Tag: Football

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FIFA introducing World Cup Fan Fest events for Qatar 2022 and could see London bid to stage its own

FIFA has launched 'Fan Fests' for the 2022 Qatar World Cup this winter, which will be outside the host country for the first time, to make the tournament more accessible for football fans

FIFA has launched ‘Fan Fests’ around the world for the 2022 Qatar World Cup to make the tournament more accessible for football fans.

The competition, lasting a little less than a month from October-November this winter, will take place in the remote Middle Eastern peninsula. 

And global football’s governing body FIFA is introducing fan parks outside the host country for the first time, to allow supporters to drink in the World Cup experience outside Qatar – and London could bid to host its own.

FIFA has launched 'Fan Fests' for the 2022 Qatar World Cup this winter, which will be outside the host country for the first time, to make the tournament more accessible for football fans

FIFA has launched ‘Fan Fests’ for the 2022 Qatar World Cup this winter, which will be outside the host country for the first time, to make the tournament more accessible for football fans

If London does secure its own venue, it would be competing with the hugely popular Winter Wonderland in the city centre around the same time. 

Officially licensed Fan Fests began at the Germany World Cup in 2006 and have continued since then. 

There were 11 festival parks across each of the host cities in the competition’s last edition, in Russia in 2018, and the previous four World Cups have seen 40million visitors across five continents.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino said: ‘To support our mission to make football truly global, accessible and inclusive, we are thrilled to introduce a new vision for the entertainment experience surrounding future FIFA World Cup events.

Official Fan Fests began at the Germany World Cup in 2006 and have continued since then, with 11 festival parks across each of the host cities in the last edition, in Russia in 2018

Official Fan Fests began at the Germany World Cup in 2006 and have continued since then, with 11 festival parks across each of the host cities in the last edition, in Russia in 2018

‘The FIFA Fan Festival provides an incredible opportunity for fans to come together beyond the stadiums and the on-pitch action and experience football in new and unique ways. 

‘We are truly excited about the future of the FIFA Fan Festival and the enhanced entertainment offerings that will bring fans and partners alike closer to both men’s and women’s FIFA World Cups, as well as global football culture.’

The fan parks at the Euro 2020 tournament, held across 11 countries in Europe, were largely successful, and the demand for tickets to the fan park in Hyde Park, London for the 2018 World Cup semi-final between England and Croatia was massive.

Qatar, a smaller country by area than Vanuatu, the Falkland Islands and Moldova , will only host one fan park, a ‘reimagined’ space in Al Bidda Park in Doha, with the capital city’s skyline in the background.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino (pictured) called the fan parks a 'new vision for the entertainment experience' in order to 'make football truly global, accessible and inclusive'

FIFA President Gianni Infantino (pictured) called the fan parks a ‘new vision for the entertainment experience’ in order to ‘make football truly global, accessible and inclusive’

It will feature live broadcasts of every match on giant screen, concerts with top global music artists, a food court with ‘local cuisine and international delicacies’, matches with FIFA Legends, gaming stations and an official FIFA store.

The country is inaccessible compared to previous editions of the World Cup, with costs expected to be high.

If an England fan travels return from London, follow the Three Lions’ to the final (if they get there) and attend all eight matches along the way, sit in the cheapest seats and stay in the least expensive accommodation, the Football Supporters’ Association has calculated you will part with £5,000, before you pay for any food and drink.

However, this has to be caveated with the fact tickets sales have been strong, with nearly 2.5million sold so far.

FIFA will be offering fans a chance to camp at the World Cup in tents costing £350 per night

FIFA will be offering fans a chance to camp at the World Cup in tents costing £350 per night

Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy Secretary General H.E. Hassan Al Thawadi added: ‘It will be the centrepiece of our FIFA World Cup – the first to be held in the Middle East and the Arab world. 

‘When fans arrive in November, they should expect a warm welcome, amazing football and a large number of entertainment options. We look forward to welcoming the world in just over 70 days.’

The Fan Fest will appear at the 2023 Women’s World Cup, held in Australia and New Zealand, for the first time.

