Powerleague has appointed sports communications agency MatchFit as its retained PR agency.
The agency has been brought on to work closely on a number of Powerleague’s new padel location launches, as well as provide campaign support centred around the upcoming FIFA World Cup. With 44 clubs across the UK, Ireland and the Netherlands, Powerleague provides communities with access to a range of sports including small-sided football, netball and padel.
Louis Hakner, Chief Commercial and Marketing Officer, Powerleague, commented, “MatchFit had an understanding of the brand and what it is we are continuing to build. The team demonstrated not only a distinct love for sport, which is mirrored in their industry relationships, but more widely than that, exactly what Powerleague represents and the role that it plays within the community.”
Donald Parish, Co-Founder, MatchFit, added, “Powerleague has been a part of our DNA for many of the MatchFit team, having grown up playing at their sites across the UK, or continuing to enjoy the camaraderie that 5-a-side football leagues or netball brings – it’s a community and culture that we know well. 2026 has a lot of exciting things in the pipeline both from an industry perspective and for Powerleague more specifically, presenting a great opportunity in the world of grassroots participation.
“As an agency, we have already hit the ground running this year, so it’s an exciting client to be adding to our roster as we continue to build on that and support the nation to get involved with and love sport as much as we do.”
Global live-score provider Flashscore has launched a new YouTube series, Big Pete, created and hosted by former Chelsea and Arsenal goalkeeper Petr Cech.
The 12-episode series is co-produced with CANAL+ and offers an unfiltered look into professional football. The first episode features former Chelsea captain John Terry, with other guests set to include Robert Pires, Emile Heskey, and Ashley Cole.
Episodes will be released weekly on Flashscore’s global YouTube channel. The content, which will cover topics such as dealing with injuries and the evolution of the women’s game, will also be broadcast on CANAL+ Sport channels and streaming platforms.
The series marks Flashscore’s first major multimedia production as it expands into original long-form video content.
Petr Cech said, “I am really excited about the new collaboration on the Big Pete project with CANAL+ and Flashscore. I think the first episode with John Terry is very well done, and I am looking forward to the next ones. I have received great feedback on this episode and the entire documentary series. I really enjoyed the whole filming process, as did my former teammates and other guests who will be featured in our series.”
England and Manchester City forward Chloe Kelly has been honoured with a one-of-a-kind Barbie doll as part of a special series for International Women’s Day.
Toy manufacturer Mattel has included the European Championship winner in its ‘Barbie Dream Team’, which honours women who have led the way in their respective industries. Kelly is joined by other sporting figures including 23-time Grand Slam tennis champion Serena Williams and India cricketer Smriti Mandhana.
Kelly was a key member of the England squad that won the 2022 European Championship, scoring the extra-time winner against Germany in the final.
Chloe Kelly, Forward, England and Manchester City, said, “To be a Barbie role model is so special. To have my very own one-of-a-kind doll – I’m very proud of that. You don’t really believe these things could happen. You always look for the trophies and the wins on the pitch but, off the pitch, this is a massive win. As a young girl, you dreamed of having these moments but they never seemed to be the case that they could come true.”
Matchroom Boxing has renewed its partnership with meal prep company FuelHub for a further 12 months.
The agreement sees the company continue as the organisation’s official nutrition partner, providing meals to the entire Matchroom team across its UK offices. The deal also covers Matchroom Chairman Eddie Hearn, Matchroom Sport President Barry Hearn OBE, and Matchroom Boxing CEO Frank Smith.
As part of the partnership, FuelHub will continue to sponsor Matchroom’s Fight Day 5k, a community running event led by Eddie Hearn. The meal prep brand also featured in the 2025 Netflix documentary series Matchroom: The Greatest Showmen, highlighting its role within the boxing promoter’s operations.
Michelle Laithwaite, Co-founder and CEO, FuelHub, said, “This renewed partnership with Matchroom reflects how closely aligned our values are. Matchroom is an organisation built on ambition, intensity, and high standards, and that mirrors everything we stand for at FuelHub. As a premium meal prep company, we transform the health and wellbeing of everyday high-performers through effortless nutrition, enabling them to achieve more, whether that’s pushing boundaries in business, striving for athletic brilliance, or managing demanding schedules.”
Eddie Hearn, Chairman, Matchroom Sport, said, “Success isn’t just about what happens on a fight night, it’s also about the people behind the scenes and the standards you set every day. Nutrition plays a massive role in that, and FuelHub truly understands what it takes to support a busy, high-demand environment. We’re pleased to continue our partnership with them for what promises to be an exciting future together.”
Frank Smith, CEO, Matchroom Boxing, added, “At this level, performance is built on consistency, and nutrition plays a key role for both our fighters and the wider Matchroom team. FuelHub delivers exceptional quality day in, day out, helping support the demands of a high-performance environment. This renewed partnership reflects the trust we’ve built and the ambition we share as we continue to raise standards across the business.”
Leeds United have agreed a new partnership with HR, hiring and payroll software company Employment Hero.
The deal will run for the remainder of the 2025/26 Premier League season and forms part of a wider campaign for Employment Hero to support regional businesses, with a focus on Yorkshire & the Humber.
Working with the club, the collaboration will include a programme of activity to engage local businesses, including tailored experiences at Elland Road and seminars on employment law to help organisations navigate upcoming changes to the Employment Rights Act.
Kevin Fitzgerald, UK Managing Director at Employment Hero, said, “This partnership with Leeds United is about far more than matchday visibility. It’s about working with a brand at the heart of the community to deliver practical, meaningful support for local employers. We recognise the challenges small businesses are navigating, and our role is to celebrate their ambition and provide the tools and support they need to keep growing.”
ROXFIT, the digital training platform for hybrid athletes, has raised £1.9m in a seed funding round led by existing investor DSW Ventures.
Founded by entrepreneurs Ben Wilson and Joey Allott, the fitness tech start-up has grown its user base from 80,000 in May 2025 to more than 260,000 across 185 countries, driven by the growth of the global HYROX community.
The funding round was led by DSW Ventures and strategic angel investor Peter Markham, with participation from SWIM Capital and continued backing from York Angels. The investment will be used to accelerate product development, strengthen the engineering and artificial intelligence team, and expand ROXFIT’s global ambassador network.
The app provides AI-powered training tools, pacing guidance, and post-race performance analytics, allowing athletes to simulate race conditions and track progression.
Ben Wilson, co-founder, ROXFIT, said, “Hybrid fitness is the fastest-growing participation sport globally, yet the digital infrastructure supporting athletes has lagged behind. Our ambition is to build the technology layer that helps athletes train with greater precision, understand their performance and prepare effectively for competition.”
The ZYN British Superbike Championship has extended its partnership with cutting tools and hard materials specialist CERATIZIT, taking the association into a tenth season.
The new agreement for 2026 ensures the global brand will maintain its status as an official sponsor of the motorsport series. The partnership will feature a combination of trackside branding and customer experiences at each of the 11 championship rounds.
The deal also includes the continuation of the CERATIZIT Team Trophy, which rewards the combined team performances in the Superbike and Supersport Championships across the season.
Stuart Higgs, Series Director, ZYN British Superbike Championship, said, “We are happy to announce that our long-standing relationship with CERATIZIT will extend into 2026, reaching a landmark decade of association. This renewed sponsorship demonstrates the strength of our partnership and the synergy between cutting edge manufacturing and the high octane world of motorcycle racing.”
