Northstar Travel Group, a leading B2B travel industry events, media and information services company, has announced that JTB Corp., one of Japan’s leading travel solutions providers, has signed an agreement to acquire Northstar from investment funds managed by EagleTree Capital and its co-investors. As part of the transaction, Northstar will operate as a wholly owned, independent subsidiary of JTB and will continue to be led by its existing management team, including CEO Jason Young. Terms of the transaction, which is expected to close in September, were not disclosed.

Northstar operates iconic B2B travel event, media and market intelligence brands including SportsTravel, the TEAMS Conference, TEAMS Europe and the EsportsTravel Summit, in addition to brands such as Travel Weekly, Business Travel News, ALIS, The Meetings Show and Phocuswright. Through these platforms, Northstar connects a global audience of more than 1 million professional travel buyers, who shape and drive the travel industry, with more than 1,500 supplier customers seeking to engage them.

“We are thrilled to partner with JTB as we enter the next phase of our company’s incredible history,” said Young. “Our shared commitment to the travel industry, cultural alignment and collective expertise — combined with the opportunity to accelerate Northstar’s geographic expansion in the Asia Pacific region — will enhance our ability to deliver value to our audiences and customers as we advance our mission.”

The transaction advances JTB’s growth strategy, which includes geographic expansion and targeted investments in events, information services, market intelligence and other strategic lines of business associated with the travel industry.

“Today’s announcement marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for JTB Group,” said Eijiro Yamakita, president and CEO of JTB Group. “Northstar brings outstanding expertise and fresh perspectives that perfectly align with our strategic vision. By operating Northstar as an independent subsidiary, we preserve their neutral market position while creating a powerful platform for delivering superior customer experiences. We are confident this structure will unlock significant growth potential while contributing to the innovation and future growth of the travel industry.”

Co-Managing Partner Anup Bagaria and Senior Partner Michael Struble of EagleTree Capital said, “It has been an honor to partner with the Northstar team, including chairman and former CEO Tom Kemp and current CEO Jason Young, and to witness the company’s impressive transformation over the last few years. We are confident Northstar is well-positioned for future success and look forward to watching it thrive as part of JTB.”

Major League Table Tennis has released its full 2025–2026 season schedule, starting with an early September event at the Alameda County Fairgrounds in Pleasanton, California, with the Bay Area Blasters hosting the Portland Paddlers, Florida Crocs and Texas Smash.

The 15-week regular season will feature matches across 10 markets with 10 teams competing in singles, doubles and the Golden Game. MLTT general admission starts at $10, courtside seating from $20 and $5 tickets for kids, students, and seniors.

“With new teams, new cities and an expanded national schedule, MLTT’s growth continues,” said Flint Lane, founder and commissioner of MLTT. “We’re giving fans more chances than ever to experience the excitement of professional table tennis.”

There are some changes to the league including a team from Seattle relocating to Los Angeles and debuts for teams from Atlanta and New York. Matchups throughout the season at  venues include Compass Arena (Chicago), Energy VBC (Chicago), Gas South Convention Center (Atlanta), Terasaki Budokan (Los Angeles), and Rider University (Princeton).

Major League Table Tennis Schedule

September 5–7: Alameda County Fairgrounds, Pleasanton, California
September 19–21: Charlotte Convention Center, Charlotte
October 3–5: Oregon Convention Center, Portland, Oregon
October 24–26: Energy VBC, Bensenville, Illinois
November 7–9: Westchester Table Tennis Center, Pleasantville, New York
November 14–16: Gas South Convention Center, Duluth, Georgia
November 21–23: Broward Table Table Club, Hollywood, Florida
December 12–14: Terasaki Budokan, Los Angeles
January 9–11: Oregon Convention Center, Portland, Oregon
January 16–18: Compass Arena, Willowbrook, Illinois
January 30–February 1: ULH Event Center, Houston
February 13–15: Alameda County Fairgrounds, Pleasanton, California
March 6–8: Broward Table Tennis Club, Hollywood, Florida
March 13–15: Charlotte Convention Center, Charlotte
March 20–22: Rider University, Lawrenceville, New Jersey

Blast has announced its debut arena event in mainland China with the Dota Slam Chengdu from December 5–7 at the Wuliangye Chengdu Performing Arts Centre.

The event will be delivered as part of a multi-year agreement with Chengdu Television and Media Company, with follow-up tournaments to be confirmed for in the future. Chengdu joins the Blast circuit of esports destinations for events this year that includes Rio, London, Lisbon, Austin, Boston, Singapore and Hong Kong.

“We are incredibly proud to bring Blast’s first ever event in mainland China to Chengdu,” said James Woollard, director of market development at Blast. “Entering the buoyant and growing Chinese esports and gaming space — one of our fastest growing viewership markets — is hugely important, and partnering with Chengdu Television and Media Company allows us to combine our global competitive entertainment pedigree with trusted local expertise to deliver something truly special. The Phoenix Mountain Sports Park Arena is a phenomenal venue,and we can’t wait to create landmark esports moments there this December as part of a multi-year partnership.”

Dota 2 teams will battle for a $1 million prize pool at the Wuliangye Chengdu Performing Arts Centre, a 12,000-seat venue. Chengdu is also set to host the 2025 League Of Legends World Championship Final in November and has hoted esports events dating to 2009.

“We are very glad to cooperate with Blast and bring a world-class esports experience to Chengdu,” said Zhou Wenwen, general manager of Chengdu Broadcasting Film and Television Group. “The Blast Slam is not only a competitive feast for fans all over the world, but also an important opportunity to showcase Chengdu as an international cultural, sports and entertainment destination.”

