The funding, carried out together with David Ott and Jane Ott, directly supports the work of the Institute for Women’s Health, Sports and Performance (WHSP), created by the Ott family alongside Dr. Kathryn Ackerman. The goal is to accelerate research, medical education and specialized clinical care for female athletes, opening up a scientific field that until now had progressed with incomplete data and approaches that did not fully consider women’s biological specificities.

A scientific debt to female athletes

“Medical research has always been based on male physiology,” Ackerman explained when announcing the project, highlighting a structural issue that goes beyond sport. For decades, protocols, treatments and performance recommendations were built primarily on studies conducted in men, leaving women athletes in a trial-and-error landscape.

The WHSP seeks to reverse this gap through research covering a wide range of disciplines and profiles: Olympic rowers, rugby players, teenage footballers, dancers and runners are already part of the initial work underway. The institute also plans to conduct studies with diverse demographic groups, from adolescents to professional athletes and postmenopausal women, broadening the focus beyond elite performance.

Investment, women’s sport and a new logic of value

The movement led by Wu Tsai is not an isolated gesture within the women’s sport ecosystem. A year earlier, Michele Kang, owner of Olympique de Lyon and the Washington Spirit, allocated another $50 million to similar initiatives focused on female athlete health, with particular attention to women’s football. The coincidence reveals a growing trend: owners and leaders in women’s sport are beginning to invest not only in infrastructure and talent, but also in applied science.

At the same time, Wu Tsai and her husband Joe Tsai opened the capital of the New York Liberty at a $450 million valuation, a record figure in global women’s sport. Part of those resources will be used to build a new $80 million training center. In this context, investment in medical research appears as a natural extension of a new way of understanding the value of women’s sport: not only as entertainment, but as a space that requires specific knowledge, dedicated resources and scientific standards aligned with its protagonists.

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Considered one of the most respected leaders in international rugby, Robinson will lead a new Rugby Division created to integrate key areas that had previously operated in a more fragmented way. From match officials and game technology to law evolution, player welfare and fan experience, his role will be to articulate a shared vision that ensures the Rugby World Cups and major events continue to set the global standard.

From strengthening the All Blacks brand to projecting rugby to the world

Robinson’s six years at the helm of New Zealand Rugby are central to understanding why World Rugby has entrusted him with this responsibility. Under his leadership, the brands of the All Blacks and the Black Ferns expanded their international presence, not only through sporting performance but also by building a global narrative that connected with new audiences, particularly in the United States.

That ability to link high performance, commercial strategy and a deep understanding of the rugby ecosystem is seen by World Rugby as a key asset at a time when the sport is seeking to expand into new markets without losing its essence. Robinson not only led one of the most recognizable brands in global sport, but also managed to translate tradition into international projection — something he will now be expected to replicate on a global scale.

A new division to rethink the game and its governance

Reporting directly to CEO Alan Gilpin, Robinson will work alongside figures such as Mark Harrington in player welfare and Phil Davies in rugby management, within a structure designed to align technical, regulatory and operational decisions under a single vision. Part of this work is already reflected in the review of the game’s philosophy and the alignment of match officials that Robinson is leading, which will be presented at the Shape of the Game 2026 conference.

For Brett Robinson, Chair of World Rugby, the timing of the appointment is “crucial” to reimagine how rugby grows and thrives. Gilpin, meanwhile, highlights the unique combination of performance, commercial and governance experience that Robinson brings. The executive himself summarizes the challenge ahead in a phrase that captures the scale of the task: forging a future that enhances the spectacle for fans, supports unions and protects the core values of rugby on a global stage.

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The 2026 edition has been marked by the magnetism of its biggest figures, and especially by the so-called “Alcaraz effect.” The presence of the Spaniard has been a decisive driver behind record ticket sales and the consolidation of the tournament as a cultural phenomenon that blends elite sport, entertainment, and a powerful economic boost for the city and the state of Victoria.

The million spectators and a tournament that withstands even extreme heat

On Tuesday, the tournament reached a cumulative attendance of 1,097,036 people, with 879,037 corresponding to the main draw, unprecedented figures that consolidate the Australian Open as one of the major engines of global sport. On the tenth day alone, January 27, 43,750 fans entered the venue, divided between 21,226 in the day session and 22,524 at night.

All of this took place under extreme weather conditions. A heatwave with temperatures reaching 45 degrees Celsius forced matches on outside courts to be suspended and the retractable roofs of the main stadiums to be closed. Far from emptying the stands, the public responded with a massive turnout that demonstrated the event’s drawing power, even in adverse scenarios.

The Alcaraz effect and the economic impact that goes beyond the court

Carlos Alcaraz, 22 years old and a six-time Grand Slam champion, dazzled in the quarterfinals with a victory over Alex de Miñaur, extinguishing local hopes of ending a five-decade drought without an Australian men’s champion. “It was the best match I’ve played in the tournament so far, in terms of level and intensity,” said the Spaniard, who is playing his first official tournament of the year and is chasing the milestone of becoming the youngest player to complete the four Grand Slams.

