Sportsworld

After British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his INEOS group were confirmed as new minority investors in Manchester United - a deal which saw them take control of United's football operations - will this new era return the club back to their perch at the top of English football? The BBC’s Chief Football News Reporter, Simon Stone; Carl Anka who covers Manchester United for The Athletic; and United fan Beth Tucker, presenter of The United Stand, join Sportsworld’s Lee James to discuss what can be expected from their involvement at Manchester United. We'll also hear at length from Sir Jim Ratcliffe himself, who spoke to BBC Sports Editor Dan Roan after the deal was completed. Image: A billboard near Old Trafford shows a picture of Sir Jim Ratcliffe above the words 'Welcome To Manchester' prior to the Premier League match between Manchester United and AFC Bournemouth at Old Trafford on December 09, 2023 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

The Asian Cup is football’s second oldest continental championship and the 18th edition – which gets underway in Qatar on 12 January 2024 – will see the continent’s best football nations go head-to-head to be crowned this year’s Asian champions. Who are the main contenders? Which team could spring a surprise? What can be expected? Mani Djazmi is joined by Asian football journalist Michael Church, Japanese sports journalist Kumi Kinohara and BBC Persian Service’s Iran reporter Pooria Jafereh to preview the tournament. Also hear from South Korea’s manager Jurgen Klinsmann, Palestine’s midfielder Mohammed Rashid, India’s goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu and tournament debutants Tajikistan’s Amirbek Juraboev. Image: Qatari footballer Hassan al-Haydos carries the Asian Cup trophy during the draw for the AFC Asian Cup in Doha on May 11, 2023. (Photo by KARIM JAAFAR/AFP via Getty Images)

As 2023 winds down, Delyth Lloyd tests the sporting knowledge of you and some familiar names from the BBC World Service Sport team in a special Sportsworld quiz. Will it be Team World Cup’s Maz Farookhi and Katie Smith, Team Sportsworld’s Lee James and John Bennett or Team Warm Up Track’s Ed Harry and Ade Adedoyin who will be crowned the ultimate sporting quiz champions of 2023? Photo: The sportsworld quiz teams (Credit: BBC)

It's been another sensational athletics season with multiple gold medallists and world record breaking performances on the track, the road and in the field. From the highs of the World Championships in Budapest to Diamond League glory and marathon supremacy, who are the athletes who have impressed the most in 2023? Sportsworld’s Lee James is joined by The Warm Up Track’s Ed Harry and Ade Adedoyin who name their top 10 athletes of the year, with additional insight from BBC Africa’s Celestine Karoney. Image: Noah Lyles of Team United States reacts after winning the Men's 4x100m Relay Final during day eight of the World Athletics Championships Budapest 2023 at National Athletics Centre on August 26, 2023 in Budapest, Hungary. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

Following the death of Sir Bobby Charlton at the age of 86, here’s another chance to listen to the Manchester United and England legend select his all-time World Football XI. During his illustrious career – which included winning the World Cup with England, the European Cup with Manchester United and also the Ballon d’Or – he played alongside and against many of the world’s best. Who makes his all-time World Football XI? Charlton talks the BBC’s Mike Costello through his squad selection of footballing greats. This was first broadcast on BBC World Service in 2001 and recorded at Old Trafford. Image: Sir Bobby Charlton during the Premier League match between AFC Bournemouth and Manchester United at Vitality Stadium on April 18, 2018 in Bournemouth, England. (Photo by AFC Bournemouth/AFC Bournemouth via Getty Images)

In a special Season-ending episode The Warm Up Track welcomes two brand new world champions from Budapest, Hurdler Danielle Williams and Long Jumper Miltiadis Tentoglou. What’s it like winning your second World title eight years after your first? How do you win Gold with your last jump of the competition? Who celebrated their Gold medal with a slice of chocolate cake? Danielle also explains her ideas for improving and evolving the sport of Track and Field as we look at what Budapest did well and the lessons that can be learned for future world championships. More broadly, we also explore how Athletics can and should be making a bigger impact as a global sport. Miltiadis explains how his success has led to Greece embracing the Long Jump and plenty of young people taking up the sport of Athletics in his home town and across the country. We also look ahead to Paris 2024. Danielle will be looking to qualify for the Games for the first time, while Miltiadis will hope to make a successful defence of the title he won in Tokyo. Photo: Danielle Williams of Jamaica poses for photos following the women's 100m hurdles final during day six of the World Athletics Championships Budapest 2023 at National Athletics Centre on August 24, 2023 in Budapest, Hungary. (Credit: Getty Images)

