A new beginning for Hamilton at Ferrari to a verdict on Man City charges – what we can expect from sport in 2025
We already know who sport’s biggest winners will be in 2025 – the lawyers as disputes rage over financial rules, the future of competitions and safety.
And a seventh consecutive year begins with the most complex and protracted legal saga in English football history rumbling on – but with the expectation of a verdict in the Premier League versus Manchester City.
There is anticipation it could be delivered by February.
Private hearings into alleged misdemeanours to comply with financial regulations were concluded by a commission in early December after spreading over 12 weeks.
The club will be hoping their expensively assembled squad of lawyers was more effective than their expensively assembled squad of players over the same period as Pep Guardiola’s reigning champions experienced an uncharacteristic fall from grace on the pitch.
The UEFA Euro 2024 final, where Spain beat England 2-1. Pic: AP
The verdicts on 130 charges could determine if City even play in the Premier League next season if a points deduction sees them relegated.
But we have already seen a taste of what is to come – when even findings set out in a lengthy legal document can be contested, especially if all the charges are not proven.
Both sides were left claiming victory at the outcome of a smaller challenge brought by City against the league last year into the rules determining how much clubs can earn from companies linked to their ownership.
And it is who owns City that means any hefty punishment could create ripples beyond the pitch with the club controlled by United Arab Emirates (UAE) vice president Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al Nahyan.
Just before Christmas, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer was in Abu Dhabi searching for investment into Britain.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi last month. Pic: PA
That required glad-handing Sheikh Mansour and Khaldoon al Mubarak, the chief executive of state-run investment fund Mubadala who is also chairman of City.
We already know from internal government correspondence the City case, sparked by leaks published in 2018, is being discussed within the Foreign Office.
How will the UAE react to any punishment seen as humiliating? Although City, as they deny wrongdoing, insist they are not an Abu Dhabi-run operation.
But at the heart of this case are sponsorships linked to Emirati entities and whether income was artificially inflated.
Rival fans – as well as their clubs – will be as keen to see a verdict showing everyone has to abide by rules or face consequences.
It is a defining moment in the history of the Premier League.
And with questions over the ability of the league to govern its clubs, 2025 is set to be the year parliament approves an independent regulator for men’s football that the Premier League has resisted.
Club World Cup
FIFA president Gianni Infantino. Pic: PA
It does seem unlikely the Premier League campaign will end in an unprecedented fifth successive title for Guardiola’s side, with or without being docked points.
What is certain is City’s season will end in the United States in the competition causing ruptures across football.
City will join Chelsea as England’s representatives – as recent Champions League winners – at a newly inflated Club World Cup.
Summers will no longer just be about national team competitions with FIFA launching a Super League in a different guise to give Gianni Infantino a bigger involvement in the club game’s wealth and status.
This is so closely associated with the FIFA president that he put his name on the trophy. Twice.
But with 32 clubs involved for more than a month in the US, the players’ unions are unhappy about the additional workload on athletes.
And the Premier League is among the domestic competitions in a complaint to the European Commission over the expanded international calendar, claiming FIFA is abusing a dominant position.
The plans for legal action were first revealed by Sky News at the turn of 2024 and set the tone for the year, putting fixture congestion and welfare at the top of the agenda.
A sign of how bitter the divide is between the stars and those running the game is that we understand global players’ union FIFPRO was not invited to the FIFA Best awards in December. And FIFA cut ties with them over producing a team of the year.
There is no timeframe for a verdict in the competition law complaint.
Stars hint at striking, although boycotting some FIFA promotional work around the Club World Cup seems more likely.
FIFA had to sign a £1bn global streaming deal with DAZN after TV channels in major markets were unwilling to spend heavily on rights to the event without clear wide appeal yet.
Trump and sport
US president-elect Donald Trump. Pic: Reuters
The Club World Cup across June and July will be a major platform not just for FIFA and the US but particularly for newly re-elected Donald Trump.
Mr Infantino has dished out the sycophancy craved by the incoming 47th president who returned the favour by lavishing praise on the football boss via a video message at the tournament draw recently.
But Mr Trump’s sporting focus is far wider.
Shortly after being re-elected there was a trip to see mixed martial arts – a sport whose fans and competitors were mobilised by the MAGA movement – and the focus was on him attending with WWE boss Dana White.
There, too, was Yasir Al-Rumayyan, known in England as chairman of Newcastle United. His overarching role is that of governor of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.
