Global Pulse

分类： sports

  • Five Premier League stars to watch this season

    Five Premier League stars to watch this season

    The most-watched club football competition on the planet, the English Premier League, is set to kick off its 2026-27 campaign this Friday, bringing with it a wave of blockbuster summer transfers that will reshape the title race and the fortunes of top-flight clubs across the country. With unprecedented transfer fees changing hands and major rebuilding projects underway at some of the league’s biggest names, AFP Sport has highlighted five players whose performances this term are likely to make or break their new teams’ ambitions.

    Leading the list of must-watch talents is 24-year-old England midfielder Morgan Rogers, who made the most expensive transfer in British football history when he joined Chelsea from Aston Villa for a staggering £117 million ($158 million). Brought in as the centerpiece of new manager Xabi Alonso’s rebuild of the Blues, who slumped to a disappointing 10th-place finish last season, Rogers carries massive expectations to live up to his record price tag. The midfielder arrives at Stamford Bridge on the back of a career-defining season, where he helped Aston Villa end a 30-year trophy drought by lifting the Europa League. His long-standing friendship with Chelsea star Cole Palmer, forged during their time together in Manchester City’s youth academy, is expected to smooth his transition to West London, but Alonso faces a tactical challenge to integrate two elite attacking midfielders who operate in similar areas of the pitch.

    Just days after his £116 million transfer from Nottingham Forest made him the most expensive British player in history, 23-year-old Elliot Anderson saw that record snatched away by Rogers’ move to Chelsea. But Anderson’s challenge is no less daunting: he has been signed by Manchester City to fill the massive void left by the departures of midfield linchpins Rodri and Bernardo Silva. Rodri, Spain’s World Cup-winning holding midfielder, has moved to Barcelona, while Silva joined Real Madrid, leaving new City manager Enzo Maresca without two of the key pieces that delivered multiple domestic and European titles to the Etihad Stadium. Anderson earned his big-money move with his sharp game reading, silky distribution and cool under-pressure performances, which also won him his first senior England caps. Now he must justify the enormous outlay as City look to end a two-year trophy drought and dethrone reigning champions Arsenal.

    For title holders Arsenal, missing out on Rogers to Chelsea saw them pivot to a top-class alternative: Brazilian midfielder Bruno Guimaraes, signed from Newcastle United for £75 million. Guimaraes, who previously captained Newcastle, steps into an already deep and dangerous Gunners midfield alongside Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard, strengthening Mikel Arteta’s squad as they look to defend their Premier League crown. Arsenal captain Odegaard has praised the 26-year-old’s seamless integration into the group, saying: “Although we had some big fights with him in the past, he has just come in as a real natural part of the team. He can win the ball, he’s a fighter. But he also has so much quality and is calm on the ball.”

    Over at North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur, Italian midfielder Sandro Tonali agreed to join the club in just 10 minutes of talks, becoming the Lilywhites’ record signing in the process. The 26-year-old was a key driving force behind Newcastle’s rise up the Premier League table before their disappointing dip in form last season, and he jumped at the chance to join Roberto De Zerbi’s ambitious rebuild of a Tottenham side that narrowly avoided relegation in May. Tonali acknowledged that the size of his transfer fee brings significant pressure, telling reporters: “When you are happy after a 10-minute chat, everything is perfect.”

    Rounding out the list of players to watch is 21-year-old French defender Jeremy Jacquet, signed by Liverpool for £60 million from Rennes in a deal agreed back in the winter transfer window. Jacquet was brought in to address growing concerns over Liverpool’s aging, depleted backline, which struggled badly last season. Veteran captain Virgil van Dijk, now 35, no longer looks as unbeatable as he was during Liverpool’s title-winning runs, while key defensive partners Ibrahima Konate and Andrew Robertson have left the club for Real Madrid and Tottenham respectively. Jacquet is set to partner Van Dijk at the heart of the Liverpool defense, and the Dutch captain admits that building their understanding will take time. “It’s pretty clear that you need to form a connection together and that takes a bit of time,” Van Dijk said. “That’s absolutely normal, but hopefully we can get that going as quickly as possible.”

