by the time next year's edition came around. Naturally, Fifa decided fans wanted even more of this type of thing and have expanded the tournament: 32 teams will now play 63 games in 11 host cities across the United States over a period of four weeks. Like the most recent World Cup, there will be a group stage with the best two teams from each of the eight groups progressing to the last-16 knockout stage. Right, so the best 32 teams in the world then ... Well … not exactly. With all due respect to Asia, Africa, North America, Central America, the Caribbean and Oceania, the 32 best club teams on Earth are almost certainly in Europe and South America. But this is a World Cup, so the teams are mainly made up of clubs who have won their respective continental championships over the last four years (so, for example, recent winners of the Champions League get in from Europe). Advertisement There are more places for teams from stronger federations such as Europe's Uefa (12 slots) and South America's Conmebol (six slots) than weaker federations (Oceania's OFC gets just one). There are some oddities to the qualifying process though. The US got an extra slot as tournament hosts, meaning their domestic champion from 2024 would qualify. Most fans would say that would be the MLS Cup champion, which is decided after a post-season playoff competition (the 2024 champion was Los Angeles Galaxy). Instead, Fifa decided the team with the best regular-season record would qualify. That just happened to be Inter Miami, led by Lionel Messi, the most famous player in the world. Make of that what you will. Another MLS team made it in slightly circuitous fashion. Fifa rules mean that two clubs with the same ownership can't compete at the tournament. That meant Club Léon were deprived of their slot because another Mexican team at the tournament, Pachuca, are under the same ownership group. That led to a playoff between Los Angeles FC and Club América to decide Léon's replacement, with LAFC winning. And then there is Auckland City. The best two teams in New Zealand, Auckland FC and Wellington Phoenix, play in Australia's A-League, which is part of the Asian Football Confederation. That means Auckland City, as the winner of the OFC Champions League, grabbed the one slot for Oceania. So who is playing? AFC (Asia) Al-Hilal , Saudi Arabia (winners of the 2021 AFC Champions League) Urawa Red Diamonds , Japan (winners of the 2022 AFC Champions League) Al Ain , UAE (winners of the 2023–24 AFC Champions League) Ulsan, South Korea (best-ranked eligible team in the AFC four-year ranking) Caf (Africa) Al -Ahly , Egypt (winners of the 2020–21 Caf Champions League) Wydad , Morocco (winners of the 2021–22 Caf Champions League) Espérance de Tunis , Tunisia (best-ranked eligible team in the Caf four-year ranking) Mamelodi Sundowns, South Africa (second-best ranked eligible team in the Caf four-year ranking) Concacaf (North, Central America, and the Caribbean) Monterrey , Mexico (winners of the 2021 Concacaf Champions League) Seattle Sounders , USA (winners of the 2022 Concacaf Champions League) Pachuca , Mexico (winners of the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup) Los Angeles FC, USA (winners of play-off match) Conmebol (South America) Palmeiras , Brazil (winners of the 2021 Copa Libertadores) Flamengo , Brazil (winners of the 2022 Copa Libertadores) Fluminense , Brazil (winners of the 2023 Copa Libertadores) Botafogo , Brazil (winners of the 2024 Copa Libertadores) River Plate , Argentina (best-ranked eligible team in the Conmebol four-year ranking) Boca Juniors, Argentina (second-best ranked eligible team in the Conmebol four-year ranking) Uefa (Europe) Chelsea , England (winners of the 2020–21 Uefa Champions League) Real Madrid , Spain (winners of the 2021–22 Uefa Champions League) Manchester City , England (winners of the 2022–23 Uefa Champions League) Bayern Munich , Germany (best-ranked eligible team in the Uefa four-year ranking) Paris Saint-Germain , France (second-best ranked eligible team in the Uefa four-year ranking) Inter nazionale , Italy (fourth-best ranked eligible team in the Uefa four-year ranking) Porto , Portugal (fifth-best ranked eligible team in the Uefa four-year ranking) Benfica , Portugal (seventh-best ranked eligible team in the Uefa four-year ranking) Borussia Dortmund , Germany (Third-best ranked eligible team in the Uefa four-year ranking) Juventus , Italy (Eighth-best ranked eligible team in the Uefa four-year ranking) Atlético Madrid , Spain (Sixth-best ranked eligible team in the Uefa four-year ranking) Red Bull Salzburg, Austria (Ninth-best ranked eligible team in the Uefa four-year ranking) OFC (Oceania) Auckland City, New Zealand (best OFC Champions League winners in the OFC four-year ranking) Host Nation (USA) Inter Miami, USA (winners of the 2024 MLS Supporters' Shield) The players must be excited about playing in a World Cup Playing in the World Cup is the highlight of any player's career. Playing in the Club World Cup? Not so much. Fifpro, the global players' union, said adding another month to an already crowded calendar is a health risk. Consider this: a top player in Europe will face having almost no rest in the summer for three consecutive years if they end up playing at Euro 2024, the 2025 Club World Cup and the 2026 World Cup. Oh, and the latter two tournaments will be played in the hottest months in the US as global heating makes conditions a lot tougher. What kind of prize money is involved? Quite a lot. The total prize pool for the tournament is $1bn. Yes, with a B. Just over half of that total goes to the clubs just for being there, and different teams have received differently-sized payouts for their participation, depending on where they hail from. Advertisement Oceania's representative gets $3.58m just for showing up. African, Asian, and North American clubs $9.55m. South American sides get $15.21m, while European teams will get anywhere from $12.81m to $38.19m, depending on what Fifa calls 'sporting and commercial criteria' (in other words: how famous and good they are). The remaining $425m is distributed based on performance in the tournament. Teams earn $2m for a win and $1m for a draw in the group stage, $7.5m for making the round of 16, $13.1m for making a quarter-final, $21m for making a semi-final, $30m for making the final, and another $40m for winning the whole dang thing. It should be noted that the prize money mentioned above is awarded to the teams, not the players. Different teams will distribute the winnings to players differently according to a number of factors, but that doesn't mean players are happy with that arrangement. In MLS, there is an ongoing dispute between the players and the league over a cap on bonuses that would limit each MLS locker room from receiving more than $1m for the tournament, no matter how well they do. The two sides are currently trading proposals, but the tenor of negotiations hasn't been all that friendly. Manchester City, for their part, has been public about not sharing prizes with their players: 'Not even a watch,' said Pep Guardiola. Is there a Trump factor to look out for? Many see this tournament as a test run for the US's co-hosting of next year's World Cup, and the results are already … mixed. Donald Trump has issued a travel ban relating to citizens of a number of countries. Athletes participating in the 2026 World Cup and 2028 Los Angeles Olympics are exempt from the ban, but it's still unclear whether that applies to players at the Club World Cup. Gianni Infantino, the Fifa president, met Trump in the White House in March when they unveiled the new Club World Cup trophy. Trump could completely ignore the tournament, decide to use it as an excuse for self-promotion – as he has with other sports events such as the Super Bowl – or turn on Fifa for a perceived slight. Say one thing for the man: he's not easy to predict. What are the venues? Rose Bowl – Pasadena, California (Capacity: 88,500). Will host group stage and last-16 matches. Historic stadium that is renowned for hosting many college (gridiron) football games and the 1994 and 1999 World Cup finals. Advertisement MetLife Stadium – East Rutherford, New Jersey (Capacity: 82,500). Will host group stage matches, quarter-final, both semi-finals and final. This is the everyday home of the NFL's New York Giants and Jets, and will be hosting the 2026 World Cup final. Mercedes-Benz Stadium – Atlanta, Georgia (Capacity: 75,000). Will host group-stage and last-16 matches as well as a quarter-final. The everyday home of the NFL's Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United of MLS. Bank of America Stadium – Charlotte, North Carolina (Capacity: 75,000). Will host group-stage and last-16 matches. The usual home of the NFL's Carolina Panthers and Charlotte FC of MLS. Lincoln