Sports
European Athletics Championships Food and Drink Prices [2026]
The European Athletics Championships kicked off this week, and a lot of the attention has been on the ‘disgusting’ food and drink prices for fans attending in person.
Stars like Keely Hodgkinson, Dina Asher-Smith and Katarina Johnson-Thompson are looking to make this Championship a memorable one; the chance to perform on home soil in such an important event certainly won’t be lost on any of the athletes.
However, what should have been a celebration of British competitors on home soil has turned sour thanks to the prices that are being charged in Birmingham.
European Athletics Championship Hit By Pricing Row
It’s not only fans who are being priced out of attending as families and friends of the athletes have not been given complimentary, or even discounted, tickets to watch their loved ones. At most major championships, athletes are given at least one complimentary ticket, and the fact that this has not happened this year has caused some upset.
An anonymous athlete told The Times that ‘it is a little bit of a surprise, a bit of a shame’ and that it would have been ‘good to have more family and friends there’.
With tickets costing as much as £150, it’s no surprise that the city’s Alexander Stadium has featured plenty of empty seats in the early stages of the track and field events. As pricey as tickets are, though, even more backlash has been directed towards the price of food and drink at the event – and with good reason. A photo of the extortionate full menu has now emerged online.
Food and Drink Prices at European Athletics Championships Go Viral
Fans, who have already parted with big money for tickets, are then expected to fork out £18.50 for a BBQ pork roll, £15 for a bratwurst dog and £12 for a portion of loaded fries!
It is not only the food that is extortionate, but even a bottle of water will set you back £3.95 amongst the extreme heat that the country is experiencing currently.
Former England footballer Stan Collymore was active on social media and criticising the pricing: ‘No wonder crowds yesterday were poor. Woeful optics…£18+ for a pork roll, £150 for a Cat A ticket. Could have got a £20 ticket for this morning’s session, but how many can go on a Tuesday in the school holidays?’
Users on social media have not been shy in putting over their frustrations, with one saying: ‘Sorry but this is disgusting and a sure-fire way to turn people off a sport that gets only a couple of opportunities to show itself off each year. European Athletics Championships organisers in Birmingham need to be called out for this price gouging.’
Despite the backlash, organisers have said that: ‘Birmingham 2026 are delighted with ticket sales for the championships, which have far surpassed our targets. Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening sessions are approaching sell-out, with several other sessions close to capacity.’
The European Athletics Championships are currently in full swing, taking place from August 10-16, and Great Britain have put out a field of 96 competitors looking to win big at home.
Sports
Kevin Owens Reveals Disgusting Act Triple H Banned From WWE
Kevin Owens has revealed a spot that has now been banned in all WWE matches.
During his recent layoff due to neck injuries, Owens joined LFG (Legends and Future Greats) as a coach. He helped pair Harlem Lewis and Mike Derudder for their tag team bout against Harley Riggins and Jax Presley, coached by the legendary Booker T.
Riggins and Presley got the win, but there was huge controversy after the match when Riggins spat at Lewis as the latter was walking backstage. Lewis then jumped on the apron and landed a legit blow on Riggins’ face before being shoved off the apron himself.
Backstage, it was revealed to Owens that Lewis had been spat at, and the Prizefighter was shocked, as neither he nor Booker T saw it whilst watching the match. This is a spot that Riggins then wanted to repeat when the two had a match-up inside the squared circle, placing it just before Lewis would fire up and start the comeback.
‘You Can’t Do It’ – Banned WWE Act Revealed
However, the former Universal Champion would quickly shut this idea down, revealing that Chief Content Officer Paul ‘Triple H‘ Levesque and other executives had banned the practice.
“Here’s the tricky part about that. We’re not allowed to spit on each other. That’s one of the things on TV—you can’t do it; they don’t want that.”
The veteran would go on to suggest that the rookies should play this match by focusing on how disrespected Lewis felt: “…you felt disrespected, and now you’re going to make him respect you. It’s a very easy story to tell too.”
Owens made a shocking return at SummerSlam this year, being inserted into a singles match between Finn Balor and Sami Zayn alongside the Ring General Gunther. The winner would get an opportunity to face WWE Champion CM Punk for the title.
Kevin Owens’ First Feud After Extended WWE Injury Absence
There is no shortage of bad blood between Owens, who picked up the win following a stunner on long-time best friend Zayn, and the champion, CM Punk.
The long and well-documented history of the two men genuinely disliking each other is playing out on screen in captivating and intense segments like the one we saw on SmackDown this past Friday, where the real-life feud exploded on screen, blurring the lines between fiction and reality.
Owens has the chance to put to bed one of his loudest critics and claim only his second world championship in WWE, but standing in his way is one of the best to ever do it, on the 21st of August in KO’s home country of Canada.
