Inside World Football

Bundesliga and China Mobile Migu commit to deeper engagement

Paul Nicholson — Wed, 30 Apr 2025 15:12:14 +0000

April 30 – Bundesliga International and China Mobile Migu have signed a Joint Declaration of Intent in Frankfurt, underlining their shared ambition to strengthen cooperation in one of football’s most commercially important markets.

The agreement lays out plans to expand collaboration across content, technology and media innovation — including areas such as virtual reality and enhanced broadcast formats. Migu, a digital subsidiary of telecoms heavyweight China Mobile, already serves as the Bundesliga’s broadcast partner in China and is one of the country’s leading sports streaming platforms.

UEFA Football Board calls for consistent VAR and more recovery time between seasons

Paul Nicholson — Wed, 30 Apr 2025 04:36:01 +0000

April 30 – UEFA’s Football Board has added its voice to the clamour for the need for consistency in VAR decision making.

The board also debated player workload and the cause of injuries, agreeing that players must be given time at the end of seasons to rest and recover ahead of preparing for the next campaign.

Holding their annual meeting in Nyon at the House of European Football on Monday, the board also focussed on offside rules,

Rudiger on ice for six matches after throwing object at Copa del Rey final referee

Paul Nicholson — Wed, 30 Apr 2025 04:32:58 +0000

April 30 – Real Madrid’s German centre-back Antonio Rudiger has been handed a six-match ban for throwing an object at an official in the Copa de Rey final against arch-rivals Barcelona at the weekend. Jules Kounde scored in the 116th minute for Barca to win 3-2.

Rudiger had already been subbed off, before launching the object — reportedly a small ice pack — towards referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea in the dying moments of extra time.

PSG have the edge as they take 1-0 lead and Arsenal back to Paris for final showdown

Paul Nicholson — Wed, 30 Apr 2025 04:02:00 +0000

April 30 – Paris Saint-Germain have taken the advantage in their quest to reach the final of the Champions League after defeating Arsenal 1-0 in the first leg of their semi-final tie.

In a tense and cagey match, Ousmane Dembele’s fourth-minute goal proved to be the difference between the two clubs with the Parisians confirming their fine form against English sides in the competition after eliminating both Liverpool and Aston Villa.

Spanish manager Luis Enrique has transformed PSG who without Kylian Mbappé,

Bet365’s new ‘super sub’ betting feature wins gamblers over

Paul Nicholson — Wed, 30 Apr 2025 02:55:10 +0000

April 30 – The online betting business is a fast-moving and uncompromising business whether you are a bookie or a bettor. The ability to move fast and adapt is crucial to success. Online betting powerhouse Bet365 is reporting a significant uptake for its ‘Sub On, Play On’ feature, and big payouts.

The feature sees a bettor’s wager on a specific player roll on to that player’s replacement if substituted during a game.

More than 250,000 Bet365 customers have used the product,

Sorare extends NFT player card deal with AS Monaco

Paul Nicholson — Wed, 30 Apr 2025 02:45:36 +0000

April 30 – AS Monaco and Sorare are sticking together through 2027, extending their partnership in the fast-moving world of digital collectibles and fantasy football.

The Ligue 1 side, one of the earlier adopters of the Sorare platform, will continue offering officially licensed digital player cards for at least two more seasons. These cards – non-fungible tokens (NFTs) tied to real-world player performances – let users build fantasy squads and compete for prizes on Sorare’s global platform,

Leyton Orient aim to write East End rags to riches story under new US owner

Paul Nicholson — Wed, 30 Apr 2025 02:05:30 +0000

April 30 – Based in East London, Leyton Orient have been a roller-coaster club over the past five decades, bouncing through the tiers of the English football pyramid. However, US media investor David Gandler aims to change that trajectory after acquiring a majority stake in the club.

The O’s, currently on the verge of qualifying for the League One playoffs for the Championship, need to match Reading’s result this weekend to secure their place in the white-knuckle ride that is playoff football.

Disney+ launches 4th season of Welcome to Wrexham as club value near £150m

Paul Nicholson — Wed, 30 Apr 2025 01:11:34 +0000

April 30 – Disney+ has released the trailer for the fourth season of the Emmy award-winning series ‘Welcome to Wrexham’, chronicling Wrexham AFC’s unprecedented achievement of three consecutive promotions, a first in English football.