Financial Field – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Capacity: 69,000). Will host group-stage and last-16 matches as well as a quarter-final. The usual home of the Philalphia Eagles of the NFL. Advertisement Lumen Field – Seattle, Washington (Capacity: 69,000). Will host group-stage matches. The usual home for the NFL's Seattle Seahawks, MLS's Seattle Sounders, and the NWSL's Reign FC. Hard Rock Stadium – Miami Gardens, Florida (Capacity: 65,000). Will host group-stage and last-16 matches. The usual home of the NFL's Miami Dolphins. Camping World Stadium – Orlando, Florida (Capacity: 65,000). Will host group-stage and last-16 matches as well as a quarter-final. Formerly known as the Citrus Bowl, it's hosted a number of major college gridiron football and in a previous live, games during the 1994 World Cup. Geodis Park – Nashville, Tennessee (Capacity: 30,000). Group-stage matches. This is the home stadium of MLS side Nashville SC, opened in 2022. Advertisement TQL Stadium – Cincinnati, Ohio (Capacity: 26,000). Group-stage matches. This is the home stadium of MLS side FC Cincinnati, opened in 2021. Inter&Co Stadium – Orlando, Florida (Capacity: 25,000). Group-stage matches. The home venue for MLS side Orlando City, opened in 2017. Audi Field – Washington, D.C. (Capacity: 20,000). Group-stage matches. The home venue of MLS side DC United, opened in 2018. Will anyone watch? The early signs are not great. Consider the tournament's opening match, between Inter Miami and Al Alhy. Miami are playing in their own city and have one of the greatest players of all time, and yet the match is struggling to sell out with The Athletic reporting that only around 20,000 tickets for the 65,000 capacity Hard Rock Stadium have been sold. If Miami are struggling to sell tickets then it's worth wondering how many people are going to turn up for Wydad v Al Ain. Having said that, there is huge interest in European giants such as Real Madrid and Chelsea and their games should attract big crowds. 10 players to keep an eye on Kylian Mbappé, Real Madrid – Heard of him? The French superstar is facing some degree of questioning after his first season in the Spanish capital ended with no major titles. Would a Club World Cup alleviate those doubts? Advertisement Ousmane Dembélé, PSG – The forward was instrumental in helping PSG capture their coveted Champions League title in May, and he'll presumably continue to be centre to the European champions' plans in the USA. Lionel Messi, Inter Miami – The Argentinian superstar has a World Cup to his name…can he add a Club World Cup to that list? Realistically, it may be a tough ask with this Miami team, even with the help of Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets, and Luis Suárez. But it'll be fun to watch him in a tournament setting again. Omar Marmoush, Manchester City – The Egyptian made a big impact since joining City in January from Eintracht Frankfurt, scoring eight goals in all competitions including a memorable thunderbolt v Bournemouth. Cole Palmer, Chelsea – Palmer ended his season in great form, even though his overall campaign left something to be desired. The England international leads a Chelsea team stocked with young talent. Advertisement Denis Bouanga, LAFC – The Gabon international near-singlehandedly dragged LAFC into the tournament with a sublime performance in the one-game play-in versus Club América. Bouanga has long been one of MLS's most dangerous attackers, and it will be interesting to see him bring it against international competition. Franco Mastantuono, River Plate (for now) – The 17-year-old Mastantuono is seen as one of the brightest up-and-coming talents in Argentina, so much so that he became the youngest-ever debutant for the Argentine national team last week. Real Madrid and River Plate are currently locked in transfer talks according to multiple reports – the only question now is if he'll stay with his current side through the Club World Cup, or move earlier. Thomas Müller, Bayern Munich – the 35-year-old had already bid goodbye to his home fans, but the Club World Cup will be his last competition in a Bayern Munich shirt. The wily forward will want to go out on another high note, after helping Bayern to another Bundesliga title. Weston McKennie, Juventus – Playing in his home country for the first time in competitive club matches, there's almost no telling what role