In this special episode of The Warm Up Track, we’re joined by some of the stars of the very first World Athletics Championships as the event prepares to celebrate its 40th anniversary. 1500m gold medallist Steve Cram explains how important the ’83 Worlds were, at a time when the Olympic Games was beset by political boycotts. He also outlines plans by Athletics’ world governing body, the IAAF, to make the World Championships their equivalent of the FIFA World Cup and make the Olympics track and field’s second tier competition for under-23s only. Juliet Cuthbert-Flynn, who won sprint relay bronze, describes a Jamaica team where you had to bring a sewing kit to make adjustments to the vest and shorts you’d been given. She also recalls how all of the teams stayed in university halls of residence, and how the cafeteria was the place to be, a real melting pot of nations where life-long friendships were made. Jamaica’s first World Champion Bert Cameron says that, as he received his 400m gold, he saw his life in flashback – leaving him with the belief that God had given him his talent to lift his family out of poverty. While Arto Bryggare, whose 110m hurdles silver was host nation Finland’s first medal of the Championships, recalls how he took time to speak with his team-mate Tiina Lilak during his lap of honour to say “stop playing, start throwing”. Lilak was involved in the Javelin final, and would go onto win gold that same night. Arto was in doping control when he heard the crowd “exploding” as she claimed the win. As for Arto, he says the silver is “the number one thing” in his career because it was a medal of “standing the pressure”. Image: Steve Cram of Great Britain crosses the finishing line to win the 1500 metres final from Steve Scott of the USA and Said Aouita of Morrocco during the 1983 World Championships held on August 14, 1983 at the Olympic Stadium, in Helsinki, Finland. (Photo by Tony Duffy/Getty Images)

After more than 600 wickets, England fast bowler Stuart Broad has decided that the final 2023 Ashes Test against Australia at The Oval would be his last. Broad has become synonymous with the famous rivalry between England and Australia, saving many of his best performances for Ashes battles. We hear from Broad himself and his former England captains Michael Vaughan and Sir Alastair Cook before Lee James speaks to Daily Mirror cricket correspondent Dean Wilson and Australian commentator Jim Maxwell about the bowler and his legacy. Photo: Gareth Copley/Getty Images

Season Three of the Warm Up Track continues with Ryan Crouser, reigning World and Olympic champion and World Record holder for the men’s shot put. Why does Ryan believes the 24 metre barrier can be broken? Would he rather a third Olympic gold, or a world record that could stand for 30 or 40 years? How has watching MMA and UFC fighters made him a better thrower? Where in Eugene might you find Ryan serving you your pizza? Ryan also explains why, despite playing American Football growing up, the potential for head injuries dissuaded him from pursuing it as a career. He breaks down the changes in technique which have already allowed him to improve his own world record and explains how, just months before he won Olympic gold in Rio, he was ready to walk away from the sport. Photo: Ryan Crouser of United States competes in Men's Shot Put during Athletissima, part of the 2023 Diamond League series at Stade Olympique de la Pontaise in Lausanne, Switzerland. (Credit: Getty Images)