Sports
Newcastle United ‘Jaissle, I Can Boogie’ Chant: Lyrics, Video & Meaning
Newcastle United fans are among the most passionate in the footballing world; it is no secret that they adore their club and Matthias Jaissle didn’t need to wait long to experience this.
The German didn’t even need to take charge of a match for his new club before word reached him about something distinctly Newcastle: a brand-new chant already circulating in his honour.
He joked that “spies” inside the club had tipped him off about the song supporters were preparing. Rather than being briefed on the atmosphere or the noise of St James’ Park, Jaissle was specifically informed that fans had crafted a chant for him, and that he’d soon be hearing it for himself.
Newcastle Matthias Jaissle Chant Lyrics
Seany Steur and Malick Thiaw,
The chant is deliberately simple, a short, looping chorus that thousands can roar without missing a beat.
It follows the rhythm of a well-known disco classic, but the name-dropping of players makes it unmistakably Newcastle-themed.
By weaving in Sean Steur, Malick Thiaw, Nick Woltemade, Lewis Wiley and Harvey Barnes, supporters have a chant that not only welcomes their new coach, but also champions the squad he’s shaping.
Tune for ‘Jaissle, I Can Boogie’
The chant is built on Yes Sir, I can Boogie, the 1977 disco hit by Spanish duo Baccara. The original track is known for its sweeping strings and instantly recognisable chorus. It’s one of those songs that may no longer dominate charts, but has cult status that resurfaces across football culture.
Its biggest modern revival came courtesy of Scotland fans. During the national team’s build-up to Euro 2020, players were filmed dancing to the song in the dressing room, and supporters quickly adopted it as an unofficial anthem. The tune’s easy chorus and rhythm made it perfect for the stands, and it became a soundtrack to Scotland’s campaign.
Newcastle supporters have tapped into the same energy. By swapping “Yes sir” for “Jaissle”, they’ve created a chant that feels familiar but still belongs to them. It’s affectionate for their new manager, catchy and rooted in the club’s present, turning a disco classic into a celebration of the club’s new era following the appointment of their new coach and the squad he has inherited. For Jaissle, it’s an early sign that he’s already being woven into the club’s folklore and that the “spies” who warned him about the chant were absolutely right.
Sports
UEFA Super Cup Winners List
Summary
- The UEFA Super Cup pits the winners of the Champions League against the Europa League champions.
- Ajax were fittingly the inaugural winners of a competition created by a Dutch journalist in 1973.
- Real Madrid have dominated the Super Cup in the 21st century, racking up a record-breaking sixth victory against Atalanta in 2024.
Created more than half a century ago, the UEFA Super Cup has a rich history. Since its inaugural edition in 1973, it has pitted the winner of the European Champion Clubs’ Cup (later renamed the Champions League in 1992) against the winner of the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup, which was abolished in 1999 before being merged with the UEFA Cup, now known as the Europa League.
For the first 25 years of its life, the competition was organised during the winter months and played in a two-legged format, allowing both teams to compete in front of their home fans. This format is no longer used, as the two champions face each other in a single match to officially kick off the football season.
Rather than a continental version of the English Community Shield, UEFA’s Super Cup is universally upheld as a significant trophy. Here are the clubs and players that have enjoyed the most success in this prestigious competition.
UEFA Super Cup Winners List
Since the UEFA Super Cup was founded in 1972, 25 clubs have lifted the trophy, but none more so than Real Madrid. The most prolific Champions League winners claimed a record-breaking sixth Super Cup with a convincing 2-0 victory over Atalanta in the 49th edition of the competition in August 2024.
The brainchild of Dutch journalist, Anton Witkamp, the first unofficial Super Cup was held in 1972 when European champions Ajax faced off with Scottish giants Rangers, who had won the European Cup Winners’ Cup but were subsequently banned from UEFA competition due to crowd trouble. Ajax defended their European title and so appeared in the inaugural, sanctioned edition of the competition, thrashing AC Milan 7-1 across two legs.
