8,700 source-backed sport facts - each attributed to a named person and a number, linked to the original source. Page 4 of 87.
“Liverpool confirmed last night they had agreed a fee with Portsmouth and personal terms with Johnson, 24, following a three-way chase for his signature.”
“The 27-year-old has struggled to make an impact on Merseyside since arriving from Udinese for £7m last year”
“The 26-year-old, who can play anywhere across the back four, is reported to be a target for Real Madrid.”
“Johnson had hinted that he would not favour a return to Chelsea, where his early promise stagnated after joining for £6m from West Ham as an 18-year-old.”
“Platini and Blatter received bans from Fifa’s ethics committee over the 2m Swiss francs “disloyal payment””
“Infantino, the Uefa general secretary under Platini, won election to replace Blatter in 2016 and has been in post ever since”
“Infantino has overseen radical changes to Fifa’s operations and greatly increased its revenue since his election and last week topped City PM’s first Football Power List.”
“The timing of the legal cases being made public will cause Infantino and Fifa maximum discomfort ahead of the start of the World Cup in the US, Mexico and Canada on Thursday.”
“Manchester United defender Ferdinand will miss the World Cup qualifier in Almaty with a calf injury”
“but is in contention to return for the visit of Andorra on Wednesday”
“Cahill, 23, has four Under-21 caps”
“I’ll be 30 when the finals come around,” Gerrard said. “For me, it will be the last chance of doing well at a World Cup. That is a big motivation.”
“City PM can reveal that, to tackle the climate impact of their flights, the Football Association is using sustainable aviation fuel for their private jets – a fuel that can cost up to five times more than standard jet fuel.”
“If England go all the way to the final, Thomas Tuchel and his squad will have flown more than 9,000 miles.”
“That’s what happened at a large scale,” Scott Friedman, a ticketing consultant who runs the Ticket Talk Network, tells City PM. “The price went up so the seller disappears and doesn’t fill the ticket. “It’s been a devastating World Cup for…”
“Fifteen Brits lost in the first round – the highest number since 1988 – leaving 23-year-old wildcard Arthur Fery as the only home hope clinging on in the second week.”
“City are themselves reported to have paid £17m to the Blues in order to secure Maresca’s signature on a three-year contract”
“Maresca has long been expected to succeed Pep Guardiola, under whom he worked as an assistant at City in 2022-23”
“Maresca, who led Leicester to promotion and won the Club World Cup with Chelsea last summer”
“the 46-year-old”
“the pressure of succeeding six-time Premier League winner Guardiola”
“Chelsea appointed Liam Rosenior as Maresca’s replacement but, after that spell turned sour”
“Chelsea noted had 'an exceptional football mind and is a professional of the highest integrity'”
“UEFA’s 55-member nations agreed Thursday to boycott the World Cup and all other FIFA competitions.”
“Infantino’s senior adviser, Carlos Cordeiro, a former Goldman Sachs banker who represented the soccer body on the White House Task Force for the World Cup, resigned on Friday.”
“The “anchor investor,” described by FIFA, is a New York-based investment firm launched by Joshua Kushner, the younger brother of US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner.”
“Pubs across the country served six million pints – 1.25m more than on an average Sunday night – during England’s round-of-16 victory against Mexico, according to the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA).”
“Its plans include a 14-leg calendar based in North America, Europe and the Middle East, and a behind-the-scenes documentary by Box to Box Films, makers of Formula 1’s Drive to Survive.”
“earlier this week Fifa announced the biggest changes to football’s global transfer rules for 25 years.”
“Fifa’s new Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players (RSTP) take effect in the next transfer window, January 2027”
“Fifa has overseen a major increase in the number of games it organises – and therefore, its revenues – by expanding the men’s Club World Cup and the men’s and women’s World Cups.”
“The horse trading announced this week saw Fifa agree a memorandum of understanding with Fifpro to create a Global Social Dialogue Platform of Professional Football.”
“Fifa will chair the group, which will include Fifpro and umbrella organisations European Football Clubs and the World Leagues Association.”
“The Press Association also reported that European Leagues, which includes England’s Premier League and EFL, is still pursuing its complaint to the European Commis”
“But part of our game plan is also to make sure that something’s resolved for the past, because the players that played from 2001 until today are left in the cold, and they are harmed, and they suffer damages.”
“The expanded World Cup, which concludes on Sunday, featured 10 teams from Africa. Nine reached the last 32, with Egypt making the final 16 and Morocco the quarter-finals.”