  • AFL coach reminds players of ‘expectations’ under ‘people lens’ in wake of Sydney Swans scandal

    AFL coach reminds players of ‘expectations’ under ‘people lens’ in wake of Sydney Swans scandal

    In the fallout of a major sexual assault allegation scandal that has rocked the Australian Football League, Hawthorn Football Club head coach Sam Mitchell has moved swiftly to ground his own squad, emphasizing that human respect and accountability will always take priority over on-field results.

    The controversy ignited early this week, following the Sydney Swans’ round win over Essendon at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. In the early hours of Monday morning, at a city hotel, an alleged sexual incident was reported to Victoria Police, who have launched a formal investigation into the claims.

    In response to the allegations, the Sydney Swans board made the unprecedented decision to stand down five of their senior players — Isaac Heeney, James Jordon, Chad Warner, Riley Bice, and Nick Blakey — for the remainder of the 2026 AFL season. The club confirmed the sanctions in an official public statement released Wednesday, noting that the Australian Football League leadership had signed off on the independent disciplinary measures, and that the club would not pre-empt the outcome of the ongoing police inquiry.

    “The AFL is supportive of the club’s sanctions. We respect there is an ongoing investigation by Victoria Police and the actions we have taken today are independent of this,” a Sydney Swans spokesperson said in the statement. Club chairman Andrew Pridham and chief executive Matthew Pavlich later addressed the media to elaborate on the board’s decision.

    With Hawthorn currently positioned to potentially face the embattled Swans in the opening round of the 2026 finals series, Mitchell called a mandatory team meeting on Tuesday to address the scandal with his playing group. The coach said the conversation centered on centering the needs of the alleged victim first, rather than focusing on the disruption the scandal has caused to the upcoming finals fixture.

    “We chatted with the players about it yesterday, and first and foremost I think the football stuff is so secondary to the alleged victims, in particular,” Mitchell told reporters. “We put the people lens, first and foremost, and the people involved, the alleged victims, that’s sort of where our thinking goes. The footy side of it we put aside and it’s obviously a police investigation and AFL and the Swans, let them deal with that side of things. But we had a chat with our players about remembering the expectations we have on ourselves and making sure we continue to live up to them.”

    The scandal has sent shockwaves through the AFL community just weeks out from the end of the regular season, prompting questions about player conduct off the field and club accountability moving forward.

  • Bezos consortium bought nearly 40 percent of Liverpool: report

    Bezos consortium bought nearly 40 percent of Liverpool: report

    One of the most iconic clubs in global soccer, Liverpool FC, has entered a new era of ownership after a US-backed consortium including Amazon founder Jeff Bezos secured a near-40 percent minority stake in the Premier League side, according to a new report from The Athletic.

    Initial reports had pegged the stake purchased from current owners Fenway Sports Group (FSG) at one-third of the club, but The Athletic’s latest update corrected the figure to approximately 38 percent, held by the investment vehicle 1892 Holdings. The agreement also includes a non-binding option for the consortium to acquire a controlling majority stake in the club within the next 12 months, a clause that has sparked widespread speculation about a full takeover of the 20-time English champions.

    FSG, the US-based sports ownership group that has owned Liverpool since 2010, confirmed the deal with 1892 Holdings last Friday. The consortium is fronted by British-Indian millionaire Amit Bhatia, who was previously co-owner of English Championship side Queens Park Rangers for 18 years. Bhatia stepped down from his QPR role shortly after his link to the Liverpool deal became public. Joining Bhatia in the consortium are Bezos and Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin.

    For Bezos, the world’s fourth-wealthiest individual with an estimated net worth of $256 billion, this stake marks his first confirmed investment in a professional sports franchise. The Amazon founder had long been linked with potential bids for two NFL teams, the Seattle Seahawks and Washington Commanders, but he never followed through on a purchase until this Liverpool deal.

    FSG’s decision to sell a large minority stake comes 14 years after the group bought Liverpool for a total of £300 million (equivalent to $406 million at current exchange rates). It is not the first time FSG has sold off a portion of its stake: three years ago, the group sold roughly 3 percent of the club to global sports investment firm Dynasty Equity.