Summer marks the 50th anniversary of the WTA - the Women's Tennis Association. Billie Jean King, along with Rosie Casals and many others, led the way in forming an organisation to give women equal rights in tennis. They've helped pave the way for the many great players who have graced the women's game since - Martina Hingis, Martina Navratilova, Steffi Graff, Venus Williams, Serena Williams, Naomi Osaka, Iga Swiatek and many, many more have won Grand Slam titles since the formation of the WTA in 1973. In a special Sportsworld podcast, Delyth Lloyd celebrates a milestone moment for women’s tennis. Photo: Ann Kiyomura-Hayashi, Penelope Moor, Pam Whytcross, Helen Gourlay, Rosie Casals, Ingrid Löfdahl Bentzer, Betty Stöve, Billie Jean King, Françoise Dürr, Christina Sandberg, Ilana Kloss, Trish Bostrom and Sue Lightbody pose, as the WTA celebrates their 50th with iconic founder Billie Jean King and several founding members on June 30, 2023 in London, England. (Credit: Getty Images)

The Warm Up Track is back! Season Three continues with World Indoor 60m Champion Mujinga Kambundji and World 200m Finalist, Joseph Fahnbulleh. Who can’t remember the biggest race of their career – and what’s it really like when you’re in ‘The Zone’? Which athlete is like a big brother to one of our guests – and what’s it like when one of your siblings is also an elite athlete? What’s the most important non-Track and Field item which will be going in the suitcase for the World Championships? Joseph also discusses at length why he chose to represent the country of his parents’ birth, Liberia, and why his first visit to the country will be with his Mother. Plus we discuss how our guests, and others, are making the sprints truly global and no longer simply the United States versus Jamaica. Photo: Canada's Aaron Brown, Liberia's Joseph Fahnbulleh and USA's Noah Lyles competes in the men's 200m semi-finals during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo on August 3, 2021. (Credit: AFP via Getty Images)

Test match cricket is played over five days - the red-ball version of the game is still seen as the true test of how you measure up to the games greats. But there are now more and more shorter format competitions - the Indian Premier League is the most lucrative, but T20 franchise cricket is being played around the world. The big three nations - Australia, India and England still play bilateral test series against each other with commercial appeal but elsewhere there are fewer Test matches. So, what does the future hold for cricket’s purest form of the game? Sportsworld’s Lee James has been to Lord’s to investigate. Photo: A general view inside the Lord’s cricket ground as Stuart Broad of England appeals unsuccessfully for the wicket of Marnus Labuschagne of Australia during Day Three of the LV= Insurance Ashes 2nd Test match between England and Australia in London, England. (Credit: Getty Images)

In a special Sportsworld podcast, Lee James looks back at five key moments in the evolution of women's cricket. Photo: Australia celebrate after winning the ICC Women's T20 Cricket World Cup Final match between India and Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on March 08, 2020 in Melbourne, Australia. (Credit: Getty Images)

England’s record-breaking pace bowler James Anderson is now starting his third decade as an international cricketer. Now aged 40, England’s leading Test wicket taker is playing in his 10th Ashes series, but shows no sign of stopping anytime soon. Hear from Anderson and players who have played alongside and against him including former England captain Sir Alastair Cook and Australia’s Peter Siddle as Sportsworld’s Lee James celebrates the England bowler’s two decades at the top. (Image: James Anderson of England celebrates taking the wicket of Alex Carey of Australia during Day Three of the LV= Insurance Ashes 1st Test match between England and Australia at Edgbaston on June 18, 2023 in Birmingham, England. Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

The Warm Up Track is back! Season Three continues with Commonwealth 1500m Champion Oliver Hoare and World 200m Finalist, Luxolo Adams. Who could have made it as a professional footballer? Whose Dad woke the neighbours up honking the car horn when his son won? What’s the strangest thing an opponent has done to win the psychological battle pre-race? How do you process being compared to one of your country’s all-time greats, who was winning their medals more than 60 years ago? We also discuss track and field’s new fly-on-the-wall documentaries – being shot this season – and the need for the sport to find characters and tell their stories. Plus, we hear first-hand how the visa issues which affected a number of athletes before last year’s World Championships impacted directly on one of our guests. Photo: Oliver Hoare of Team Australia celebrates after winning the gold medal in the Men's 1500m Final on day nine of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games at Alexander Stadium on August 06, 2022 on the Birmingham, England. (Credit: Getty Images)