In July, FIFA unveiled a ‘tent city’ offering accommodation for the World Cup, which will cost supporters £350 per night as part of a ‘fan village’ camping experience. The tournament, at the time of writing, will take place in 75 days. 

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Hattiesburg public schools implement clear-bag policy for athletic events

Hattiesburg public schools implement clear-bag policy for athletic events

HATTIESBURG, Miss. (WDAM) – High school football starts next week in the Hub City and Hattiesburg public schools are taking steps to make athletic events safer ahead of kickoff.

“It’s a policy that we’re implementing to further our means of safety for our fans,” said Greg Carter, Hattiesburg Public Schools athletic director. “You know, our ultimate goal is to keep our fans safe at all of our athletic events, and we feel like this clear-bag policy is a step in the right direction.”

The start of a new football season means new rules for Hattiesburg Public Schools.

The district is implementing a clear-bag policy at all athletic events.

“It’s the first year that we’ll be implementing it,” Carter said. “It’s been a policy for most colleges for a few years now. So, it’s starting to trickle down into high schools, and with the surge in violent crimes throughout the nation at large events, we feel like we need to do a little something further to keep our fans safe.”

The clear-bag policy goes into effect next Friday, Aug. 27, at Hattiesburg High’s first home varsity football game against Petal High School.

There are a few other different regulations fans need to keep in mind before getting to the stadium.

“It’s a clear-bag policy so the bag has to be clear but the dimensions of it is… the largest is 12 inches by 6 inches by 12 inches,” Carter said. “Now, you can also bring in a one-gallon size Ziploc-type bag.”

Small clutches also are allowed.

“The small clutch doesn’t have to be clear, but it has to fit the dimensions of 4 1/2 inches by 6 ½ inches,” Carter said.

While it may take a little getting used to, it all comes down to ensuring a safe environment while fans cheer on the tigers.

“We understand that this policy is going to inconvenience some, but we feel like that the safety aspect of it far outweighs the slight inconvenience that it may cause to some,” Carter said. “We do apologize in advance for any inconvenience that it might cause.

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Copyright 2022 WDAM. All rights reserved.

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Return to Latrobe allows Steelers to resume community events, youth football initiatives

Return to Latrobe allows Steelers to resume community events, youth football initiatives

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PDC to expand Women’s Series to 24 events in 2023; Women’s World Matchplay will be staged again

PDC to expand Women's Series to 24 events in 2023; Women's World Matchplay will be staged again

Prize money of 145,000 on offer during expanded Women’s Series in 2023; Women’s World Matchplay will be staged again next year; inaugural Women’s World Matchplay live on Sky Sports Action from 1pm on Sunday, with Fallon Sherrock and Lisa Ashton among the players involved

Last Updated: 23/07/22 9:12am

Fallon Sherrock is one of the eight players participating in the inaugural Women's World Matchplay in Blackpool on Sunday

Fallon Sherrock is one of the eight players participating in the inaugural Women’s World Matchplay in Blackpool on Sunday

The Professional Darts Corporation has announced that its Women’s Series will expand to 24 events for the 2023 season with £145,000 in prize money to be offered in total.

The eight-player Women’s World Matchplay – which is being staged for the first time this Sunday in Blackpool, live on Sky Sports from 1pm – will return in 2023.

Fallon Sherrock and Lisa Ashton are among the players competing at the first Women’s World Matchplay.

Qualification for that event next year will come from a 12-month Order of Merit commencing from the Women’s Series events in August 2022.

Laura Turner has the lowdown on the players who will be battling it out at the inaugural Women's World Matchplay on Sunday, live on Sky Sports

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Laura Turner has the lowdown on the players who will be battling it out at the inaugural Women’s World Matchplay on Sunday, live on Sky Sports

Laura Turner has the lowdown on the players who will be battling it out at the inaugural Women’s World Matchplay on Sunday, live on Sky Sports

Live Women’s World Matchplay Darts

July 24, 2022, 1:00pm

Live on

The Order of Merit will include eight tournaments across the remaining two Women’s Series weekends of 2022 as well as an expected 12 events in the first half of 2023.

Twenty-four Women’s Series events will be held across six weekends next year. Each tournament is worth £5,000 in prize money.