    The investment arrives at a pivotal moment for Liverpool, which is gearing up to kick off its 2025-26 Premier League campaign this Sunday with an away fixture against Newcastle United. The club is looking to rebound from a hugely underwhelming 2024-25 season, where a fifth-place finish left them out of the Champions League places. That disappointing result led to the sacking of manager Arne Slot just 12 months after he won the Premier League title in his first season in charge, succeeding the popular long-term manager Jurgen Klopp.

    New head coach Andoni Iraola has already begun reshaping the squad, with the club having spent roughly £94 million on new signings Jeremy Jacquet and Victor Munoz since the end of last season. With the Premier League transfer window set to remain open for several more weeks, the fresh injection of capital from the new minority investors is expected to give Iraola additional room to add more reinforcements to his squad before the campaign gets fully underway.

  • Rugby’s fiercest rivalry resumes: Springboks play All Blacks in first 4-test series in 50 years

    Rugby’s fiercest rivalry resumes: Springboks play All Blacks in first 4-test series in 50 years

    Thirty years after their last full bilateral tour, two of rugby union’s most iconic and successful nations, South Africa and New Zealand, are set to kick off a historic four-test series this Saturday at Johannesburg’s Ellis Park, a venue widely revered as one of the sport’s most imposing home fortresses. The long-anticipated showdown arrives with just minor late injury concerns for a handful of players on both sides, as the two global powerhouses finalize their starting lineups for the opening match.

    Bookmakers and analysts broadly favor the two-time defending World Cup champion Springboks, who enter the first four-test series between the sides since 1976 as the top-ranked side in the world, opposite New Zealand’s second-ranked All Blacks. At the helm of South Africa is Rassie Erasmus, who has spent eight years as the Springboks’ head coach and director of rugby, building an impressive 8-6-1 head-to-head record against the All Blacks that buck decades of historical trend. The All Blacks hold an overall all-time lead in the matchup, largely buoyed by the Springboks’ historic struggles to secure wins on New Zealand soil, but Erasmus has completely reshaped the South African program since he took over following a humiliating 57-0 loss to the All Blacks in 2017. Under his leadership, the Springboks have claimed the last two consecutive World Cup titles, including a narrow 12-11 victory over New Zealand in the 2023 World Cup final.

    Widely known for his unconventional approach to selection, Erasmus regularly prioritizes developing young, uncapped talent over fielding his most experienced starting XV every match. But his innovative tactical approach — which introduced the famous “Bomb Squad”, a reserve bench stacked entirely with powerful impact forwards, and popularized the use of hybrid utility players — has earned unwavering trust across the entire Springboks squad. Proving their resilience, South Africa overcame early red cards to secure wins over France and Italy twice during the 2023 World Cup run, and Erasmus currently has at least 15 double World Cup winners in his squad, all of whom are already targeting a third consecutive title at the 2027 World Cup in Australia.

    Erasmus shares a long-standing coaching relationship with his All Blacks counterpart Dave Rennie, whose appointment as New Zealand head coach came only this June, following a successful title run in Japan’s domestic rugby league. The two first crossed paths a decade ago, when Erasmus led Ireland’s Munster against Rennie’s Glasgow Warriors, and met again during Rennie’s tenure as head coach of Australia from 2020 to 2022. Erasmus has praised Rennie’s ability to instill intensity and competitive fire in his squads, noting that “he makes it physical”.

    Despite limited preparation time to build cohesive starting combinations, Rennie has already successfully lifted team morale across the All Blacks camp, leading the side to wins over France, Italy and Ireland in the July Nations Championship. To help his squad get up to match speed ahead of the series, Rennie arranged for his players to gain competitive minutes with South African domestic clubs the Stormers, Sharks and Bulls earlier this month. While Rennie is still working to identify which fringe players can step up into key backup roles, Erasmus faces the far more favorable challenge of cutting established talent from his matchday squad, thanks to the Springboks’ unprecedented depth that is the envy of every other top rugby nation.

    Erasmus has approached the 2024 international window as a sort of pre-World Cup pool stage, making as many as 10 changes to his starting lineup between matches even as the Springboks continued to dominate top competition. Even with disrupted team cohesion from frequent lineup changes, South Africa put up more than 40 points against England, Scotland and Wales in the Nations Championship, and navigated their only tough test of the window with a 17-10 win in Buenos Aires. For Erasmus, this series against the All Blacks is the logical next step: the playoffs for the 2027 World Cup cycle.