Through that he also chairs the LIV Golf rebel series bankrolled by Saudi’s sovereign wealth fund to entice talent from the established tours.
It has been 18 months since a peace pact framework was agreed with LIV along with the PGA and European tours, but talks have dragged on.
Mr Trump has promised to solve the men’s golf split by striking a deal in 15 minutes on his return to power – with his courses staging events.
LIV golfers have been cleared to compete at the Ryder Cup being staged in Bethpage State Park in September.
Athletics overhaul
Michael Johnson. Pic: PA
The US will also stage three of the four events in the new Grand Slam Track series being launched in athletics by Olympic legend Michael Johnson.
But this is not akin to golf’s rebel breakaway with World Athletics President Seb Coe embracing them as collaborators rather than competitors to add lustre to the sport between Olympics and world championships, as football dominates the sporting landscape.
Around £10m in prize money is on offer, although men’s 100m Olympic champion Noah Lyles has resisted signing up while it lacks notable broadcasting agreements.
The start-up series will have legs in Jamaica, Florida, Pennsylvania and California from April to June.
Olympic election
Lord Coe. Pic: PA
Athletics could be in need of a new leader if Lord Coe is elected president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in March.
There are seven candidates and the former British Olympic champion is the best known globally although not in favour with the current Olympic establishment having broken rank by awarding prize money for Olympic medals.
He has also adopted a firmer position than the IOC on banning transgender women from women’s events.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Lord Coe on Olympics transgender policy
As well as being an IOC election battleground, gender eligibility issues are set to challenge sport’s leaders throughout 2025 while trying to balance fairness, safety and inclusivity.
The return of Russia to the Olympic fold – and their teams to international football competitions – will be on the agenda if Mr Trump delivers on another peace pledge by ending Vladimir Putin’s war on Ukraine.
Read more from Sky News:
Most anticipated films coming to cinemas in 2025
Business, the economy and the pound in your pocket – what to expect from 2025
Rugby turmoil
The safety of anyone playing rugby will be in the legal spotlight as a High Court action brought by former players continues.
The case remains in its early stages as the shape of future hearings is determined. All while the players with long-term brain injuries struggle with the toll on their health potentially caused by the sport.
It comes while England’s Rugby Football Union enters the new year with a growing rebellion against chief executive Bill Sweeney over pay and performance with victories in only four of the 10 men’s tests in 2024.
England will host the Women’s World Cup across August and September with the Red Roses in a strong position to collect the trophy for the first time since 2014.
England football
Sarina Wiegman. Pic: PA
The major football tournament in 2025 sees Sarina Wiegman’s England try to defend their European Championship title after winning on home soil in 2022 at a capacity Wembley.
Switzerland will be using much smaller stadiums this time, denying players the chance to appear in front of vast crowds that have been the hallmark of recent Euros and World Cups.
It is a challenging opening for the Lionesses with matches against France and the Netherlands, who Wiegman won the trophy with in 2017.
The group concludes against Wales, who hope to use the platform of a first major women’s tournament appearance to grow the women’s game domestically.
Thomas Tuchel. Pic: PA
For England’s men, World Cup qualifying is first on the agenda for Thomas Tuchel in March.
As the first FA coaching import from Germany, there are doubters to win over. How will Gareth Southgate’s successor cope with fan and media scrutiny?
He starts with questions still over his rapid downfall and departure from Chelsea, a year after winning the 2021 Champions League, but with a trophy-winning pedigree craved by the Three Lions.
Cricket
It’s an Ashes year with the women’s team touring Australia in the coming weeks before the men head there in November.
But the financial future of the domestic game could be shaped by the conclusion of the sale of stakes in the eight Hundred franchises.
Global investment could be key to the sustainability of counties and provide cash for grassroots cricket.
Formula 1
Lewis Hamilton. Pic: PA
It’s all change in motorsport with Lewis Hamilton beginning his new chapter at Ferrari.
While six of his seven F1 titles were won at Mercedes, the last came in 2020. And he will be turning 40 on Tuesday.
After frustrating times on the track, the hope is a move to the most glamorous team, historically at least, can finally deliver an eighth championship to claim the record outright that is currently shared with Michael Schumacher.
But the manufacturers will be juggling how much to focus on this year’s competitiveness or developing for 2026 when new regulations apply to cars’ power and aerodynamics.
An MP has told Sky News she was attacked online by the Tate brothers after she participated in a debate in the House of Commons about violence against women.
The controversial duo, Andrew and Tristan Tate, are facing charges of rape and human trafficking in the UK – all of which they deny.
