Business

Maradona’s Most Famous Shirt Expected To Sell For Record Price At Auction

The shirt worn by Diego Maradona when he scored his infamous "Hand of God" goal against England at the 1986 World Cup is expected to sell for at least 4 million pounds ($5.23 million), auctioneer Sotherby's said on Wednesday.

The shirt is owned by former England midfielder Steve Hodge, who swapped shirts with Maradona after Argentina won the match 2-1 thanks to two goals by the forward, the second a solo effort considered to be one of the greatest ever scored.

Overwhelmed By Opposition, Gianni Infantino Says FIFA Never Proposed A Biennial World Cup

DOHA - Gianni Infantino has stepped sharply back from hotly contested plans for a biennial World Cup, telling world soccer’s leadership that FIFA had never proposed such an idea.

The FIFA president has been under fire for the past year, particularly in Europe, for proposals to increase the frequency of the global extravaganza from every four years, to every two.

World Cup Tickets Are On Sale Now, And They’re Surprisingly Affordable

Tickets to the Qatar World Cup are now on sale. As with any major event, reserving a seat to one of the globe’s biggest shows is not quite as simple as just loading up your favorite ticket app and clicking a couple of buttons. Here’s everything you need to know about how to buy World Cup tickets for Qatar 2022, which start at just $11.

With Chelsea Unable To Sell Tickets The Club Now Wants Middlesbrough Fans Barred From FA Cup Quarterfinal

LONDON — Chelsea has asked for Saturday's FA Cup quarterfinal game at Middlesbrough to be played behind closed doors for "sporting integrity" because they are unable to sell tickets due to restrictions imposed by a British government licence.

Chelsea, who have made the request to the FA board, are dealing with government restrictions on their operations after sanctions were imposed on their Russian owner Roman Abramovich.

Cloud Over Chelsea Momentarily Lifted By Kai Havertz's Heavenly First Touch

Chelsea played its first home match since owner Roman Abramovich was sanctioned by the UK government and disqualified by the Premier League — leaving the club in limbo and immediately needing a new owner — on Sunday, and it was fittingly against Newcastle, which has been steadily climbing the table since its own new owners flexed their financial might in the January window.

MLS Launches Historic Partnership With Black Banks; Here’s Why It Matters

Black Players for Change formed in response to nationwide protests following the murder of George Floyd by a police officer in 2020. An independent organization of more than 170 players, coaches and staff in Major League Soccer, the BPC aims to “bridge the racial equality gap” in American society. 

On Thursday, MLS announced one of the organization’s biggest wins yet, a $25 million loan from a syndicate of Black banks. The landmark deal will help bridge that racial economic gap in ways never done before in American professional sports. 

The Future Of Chelsea FC Is Uncertain Following UK Sanctions On Owner Roman Abramovich

European soccer champions Chelsea are now effectively controlled by the British government after sanctions were imposed against Russian owner Roman Abramovich on Thursday.

Abramovich, who had been under scrutiny following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, had announced he was selling the Premier League club last week.

Finally, Some Good News: UEFA President Says FIFA Has Given Up On Biennial World Cup Idea

UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin said that plans to hold a biennial World Cup are a "no go" for everyone in football, adding that FIFA has also come to the same realization.

The idea of a World Cup every two years has been gathering steam with FIFA president Gianni Infantino trying to get support from national federations, saying the switch would create an extra $4.4 billion in revenues for the world body.

Russian Ousting Continues As EA Sports Announces It Will Take National Team And Clubs Off FIFA 22

EA Sports is following FIFA and UEFA’s lead in supporting Ukraine while also punishing Russia. The governing soccer bodies announced bans on the Russian national team and clubs earlier in the week. EA Sports has announced its plans to remove the national team and clubs from FIFA 22.

Roman Abramovich Says He’s Selling Chelsea, Donating Proceeds To Ukraine Victims

LONDON — Russian businessman Roman Abramovich said on Wednesday he had decided to sell Chelsea Football Club, 19 years after buying the London side, and promised to donate money from the sale to help victims of the war in Ukraine.

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