PDC Chief Executive Matt Porter said: “We’ve been hugely encouraged by the increased interest in the PDC Women’s Series this year, with entries up by 50 percent to 100 on average, and there’s a lot of excitement ahead of the Betfred Women’s World Matchplay on Sunday.

“The Women’s World Matchplay will feature a great mix of experienced players and emerging faces, and it’s going to be fascinating to see them on stage at the Winter Gardens challenging for that title.

“With players also competing in the Cazoo Grand Slam of Darts and Cazoo World Championship, the opportunities for women within the PDC have never been greater and it’s a boost that we can continue to grow this aspect of the sport in 2023.”

Sherrock (left) plays Katie Sheldon in this Sunday's quarter-finals, with Lisa Ashton (right) to open up against Chloe O'Brien

Sherrock (left) plays Katie Sheldon in this Sunday’s quarter-finals, with Lisa Ashton (right) to open up against Chloe O’Brien

The Women’s Series will continue with events 13-16 in Hildesheim, Germany on August 27-28 ahead of the year’s final weekend in Wigan on October 29-30 with events 17-20.

2022 Women’s World Matchplay
Sunday July 24
Draw Bracket
(1) Lisa Ashton v (8) Chloe O’Brien
(4) Aileen de Graaf v (5) Laura Turner
(2) Fallon Sherrock v (7) Katie Sheldon
(3) Lorraine Winstanley v (6) Rhian Griffiths

Format
Quarter-Finals – Best of seven legs
Semi-Finals – Best of nine legs
Final – Best of 11 legs

Prize Money
Winner: £10,000
Runner-Up: £5,000
Semi-Finalists: £2,500
Quarter-Finalists: £1,250
Total: £25,000

Check out daily Darts news on skysports.com/darts, our app for mobile devices and our Twitter account @skysportsdarts. Watch the inaugural Women’s World Matchplay live on Sky Sports Action from 1pm on Sunday.

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Teqball introduced at major Canadian football event in Ontario

Young football players were given the chance to play teqball at the showcase ©FITEQ

Keep Olympic News Free

Support insidethegames.biz for as little as £10

For nearly 15 years now, insidethegames.biz has been at the forefront of reporting fearlessly on what happens in the Olympic Movement. As the first website not to be placed behind a paywall, we have made news about the International Olympic Committee, the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Commonwealth Games and other major events more accessible than ever to everybody. 

insidethegames.biz has established a global reputation for the excellence of its reporting and breadth of its coverage. For many of our readers from more than 200 countries and territories around the world the website is a vital part of their daily lives. The ping of our free daily email alert, sent every morning at 6.30am UK time 365 days a year, landing in their inbox, is as a familiar part of their day as their first cup of coffee.

Even during the worst times of the COVID-19 pandemic, insidethegames.biz maintained its high standard of reporting on all the news from around the globe on a daily basis. We were the first publication in the world to signal the threat that the Olympic Movement faced from the coronavirus and have provided unparalleled coverage of the pandemic since. 

As the world begins to emerge from the COVID crisis, insidethegames.biz would like to invite you to help us on our journey by funding our independent journalism. Your vital support would mean we can continue to report so comprehensively on the Olympic Movement and the events that shape it. It would mean we can keep our website open for everyone. Last year, nearly 25 million people read insidethegames.biz, making us by far the biggest source of independent news on what is happening in world sport. 

Every contribution, however big or small, will help maintain and improve our worldwide coverage in the year ahead. Our small and dedicated team were extremely busy last year covering the re-arranged Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo, an unprecedented logistical challenge that stretched our tight resources to the limit. 

The remainder of 2022 is not going to be any less busy, or less challenging. We had the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in Beijing, where we sent a team of four reporters, and coming up are the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, the Summer World University and Asian Games in China, the World Games in Alabama and multiple World Championships. Plus, of course, there is the FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

Unlike many others, insidethegames.biz is available for everyone to read, regardless of what they can afford to pay. We do this because we believe that sport belongs to everybody, and everybody should be able to read information regardless of their financial situation. While others try to benefit financially from information, we are committed to sharing it with as many people as possible. The greater the number of people that can keep up to date with global events, and understand their impact, the more sport will be forced to be transparent.