The show’s trajectory mirrors a Hollywood screenplay, fitting, given co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney’s prominent positions in the movie and TV industries. The documentary series has captured the club’s remarkable journey from heartbreak in the National League when the duo first bought the club,

USL Super League brings in Kitman’s medical monitoring system league-wide for inaugural season

Paul Nicholson — Wed, 30 Apr 2025 01:10:14 +0000

April 30 – The United Soccer League’s new women’s top tier, the USL Super League, has signed a league-wide deal with Kitman Labs as it gears up for its inaugural season – opting for the Irish company’s centralised Performance Medicine system to underpin player health, wellness, and performance data.

All eight clubs in the Super League will use Kitman Labs’ iP: Intelligence Platform, specifically its Performance Medicine module, to create a unified operating system across the league.

Cleber Xavier reunites with Neymar to put Santos season back on track

Paul Nicholson — Wed, 30 Apr 2025 01:04:10 +0000

April 30 – Cleber Xavier has been named the new manager of Santos, the Brazilian club confirmed on Tuesday, marking his first role as head coach. He will be reunited with Neymar.

Aged 61, Xavier succeeds Pedro Caixinha after Cesar Sampaio served three matches as interim coach. Xavier worked for 24 years as Tite’s assistant. His extensive coaching background includes time with the Brazilian national team, as well as spells at Corinthians and other top clubs.

Toney and Firmino strike for Al Ahli to send them into AFC Champions League Elite final

Paul Nicholson — Wed, 30 Apr 2025 01:02:14 +0000

April 30 – In front of 50,613 fans at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah the all-Saudi AFC Champions League Elite semi-final saw Al Ahli beat Al Hilal 3-1 to qualify for Saturday’s final against either Saudi Pro League rivals Al Nassr Club or Japan’s Kawasaki Frontale.

Al Hilal were chasing their fifth Champions League title but were knocked out in the semi-finals for the second successive season. None of the teams left in the competition have won it before.

LAFC takes content management to next level with ScorePlay deal

Paul Nicholson — Wed, 30 Apr 2025 00:58:39 +0000

April 30 – Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) continues its tradition of innovation with the announcement of a groundbreaking partnership with leading artificial intelligence platform ScorePlay. Since joining Major League Soccer (MLS) in 2018, LAFC has established itself as a pioneer both on and off the pitch.

This strategic collaboration aims to create a seamless ecosystem for media content management, distribution, and athlete content access—critical components in modern sports marketing and fan engagement.

Bulgarian milk producer fuels BFU sponsorship with youth team deal

Paul Nicholson — Wed, 30 Apr 2025 00:17:55 +0000

April 30 – The Bulgarian Football Union (BFU) has signed a one-year sponsorship agreement with dairy company LB Bulgaricum, who become the main sponsor of the Bulgarian U21 youth team.

According to the cooperation agreement, the LB Bulgaricum logo will be placed on the training kit of Bulgaria U21 team.

The agreement was signed by the President of the Bulgarian Football Union Georgi Ivanov and the CEO of the dairy company Zhivko Zhivkov.

Dumbarton deal collapses as storied Scottish club face uncertain future

Andy Elliott — Tue, 29 Apr 2025 10:18:17 +0000

April 29 – A deal that was set to rescue Scottish League One side Dumbarton FC from administration has collapsed just days before completion, dealing a serious blow to one of Scotland’s oldest football institutions and throwing their future into renewed uncertainty.

The proposed agreement, struck by administrators Quantuma with Gareth Phillips of the Pendragon Group, had offered Dumbarton a full financial reset: all creditors paid in full, debts cleared, legal action dropped,

Black Knight secures strategic partnership with Orlando City

Andy Elliott — Tue, 29 Apr 2025 10:11:11 +0000

April 29 – Black Knight Football Club (BKFC) has secured its first formal foothold in North America through a newly announced strategic partnership with Major League Soccer (MLS) side Orlando City SC, marking a significant move for the multi-club ownership group.

The agreement, which focuses on shared scouting, player development and executive collaboration, positions BKFC to expand its reach into a key growth market while tapping into a club with rising pedigree in the MLS ecosystem.

Pepsi signs female stars including Alexia Putellas as global football ambassadors

Andy Elliott — Tue, 29 Apr 2025 10:03:57 +0000

April 29 – Pepsi has unveiled a star-studded line-up of global female football ambassadors ahead of what promises to be a landmark summer for the women’s game, signalling a renewed marketing push that aligns with its long-standing, high-profile relationship with UEFA.

The campaign sees England captain Leah Williamson joined by two-time Ballon d’Or Féminin winner Alexia Putellas, Chelsea’s Lauren James, Barcelona’s Caroline Graham Hansen, and Saudi Arabia’s Farah Jefry – five players celebrated for their global influence both on and off the pitch.