McKennie will play for Juventus. The US international has played in just about every midfield spot and even occasionally at wingback in what was a disappointing season for Juve, which they'll hope to put behind them with a solid showing. Advertisement Estêvão, Palmeiras – The 18-year-old forward, like Mastantuono, is one of his country's brightest young stars. He's already earned four senior caps for Brazil and has 13 goals with 12 assists to his name in Brazil's Serie A. He has agreed to join Chelsea in a transfer after the tournament, so this will be his last chance to make a mark before moving abroad. Who's going to win? So much will depend on how seriously the clubs take the tournament, and which among them are the freshest after a long European season. PSG are a decent bet, given their demolition of Inter in the Champions League final and their collection of young talent that is willing to work. Real Madrid, of course, can never be counted out in a tournament setting, and Trent Alexander-Arnold will be looking to impress in his first actions for his new club. Manchester City closed a disappointing Premier League season in great form. Is there a chance an outside contender, like Porto, or River Plate, Boca Juniors, or Flamengo could take it? Sure. But given the other sides involved, it's hard to be all that confident. When are the games and where can I watch? Every game is streamed worldwide in multiple languages on Dazn. You can also follow along on the Guardian – we'll be live-blogging select games throughout the tournament and have writers on the ground all the way until the final. Advertisement In the United States, select games will be shown in English on TNT Sports and in Spanish on TUDN, Univision, or UniMas. In the UK, Channel 5 will show a selection of games, including 16 group-stage matches, four last-16 games, two quarter-finals, one semi-final, and the final. In Australia, every game is live on Foxtel and Kayo Sports. Group stage Saturday, 14 June 8pm ET / 1am BST: Al Ahly v Inter Miami – Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Sunday, 15 June 12pm ET / 5pm BST: Bayern Munich v Auckland City – TQL Stadium, Cincinnati 3pm ET / 8pm BST: PSG v Atlético Madrid – Rose Bowl Stadium, Los Angeles 6pm ET / 11pm BST Palmeiras v FC Porto – MetLife Stadium, New York New Jersey 10pm ET / 3am BST: Botafogo v Seattle Sounders – Lumen Field, Seattle Monday, 16 June 3pm ET / 8pm BST: Chelsea v LAFC – Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta 6pm ET / 11pm BST: Boca Juniors v Benfica – Hard Rock Stadium, Miami 9pm ET / 2am BST: Flamengo v Espérance – Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia Advertisement Tuesday, 17 June 12pm ET / 5pm BST Fluminense v Dortmund – MetLife Stadium, New York New Jersey 3pm ET / 8pm BST River Plate v Urawa Red Diamonds – Lumen Field, Seattle 6pm ET / 11pm BST: Ulsan v Mamelodi Sundowns – Inter&Co Stadium, Orlando 9pm ET / 2am BST: Monterrey v Internazionale Milano – Rose Bowl Stadium, Los Angeles Wednesday, 18 June 12pm ET / 5pm BST: Manchester City v Wydad – Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia 3pm ET / 8pm BST: Real Madrid v Al Hilal – Hard Rock Stadium, Miami 6pm ET / 11pm BST: Pachuca v RB Salzburg – TQL Stadium, Cincinnati 9pm ET / 2am BST: Al Ain v Juventus – Audi Field, Washington, D.C. Advertisement Thursday, 19 June 12pm ET / 5pm BST: Palmeiras v Al Ahly – MetLife Stadium, New York New Jersey 3pm ET / 8pm BST: Inter Miami v FC Porto – Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta 6pm ET / 11pm BST: Seattle Sounders v Atlético Madrid – Lumen Field, Seattle 9pm ET / 2am BST: Paris Saint-Germain v Botafogo – Rose Bowl Stadium, Los Angeles Friday, 20 June 12pm ET / 5pm BST: Benfica v Auckland City – Inter&Co Stadium, Orlando 2pm ET / 7pm BST: CR Flamengo v Chelsea – Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia 6pm ET / 11pm BST: LAFC v ES Tunis – GEODIS Park, Nashville 9pm ET / 2am BST: Bayern Munich v Boca Juniors – Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Advertisement Saturday, 21 June 12pm ET / 5pm BST: Mamelodi Sundowns v Borussia Dortmund – TQL Stadium, Cincinnati 3pm ET / 8pm BST: Internazionale v Urawa Red Diamonds – Lumen Field, Seattle 6pm ET / 11pm BST: Fluminense v Ulsan – MetLife Stadium, New York New Jersey 9pm ET / 2am BST: River Plate v Monterrey – Rose Bowl Stadium, Los Angeles Sunday, 22 June 12pm ET / 5pm BST: Juventus v