“Teams playing under CAF [Confederation of African Football] have the highest qualification rate for the second round of the World Cup.”
“It is thought that Infantino has enough votes from South America, Africa and Asia to win a third term, which would take his tenure to 15 years – three years beyond the 12-year limit but sanctioned due to events relating to predecessor Sepp…”
“The broadcast averaged 22.1m viewers on the BBC”
“the channel’s social media platforms attracting 75m video views on Wednesday”
“Around 24m watched Argentina’s late 2-1 win in Atlanta, making the match the most-watched live television moment of the year.”
“Dazn does have the most comprehensive rights to show the 2026 World Cup in Spain, Italy and Japan, however, where free-to-air channels boast only a handful of games.”
“He improved to 30-4, with 27 wins by knockout, but not without drama.”
“Albania's Prenga, a knockout artist who had 20 wins inside the distance in 21 prior fights, sent Joshua to the canvas with a right uppercut just 20 seconds into the bout.”
“Joshua's last prior competitive appearance in the ring was his fifth-round knockout loss to IBF world champion Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium in September 2024.”
“Fury, 37, outclassed Wach in front in the Thai resort city, chipping away relentlessly at the 46-year-old until he was pulled out by his corner in the seventh round. It was Fury's second win in as many contests this year in his return from…”
“Promoter Eddie Hearn, also speaking inside the ring in the wake of the bout streamed on DAZN, said the contract to fight Fury was signed. 'Everything's done,' Hearn said.”
“GRASS KINGS DOUBLE CHAMPIONS Murray’s win means he is now looking to join an elite band of six players to have claimed the grass-court double; winning both Queen’s and Wimbledon crowns. Two have done it twice, the full list is:1981 John…”
“If they’re happy with what they (FOTA) have got, fine, I’ve won what I wanted.”
“CARLOS TEVEZ celebrated the completion of his £25.5m move to Manchester City yesterday”
“Adebayor’s signing would take City’s summer spending to £80m following the captures of Tevez, Gareth Barry and Roque Santa Cruz – the kind of business which convinces Tevez that he made the right move in opting for City.”
“There has been discussions between ourselves and Arsenal… It is not the right time or place to discuss it but yes, there has been contact and possibly there is a deal to be done. It has not been concluded as we speak.”
“The city raised $60m in private funding which, along with state and federal contributions, will subsidise what the city is billing as “a soccer Coachella” – the only free fan fest in the US running for the 39-day duration of the tournament.”
“Stars including Aryna Sabalenka and Jannik Sinner had warned they would limit media commitments to 15 minutes at this year’s Championships, which begin today in London, in response to what they saw as insufficient progress in talks with Gr…”
“They want the tournaments to allocate 22 per cent of revenue for prize money, in line with top tour events, by 2030. Slams typically reserve around 15 per cent of income for payouts.”
“Following talks with players representative Larry Scott, former chairman of the women’s WTA Tour, at the French Open, Wimbledon announced record prize money of £64.2m for 2026.”
“But All England Club chair Debbie Jevans said at the time: “Using revenue to determine prize money… makes no sense. What we have done is right and appropriate.””
“Earlier this month Wimbledon bosses insisted they would not commit to a fixed percentage and emphasised that, as a non-profit, they reinvested some of their revenue into the sport.”
“Women’s world No1 Sabalenka warned this year that players could boycott the Grand Slams if their requests for a bigger share of the proceeds are ignored.”
“City, backed by Sheikh Mansour, reportedly offered Barcelona striker Samuel Eto’o wages of £250,000 per week”
“Benitez blames such extravagance for creating an inflated market in which he was forced to pay over the odds for £18m Portsmouth right-back Glen Johnson”
“Alonso came from Real Sociedad and nobody had heard of him outside Spain, he did well and we renewed his contract because of that”
“Mascherano came from West Ham where he had not been doing well. We brought him here and gave him a good contract”
“Tadej Pogacar claimed his record-equalling fifth Tour de France title as Mathieu van der Poel won a sensational 21st and final stage around Paris on Sunday.”
“He now has 26 stage victories in total, putting him fourth in the all-time list behind only Mark Cavendish (35), Merckx (34) and Hinault (28).”
“He also surpassed both Indurain and Chris Froome for total days spent in yellow with 70, and trails now only Hinault (75) and Merckx (96).”
