The Premier League, EFL, FA, and Women’s Super League (WSL) have announced a new code of conduct for gambling-related agreements in football.

The code, which will be implemented at the start of the 2024-25 season, is designed to regulate gambling sponsorships across the professional game, emphasising four key principles: protection, social responsibility, reinvestment, and integrity.

A key aspect of the code is its emphasis on reinvestment. Revenue generated from gambling sponsorships must be redirected into football-related infrastructure and community programmes. This includes improvements to stadiums and training facilities, as well as investments in grassroots football and local community participation.

Under the new code, gambling sponsorships will also be required to target their marketing efforts more carefully to avoid reaching children and individuals at risk of gambling-related harm. Additionally, any gambling-related sponsorship must include educational initiatives and awareness campaigns designed to promote responsible gambling practices.

GO DEEPER

‘Some players bet on football – they know it’s breaking the rules but still do it’

The importance of maintaining the integrity of football competitions is also stressed in the code, adding that gambling sponsorships must…

New Jersey governor Phil Murphy says he “would die” to bring Premier League matches to the United States, explaining that he believes it is in the competition’s “enlightened self-interest” to do so.

Murphy, 66, has been involved in football for several decades, including serving on the board of U.S. Soccer and co-owning the NWSL team NJ/NY Gotham FC.

MetLife Stadium, the 82,500-capacity arena situated in New Jersey, will be the venue for the 2026 World Cup final and hosted a friendly between Manchester United and Arsenal last year, as well as three games — two group fixtures and a semi-final — at the Copa America this summer. Real Madrid and Barcelona will play a Clasico pre-season friendly there on August 3.

Asked whether he envisaged these matches becoming competitive fixtures, Murphy replied: “I would die for that. And by the way, the exhibitions — we will have Real and Barcelona on August 3, we’ll have to shrink our capacity a little bit for FIFA — every ticket was sold and the game didn’t count. I would love to — I would die — to see what happens in a game that counts. It would sell every ticket and then some.”

Leading executives at NBC Sports, the American broadcaster that spent $2.7billion (£2.2bn) on a six-year Premier League deal, have been…

Amanda Staveley and Mehrdad Ghodoussi, Newcastle United’s co-owners, are set to leave the club after almost three years at St James’ Park.

The pair fronted a consortium which bought the club from Mike Ashley and ended the Sports Direct businessman’s 14-year ownership. Though Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) has always been the majority stakeholders, it is Staveley and Ghodoussi who have often been the public faces of the club.

In the coming days, The Athletic will endeavour to explain the changes which are taking place at Newcastle, given that a new sporting director, Paul Mitchell, is also in place. But, here, we examine the six key issues which need clarifying following Staveley’s and Ghodoussi’s exits…

GO DEEPER

Staveley and Ghodoussi drove Newcastle’s takeover, only time will tell if their exits are right

---

Who will own what at Newcastle?

Staveley made three attempts to buy Newcastle during the 2017-18 season, but it was once she returned as a minority stakeholder within a wider consortium that Ashley pushed for a £305million ($390.7m at present rates) sale.

With PIF as the 80 per cent majority stakeholders and the Reuben Brothers, run by the British billionaires David and Simon Reuben, holding a 10 per cent shareholding, Staveley’s PCP Capital…

Dear readers,

The Premier League and Champions League are over for another season but the summer of 2024 is packed full of live action and transfer fun and games — and we’ll cover it all in detail on The Athletic.

From Europe’s major clubs travelling across the world (and to the United States in particular) to all the moves (and nearly moves) of the summer transfer window, plus two major international tournaments, Emma Hayes starting her reign as USWNT head coach and the Olympics, our team of reporters will bring you in-depth coverage of the things you care about.

We’ll be on the ground in Germany for Euro 2024; across the U.S. for Copa America, MLS, NWSL and Premier League pre-season; in Paris, France for the summer Olympic Games’ football action, and everywhere in between — ensuring you don’t miss a thing when it comes to the beautiful game.

The club content you know and love won’t stop either. Our trusted team of reporters will hit the phones to bring you the latest moves in the transfer window as we embark on an ambitious project to cover the summer ins and outs like never before.

And it doesn’t stop there.

You might already follow our NFL, NBA or NHL coverage, but did you know we also cover a range of other sports, including golf, Formula 1 and tennis? Mark out…

Newcastle United Women will be playing in the Championship next season after securing back-to-back promotions in front of a record crowd at Kingston Park.

Becky Langley’s side, which became the first-ever FA Women’s National League team to become full-time professional at the start of this season, thrashed Huddersfield Town 10-0 on Sunday.

Amanda Staveley and Mehrdad Ghodoussi, Newcastle’s co-owners, were in attendance along with 7,382 fans as Emma Kelly opened the scoring after 15 seconds. There were also two goals from Beth Lumsden, another for Kelly, two for Katie Barker and one each for Jasmine McQuade, Charlotte Potts, Kacie Elson and Georgia Gibson as Newcastle ran riot.

Having previously been under the umbrella of Newcastle’s charitable foundation, the women’s team were officially brought under the club’s control in 2022, when Langley was named full-time manager.

GO DEEPER

Dreams, struggles and Taylor Swift – behind the scenes with Newcastle United Women

The team’s uplift has been remarkable, with consecutive promotions as champions from the fourth and third tiers of the women’s game. This season has encompassed a 399-day unbeaten run in all competitions, which only came to an end when they lost to Manchester United in the Women’s FA Cup and a losing…

It is that time of year again. Lighter nights, daffodils and the sobering discovery of just how much your football team has handed over to agents.