Wydad – Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia 3pm ET / 8pm BST: Real Madrid v Pachuca – Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte 6pm ET / 11pm BST: RB Salzburg v Al Hilal – Audi Field, Washington, D.C. 9pm ET / 2am BST: Manchester City v Al Ain – Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta Advertisement Monday, 23 June 3pm ET / 8pm BST: Seattle Sounders v Paris Saint-Germain – Lumen Field, Seattle 3pm ET / 8pm BST: Atlético Madrid v Botafogo – Rose Bowl Stadium, Los Angeles 9pm ET / 2am BST: Inter Miami v Palmeiras – Hard Rock Stadium, Miami 9pm ET / 2am BST: FC Porto v Al Ahly – MetLife Stadium, New York New Jersey Tuesday, 24 June 3pm ET / 8pm BST: Auckland City v Boca Juniors – GEODIS Park, Nashville 3pm ET / 8pm BST: Benfica v Bayern Munich – Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte 9pm ET / 2am BST: LAFC v CR Flamengo – Camping World Stadium, Orlando 9pm ET / 2am BST: ES Tunis v Chelsea – Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia Advertisement Wednesday, 25 June 3pm ET / 8pm BST: Borussia Dortmund v Ulsan – TQL Stadium, Cincinnati 3pm ET / 8pm BST: Mamelodi Sundowns v Fluminense – Hard Rock Stadium, Miami 9pm ET / 2am BST: Internazionale v River Plate – Lumen Field, Seattle 9pm ET / 2am BST: Urawa Red Diamonds v Monterrey – Rose Bowl Stadium, Los Angeles Thursday, 26 June 3pm ET / 8pm BST: Juventus v Manchester City – Camping World Stadium, Orlando 3pm ET / 8pm BST: Wydad v Al Ain – Audi Field, Washington, D.C. 9pm ET / 2am BST: Al Hilal v Pachuca – GEODIS Park, Nashville 9pm ET / 2am BST: RB Salzburg v Real Madrid – Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia Advertisement Round of 16 Saturday, 28 June 12pm ET / 5pm BST Group A winners v Group B runners-up – Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia 4pm ET / 9pm BST Group C winners v Group D runners-up – Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte Sunday, 29 June 12pm ET / 5pm BST Group B winners v Group A runners-up – Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta 4pm ET / 9pm BST Group D winners v Group C runners-up – Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Monday, 30 June 3pm ET / 8pm BST Group E winners v Group F runners-up – Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte 9pm ET / 2am BST Group G winners v Group H runners-up – Camping World Stadium, Orlando Tuesday, 1 July 3pm ET / 8pm BST Group H winners v Group G runners-up – Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Advertisement 9pm ET / 2am BST Group F winners v Group E runners-up – Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta Quarter-finals Friday, 4 July 3pm ET / 8pm BST Quarterfinal 1 – Camping World Stadium, Orlando 9pm ET / 2am BST Quarterfinal 2 – Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia Saturday, 5 July 12pm ET / 5pm BST Quarterfinal 3 – Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta 4pm ET / 9pm BST Quarterfinal 4 – MetLife Stadium, New York New Jersey Semi-finals Tuesday, 8 July 3pm ET / 8pm BST Semi-final 1 – MetLife Stadium, New York New Jersey Wednesday, 9 July 3pm ET / 8pm BST Semi-final 2 – MetLife Stadium, New York New Jersey Final Sunday, 13 July 3pm ET / 8pm BST - MetLife Stadium, New York New Jersey
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Beyond the apathy: the Manchester City and Chelsea fans off to the Club World Cup
The Club World Cup, it is fair to say, has not captured the imaginations of domestic Manchester City and Chelsea supporters. Very few are talking about the tournament and, it appears, only true diehards will make the trip to the USA for the month-long end-of-season endurance test. Fifa slashed the prices of match tickets after poor uptake from fans and the UK broadcaster showing the tournament will be Channel 5, the home of World Seniors Snooker. Meanwhile, many, if indeed not most, players taking part are not overly enamoured by the prospect of losing five weeks of time off to recover from another gruelling campaign. Advertisement 'Fifa can forget it, footballers and clubs will not participate in that tournament,' Carlo Ancelotti, the former Real Madrid head coach, said last year before backtracking on those comments. Money clearly talks and the prospect of securing a winning prize of £97m makes it an enticing prospect for those invited to take part. Related: David Squires on … Infantino's Club World Cup buildup in the land of Trump Despite the damp buildup, some UK-based fans of City and Chelsea will be travelling across the Atlantic in order to see their team play. Many of the hardcore are, however, staying away. Anyone wanting to attend has to consider expenditure on flights, hotels, food and match tickets, none of which come cheap. And anyone wanting to see each of their team's matcheswould need to be in the US for a minimum of 10 days. 