With a global pandemic putting the squeeze on cross-continental football over the past few months, thinking from outside the box has constantly been required and with UEFA deciding to complete their Champions League tournament in one country, their CONCACAF cousins will now follow suit.

Over the past few years, the Amazon Prime service has dipped its toe into the football rights environment and although the platform has been more the preserve of their fantastic “All Or Nothing” documentary series, there has also been a smattering of live action.

Eleven Sports Media – one of the UK’s leading sports technology and fan engagement providers – has agreed a new partnership with Blackpool Football Club ahead of the 2020/21 EFL season, according to fcbusiness.

While although manager Steven Gerrard will bemoan a recent 3-3 Europa League draw away at Benfica – one that saw his Rangers charges throw away a 3-1 lead at the Estadio Da Luz, there is reason to be cheerful in the blue half of Glasgow.

Like so many competitions around the world, America’s National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) has had to deal with scheduling upheaval in 2020 and although navigating their Challenge Cup through to completion was difficult, there is certainly reason to be cheerful at the end of it.

While although October saw as many as 120 international fixtures take place, the scheduling of nation versus nation activity is still a very fraught process right now and with the footballing world in a continual state of flux, it has meant a change of plans in the month of November. For those nations who are competing within the auspices of UEFA, there is a sense of business being as normal as one can hope it to be and at the time of writing, the European Championship play-offs and Nations League fixtures are still planned to go ahead.

Everton Women has signed a new multi-year principal partnership deal with MegaFon ahead of this weekend’s Vitality Women’s FA Cup Final. Digital and telecommunications company MegaFon has expanded their deal with the Club, in what is the biggest commercial deal in the women’s team’s history.

Fish and Chips, pen and paper, car and driver, football and betting. These are just an example of things that go hand in hand and although the first three pairs are never question in terms of validity, the same cannot be said for the latter. Because although football and betting have an incredibly strong bond, there is always an element of distrust in all of this and the money that trickles through the game through gambling, is sometimes considered as ill-gotten gains.

Brands continue to be the most confident, while positivity amongst agencies has bounced back. COVID-19 pandemic spurs all parts of the sponsorship industry to do more to measure and evaluate partnerships. Nearly two-thirds of organisations have completed or partially finalised negotiations of sponsorship affected by COVID-19

When any Merseyside derby is contested between Everton and Liverpool, it is always set to be a feisty affair and the latest edition of what has been a storied rivalry for more than a century, was certainly no different. The history books will point to a 2-2 draw, as the Toffees continued their early local supremacy for the season and with Carlo Ancelotti’s men looking transformed since the start of the campaign, there are exciting times ahead at Goodison Park.