“He is the youngest rider to have won five Tours, more than a year younger than Merckx was in achieving the same feat, and is the first person to finish on the podium seven years running.”
“The entire peloton set a new record for the fastest ever road stage. The 11th from Vichy to Nevers was ridden at an average speed of 50.9kph, beating the old record of 50.35kph from 1990.”
“By finishing third, Del Toro became the first Mexican to finish on a Tour podium, while fourth-placed Paul Seixas at 19 was the youngest rider in the Grande Boucle since Adrien Cento in 1937.”
“Van der Poel and Pogacar escaped together on the final climb up Montmartre with 10km to ride and then fought to the finish with a chasing group of sprinters closing in. [...] It was Van der Poel's second stage victory in the 113th edition …”
“Richard Carapaz of Ecuador triumphed in the polkadot King of the Mountains jersey category, and Del Toro finished in the best young rider's white jersey. Carapaz, who won two mountain stages, was also voted as the Tour's most combative rid…”
“It was only the third time in 113 editions after 1926 and 1999 that no Frenchman has won a stage. But even more remarkable is that it is the first time in 302 Grand Tours – including the Giro d'Italia and Vuelta a Espana – that no rider fr…”
“According to The Cricketer, the ICC found France Cricket in breach of its rules on four counts.”
“Gurumurthy Palani was elected to the ICC's 16-member board as one of three associate member directors, topping the poll with 35 of 43 eligible votes.”
“France Cricket were placed on notice at the ICC Annual Conference 2026 on account of their non-compliance with the ICC Membership Criteria," an ICC spokesperson said on July 18.”
“The City of Toronto canceled the FIFA Fan Festival and the England-Argentina World Cup watch party at Nathan Phillips Square because of poor air quality.”
“In the New York City area, more than 80,000 people are expected to attend the World Cup final at an open-air stadium in New Jersey on Sunday. Another 50,000 plan to watch the game from Central Park in Manhattan, where skies appeared hazy.”
“Fifa has been implementing mandatory three-minute hydration breaks mid-way through each half for the first time at this World Cup.”
“It turned out we were a soccer country, and I think it’s going to remain”
“Spain won the tournament with a 1-0 victory over defending champion Argentina”
“I had a great idea for Gianni: You have to do two countries. Announce us again next time, and then announce another country after that. It’ll take out some of the anger and the shock”
“not just a safe and secure event, not just where we welcomed the world, but an event that was filled with integrity”
“the administration continued to find itself under global scrutiny for its visa decisions, such as denying entry to a referee from Somalia who had won accolades for his officiating”
“He noted that the Trump administration invested billions in federal funding to ensure that the World Cup was 'not just a safe and secure event, not just where we welcomed the world, but an event that was filled with integrity'”
“On May 11, players from FC Barcelona – Yamal’s club – were riding on an open-top bus through the streets of the city as part of a parade celebrating their La Liga championship win against their rival, Real Madrid. As the bus moved through …”
“Thomas Tuchel’s 26-man group, featuring stars such as Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham, is valued at €1.454bn (£1.254bn) by the CIES Football Observatory, an independent research centre used by Fifa and top clubs.”
“France’s squad is worth €1.436bn (£1.238bn), according to CIES”
“Spain’s players are valued at a total of €1.407bn (£1.213bn).”
“that is marginally ahead of the two favourites, 2022 runners-up France and current European champions Spain, to win the tournament which starts on Thursday in Mexico.”
“They are due to begin their quest to win the title for the first time since 1966 on Wednesday next week when they face Group L rivals Croatia in Dallas.”
“Germany have the only other squad valued at more than €1bn and are followed in the pecking order by Portugal, the Netherlands, Brazil and Argentina.”
“Scotland are ranked 31st of the 48 teams at the biggest ever men’s World Cup, with a valuation of just €158m (£136m).”
“Iran are bottom on €12m.”
“Leinster must start as slight favourites”
“after missing out to Wasps in the 2007 final”
“Leinster, who are technically good enough to play at 60 per cent against a team like Irish”
“At 100 per cent, they would take some beating from any club team in the world”
“Leicester’s win at Twickenham”
“As the men’s World Cup is underway, this research is a wake-up call to government, regulators and law enforcement agencies that illegal gambling promotion is not operating at the fringes but is now operating at scale in the UK with coordin…”
“Fifa’s plan to consider expanding the men’s World Cup to 64 teams is facing major pushback, with Uefa and other confederations believed to be firmly opposed to the proposal.”