    The grueling series structure — four tests on four consecutive Saturdays, split across two countries, with the final test hosted in Baltimore, USA — means injuries are all but guaranteed for both squads. Rennie has warned that the series is likely to see more than 30 players from his 44-man touring squad pick up knocks, and he has already been forced to replace four players, two of whom were capped test starters.

    Erasmus, however, enters the opener brimming with confidence, rooted in the Springboks’ last dominant showing against the All Blacks in Wellington last September. After a narrow loss at New Zealand’s unbeatable Eden Park fortress earlier in the tour, Erasmus made seven changes to his starting XV, was forced to substitute four players due to injury in the first half, and still watched his relatively young side secure a historic 43-10 victory over the All Blacks. That win launched the Springboks into an uninterrupted 12-test winning streak, their longest run of victories in 18 years.

    In a notable tactical shift for 2024, South Africa has evolved its traditional playing style, long defined by a physically punishing forward pack and kick-first halfback play, to adopt a more dynamic attacking strategy. This shift has been driven by the hiring of former All Black Tony Brown as attack coach, who has helped the Springboks increase their counterattacking frequency and score tries from fewer phases. Brown’s work has been so impressive that the All Blacks have already signed him to join their coaching staff starting in 2028.

    For their part, the All Blacks have historically offset their smaller average player size compared to the Springboks with faster play and sharper tactical decision-making. Former All Black captain and current assistant coach Tana Umaga described facing the Springboks as “a relentless wave of a big bang coming at you”.

    The history of the All Blacks’ success in South Africa has always been built on forward play: New Zealand’s only ever series win on South African soil, achieved in 1996, came behind one of the greatest forward packs in rugby history, led by icons Sean Fitzpatrick, Olo Brown, Michael Jones and Zinzan Brooke. Former South African head coach Heyneke argues that the current All Blacks’ scrum and set-piece play does not reach that standard, and predicts that this weakness will be their downfall in the series.

    “If you don’t have a good set-piece you’re in trouble. And we’ve got an unbelievable set-piece,” Meyer told the *Behind the Ruck* podcast. “So, it will be close, but at home you have to back the Springboks.”

  • Take a timelapse ride along the IndyCar racetrack in Washington

    Take a timelapse ride along the IndyCar racetrack in Washington

    Motorsports fans across the United States are gearing up for a groundbreaking event this summer, as Washington DC is set to host its first-ever professional IndyCar race, the Freedom 250 Grand Prix, on August 22 and 23. Ahead of the highly anticipated inaugural event, organizers have released a stunning timelapse video that gives racing enthusiasts a first-person preview of what it will feel like to scream around the capital city’s custom-built racetrack.

    For decades, major IndyCar races have been centered in other regions of the United States, from the iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway to street courses in major metropolises like Long Beach and Toronto. This marks the first time a top-tier motor racing event has been awarded to the US capital, opening a new chapter for IndyCar’s national expansion and bringing world-class motorsports directly to the heart of American politics and culture. The timelapse footage, captured along the full layout of the temporary street circuit, highlights the track’s unique features—including straights that run past some of Washington DC’s most famous landmarks, tight technical turns that will test drivers’ skill, and elevation changes that promise exciting overtaking opportunities.

    Industry analysts note that hosting the Freedom 250 Grand Prix is expected to bring significant economic benefits to Washington DC, drawing tens of thousands of out-of-town visitors, filling local hotels and restaurants, and raising the city’s profile as a host for major international sporting events. Racing fans have already begun snapping up tickets for the two-day event, which will include practice rounds, qualifying sessions, and the 250-lap main race that will crown the first-ever IndyCar winner in the nation’s capital.

  • Musiala collapses during match for second time

    Musiala collapses during match for second time

    Bayern Munich midfielder Jamal Musiala has opened up about his ongoing health scare, confirming he is receiving care for a diagnosed neurological dysfunction that triggered two on-pitch collapses within a four-day window during the club’s pre-season friendly fixtures.

