Athlete Founders, part one: On I love a story that makes you wonder what else could exist if we listened more closely to the people living the experience. Olivier Bernhard was an elite triathlete who wanted a running shoe to feel different. He knew the experience he was looking for because he had spent years putting his body through the demands of his sport. So he started experimenting. One early prototype had pieces of garden hose attached to its sole. He took the idea to Ni

On 29–30th August 2026, Belle Vue Sports Village in Manchester hosted FIRE5 . A fast, high-pressure 5-a-side netball format. Prize money on the table. A live DJ. A live rapper. Athletes who showed up not just to play but to perform. And a crowd that understood exactly what they were watching. It was not a traditional netball tournament. It was never supposed to be. The two day event concluded with an enthralling final, as Team Suns edged Team Sting to take home the £13,000 to

With Manchester placing itself at the centre of a cultural phenomenon Written by Fergus Allen 5 min read. On Thursday 11 June 2026, the DR Congo national team touched down at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Texas, for their first World Cup since 1974. The squad arrived in custom-tailored black suits with striking leopard-print lapels, and matching animal-print travel bags. Designed by Congolese designer Alvin Junior Mak, the look celebrated both the national

The morning after England booked their place in a World Cup semi-final, one of Manchester's own wasn't preparing for television interviews or enjoying a rare day away from football. Rico Lewis was back where it all started: on a community pitch, surrounded by almost 200 young players, doing what he loves most. There were no velvet ropes, no carefully managed appearances and no five-minute photo opportunities. Instead, Lewis and his sister Sacha spent hours moving between coac

Hot off the back of delivering the Rico Lewis ProSportPlex UK camp in Manchester last weekend, we're delighted to announce that Maria Folau, founder of Fire5 and Netball World Champion, has appointed Squad Goals Global as Fire5's UK Event & Growth Partner as they begin their UK journey right here in Manchester 🔥🐝 Fire5 is a vision born from Maria's own lived experience as one of the world's leading netballers. After a career that saw her win a Netball World Cup, two Commonw