'There's a lot of apathy about it among fans,' says Paul Seery who is travelling to the Club World Cup to watch City and will also take in Boca Juniors v Auckland City in order to fulfil a lifelong ambition of seeing the Argentinian club in the flesh. 'If you go on [City fans' forum] Blue Moon and look at the thread, there's some that are dead against it saying: 'I'm not watching it.' But I'm sure if we get to the final, they'll be standing in front of the telly. I am 65 this year and it's my last chance to do something like this.' Advertisement The teams that reach the Club World Cup final on 13 July, a little more than a month before the start of the Premier League season, will contest seven matches in the US. City, for example, will play group matches against Wydad Casablanca, Al Ain and Juventus in Philadelphia, Atlanta and Orlando respectively before potentially heading for knockout ties in Miami and New York, requiring more than 2,000 miles to be covered. Meanwhile, the most affordable tickets for the final are currently retailing at $611 while the very best seats are going for $4,348. Fifa originally wanted to charge $890 for the cheapest final ticket but relented. 'I think Fifa shot themselves in the foot because the prices were so ridiculously high,' says Chelsea supporter Chris Rayburn, who will be travelling to the US to watch the Uefa Conference League winners and expects the trip to cost him up to £6,000. 'To be sure of getting a ticket, you had to pay up front. Initially if you wanted to do the whole tournament you would have had to fork out £1,600 to buy your tickets. I think we would have brought a lot more supporters had the tickets been reasonably priced. I think my tickets probably came to between £800 and £900 in total for seven games.' Olivier Giroud's LAFC, Flamengo and ES Tunis stand between Chelsea and the knockout stages, and the prospect of facing Real Madrid, Bayern Munich or Paris Saint-Germain in a competitive game make it an intriguing tournament for those supporters willing to do the miles. There is also the prospect of some great sightseeing in between travelling between cities. 'I've seen us win two Champions Leagues, Europa Leagues, Cup Winners' Cups and the Club World Cup a couple of years ago and now the Europa Conference League – I've been to all of them,' says Rayburn. 'I've been to all the FA Cups and League Cup successes. So yes, I'd be a bit gutted if you ended up winning a Club World Cup competition and not being there.' Advertisement For all the flaws and criticism of the Club World Cup, its expanded version is innovative. 'No one was interested in the first World Cup but nearly 100 years on, everybody remembers who won the first World Cup and where it was. I'm hoping the Club World Cup's going to be exactly the same,' says Seery, who is take two weeks of unpaid leave in order to fulfil his trip. 'I'm sure it will.' It is becoming increasingly expensive for supporters to follow their teams and sometimes it goes against common sense to do so. But then again, love – and the hope of glory – makes people do crazy things.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Goodison Park saved from bulldozers to become home of Everton Women
Goodison Park, one of the UK's oldest football stadiums, has been saved from demolition and will become the country's first major stadium dedicated solely to a women's team next season. Hailed as a gamechanging move for women's football, Everton Women will kick off their first season at Goodison in September, 133 years after the men's team started playing at the ground in Walton, Liverpool. Goodison, which has hosted more top-flight games than any other stadium in England since it became the home of Everton football club in 1892, was set to be bulldozed when the men's side move to a new 52,888-seat stadium in Bramley-Moore dock on the banks of the Mersey next season. Sunday's game against relegated Southampton will mark Goodison's last Premier League fixture. Related: David Squires on … the many memories of Everton's Goodison Park But in a shock move that has delighted fans the club's new American owners have announced that the historic ground will become the new long-term home of the women's team in a bid to make the ground 'one of the most distinctive homes in European women's football'. The move would provide 'a blueprint for how clubs can build the future of women's football', said Nikki Doucet, the CEO of Women's Super League Football. 