    The first incident unfolded during Bayern’s 3-1 friendly win over RB Leipzig in Munich on Saturday, with a second episode occurring just six minutes after Musiala entered the game as a substitute in Tuesday’s 4-2 away victory against 1. FC Heidenheim. Following the second collapse, the 23-year-old German international was visibly disoriented while receiving on-site medical attention before being assisted off the pitch by club medics, in a moment that saw opposing and home players alike surround him to support the treatment process.

    To allay widespread concern from fans, teammates and football observers across the globe, Musiala shared a transparent public statement on his official Instagram account shortly after the match. The playmaker explained that medics have identified his collapses as temporary, brief absence seizures linked to his neurological condition.

    “These can lead to the recent episodes, like the one against Leipzig or now in Heidenheim,” Musiala wrote. “I know they seem scary at first glance – but for me, they’re currently just part of my everyday life. I’m receiving excellent medical treatment and am very optimistic. FC Bayern and my family and friends are always by my side and supporting me on this journey.”

    Bayern’s sporting director Max Eberl confirmed ahead of Musiala’s statement that club officials had been aware of the condition long before the recent public episodes, noting that the player planned to address the situation publicly himself. “We knew about it and we are aware of the situation,” Eberl told reporters after Tuesday’s fixture. “Jamal will speak out. He’s in the dressing room, getting changed and taking a shower.”

    This is not the first major health setback Musiala has navigated in recent months. The star midfielder missed the first six months of the 2025-26 season after suffering a broken ankle during the 2025 Club World Cup. He successfully worked his way back to full fitness in the second half of the campaign, and went on to start three of Germany’s four matches at the 2026 FIFA World Cup this summer, cementing his status as one of the most promising young talents in global football.

  • Aston Villa agree deal for West Ham’s Wan-Bissaka

    Aston Villa agree deal for West Ham’s Wan-Bissaka

    In one of the most high-profile moves of the 2026 summer Premier League transfer window, Aston Villa has struck an agreement to bring experienced right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka to Villa Park from West Ham United. The 28-year-old DR Congo international, who previously featured for Manchester United and Crystal Palace earlier in his career, will make the move on an initial season-long loan agreement that includes a mandatory permanent transfer clause triggered at the end of the 2026-27 campaign.

    Wan-Bissaka has already been granted formal permission to travel to the Midlands to complete his mandatory medical examination, though full financial details of the agreement have not been publicly disclosed. Prior to the finalization of the deal, West Ham had set a £25 million asking price for the defender, who sat out West Ham’s first two Championship matches of the new season as transfer negotiations progressed.

    This transfer caps off a frantic summer of transfer activity for both Premier League sides. West Ham has pulled off a series of big-money sales this window, offloading midfielder Mateus Fernandes to Tottenham Hotspur for £85 million and winger Crysencio Summerville to an undisclosed club for £60 million, while securing the future of club captain Jarrod Bowen with a new long-term contract.

    Aston Villa has also been one of the busiest clubs in the top flight this summer, anchored by a club-record sale of attacking talent Morgan Rogers to Chelsea for £117 million. Despite the high profile arrivals at the club, post-transfer accounting leaves Villa with the lowest net spend across the entire Premier League at roughly negative £110 million, meaning the club has generated more revenue from sales than it has spent on new signings.

    Unai Emery’s side has already added multiple new faces to their first-team squad ahead of the new campaign, including central midfielders Johan Manzambi and Joao Gomes, and young highly-rated centre-back Modou Keba Cisse. They have also secured Chelsea winger Alejandro Garnacho on a loan deal with an obligation to buy, echoing the structure of the Wan-Bissaka transfer.

    Aston Villa will kick off their 2026-27 Premier League title challenge this Sunday with an away fixture against Brighton & Hove Albion, kicking off at 14:00 BST. Emery’s side will also compete in the UEFA Champions League this season, having secured a fourth-place Premier League finish and lifted the Europa League trophy in the 2025-26 campaign. Fans can access exclusive pre-match, post-match and breaking content about Aston Villa via BBC Sounds, with dedicated programming covering all updates from the club.