The Warm Up Track is back! Season Three continues with World Shot Put Champion Chase Ealey and World Heptathlon Bronze medallist, Anna Hall. How does the first injury sustained during a Warm Up Track recording happen? Whose Dad had to tell them that the 1500 metres/High Jump double wasn't a thing at the Olympics? What's it like when your event's world record holder marks you out for greatness? Who might you see spinning in unlikely places? We also hear why the language and attitudes around body shape in sport have to change. Plus, why female athletes need to come up with specific coaching solutions and techniques to achieve their goals, rather than just copying the men. Photo: Chase Ealey of Team United States competes in Women's Shot Put during Meeting de Paris, part of the 2023 Diamond League series at Stade Charlety on June 09, 2023 in Paris, France. (Credit: Getty Images)

The Warm Up Track is back! Season three begins with world champion hurdler Grant Holloway and Gabriela DeBues-Stafford, world and Olympic 1500 metres finalist. What happens when a shot-putter needs to borrow your jacket? Who might have made it as a speed skater? Who might need a couch to do a 5K? Plus, why something as simple as dyeing your hair can resonate way beyond the track and how athletes can use their platform to speak out about causes close to their heart. (Image: Grant Holloway of USA celebrates after winning the Men's 60m Hurdles during the World Athletics Indoor Tour - Birmingham at Utilita Arena Birmingham on February 25, 2023 in Birmingham, England. Photo by Stephen Pond - British Athletics/British Athletics via Getty Images)

A new documentary revealing the untold stories behind Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta’s journey to the top. In Barcelona, former Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina relives his time sharing bunk-beds with Arteta at the world-famous La Masia academy, declaring that the boy from the Basque country was “born to be a manager”. Presenter John Bennett travels to Arteta’s home town of San Sebastian to meet his childhood coach at a small club, next to a hair salon, that has become an amazing football talent factory. Hear from former team-mates at Everton, Arsenal and Rangers, from where Dutch great Ronald de Boer remembers Arteta stepping up aged 21 to score a stoppage-time penalty to snatch the title from Glasgow rivals Celtic: “To take that responsibility, at such a young age, in such an important game and moment of that decisive title race against Celtic was impressive.” And find out why the Welsh city of Newport played such an important part in Arteta’s journey into coaching. Arsenal legend Arsene Wenger and former Man City captain Vincent Kompany also feature in this documentary, which paints a picture of a single-minded, intelligent and meticulous man, schooled in the Barcelona style of play, who is now mixing it with the top managers in the game and has got Arsenal fans dreaming of glory once again. Producer: Sam Sheringham Mikel Arteta, pictured in March 2023 (Credit: David Klein/Reuters)

Sportsworld’s Lee James is in Mumbai, the venue for the inaugural Women’s Premier League final, to reflect on the ground-breaking new women’s cricket competition. Delhi Capitals captain Meg Lanning joins us to discuss how the competition is “on another level” to anything else she’s experienced. Former Indian cricketer Anjali Pendharkar tells us how women’s cricket has evolved over the last 30 years, plus we will speak to India journalist Zenia D’Cunha who tells us how the tournament has been perceived. And Mumbai Indians head coach Charlotte Edwards discusses her experience of coaching in India. Photo: Smriti Mandhana of Royal Challengers Bangalore and Meg Lanning of Delhi Capitals at the toss during the WPL 2023 match between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Delhi Capitals at Brabourne Stadium on March 5, 2023 in Mumbai, India. (Credit: Getty Images)

John Bennett travels to Rabat, capital city of Morocco to find out the secrets behind the country's football success. He visits the King Mohammad VI complex; the new headquarters of the football federation and home to the men's and women's national teams. John gets an exclusive look behind the scenes of the complex and speaks to the backroom staff who helped develop the country's football philosophy. Following their fourth place finish in Qatar, John speaks to members of the men’s team, including manager Walid Regragui, goalkeeper Yassine Bounou and midfielder Ilias Chair about becoming the first African and Arab team to reach the semi finals of the World Cup. He also speaks to the women’s head coach Reynold Pedros and forward Rosella Ayane ahead of the women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. (Image: Morocco men's national team, Credit: Getty Images)