Europe

The list of candidates to host the 2023 Rugby World Cup will remain at four after World Rugby today (Friday) said that the United States has elected not to follow-up initial interest in staging its showpiece national team tournament.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a law restricting the number of foreign players allowed to compete in the country’s domestic sports leagues.

Uefa, football’s European governing body, has lifted a number of restrictions from Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain after both clubs were able to meet its Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules.

The World Match Racing Tour (WMRT) has announced that its season finale is set to return to the Swedish island of Marstrand, with organisers also stating next year’s edition of the sailing series will feature the biggest-ever prize fund in the history of the sport.

The Italian Olympic Committee (Coni) has unanimously endorsed Rome’s bid to host the 2024 Olympic Games.

Marketing communications and advertising group The Mission Marketing has launched a new standalone sports and entertainment agency in the form of Mongoose.

Global drinks giant Diageo has sold the Gleneagles hotel and golf resort to a private investment group fronted by London-based real estate hospitality firm Ennismore.

The International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF) has appointed another senior judo official to its executive team, with newly-elected president Kerrith Brown stating he made the switch due to ideological differences with the leadership of judo at a European and international level.

Multi-territory commercial and pay-television broadcaster Modern Times Group (MTG) has agreed a deal to acquire a 74 per cent stake in Turtle Entertainment, a leading eSports company that operates under the ESL brand.

Global IT solutions and services provider Dimension Data has announced the roll out of a landmark data platform for this year’s Tour de France, under its partnership with the event’s organiser Amaury Sports Organisation (ASO).

The International Basketball Federation’s (FIBA) Europe board has announced that a new second-tier club competition will be created for the 2015-16 season.

Australia and Germany have dropped out of contention for the International Aquatics Federation’s (Fina) World Championships and World Masters Championships in 2021 and 2023, but the United Arab Emirates has entered into the running for the two events.

Eurosport CEO Peter Hutton has overseen dramatic change in just four months of stewardship of the Discovery-owned broadcaster. Matt Cutler travelled to Paris to ask him about the future ambitions of the company.

UEFA has found a way to better understand its fanbase through a market segmentation campaign. Matt Cutler reports.

European football’s governing body Uefa has awarded the 2017 Champions League final to the Welsh capital, Cardiff, while the Swedish municipality of Solna will host the 2016-17 finale of the Europa League.

Uefa, football’s European governing body, has eased its Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations in an effort to move from “austerity to sustainable growth,” according to president Michel Platini.