Rangers owners 49ers get their chequebooks out for £22m bill as mega cost of World Cup hosting duties revealed
The 49ers Enterprises investment group have taken control of Rangers - but the American football giants will also have to fork out for the 2026 World Cup
Rangers fans are dreaming of a glorious future under the banner of the 49ers Enterprises investment group – but the Ibrox club aren't all they're spending their money on.
New Ibrox chairman Andrew Cavenagh has pledged to immediately inject £20million into the football department to help Russell Martin shape his squad ahead of the new season.
Lyall Cameron has joined Gers from Dundee while full back Max Aarons has completed a loan switch from Bournemouth.
And more are expected to follow with Leicester City defender Conor Coady in talks over a move north of the border while the likes of Dor Turgeman and Matija Frigan have been heavily linked.
After years of turmoil, the Light Blues now look to be in good hands on the financial side of things, with health tycoon Cavenagh and vice chairman Paraag Marathe now working alongside CEO Patrick Stewart.
49ers Enterprises - who are the investment arm of the famed American Football (NFL) team San Francisco 49ers - also own Leeds United, and are set to splash the cash even further this summer to ensure the Yorkshire team enjoy a successful season back in the Premier League.
But reports across the pond also now claim that 49ers chiefs could spent up to $30million (£21.9million) to host six matches at next year's FIFA World Cup.
The 49ers will open their doors for six matches at the Levi's Stadium in Santa, Clara, California as the biggest show in town hits North America.
Yardbarker state that hosting those games will cost the city $50million (£36.4million) and that 49ers will not be able to use taxpayer money to pay the bill.
They add that in turn, FIFA will contribute $13million (£9.4million) of the overall figure and with the state of California coughing up $7- 8.5 million (£5-6million), the 49ers will have to front the rest of the bill, a total of around $30m (£22m).
On top of that, the mega franchise are also in the midst of renovating Levi's Stadium ahead of the finals at reported cost of $200 million (£145.7million).
As well as the World Cup, the Calafornia team will also host the Superbowl on February 8, 2026.
It is the first time the Levi's Stadium has hosted the world famous event since 2015 and only the third time the sporting landmark has ever been held in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Follow Record Sport on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for all of the up-to-the minute breaking news, video and audio on the SPFL, the Scotland national team and beyond.
You can get all the news you need on our dedicated Rangers and Celtic pages, and sign up to our newsletters to make sure you never miss a beat throughout the season.
We're also on WhatsApp where we bring all the latest breaking news and transfer gossip directly to you phone. Join our Rangers community here and our Celtic community here.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
31 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
World Cup 2026 fears as weather expert warns England stars to prepare for lengthy suspensions
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) ENGLAND stars have been warned to prepare for frequent delays at the 2026 World Cup as extreme weather wreaks havoc at the Club World Cup. Chelsea's last-16 win over Benfica took almost FIVE HOURS to complete after the match was suspended due to "the risk of lightning in the vicinity of Bank of America Stadium". Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 Fears are growing over the 2026 World Cup as extreme weather wreaks havoc at the Club World Cup. 4 Extreme weather has disrupted the first two weeks of the Club World Cup It was the sixth game of the tournament that has been suspended because of seasonal summer thunderstorms, with players, staff and fans pulled indoors for two hours. Both teams were forced to keep fresh on training bikes in the dressing rooms, while fans were kept into the concourse, with the Blues 1-0 up with four minutes remaining thanks to Reece James' free-kick. When it finally restarted, Angel Di Maria equalised with a controversial stoppage-time penalty to take the game to extra-time, only for Christopher Nkunku, Pedro Neto and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall to seal Chelsea's win. Maresca slammed it was "a joke" and said the US is "not the right place to do the competition" after the match lasted four hours and 39 minutes in Charlotte and finished at 01:39 BST on Sunday. READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWS MARC MADE Liverpool ready to offer winger to Crystal Palace in swap for £50m-rated Guehi WATCH EVERY MATCH OF THE CLUB WORLD CUP 2025 LIVE ON DAZN And now weather experts have warned world football to prepare for the same at next summer's World Cup - hosted across the USA, Canada and Mexico. National Weather Service official Ben Schott, who advises Fifa and the US World Cup taskforce for 2026, says teams should plan accordingly. A recent study published by the International Journal of Biometeorology warned of the risk posed by extreme heat for players and spectators. The study concluded that 14 of the 16 host cities being used for the World Cup experienced temperatures that frequently exceeded the commonly accepted safe thresholds for wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT) -- a widely used measure for heat stress. CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS The study argued for games to be scheduled outside of the afternoon windows when conditions were typically at their most fierce. England don't have the best history - or experience - of performing well in extreme heat. 4 Thomas Tuchel is already preparing for the extreme weather at the 2026 World Cup Chelsea vs Benfica SUSPENDED with just five minutes left as referee takes players off due to severe lightning storm But ESPN reported on Tuesday that Thomas Tuchel has used artificial pitchside tents with heaters inside to recreate the temperatures they will likely face next June. While roasting heat was an issue when the US last hosted the World Cup in 1994, no games at that tournament were halted by storm warnings because the technology hadn't been created by then. Meanwhile, Borussia Dortmund left their substitutes in the dressing room for the first-half of their game against Mamelodi Sundowns in Cincinnati, rather than have them sitting out in the sunshine last week. And Maresca cut short his team's training session in Philadelphia on Monday as the City of Brotherly Love baked in temperatures of 38C. Dortmund coach Niko Kovac, meanwhile, said the weather could ultimately shape the destiny of the Club World Cup. Kovac said: "I think that this tournament will be decided not by the best team, but the team that can adapt to these weather conditions the best. They will probably win this tournament" On Tuesday, Boca Juniors' game against Auckland City was also delayed due to public safety regulations as lightning struck within 10 miles of a stadium. A weather delay in Benfica's game against Auckland led to an interruption in play of nearly two hours last week. Fifa confirmed that a drinks break to give players the chance to take on fluids and cool down will take place at 30 minutes and 75 minutes if needed.
Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Daily Mirror
Chelsea hold new stadium talks with Mayor of London as club considers switch
Chelsea have a potential site in mind if they end up leaving Stamford Bridge, and the Mayor of London has urged the club to hold conversations over what comes next Chelsea have opened talks with Mayor of London Sadiq Khan as they continue to make plans for a potential stadium move. There has been speculation over a move away from Stamford Bridge in the past, to no avail, but new plans have begun to tentatively take hold. Former owner Roman Abramovich looked at a number of potential locations before his own departure in 2022. Plans for a move haven't changed under Todd Boehly's ownership, with the American recognising the capacity limitations of the Blues' current home. According to The Telegraph, Chelsea held meetings with officials following an invitation from the mayor himself. The club are exploring a site on Earl's Court in West London, though a spokesperson for Khan indicated no formal plans were known to the elected official. 'The mayor is unaware of any recent formal proposals from the club for the Earl's Court site," they said. "The mayor and TfL can only form a view once they have seen the details of any potential proposals.' Back in May, shareholder Hansjorg Wyss indicated the Earl's Court site would likely suit the club best. "Earl's Court would be the best option we can even think of. If it's going to happen," he told Chelsea Fan TV. Chelsea's current home has a capacity of just over 40,000 - making it significantly smaller than the grounds of some of their Premier League rivals. In sending out an invitation for contact, Mayor Khan cited the size of the ground in relation to the club's objectives. "My message to Chelsea is come and speak to us in relation to what you want to do," he told The Times in April. "Chelsea are the victims of their success, and Stamford Bridge is now too small for them. After all, this is a team that has twice won the Champions League. "We work closely with all seven of our Premier League clubs but I'm sure Chelsea look with some envy at the stadiums some of their rivals in London have. We're really keen to make sure that Chelsea, as we are with all our clubs, continue to flourish and thrive, so we're open to talking to Chelsea about what plans they have. At the moment they've not approached us. But we're here.' Back in March, Boehly suggested divisions over the club's future stadium plans could even see members of the ownership group go their separate ways. 'We have to think long term about what we're trying to accomplish,' the American told Bloomberg. 'We have a big stadium development opportunity that we have to flesh out. And that's going to be where we're either aligned or we ultimately decide to go different ways.' Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Daily Mirror
2 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Club World Cup could be moved to winter in switch that would cause havoc with PL
The Club World Cup could yet be moved to Qatar as representatives from the country lobby with FIFA to make the switch from America - but it would mean it being held in December Qatar have expressed an interest in hosting the Club World Cup in 2029 after its inaugural showing in the United States this summer - but they would have to move it to the winter. Qatari representatives have held talks with FIFA 's highest ranking officials during the tournament in America and indicated a desire to stage the next edition in four years' time, but it would play havoc with the domestic football calendar if they did take it to the Middle East. Back in 2022 Qatar held the World Cup, but the climate in their country meant it had to be held in the winter, forcing every domestic league to pause for over a month. But those in the Middle East have put forward a strong sales pitch to FIFA and have claimed they could host a carbon-neutral tournament. The current Club World Cup has involved teams flying all over the United States with venues in 11 different cities. The nine stadiums Qatar built to host the World Cup remain in place. They could be all be utilised with the size of their country meaning they could minimise staging costs and travel for fans, reports the Guardian. Even during the tournament in America, which has lower average temperatures than Qatar, there have been mass complaints over the conditions by the players. The global players' union Fifpro set to address their welfare concerns in a press conference on Monday. It means that any discussion of a Club World Cup in December 2029 in Qatar would result in heavy backlash from the European leagues including the Premier League due to the disruption it would cause to domestic seasons. Jurgen Klopp is among those to criticise the Club World Cup, with his gripes largely centring on player welfare. 'It's a pointless competition,' he said. 'Whoever wins it will be the worst winner of all time because they'll have played all summer and then gone straight back into the league. There are people who have never been involved in the day-to-day business of football and are now coming up with ideas.' He also added: 'It's too many games. I fear next season we will see injuries like never before. If not then, they'll come during or after the Club World Cup. There's no real recovery for those involved, neither physically nor mentally.' Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