But they are still very active online, and according to Sorcha Eastwood, the MP for Lagan Valley, are targeting her.
In a document seen by Sky News, Tristan Tate has highlighted one of the MP’s tweets and writes in private correspondence: “MP, nice target, can we sue her?”
Sorcha Eastwood says at first she thought the replies were from parody accounts and not the Tate brothers.
Her original tweet was about Elon Musk, not the Tate brothers. The MP said Musk’s tweets should be looked at through a counter-extremism lens.
“I was really concerned, I was concerned because to me that is a direct attack for want of a better phrase on me serving my constituents.
“I couldn’t believe that they decided to pick this random Northern Irish MP. The fact that it wasn’t even about them. This is something I didn’t go looking for.
“I think from my perspective, it’s a very, very sinister attempt to shut down important voices in public life, political discourse.”
It was only when she started noticing an uptick in abuse from other accounts she realised she had encountered some of the brothers’ followers.
“I had rape threats. I had death threats. I had people saying I should be hung from a lamppost. I had people saying I should be chopped into liver. I also had people then who were like we’ll waste 15 minutes raping Sorcha Eastwood.”
A representative for the Tate brothers told Sky News that there was no targeted campaign against Sorcha Eastwood
A representative for the Tate brothers told Sky News that there was no targeted campaign against her.
They said: “Ms Eastwood has a distorted view regarding social media if she believes one is required to ‘invite or ask’ people to interact.
“Tristan Tate is entitled to his view in relation to her tweet regarding Elon Musk.”
The self-styled “misogynist influencer” Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan have both been charged with human trafficking, face allegations of trafficking minors, sexual intercourse with a minor and money laundering in Romania.
There is also a European arrest warrant for them as they are facing separate, unrelated charges of rape and human trafficking in the UK. They deny all charges.
Ms Eastwood now worries for others who don’t have a platform like her and who may not feel like they can speak out.
“If this is what has happened to me I have absolutely no doubt that this has happened to others where they have been attempted to be silenced.”
Keir Starmer has previously commented on the Tate brothers’ case in the Commons saying it is “a live issue”, but adding that “the principle is absolutely clear” in relation to whether the brothers should face justice.
Sorcha Eastwood says she wants to see the government do much more to protect against abuse online.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Tate brothers deny wrongdoing
“I think ultimately the government has taken the wrong course on this. They need to step up.
“This should be an issue of national security as far as the radicalisation of young people online. It should be an issue in terms of the levels of misinformation, disinformation and the lack of trust that is had in our politics right across the UK and Europe.
“I want the government to help me, help every other person to crack down on this and get serious about it. And the only way they’ll be able to do that, is by hitting these tech companies in the only language which they understand, which is money and via robust legislation.”
A government spokesperson said: “Violence against women and girls is a scourge on our society which is why we have set out an unprecedented mission to halve these crimes within a decade.
“Tackling illegal abuse both online and offline is central to supporting victims and preventing harm in our communities and we will not hesitate to strengthen laws to deliver this mission.
“Last month, parts of the Online Safety Act came into force meaning companies must take action to protect users from illegal material including extreme sexual violence.
“Further protections from this summer will require platforms to protect children from harmful, misogynistic, and violent content.”
UK
‘It’s just nasty’: Birmingham residents ‘overwhelmed’ by foul stench and massive rats as bins strike rumbles on
In parts of Birmingham, the stench is overwhelming – enough to make you heave.
At a block of flats in Highgate, in Birmingham city centre, we find a mountain of bin liners full of rubbish spewing out of the cavernous bin store, which is normally locked.
Mickel comes out to speak to us, while all around bin liners lie open, with the contents for all to see, including used nappies and rotting food.
Mickel says they’ve had ‘foxes and rats, literally the size of cats’
Outside Mickel’s flat in Highgate, bin liners lie open, spewing out rubbish
We both find it hard to keep talking amid the awful smell.
“We’ve had foxes and rats, literally the size of cats, flies, it’s just nasty, something needs to be done,” he says.
Chris says the situation is ‘overwhelming’ as she’s ‘terrified of rats’
Around the corner, I meet Chris, in her dressing gown, popping the bins into her bin store beneath her flat before work.
She unlocks it, and although it isn’t bursting out on to the street yet, it is getting full.
She says the situation is “overwhelming” as she’s “terrified of rats”. But, even so, she has sympathy for the striking bin workers.
“It’s not an easy job; they must have a heart of gold to do that job,” she says.