His presence has been key to the atmosphere at Melbourne Park, where the tournament has established itself as a sporting and cultural festival with live music, gastronomy, and multiple parallel activities. According to official data from the Government of Victoria, the previous edition generated AUD 565.8 million for the state’s economy, and this year the trend continues, with hotels, restaurants, and shops benefiting from a massive international influx, further supported by thousands of additional public transport services during the event.

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The paradox becomes more complex when considering the broader context. While the WSL states that it is committed to progressively raising these standards and clubs face severe sanctions if they exceed the salary cap, many young players still earn incomes that, in legal comparative terms, fall below what is established by labor regulations in the United Kingdom. The new framework seeks to balance financial sustainability and professionalization, but it also exposes the frictions of a league trying to grow without overstretching its economic structure.

Historically high minimum salaries that still fall short of national labor standards

WSL2 clubs must pay a minimum of £22,200 to players aged 21 and 22, and £17,500 to those aged between 18 and 20. For players aged 23 or older, the minimum rises to £26,900. Regulations state that these footballers must complete at least 20 hours per week of physical contact time, excluding matchdays and meals. On paper, this represents a significant improvement compared to previous seasons, when some players reportedly earned as little as £9,000 per year and many relied on a second job to make ends meet.

But when these figures are compared with British labor legislation, the gap becomes evident. A worker over the age of 21 must be paid £12.21 per hour, which equals £23,810 annually for a standard 37.5-hour workweek. The real living wage stands at £26,227, and even higher in London. Although the WSL emphasizes that the calculation is based on 20 weekly hours and that the minimum exceeds the hourly wage for that workload, the annual result still leaves young players earning less than what any full-time worker in another sector would receive.

Strict financial control in a league still building its model

This debate is further shaped by the implementation of salary cap rules. Clubs cannot allocate more to player wages than 80% of their revenue plus £4 million, or an additional 25% of revenue, whichever is greater. In practice, this means that an owner with strong liquidity can spend up to £4 million on player salaries without breaching the rule — a figure that for most clubs far exceeds 25% of their actual income. Any breach can lead to fines and points deductions: in WSL2, one point can be deducted for every £50,000 overspent.

The league’s financial background helps explain this caution. The first accounts published after separating from the FA show an operating loss of £8.2 million, albeit with growing revenues that have reportedly tripled at a commercial level. The organization has a £20 million loan from the Premier League, to be repaid from the 2030-31 season, and maintains a cash balance of £10.7 million. In this scenario, the WSL maintains that minimum salaries are a foundation to build upon, while trying to avoid a push toward professionalization that could create financial imbalances clubs are unable to sustain.

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With $101.1 million accumulated over his career, the world number one became only the third player to reach this figure, behind Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy. Beyond the money, the milestone serves as a measure of consistency, dominance, and longevity at the top of the most demanding circuit in the world, where every tournament gathers the best players and every victory requires navigating a field packed with talent.

A financial milestone that reflects sporting dominance

Surpassing $100 million on the PGA Tour is not merely an accounting achievement. It is the result of years of sustained performance at the highest level, regular appearances in Sunday’s final groups, and a level of consistency that few can maintain. In this exclusive club, Scheffler shares space with Woods, who leads with $120.9 million, and McIlroy, who has amassed $107.9 million—two names that defined eras in modern golf.

The figure gains even more significance in context: Scheffler reached it at just 29 years old, in a circuit that today features broader, more physically and technically demanding competition. Every dollar earned reflects rounds under pressure, precise decision-making, and the ability to hold steady when the margin for error narrows to almost nothing.

Twenty victories and historic speed

The win in California also marked his twentieth victory on the PGA Tour, a threshold only forty players in history have crossed. Scheffler is the first to do so since McIlroy, achieving the feat in just 1,442 days since his first title at the Phoenix Open in 2022, the second-fastest mark ever, behind only the 1,351 days it took Tiger Woods.

He also became the third golfer to reach twenty wins before turning 30, a list previously occupied only by Woods and Jack Nicklaus. Added to this are his four majors—two Masters Tournaments, a PGA Championship, and an Open Championship—which, along with his new status, secure him a lifetime PGA Tour card and firmly place his name in conversations once reserved for legends.

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To move forward with this roadmap, the PTPA has gone to market in search of a banking advisor to help shape this ambitious corporate vehicle. The organization has already requested formal proposals from investment banks and financial advisory firms to define the model’s architecture, valuation, and potential capitalization, in a process whose deadline for expressions of interest ends on February 6 and has already attracted interest from several entities.

A holding company to reorganize the business of tennis

The proposal envisions the creation of a parent company that would coordinate the main economic assets of professional tennis: commercial rights, audiovisual rights, sponsorships, and even aspects linked to governance. The intention is for this new structure to centralize the economic exploitation of the circuit while, at the same time, giving players greater influence over how these resources are managed.

