Aston Villa has announced plans to move forward with the development of Villa Park this summer, which will lead to the displacement of some season ticket holders. As part of plans to provide a “first-class supporter experience”, Villa will install new rail seating and additional seats in the stadium bowl to increase capacity for fans. New hospitality areas will also be added across a range of price points. The work will take place over the summer ahead of Villa’s first-ever season in the UEFA Champions League. The redevelopment will lead to the displacement of around 900 existing season ticket ..read more

Hong Kong will host the grand finale of the FIBA 3×3 World Tour for the first time in November. The event, which will be contested by the world’s best 3×3 men’s teams, will take place on November 23-24. The top 11 teams from the season will automatically qualify for the final. The 12th-ranked team, the host team, and the team with the most combined Challenger and World Tour wins will battle for the remaining spot in a play-in event. Last year’s final was held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and the event has previously taken place in Abu Dhabi, Japan, Beijing, Istanbul and Miami. Alex Sanchez, managi ..read more

Austin FC’s Q2 Stadium has been awarded hosting rights for Major League Soccer’s All-Star Game in 2025. Q2 Stadium opened in 2021 and it will mark the first time the 20,738-capacity venue has staged the event. It will also be the first time since 2010 that the game has taken place in Texas. Austin FC has sold out every match at Q2 Stadium since its introduction to the league. The club currently has the longest active sellout streak in MLS. The date and opponent for the 2025 All-Star Game will be announced at a later date. Austin will host a week-long celebration for fans in venues across the c ..read more

Better late than never. That was the opinion of this seasoned gig-goer, and the feeling from his fellow music fans, as we filed out of Co-op Live following a barnstorming set from The Black Keys. After Elbow’s gig became the first major event for the embattled Manchester venue on Tuesday, yesterday it was the turn of the American blues rockers in what was the first rescheduled show for Co-op Live. The Black Keys were one of a raft of music acts affected by the issues that hit the delivery of the new jewel in Oak View Group’s crown, with their original April 27 date having been due to open ..read more

Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE) has commenced work on the second phase of a major renovation project at Scotiabank Arena, home of the NBA’s Toronto Raptors and NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs. Details of the C$350m (£203m/€236m/$257m) facelift were announced in October last year, with the project to result in upgrades to concourses, suites, premium clubs, retail spaces, and food and beverage offerings. Upgrades to the venue’s premium spaces were carried out last summer. The second phase of construction will include capital improvements to the 100 Level concourse and the introduction of ..read more

Sphere Entertainment has announced the acquisition of Holoplot, which specialises in 3D audio technology. Sphere Entertainment first invested in the Berlin-based company in 2018 and has now acquired all of the remaining shares it did not previously own. The two companies launched Sphere Immersive Sound, powered by Holoplot, which forms a key part of the experience at the Sphere arena in Las Vegas. Following the acquisition, Holoplot will remain based in Berlin and operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of Sphere Entertainment. Sporting CP has claimed a first for a Portuguese football club after ..read more

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Executive Committee has confirmed Australia and Uzbekistan as respective hosts of the 2026 and 2029 editions of the Women’s Asian Cup. The decision ratified the AFC Women’s Football Committee’s recommendations at its third meeting held in the Thai capital of Bangkok, ahead of the AFC Congress. “On behalf of the Asian Football Confederation, I would like to thank the other three initial bidders for the 2026 edition – Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Uzbekistan – for submitting their interests and I offer our sincere congratulations to Football Australia and the Uz ..read more

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has reported record turnover of £336.1m (€391.3m/$424.4m), figures fuelled by rising match attendance. Turnover for the year ending January 31, 2024, represented a £2m increase compared to the prior year. This allowed profit on ordinary activities before taxation to hit £27.9m, compared to £21.1m for the previous year. While the ECB said the improved profit before taxation is largely down to increased interest received in the period, as the governing body benefits from higher interest rates, it also pointed to rising interest in the matchday experience ..read more

New York City Football Club (NYCFC) has unveiled the first renderings of its supporters’ section at the Willets Point stadium which is being built in time for the 2027 MLS season. The 25,000-seat stadium is due to include what is currently being called the Supporters’ Porch, a 9,000-square-foot outdoor space that will be able to accommodate around 1,200 fans on matchdays. Similar to a beer hall, the Porch will feature a 400-square-foot LED display and a dedicated tap bar, a multitude of food options and seating. It will also be available for private event use on non-game days. In addition to t ..read more

FIFA has announced that it will launch a Women’s Club World Cup competition in 2026, while Qatar is set to stage further events with the news that it will continue as the destination for the Arab Cup tournament. The news came as the FIFA Council met today (Wednesday) ahead of the FIFA Congress in Bangkok, Thailand. Women’s football was a key focus of today’s talks, which also approved an international match calendar for 2026 to 2029. The new Women’s Club World Cup will be part of this. Following the FIFA Council’s decision in December 2022 to approve the strategic principle of introducing a Wo ..read more