“Pay them whatever they need, they deserve it.”
Striking bin workers at Lifford Lane tip, south of the city centre
There’s an awful smell coming from a mountain of bin liners outside Mickel’s flat in Highgate
At Lifford Lane tip, south of the city centre, Brigette has pulled up alongside picketing workers. The back seat of her car is full of rubbish.
She apologises for the terrible waft, mixed with air freshener.
Read more:
Pest controllers ‘feel like an emergency service’
Bin workers strike explained
“It’s very pungent, isn’t it? Not nice,” she admits.
“It’s unfortunate, I have some sympathies for all the parties, but, equally, we have a duty of care to stay clean and tidy.”
She says she has her rubbish and that of her elderly aunt and plans to make weekly trips to the tip until a resolution in this pay dispute between the council and the Unite union is found.
UK
‘US is our closest ally’, Jonathan Reynolds says in reaction to Trump tariffs – but ‘nothing off the table’
The US is “our closest ally” but “nothing is off the table” in response to Donald Trump’s 10% tariffs on imports from the UK, the business secretary has said.
In a statement following the US president’s nearly hour-long address to the world, Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said: “We will always act in the best interests of UK businesses and consumers.
“That’s why, throughout the last few weeks, the government has been fully focused on negotiating an economic deal with the United States that strengthens our existing fair and balanced trading relationship.”
Follow the latest following Trump’s tariffs announcement
Mr Reynolds reiterated the statements from the prime minister and his cabinet over the past few days, saying the US is “our closest ally”, and the government’s approach is to “remain calm and committed to doing this deal, which we hope will mitigate the impact of what has been announced today”.
Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds says “nothing is off the table” following the tariffs announcement. Pic: PA
But he continued: “We have a range of tools at our disposal, and we will not hesitate to act. We will continue to engage with UK businesses, including on their assessment of the impact of any further steps we take.
“Nobody wants a trade war, and our intention remains to secure a deal. But nothing is off the table, and the government will do everything necessary to defend the UK’s national interest.”
‘Get back round the negotiating table’, say Tories
The Conservative Party’s shadow business and trade secretary described the US president’s announcement as “disappointing news which will worry working families across the country”.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Sky’s Ed Conway examines how economies across the world are impacted by tariffs
Andrew Griffith hit out at the government for having “failed to negotiate with President Trump’s team for too many months after the election, failed to keep our experienced top trade negotiator, and failed to get a deal to avoid the imposition of these tariffs by our closest trading partner”.
“The chancellor’s emergency budget of just a week ago with its inadequate headroom is now at risk, casting uncertainty about more taxes or spending cuts,” he continued. “Sadly, it is British businesses and workers who will pay the price for Labour’s failure.”
He called on ministers to “swallow their pride” and “get back round the negotiating table to agree a fair deal to protect jobs and consumers in both the UK and the US alike”.
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey has reacted furiously to Mr Trump’s announcement of a “destructive trade war”, and called on the government to stand up against “Trump’s attempts to divide and rule”.
“The prime minister should bring our Commonwealth and European partners together in a coalition of the willing against Trump’s tariffs, using retaliatory tariffs where necessary and signing new trade deals with each other where possible.”
Speaking on Wednesday evening at a White House event entitled ‘Make America Wealthy Again’, the US president unleashed sweeping tariffs across the globe.
Mr Trump held up a chart detailing the worst offenders – which also showed the new tariffs the US would be imposing.
The UK’s rate of 10% was perhaps a shot across the bow over the 20% VAT rate, though the president’s suggested a 10% tariff imbalance between the two nations. Nonetheless, tariffs of 10% could directly reduce UK GDP by between 0.01% and 0.06%, according to Capital Economics.
A 25% duty on all car imports from around the world is also being imposed from midnight in the US – 5am on Thursday, UK time.
Read more:
World reacts to Trump’s tariff announcement
Tariffs will have consequences for globalisation, the US economy and geopolitics
Trump’s tariffs explained
The UK government had been hoping to negotiate an economic deal with the US in a bid to avoid the tariffs, but to no avail. The government says negotiations will continue.
The Confederation of British Industry said “negotiating stronger trading relationships with all like-minded partners will be foundational to any success”.
The business secretary is expected to make a statement in the House of Commons on Thursday, and we are also expecting to hear from the prime minister.
-
Sports2 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports12 months agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports1 year agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports4 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike
-
Business3 years agoBank of England’s extraordinary response to government policy is almost unthinkable | Ed Conway