|
UEFA Super Cup Winners List |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Year |
Winners |
Runners-up |
|
1973 |
Ajax |
AC Milan |
|
1974 |
Not held |
|
|
1975 |
Dynamo Kyiv |
Bayern Munich |
|
1976 |
Anderlecht |
Bayern Munich |
|
1977 |
Liverpool |
Hamburger SV |
|
1978 |
Anderlecht |
Liverpool |
|
1979 |
Nottingham Forest |
Barcelona |
|
1980 |
Valencia |
Nottingham Forest |
|
1981 |
Not held |
|
|
1982 |
Aston Villa |
Barcelona |
|
1983 |
Aberdeen |
Hamburger SV |
|
1984 |
Juventus |
Liverpool |
|
1985 |
Not held |
|
|
1986 |
Steaua Bucuresti |
Dynamo Kyiv |
|
1987 |
Porto |
Ajax |
|
1988 |
KV Mechelen |
PSV Eindhoven |
|
1989 |
AC Milan |
Barcelona |
|
1990 |
AC Milan |
Sampdoria |
|
1991 |
Manchester United |
Red Star Belgrade |
|
1992 |
Barcelona |
Werder Bremen |
|
1993 |
Parma |
AC Milan |
|
1994 |
AC Milan |
Liverpool |
|
1995 |
Ajax |
Zaragoza |
|
1996 |
Juventus |
Paris Saint-Germain |
|
1997 |
Barcelona |
Borussia Dortmund |
|
1998 |
Chelsea |
Real Madrid |
|
1999 |
Lazio |
Manchester United |
|
2000 |
Galatasaray |
Real Madrid |
|
2001 |
Liverpool |
Bayern Munich |
|
2002 |
Real Madrid |
Feyenoord |
|
2003 |
AC Milan |
Porto |
|
2004 |
Valencia |
Porto |
|
2005 |
Liverpool |
CSKA Moscow |
|
2006 |
Sevilla |
Barcelona |
|
2007 |
AC Milan |
Sevilla |
|
2008 |
Zenit Saint Petersburg |
Manchester United |
|
2009 |
Barcelona |
Shakhtar Donetsk |
|
2010 |
Atletico Madrid |
Inter Milan |
|
2011 |
Barcelona |
Porto |
|
2012 |
Atletico Madrid |
Chelsea |
|
2013 |
Bayern Munich |
Chelsea |
|
2014 |
Real Madrid |
Sevilla |
|
2015 |
Barcelona |
Sevilla |
|
2016 |
Real Madrid |
Sevilla |
|
2017 |
Real Madrid |
Manchester United |
|
2018 |
Atletico Madrid |
Real Madrid |
|
2019 |
Liverpool |
Chelsea |
|
2020 |
Bayern Munich |
Sevilla |
|
2021 |
Chelsea |
Villarreal |
|
2022 |
Real Madrid |
Eintracht Frankfurt |
|
2023 |
Manchester City |
Sevilla |
|
2024 |
Real Madrid |
Atalanta |
|
2025 |
Paris Saint-Germain |
Tottenham |
|
2026 |
TBD (Paris Saint-Germain/Aston Villa) |
TBD (Paris Saint-Germain/Aston Villa) |
Clubs With Most UEFA Super Cup Trophies
Just behind Real Madrid’s six triumphs, Barcelona and AC Milan can boast five trophies apiece. The Catalan giants didn’t win their first UEFA Super Cup until 1992 after Johan Cruyff had overseen the club’s maiden triumph in the European Cup at Wembley Stadium. Cruyff had been part of the Ajax side which won the first unofficial Super Cup in 1972, scoring in both legs against Rangers.
Barcelona had lost their first three appearances in the competition and have finished as runners-up on four occasions. Only fellow La Liga outfit Sevilla have suffered more Super Cup defeats than Barcelona, losing six of their seven appearances. Incidentally, the Andalusians’ only triumph in the continental showpiece was against Barcelona in 2006.
|
Most Successful Teams in UEFA Super Cup History |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Rank |
Teams |
Titles |
|
1 |
Real Madrid |
6 |
|
2 |
Barcelona |
5 |
|
AC Milan |
5 |
|
|
3 |
Liverpool |
4 |
|
4 |
Atletico Madrid |
3 |
|
5 |
Chelsea |
2 |
|
Bayern Munich |
2 |
|
|
Ajax |
2 |
|
|
Anderlecht |
2 |
|
|
Valencia |
2 |
|
|
Juventus |
2 |
|
|
6 |
Sevilla |
1 |
|
Porto |
1 |
|
|
Manchester United |
1 |
|
|
Dynamo Kyiv |
1 |
|
|
Nottingham Forest |
1 |
|
|
Aston Villa |
1 |
|
|
Aberdeen |
1 |
|
|
Steaua Bucaresti |
1 |
|
|
KV Mechelen |
1 |
|
|
Parma |
1 |
|
|
Lazio |
1 |
|
|
Galatasaray |
1 |
|
|
Zenit Saint Petersburg |
1 |
|
|
Paris Saint-Germain |
1 |
|
|
Manchester City |
1 |
|
Clubs With Most UEFA Super Cup Appearances
Barcelona and Real Madrid — the two undisputed giants of Spanish football — share the record for most Super Cup appearances with nine each. Milan have graced this vaunted stage on seven occasions. The Italian behemoths were practically ever-presents in the competition as the 1980s bled into the ’90s, gatecrashing four Super Cups in six years.