Support insidethegames.biz for as little as £10 – it only takes a minute. If you can, please consider supporting us with a regular amount each month. Thank you.

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UEFA-CONMEBOL announce new events for women’s football, futsal and youth teams

Three new events have been announced by UEFA and CONMEBOL following the success of Finalissima ©Getty Images

Keep Olympic News Free

Support insidethegames.biz for as little as £10

For nearly 15 years now, insidethegames.biz has been at the forefront of reporting fearlessly on what happens in the Olympic Movement. As the first website not to be placed behind a paywall, we have made news about the International Olympic Committee, the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Commonwealth Games and other major events more accessible than ever to everybody. 

insidethegames.biz has established a global reputation for the excellence of its reporting and breadth of its coverage. For many of our readers from more than 200 countries and territories around the world the website is a vital part of their daily lives. The ping of our free daily email alert, sent every morning at 6.30am UK time 365 days a year, landing in their inbox, is as a familiar part of their day as their first cup of coffee.

Even during the worst times of the COVID-19 pandemic, insidethegames.biz maintained its high standard of reporting on all the news from around the globe on a daily basis. We were the first publication in the world to signal the threat that the Olympic Movement faced from the coronavirus and have provided unparalleled coverage of the pandemic since. 

As the world begins to emerge from the COVID crisis, insidethegames.biz would like to invite you to help us on our journey by funding our independent journalism. Your vital support would mean we can continue to report so comprehensively on the Olympic Movement and the events that shape it. It would mean we can keep our website open for everyone. Last year, nearly 25 million people read insidethegames.biz, making us by far the biggest source of independent news on what is happening in world sport. 

Every contribution, however big or small, will help maintain and improve our worldwide coverage in the year ahead. Our small and dedicated team were extremely busy last year covering the re-arranged Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo, an unprecedented logistical challenge that stretched our tight resources to the limit. 

The remainder of 2022 is not going to be any less busy, or less challenging. We had the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in Beijing, where we sent a team of four reporters, and coming up are the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, the Summer World University and Asian Games in China, the World Games in Alabama and multiple World Championships. Plus, of course, there is the FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

Unlike many others, insidethegames.biz is available for everyone to read, regardless of what they can afford to pay. We do this because we believe that sport belongs to everybody, and everybody should be able to read information regardless of their financial situation. While others try to benefit financially from information, we are committed to sharing it with as many people as possible. The greater the number of people that can keep up to date with global events, and understand their impact, the more sport will be forced to be transparent.

Support insidethegames.biz for as little as £10 – it only takes a minute. If you can, please consider supporting us with a regular amount each month. Thank you.

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Women’s World Cup and Euros to be added to UK’s protected events list – Inside World Football

Women’s World Cup and Euros to be added to UK's protected events list - Inside World Football

April 29 – The UK government has added the FIFA Women’s World Cup and the UEFA European Women’s Championship to its ‘listed’ events, ensuring the tournaments will remain available for free-to-air television broadcasters.

In a statement earlier this seek the government said it “is absolutely committed to supporting women’s sport at every opportunity – pushing for greater participation, employment, commercial opportunities and visibility in the media.

“The past few years have seen fantastic progress, with record breaking audiences tuning in to watch women’s sport and attendances at venues growing.”

These two events now join what is known in the UK as the ‘crown jewels’ of sports events – often referred to as protected events – that must be offered to free-to-air broadcasters so that they remain accessible to the widest possible audiences.

UK sports minister Nigel Huddlestone (pictured) said the Women’s World Cup and Euros fulfil the criteria of having a “special national resonance”.

As part of the A group of listed events the two women’s competitions join the Olympic games and in football, the men’s World Cup finals, the men’s Euros finals, the FA Cup Final and the Scottish FA Cup Final as events that are seen as being of national importance.

“This move also represents a further step towards the greater inclusivity and diversity of the Regime, following on from the addition of the Paralympic Games in January 2020,” said a government statement.

Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1651215779labto1651215779ofdlr1651215779owedi1651215779sni@n1651215779osloh1651215779cin.l1651215779uap1651215779