Welcome to the 4th Edition of The Sports Bulletin brought to you by ILG member firms

The sporting world in 2025 continues to offer moments of brilliance, challenge, and transformation. The build-up to the 2026 FIFA World Cup is already stirring excitement across continents, while the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup is currently captivating global audiences. At the same time, sport remains a reflection of wider society: legal, commercial, and ethical issues continue to define the headlines. From ongoing disputes over governance and financial regulation in football, to the continuing litigation around head injuries across contact sports, the intersection of law and sport is ever more visible.

As 2025 unfolds, sport is not just about the athletes and the results on the field, but also about the frameworks, legal, regulatory, and cultural, that shape the way it is played, consumed, and remembered.

In this Bulletin of the ILG Sports Group we have commentaries ranging from a landmark US$2.8 billion settlement in the US which considers the difference between amateurs and professional athletes, the key principles of the Australian Consumer Law (ACL) as they apply to sporting related activities, and the increasing question to the liability of sports organisations and sports associations in the event of injury to participants.

We trust you will find these articles of interest. The ILG Sports Group is made up by a “team” of lawyers across a number of jurisdictions who all love sport. If you have a sporting query do not hesitate to get in touch.