  • Juventus signs goalie Guglielmo Vicario on loan from Tottenham with option to buy

    Juventus signs goalie Guglielmo Vicario on loan from Tottenham with option to buy

    TURIN, Italy — After months of persistent scouring and negotiation through the entirety of the summer transfer window, Italian Serie A side Juventus has finalized a loan agreement to bring Italian goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario to Turin from English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur, the club announced Tuesday.

    The 29-year-old shot-stopper will join Juventus on a cost-free loan through the end of June 2027, with the Turin-based club holding an optional purchase clause that carries no mandatory obligation to trigger the transfer. If Juventus elects to buy Vicario, the base fee is set at 8 million euros ($9.3 million), with an additional 2 million euros ($2.3 million) in performance-based add-ons tied to the achievement of pre-agreed club and individual targets.

    A product of Italy’s domestic development pathway, Vicario rose through the youth ranks at Udinese before earning first-team minutes across loan and permanent stints with a series of Italian clubs: Venezia, Perugia, Cagliari and Empoli. He made the move across the continent to join Tottenham in 2023, where he went on to make 117 first-team appearances for the London club. During his tenure at Tottenham, Vicario was a key part of the squad that lifted the UEFA Europa League trophy in 2025.

    At the international level, Vicario has also earned five senior caps representing the Italian men’s national team, underscoring his quality at the top of the sport.

    The transfer fulfills a key promise made to Juventus head coach Luciano Spalletti ahead of the 2025-26 Serie A campaign. Spalletti had publicly called for a new starting goalkeeper after incumbent Michele Di Gregorio produced a string of high-cost errors that undermined Juventus’ performance throughout the previous season.

    Last term, Juventus finished sixth in the Serie A table, falling short of the club’s usual high ambitions for domestic and continental success. The club will kick off its new season this coming Sunday, with an opening round road match against newly promoted side Frosinone.

  • Vieira named new Senegal head coach

    Vieira named new Senegal head coach

    One of the most iconic midfielders in modern football history is making a historic homecoming to lead one of Africa’s top men’s national teams. Patrick Vieira, the former Arsenal and France World Cup-winning captain, has been named the new senior men’s head coach of the Senegal national team, filling the vacancy created by Pape Thiaw’s dismissal after the side’s last-16 exit from the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

    Born in Dakar, Senegal’s capital, Vieira’s connection to the country runs deep: he relocated to France with his family at just 8 years old, went on to earn more than 100 international caps for France, and lifted the 1998 FIFA World Cup and 2000 UEFA European Championship titles with Les Bleus. Now, decades after leaving his birth nation, he has returned to take the reins of the Teranga Lions.

    The Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) confirmed the appointment in a statement, noting that the hire aligns with the organization’s goal of reinforcing its top-tier technical leadership and matches the country’s ambitious long-term sporting targets. As of the announcement, final terms of Vieira’s contract and his official starting date remain under negotiation, but his first fixtures at the helm are widely expected to come next month during 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying matches.

    Vieira’s most recent post was head coach of Italian Serie A side Genoa, where he departed by mutual consent last November when the club sat at the bottom of the league table. During the 2024-25 season, he steered Genoa to a 13th-place finish and safety from relegation, notching eight wins and nine draws across 26 matches. In the partial 2025-26 season before his exit, however, the club only secured two victories, both coming in the Coppa Italia domestic cup competition.

    The 47-year-old boasts an extensive coaching resume across top European and North American leagues. After retiring from a decorated playing career in 2011, he took his first senior managerial role at Major League Soccer’s New York City FC in 2016. He returned to Europe to manage Ligue 1 side OGC Nice, guiding the club to a seventh-place finish in his debut 2018-19 campaign. He was relieved of his duties in December 2020, then took over as manager of Premier League club Crystal Palace a year later, leading the Eagles to a 12th-place league finish and an FA Cup semi-final run in the 2021-22 season. A 12-match winless streak led to his dismissal in March 2023, after which he joined French side RC Strasbourg as the first managerial appointment following the club’s takeover by BlueCo, the ownership group that also controls Chelsea. He left Strasbourg by mutual consent in July 2024.