'Establishing Goodison Park as a purpose-driven home for the women's team sends a powerful signal – not just about ambition, but about belief,' she said. 'Belief in the players, the fans, and in what the women's game can become when given the stage it deserves.' Everton Women are currently in eighth position in the WSL, but sources said the move was a 'statement of intent' of the new owners' ambitions for the women's team. The Friedkin Group, owned by the Texas billionaire Dan Friedkin, bought Everton in December last year, bringing the turbulent era of Farhad Moshiri to an end. After the group took over AS Roma in 2020, the women's team came fifth in the 2020-21 season and took their first major trophy, winning the 2021 Coppa Italia. They won their first Serie A title in 2023, and secured the domestic double in 2024. 'It shows just how committed they are to backing the women's team and making Everton a force at the very top of the women's game in this country,' said Julie Makin, secretary of the Everton Women Supporters' Club. Everton Women's tenure at Goodison Park comes 105 years after the ground hosted a landmark women's match between Dick, Kerr Ladies and St Helens Ladies, which held the attendance record for a women's game for 103 years. 'Evertonians have a saying of 'If you know your history', that is why it is deeply meaningful that the very same ground that held the record attendance for a women's fixture for so many years will now become home to Everton Women,' said Richie Gillham, secretary of the Everton FC Heritage Society. Sources at the club said Everton Women's move from Walton Hall Park, which has a capacity of just 2,220, was seen as an financial opportunity for the club to increase attendances at women's games. The WSL is expected to attract 1 million fans for the first time this season, with attendances doubling in the last two seasons. With more than half of those attending games under 40, the club hopes to build lifelong loyalty at a venue which already has a significant sentimental draw. 'This move is a testament to where the women's game is right now and, more importantly, where it is heading,' said Everton Women's captain, Megan Finnigan. A feasibility study commissioned by The Freidkin Group last month confirmed that the ground would meet standards set by the WSL, but the Archibald Leitch-designed stadium is likely to change dramatically after its new custodians move in. 'We know how treasured Goodison is, not only to every Evertonian, but to the game itself,' said Everton's recently appointed CEO, Angus Kinnear. 'We're under no illusions – there are obstacles we need to overcome to make this a success, but we're confident that we will overcome those challenges.' Everton will drastically reduce its 39,000 capacity – with upper tiers of the ground likely to be taken out of action after season ticket seats are sold off to fans at the end of this season. But there are no immediate plans to change its structure in the short term, according to the club which added that it was 'planning targeted investments' to adapt the ground for the women's game. It is understood that plans drawn up under the club's previous owners, to bulldoze Goodison to make way for a community-focused regeneration project with housing, shops, a care home and healthcare facilities, have become less viable since they were first submitted in April 2020. But the club's charitable arm Everton in the Community, which runs outreach work in the mile radius of Goodison, will be based at the ground, with the charity developing plans to support the development of girls' and women's football more widely. 'What we are looking to do with the women and girls strategy at Goodison Park is really exciting,' said Sue Gregory, the CEO of the charity. 'But for our communities I think its important that when they come down the County Road they will still see Goodison and feel the presence of the club.'