The Football Association (FA) published its annual figures yesterday and, as is the norm, they were bigger, more gasp-inducing than ever before.

The Premier League’s 20 clubs combined to pay £409million ($509m) in agents’ fees in a 12-month monitoring period that began on February 1, 2023. Include the EFL’s outlays and English clubs handed over close to half a billion to that select group of men and women representing a footballer’s interests.

It was the usual suspects leading the way but the Premier League’s spend continues to rise. This year’s total is markedly up on the £318million of last season and almost twice the amount paid in 2017-18.

The Athletic picks out the key points from the FA’s latest report.

---

Chelsea drive spending records… again

An age of excess at Stamford Bridge has seen Chelsea spend like no club has ever spent before. Close to £1billion has funded a lavish overall that is yet to deliver discernible progress under the Todd Boehly-Clearlake-led ownership group and the fees paid out to agents are another marker of their intemperance.

Brace yourself for Chelsea’s full outlay over 12 months:…

Former Wimbledon manager and Tottenham Hotspur defender Joe Kinnear has died at the age of 77.

Kinnear played for Tottenham and Brighton and Hove Albion during an 11-year career as a player, making a combined 212 club appearances.

He also won 26 caps for the Republic of Ireland national team.

Kinnear went on to manage Luton Town, Wimbledon, Nottingham Forest and Newcastle United — where he also held the position of director of football.

His passing was confirmed in a statement by Newcastle that read: “Newcastle United is saddened to learn of the passing of Joe Kinnear at the age of 77.

“Joe worked at the club as both Manager and Director of Football.

“The thoughts of everyone at #NUFC are with Joe’s family and friends at this difficult time.”

A statement from Spurs said: “We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of former player, Joe Kinnear. The thoughts of everyone at the Club are with his family and friends at this incredibly sad time.”

AFC Wimbledon added: “A true legend of the Club, Joe gave us some amazing memories that we treasure.”

Former Premier League striker John Harton, who played under Kinnear at Wimbledon, said: “Sad news hearing that my ex-boss Joe Kinnear has passed away.. My thoughts are with Joe’s wife Bonnie and the Kinnear…

Newcastle United Women lost 2-1 to Hashtag United at Luton’s Kenilworth Road to miss out on the FA Women’s National League Cup.

This would have been Newcastle’s first cup trophy since the takeover, and comes amidst heavy investment from the new ownership in the women’s team.

Head coach Becky Langley made three changes against fellow third-tier side Hashtag United, including recalling striker Bridget Galloway in place of Paige Bailey-Gayle.

A horrible own goal from Hashtag United left-back Malika Apindia opened the scoring, slicing a cross straight into her net after 17 minutes.

However, Hashtag struck back moments later, midfielder Macey Nicholls volleying home brilliantly from the edge of the box.

Though Newcastle remained in the ascendancy, Hashtag goalkeeper Frankie Angel was in excellent form, making big saves from Jasmine McQuade and Katie Barker.

That resilience was rewarded when Sammy Rowland created Hashtag’s lone second-half chance — getting to the byline, drawing goalkeeper Grace Donnelly, and squaring for Phoebe Williams to put the Essex side in front with 20 minutes remaining.

Though substitute Bailey-Gayle had a late chance to win it, and went down amidst penalty appeals, Hashtag held on to win their first trophy at this level.

Newcastle’s attention will…

Newcastle United and winning something; call it the great obsession, call it a ferocious yearning, call it part of the psyche, call it the ultimate contradiction, call it whatever the hell you want, but it hasn’t happened, not since 1955 for a domestic trophy of any significance, which almost seems careless. And now, let them call time on it, which is precisely what Becky Langley’s women’s team intend to do this weekend.

Their shoulders do not bear the weight of 69 pot-less years — 55, if we take Europe and the now defunct Inter-Cities Fairs Cup as the starting point — and do not deserve to. Newcastle’s women’s team have their own context and history to draw upon, although there are some caveats here. With the women no longer an afterthought after officially being brought under the club’s ownership two years ago, it is now one enterprise. The big idea is that success and pain are shared.

Should Langley’s side lift the FA Women’s National League Cup at Premier League side Luton Town’s Kenilworth Road, where they face Hashtag United tomorrow (Saturday), it would mean something and stand for something. Since the takeover at Newcastle in October 2021, resources have been poured into the women’s operation; this season, they became the first team in the third…

Newcastle United are 10th in the 20-team Premier League. For many other clubs in many other seasons, that would represent one giant, “meh” — the very definition of mid-table mediocrity.

Not for head coach Eddie Howe and his team, however. Their 2023-24  has been a compilation of soaring highs and crushing lows, with misfortune a constant companion, often at Newcastle’s invitation.

After two difficult transfer windows, after finding themselves constricted by the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules (PSR), after battling against a sapping list of injuries, Sandro Tonali’s long suspension, and with Dan Ashworth, their sporting director, heading to Manchester United, it feels like they are approaching a crossroads, on and off the pitch.

The loss at Chelsea on Monday was deflating and familiar. Last season’s team of front-footed swarmers are routinely making life difficult for themselves and easy for their opponents.

Before Saturday’s daunting trip to Manchester City in the FA Cup quarter-finals — Newcastle’s final tilt at winning silverware this season (for the men’s team, anyway) — The Athletic’s Chris Waugh and George Caulkin assess what has gone wrong since the summer, where things stand and what they expect from the final two months of the…