    Vieira inherits a Senegal side navigating off-field turmoil stemming from the controversial 2025 AFCON final. Predecessor Thiaw made global headlines in January when he ordered his players to leave the pitch in protest after Morocco was awarded a stoppage-time penalty. After a 17-minute delay, the team returned to play; Brahim Díaz’s penalty was saved, and Senegal scored an extra-time winner to claim the title. However, the Confederation of African Football’s appeals board overturned the result in March, awarding the championship to Morocco due to Senegal’s temporary walk-off. Senegal has since appealed that ruling to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, with the case scheduled to be heard on 8 October.

  • Buss trying to block siblings’ sale of LA Lakers

    Buss trying to block siblings’ sale of LA Lakers

    A high-stakes ownership dispute has erupted around one of the most valuable and recognizable franchises in global sports, the Los Angeles Lakers, as team governor Jeanie Buss moves to block her siblings from selling the Buss family’s remaining stake in the iconic NBA organization.

    The conflict ignited last week, when a group led by former Disney CEO Bob Iger and Josh Kushner — brother of Jared Kushner, U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law — reached a $12.5 billion agreement to purchase controlling interest in the Lakers from current majority stakeholder Mark Walter. That price tag would make the sale the most expensive team transaction in sports history if approved by the NBA Board of Governors next month, netting Walter a $2.5 billion profit on his 2025 acquisition of the stake.

    When Walter purchased his initial share from the Buss family last year for roughly $10 billion, the deal included a binding provision that guaranteed Jeanie Buss would retain her position as Lakers governor through 2030. Since 1979, the Buss family has held either primary or minority ownership of the franchise, building one of the most successful legacies in professional basketball. On Monday, the majority of Buss family members announced they had voted to sell their remaining 17.8% stake to the Iger-led group, framing the move as a graceful exit after decades of stewardship.

    “We have decided as a family to sell the remaining Buss Family Trust shares to the Bob Iger group as part of the ongoing transaction,” the family’s statement read. “We love the Lakers, we love Lakers fans, and we will continue to support Los Angeles; but it is time to use this opportunity to move on and exit gracefully while we still can.”

    But Jeanie Buss, who has served as Lakers governor since her father Jerry Buss — the original purchaser of the franchise — died in 2013, is not backing down from her fight to retain the family’s stake and her controlling ownership. Her attorney, Adam Streisand, has sent a formal letter to Jeanie’s five siblings, arguing the vote to sell is legally void. Under the terms of the Buss family trust, which holds the stake, approval from all three co-trustees — Jeanie, Joey Buss and Janie Buss — is required to approve a sale of this scale. Streisand also emphasized that trust rules require the family to maintain a minimum 15% ownership stake to preserve Jeanie Buss’ status as controlling owner, a requirement the proposed sale would violate.

    According to ESPN, the letter states that any attempt by co-trustees to move forward with the sale “would be and is void,” and adds that pursuing the transaction would constitute “a breach of trust, breach of fiduciary duty and be in contempt of court.” The letter demands the siblings publicly reaffirm Jeanie Buss’ position as controlling owner and abandon all action related to the contested vote.

    Jerry Buss first purchased the Lakers in 1979 for $67.5 million, a deal that also included the Los Angeles Kings NHL franchise and the Kia Forum arena. Following his 2013 death, ownership passed to his six children, who held full control until the 2025 sale of a majority stake to Walter, who also holds a stake in Major League Baseball’s LA Dodgers alongside Chelsea Football Club chairman Todd Boehly. Under Buss family ownership, the Lakers have claimed 11 of their franchise 17 NBA titles, just one title short of the league record held by the Boston Celtics. In 2020, Jeanie Buss made history as the first female controlling owner to lead an NBA team to a championship.

    Kushner’s involvement in the current Lakers deal comes on the heels of recent controversy tied to the venture capitalist, who recently led his firm Thrive Capital in a failed proposal to sell stakes in FIFA competitions to private investors alongside FIFA president Gianni Infantino. The proposal, dubbed FIFA Forward Enterprise, was ultimately scrapped amid widespread backlash.

    As the legal dispute unfolds, the NBA is set to consider approval of the majority stake sale next month, with the entire sports world watching to see how the Buss family conflict will reshape the future of one of basketball’s most legendary organizations.