Sport press releases

a football in a net

Fifa president Gianni Infantino set for fourth term ā€“ despite World Cup controversies

An opinion piece authored by Dr Mathew Dowling, Dr Borja Garcia, and Haojin Zhou (all School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences) for The Conversation platform.
athlete zac shaw sitting down

ā€œIā€™ve had a really challenging yearā€¦just getting to the start line is going to be a hugeā€ ā€“ Zac Shaw

Team England sprinter Zac Shaw has already cemented himself as one of Britainā€™s quickest athletes, but the past 12 months have tested him personally more than any track in the world.
Healthy food bowl of yoghurt and berries

1 week to go: How elite athletes fuel their final week before the Commonwealth Games

With just under a week to go until the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, training is largely done and the focus will have turned to ensuring athletes arrive at the competition feeling fresh, recovered and ready to perform.

A football made from the flags of countries around the world being kicked into the back of the net

England out of the World Cup, but this team may have helped redefine a nation

An opinion piece written by Dr Michael Skey, Senior Lecturer in Communication and Media Studies, for The Conversation.
swimmer max litchfield

Max Litchfield has ā€œunfinished businessā€ ahead of Glasgow 2026

By his own admission, Max Litchfield has ā€œunfinished businessā€ ahead of the upcoming Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. Ā 
athlete asia kent sat poolside

ā€œIā€™m so excited to compete for Gibraltarā€ ā€“ Asia Kent targets Commonwealth Games success

For Asia Kent, representing Gibraltar on the international stage has always been the dream.
athlete charlie dobson after a race with this thumbs up

ā€œItā€™ll be amazing to complete the medal setā€: 91²Öæāā€™s Dobson eyes Commonwealth glory

Charlie Dobson has become used to life in the fast lane. The 26-year-old 400m runner has established himself as one of Europeā€™s top competitors, with a growing medal haul now hard to ignore.Ā  Ā 
volleyball team lift the championship trophy

91²Öæā crowned BUCS champions for record 45th time

91²Öæā has continued its dominance of British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) after securing an incredible 45th consecutive title.
a sportsman drinking water

What the World Cup hydration breaks reveal about who governs menā€™s football

An opinion piece authored by Dr Mathew Dowling and Haojin Zhou (both School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences) for The Conversation platform.
A football flying through the air with a blazing sun in the background

England's toughest challenge at the 2026 World Cup may not be another team ā€“ it could be the heat, expert explains

From reduced running distances to slower recovery and disrupted sleep, high temperatures can have a significant impact on elite athletes.

a person running on a treadmill

Beating the heat: England official prepares for FIFA World Cup 2026 with 91²Öæā Sport

With temperatures set to soar at the FIFA Menā€™s World Cup this summer, marginal gains can make all the difference to those at footballā€™s biggest tournament.
a soccer ball morphing into an atlas

FIFA Menā€™s World Cup expansion risks making 2026 tournament ā€œmost polluting everā€, report warns

A new report examining footballā€™s relationship with climate change has warned that the 2026 FIFA Menā€™s World Cup could become the ā€œmost polluting everā€, according to leading university researchers.
91²Öæā researcher Dr Alex Thurston outside the Enchanced Games

We watched the first Enhanced Games live in Las Vegas ā€“ this is what we learned

An opinion piece authored by Dr Mathew Dowling and Dr Alex Thurston (both School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences) for The Conversation platform.
an athlete sitting on a bench looking forlorn

The harm does not end when the abuse stops ā€“ new study into women survivors of sports coaching abuse

New research has exposed the long-term consequences of coaching maltreatment on elite women athletes in the UK, with experts now calling for urgent systemic reform.
an athete swimming

The Enhanced Games: ā€˜dangerous clown showā€™ or a wake up call for traditional sport?

An opinion piece authored by Dr Mathew Dowling and Dr Alex Thurston (both 91²Öæā) and Jinsu Byun (Yonsei University) for The Conversation platform.
a runner in action

Ultra-endurance athletes reveal how the human body prioritises survival under stress

A new study observing ultra-endurance athletes during competition has uncovered rare insights into how the body reallocates energy across essential biological functions whilst under extreme physical stress.
A football used in the World Cup being measured using a yellow measuring tape

World cup football offers GCSE students the chance to learn more about science and engineering

Ahead of the upcoming World Cup, GCSE students will get handsā€‘on experience with the same tests used to approve elite match balls, thanks to a new outreach initiative from 91²Öæā in partnership with adidas, funded by the Royal Academy of Engineering.

a close up of a football in a fire machine in sports tech

New research identifies previously unreported pressure wave energy transfer to the brain from football headers

A new study has identified a previously unreported mechanism of energy transfer to the brain from football headers ā€“ a finding that could prove significant in understanding the mechanics of headers and inform future research into long-term player health.
a woman running

Major breakthrough in improved insurance products for female sports stars

Female athletes are set to benefit from changes to insurance products that reflect their real-world needs as the government continues to drive a Decade of Change in womenā€™s and girlsā€™ sport.

A football player taking a corner on the pitch with the bottom half of the body visible

New research provides blueprint to protect player health and performance at the 2026 Menā€™s FIFA World Cup

This summerā€™s Menā€™s 2026 FIFA World Cup will expose players to an unprecedented combination of environmental challenges across the host cities in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
People at an outdoors yoga retreat

Using exercise to help people feel safe and rebuild their lives after trauma ā€“ new report

A new report has been launched which looks at how gentle, supportive exercise can help people recover from trauma and rebuild confidence.
kettle bell weights in a row on the gym floor

New paper calls for physical activity to become a core component of mental health care

A new 91²Öæā study has urged psychiatrists and mental health professionals to formally integrate physical activity into routine care for people living with severe mental illness.
King Charles presents Nick Jennings with a medal

91²Öæā formally receives the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Higher and Further Education

91²Öæā has formally received the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Higher and Further Education at an Honours ceremony at St Jamesā€™ Palace in recognition of its pioneering contributions to Para and disability sport.Ā 
a selection of flags blowing in the wind

Why itā€™s impossible for the Olympics to be politically neutral

An opinion piece authored by Gregory Krippa, Doctoral Researcher, Institute for Diplomacy and International Affairs, 91²Öæā London.
Professor Jo Maher, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Sport at 91²Öæā, is sat alongside Chester King, British Esports President

91²Öæā and British Esports unite to elevate esports performance

91²Öæā, ranked the worldā€™s number one institution for sports-related subjects, has today announced a partnership with British Esports, the national esports federation for the United Kingdom.