Although it has not yet been defined whether a capital increase will be necessary to complete the financing, the $1 billion figure serves as a reference for the scope the initiative seeks to achieve. The PTPA is looking not only for financial backing but also for a strategic partner capable of bringing order to an ecosystem that has historically been fragmented among multiple governing bodies, tournaments, and circuits that often operate under their own, and sometimes conflicting, logics.

The institutional context and Djokovic’s departure

Founded in 2020 by Novak Djokovic and Vasek Pospisil, the PTPA currently represents around 600 players and has focused its efforts on improving working conditions, safety, scheduling, and financial compensation within the circuit. However, at the beginning of January, Djokovic himself announced his departure from the project, citing disagreements related to transparency and internal governance within the organization he helped create.

In parallel, the association is pursuing a lawsuit initiated in 2025 alongside twelve players against the International Tennis Federation (ITF), the ATP, the WTA, and the International Tennis Integrity Agency, over alleged practices that violate antitrust legislation. A recent agreement with the organizers of the Australian Open has served as momentum to advance the construction of a structural framework capable of addressing more comprehensively the issues raised in the lawsuit, which now translates into this search for funding and corporate reorganization of professional tennis.

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In this vibrant setting, FIFA officially unveiled the tournament’s brand: the emblem, the slogan GO EPIC, and a sonic identity inspired by Brazilian rhythms. The ceremony brought together legends of both women’s and men’s football, reinforcing the idea of one football family projected toward the future. Local culture took center stage and served as the connecting thread to present a World Cup that aims to be inclusive, joyful and deeply connected to the Brazilian spirit.

An emblem that unites symbols, movement and identity

At the heart of the presentation stood the official emblem, a visual piece rich in meaning. Inspired by the Brazilian flag and the geometry of a football field, the design emerges from the fusion of the letters “W” and “M”, initials of “Women” and “World” in English, and “Mulheres” and “Mundo” in Portuguese. The resulting figure conveys movement, mastery and a symbolic reading that connects women’s football with the global stage.

 

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The emblem not only pays tribute to the colors and shapes of the Brazilian flag, but also reflects the intention to place women’s football at the center of the global sporting scene. The aesthetic choice seeks to engage with the country’s history as a host of major events while projecting a new narrative in which women take a leading role on football’s greatest stage.

Sound, streets and voices telling the story of Brazil 2027

The slogan GO EPIC was presented as a direct invitation for fans around the world to be part of an unforgettable journey. This was complemented by a sonic identity inspired by samba, percussion and Afro-Brazilian heritage, designed to accompany the tournament across all platforms and touchpoints. The sound, available on streaming services and on FIFA’s official YouTube channel, becomes an emotional vehicle that connects culture and sport.

Before the official broadcast from a hotel in Copacabana, Atlântica Avenue turned into a living canvas thanks to an urban art festival that revived a distinctly Brazilian tradition: painting the streets when the country hosts a World Cup. In a video message, Marta highlighted the nation’s deep emotional connection with football and the excitement surrounding the hosting of this tournament. Meanwhile, Gianni Infantino emphasized Brazil’s total commitment to making this event a turning point in the history of women’s football.

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Built on more than 130 documentary sources and consultations with over 125 organizations, the document breaks down the architecture of an industry that in 2025 already generates $2.3 trillion. Its pages not only quantify the sector’s current weight but also project a future in which sport could become an $8.8 trillion industry by 2050, provided it can navigate threats that currently put nearly 20% of its revenue at risk: the decline in physical activity and the impact of climate change.

The four pillars of a multibillion-dollar industry

According to the WEF, the sports economy rests on four core industries: professional and elite sport, participatory sport and physical activity, sporting goods, and sports tourism. The latter, contrary to what might be assumed, is the main revenue generator, accounting for $672 billion in 2025 (34%), far exceeding the $140 billion contributed by professional sport (7%).

These are complemented by five connected industries—live broadcasting, gaming, nutrition, technological software and wearables, and sports services—whose revenue has tripled since 2016. Within this segment, gaming, including sports video games and betting, represents 39% of total income. Based on this structure, the report identifies four growth paths: boosting sports tourism, consolidating sport as an investment asset, accelerating the expansion of women’s sport, and balancing development with emerging economies.

Health, climate, and the limits of growth

However, the analysis is not limited to opportunities. The report warns that one third of adults do not meet the physical activity levels recommended by health authorities, a trend that erodes the consumer base supporting sports tourism, product sales, and long-term loyalty. Rather than stabilizing, this tendency continues to grow.

Added to this is the environmental vulnerability of the industry itself. Ninety percent of audiovisual rights exploitation and 76% of sponsorship revenue depend on outdoor activities, increasingly exposed to extreme weather events. The document also highlights sport’s environmental footprint: from the 100,000 tons of sports equipment that end up in landfills each year in the United Kingdom, to the 325 million tennis balls discarded annually without any possibility of recycling. In response, the WEF outlines three pathways: improving resource management and circular economy practices, integrating sport into sustainable urban development, and directing investment toward responsible models.

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