Yahoo
03-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Aerospace giant Senior shrugs off Boeing strikes as production ‘ramps up'
Manufacturing giant Senior said sales have picked up for its aerospace division thanks to higher prices, demand for flights, and production improving following Boeing's strike action in the US. The UK firm, which is based in Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire, said last year that it was cutting its global workforce to help reduce costs. Revenues for its aerospace division jumped by a 10th in 2024, compared with the previous year, which it said reflected greater production of aircraft despite being hampered by issues during the year. Senior makes high-technology parts for civil and military aircraft, and also components for vehicles. The company was hit by industrial action among staff working for Boeing's factories in the US, which halted production for three months, as well as restricted production of 737 MAX planes after a door plug blew out of an Alaska Airlines flight in early 2024. But it said Boeing has begun to 'ramp up' production since restarting operations in December. It also pointed to some signs of improvement in the production of Airbus since supply chain issues led to delayed deliveries of the commercial planes. Senior said securing higher prices for contracts and the increasing rate of aircraft building will continue to drive growth over the year ahead. Group chief executive David Squires said: 'Our aerospace revenue and profits have grown, notwithstanding the well-documented situation at Boeing, which affected production volumes. 'We responded dynamically, supporting our customers and controlling our costs, to limit the impact on aerospace profitability in 2024.' Senior previously said it was making permanent job cuts and furloughing staff on a temporary basis in response to difficult trading in its aerospace arm, although it did not disclose how many workers would be affected. The company, which also sells military aircraft within its defence division, reported a pre-tax profit of £27.8 million for 2024, up 27% from 2023 at constant currency. Total revenues edged up 1% to £977.1 million for the year.
The Independent
03-03-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Aerospace giant Senior shrugs off Boeing strikes as production ‘ramps up'
Manufacturing giant Senior said sales have picked up for its aerospace division thanks to higher prices, demand for flights, and production improving following Boeing's strike action in the US. The UK firm, which is based in Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire, said last year that it was cutting its global workforce to help reduce costs. Revenues for its aerospace division jumped by a 10th in 2024, compared with the previous year, which it said reflected greater production of aircraft despite being hampered by issues during the year. Senior makes high-technology parts for civil and military aircraft, and also components for vehicles. The company was hit by industrial action among staff working for Boeing's factories in the US, which halted production for three months, as well as restricted production of 737 MAX planes after a door plug blew out of an Alaska Airlines flight in early 2024. But it said Boeing has begun to 'ramp up' production since restarting operations in December. It also pointed to some signs of improvement in the production of Airbus since supply chain issues led to delayed deliveries of the commercial planes. Senior said securing higher prices for contracts and the increasing rate of aircraft building will continue to drive growth over the year ahead. Group chief executive David Squires said: 'Our aerospace revenue and profits have grown, notwithstanding the well-documented situation at Boeing, which affected production volumes. 'We responded dynamically, supporting our customers and controlling our costs, to limit the impact on aerospace profitability in 2024.' Senior previously said it was making permanent job cuts and furloughing staff on a temporary basis in response to difficult trading in its aerospace arm, although it did not disclose how many workers would be affected. The company, which also sells military aircraft within its defence division, reported a pre-tax profit of £27.8 million for 2024, up 27% from 2023 at constant currency. Total revenues edged up 1% to £977.1 million for the year.