Arrigo Sacchi’s revolutionary high-pressing machine backed up consecutive European Cup wins with a pair of Super Cup victories in 1989 and 1990. A young Fabio Capello took over from the former shoe salesman and maintained Milan’s illustrious continental record.
|
Clubs with Most UEFA Super Cup Appearances |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Rank |
Teams |
Appearances |
|
1 |
Barcelona |
9 |
|
Real Madrid |
9 |
|
|
2 |
AC Milan |
7 |
|
Sevilla |
7 |
|
|
3 |
Liverpool |
6 |
|
4 |
Chelsea |
5 |
|
Bayern Munich |
5 |
|
|
5 |
Porto |
4 |
|
Manchester United |
4 |
|
|
6 |
Atletico Madrid |
3 |
|
Ajax |
3 |
|
|
7 |
Anderlecht |
2 |
|
Valencia |
2 |
|
|
Juventus |
2 |
|
|
Dynamo Kyiv |
2 |
|
|
Nottingham Forest |
2 |
|
|
Aston Villa |
2 |
|
|
Paris Saint-Germain |
2 |
|
|
Hamburger SV |
2 |
|
|
8 |
Aberdeen |
1 |
|
Tottenham |
1 |
|
|
Steaua Bucaresti |
1 |
|
|
KV Mechelen |
1 |
|
|
Parma |
1 |
|
|
Lazio |
1 |
|
|
Galatasaray |
1 |
|
|
Zenit Saint Petersburg |
1 |
|
|
Manchester City |
1 |
|
|
PSV Eindhoven |
1 |
|
|
Sampdoria |
1 |
|
|
Red Star Belgrade |
1 |
|
|
Werder Bremen |
1 |
|
|
Arsenal |
1 |
|
|
Zaragoza |
1 |
|
|
Paris Saint-Germain |
1 |
|
|
Borussia Dortmund |
1 |
|
|
Feyenoord |
1 |
|
|
CSKA Moscow |
1 |
|
|
Shakhtar Donetsk |
1 |
|
|
Inter Milan |
1 |
|
|
Villarreal |
1 |
|
|
Eintracht Frankfurt |
1 |
|
|
Atalanta |
1 |
|
Players With the Most UEFA Super Cups
Given the club’s modern dominance, and the reluctance of the ownership to break up a winning team, it’s unsurprising that a Real Madrid duo boasts the most UEFA Super Cup triumphs. Luka Modric and Dani Carvajal surpassed Toni Kroos‘s record haul of four victories when defeating Atalanta in 2024.
The brilliant German midfielder, who won his first title with Bayern Munich in 2013 retired after Euro 2024, thereby ceding his joint record – which was shared by the likes of Karim Benzema and Paolo Maldini – to a pair of his former teammates. Kroos could have taken his tally to five wins, but injury forced him to miss out on Madrid’s 2016 triumph against Sevilla.
|
Most Successful Players in UEFA Super Cup History |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Rank |
Player |
Titles |
|
1 |
Luka Modric |
5 |
|
Dani Carvajal |
5 |
|
|
2 |
Mateo Kovacic |
4 |
|
Toni Kroos |
4 |
|
|
Lucas Vazquez |
4 |
|
|
Nacho Fernandez |
4 |
|
|
Karim Benzema |
4 |
|
|
Juanfran Torres |
4 |
|
|
Felipe Luis |
4 |
|
|
Dani Alves |
4 |
|
|
Paolo Maldini |
4 |
|
|
Arie Haan |
4 |
|
|
3 |
Antonio Rudiger |
3 |
|
Jesus Vallejo |
3 |
|
|
Dani Ceballos |
3 |
|
|
Thibaut Courtois |
3 |
|
|
Casemiro |
3 |
|
|
David Alaba |
3 |
|
|
Marco Asensio |
3 |
|
|
Diego Costa |
3 |
|
|
Diego Godin |
3 |
|
|
Koke |
3 |
|
|
Marcelo |
3 |
|
|
Raphael Varane |
3 |
|
|
Sergio Ramos |
3 |
|
|
Gareth Bale |
3 |
|
|
Keylor Navas |
3 |
|
|
Andres Iniesta |
3 |
|
|
Pedro |
3 |
|
|
Lionel Messi |
3 |
|
|
Gerard Pique |
3 |
|
|
Adriano |
3 |
|
|
Sergio Busquets |
3 |
|
|
Eric Abidal |
3 |
|
|
Alessandro Nesta |
3 |
|
|
Fernando Morientes |
3 |
|
|
Jari Litmanen |
3 |
|
|
Albert Ferrer |
3 |
|
|
Hristo Stoichov |
3 |
|
|
Mauro Tassotti |
3 |
|
|
Giovanni Stroppa |
3 |
|
|
Marco Simone |
3 |
|
|
Roberto Donadoni |
3 |
|
|
Alessandro Costacurta |
3 |
|
|
Franco Baresi |
3 |
|
|
Daniele Massaro |
3 |
|
|
Filippo Galli |
3 |
|
All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt. Correct as of 12th August 2026.
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