The NAIA, Explore Asheville and Airstream Ventures have announced Asheville, North Carolina, as the host city for the NAIA Men’s and Women’s Outdoor Track & Field National Championships in 2026 and 2027.

“We are honored to welcome the NAIA Outdoor Track & Field National Championships to our community in 2026 and 2027,” said Vic Isley, president and chief executive officer of Explore Asheville and the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority. “Hosting this prestigious event underscores Asheville’s standing as a leading sports destination in the Southeast while also fueling our local creative economy and supporting the recovery of small businesses following Hurricane Helene.”

The three‑day event brings together approximately 1,300 athletes representing men’s and women’s teams, along with their families and fans. The championships will take place at UNC Asheville’s recently renovated Karl Straus Track, with expansions made possible in part by a $1.5 million Tourism Product Development Fund investment through the tourism development authority.

“The NAIA is excited to partner with Airstream Ventures and Explore Asheville to provide a first–class experience to the student–athletes competing for outdoor track and field national championships,” said Austin Bennett, NAIA vice president for championships. “The Karl Straus Track and the amenities the area brings to the table will allow the NAIA to provide an event that will make lasting memories for our student-athletes, coaches and fans.”

For its first year in Asheville, the NAIA Outdoor Track & Field National Championships will take place May 20–22, 2026. In 2027, the event is set for May 26–28.

“Hosting the NAIA championships at Karl Straus Track is a tremendous honor and opportunity,” said Janet Cone, athletic director at UNC Asheville. “Our facilities are designed to support elite level competition, and we are committed to providing an exceptional experience for athletes, coaches and spectators. We’re proud to bring national attention to Asheville and UNC Asheville and thankful for this partnership with Airstream Ventures, Explore Asheville and the NAIA.”

The LIV Golf League has added a tournament in New Orleans for 2026 after Louisiana agreed to pay the Saudi-backed tour $5 million and spend an additional $2.2 million on improvements to the Bayou Oaks course in City Park.

“What an unbelievable opportunity to announce this on the 20th-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina,” Gov. Jeff Landry said at an announcement alongside LIV Golf officials and LIV player Bubba Watson.

New Orleans has a long-running PGA Tour stop with the Zurich Classic at TPC Louisiana. Watson won the Zurich in 2011 and hailed his opportunity to play professionally in New Orleans again.

“I’m from the Gulf Coast and this is part my home,” Watson said, drawing laughs when he joked about attending many New Orleans Pelicans games wanting to see often-injured NBA star Zion Williamson play. “I still hope for that day.”

The tournament will be held at the South Course at New Orleans City Park Bayou Oaks, which will be newly renovated and designed by golf legend and former LIV Golf CEO and Commissioner Greg Norman.

The event in New Orleans is LIV’s 10th committed tournament to the schedule and third in the United States. LIV Golf Virginia presented by Maaden will take place May 8–10, 2026, at Trump National Golf Club Washington, D.C., marking its third visit to the Mid-Atlantic region and second time at the venue following a successful 2023 debut.

“Following a memorable event in 2023 and a great tournament at Robert Trent Jones earlier this year, we’re looking forward to bringing LIV Golf back to Virginia in 2026,” said Ross Hallett, LIV Golf executive vice president, head of events. “Trump National offers a bold, championship-caliber stage for our players to compete and we are thrilled to once again showcase elite golf, an immersive fan environment and premium hospitality in picturesque northern Virginia.”

LIV Golf Indianapolis 2026 will take place August 21–23 at The Club at Chatham Hills in Westfield, repeating as the host site of the LIV Golf League Individual Championship and marking the league’s second visit to the venue following a successful 2025 debut.

Previously, LIV’s site announces were highlighted by the news that Steyn City in Johannesburg is set to host LIV Golf South Africa from March 20–22, 2026, to start a multi-year commitment, extending LIV Golf competition to five continents across the globe.

“Bringing LIV Golf to South Africa is another significant moment in our journey,” said Hallett. “The country has a proud sporting heritage with passionate fans and world-class talent and Steyn City will be an incredible host venue to celebrate this next chapter. We currently have events in Asia, Europe, Australasia, North America and today we add Africa, marking another exciting opportunity to showcase LIV Golf to a new audience and market.”

Among other announced tournaments for 2026 have been;

• LIV will return to the Real Club Valderrama for LIV Golf Andalucía 2026, from June 5–7. Real Club Valderrama famously hosted the 1997 Ryder Cup.
• LIV will return to Saudi Arabia to launch its 2026 season at LIV Golf Riyadh presented by ROSHN Group, taking place February 5-7 at the Riyadh Golf Club following a debut appearance in 2025.
• LIV Golf Mexico City 2026 will be staged from April 17–19 at the historic Club de Golf Chapultepec, marking the league’s fourth visit to Mexico and second to the country’s capital of Mexico City.
• LIV Golf will return to LIV Golf Singapore presented by Aramco at Sentosa Golf Club for the fourth edition of the event from March 13–15.
• LIV will return to JCB Golf & Country Club from July 24–26 for the third edition of LIV Golf UK by JCB, in Rocester, Staffordshire. JCB Golf & Country Club first hosted LIV Golf in July 202.
• LIV Golf Adelaide will return to The Grange Golf Club from February 13–15, having drawn more than 260,000 fans to The Grange since its inception in 2023.

World Football Sevens, a women’s 7v7 soccer event that debuted this year in Portugal, will move to the United States for its second event in December in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

The W7F event will be December 5—7 at Beyond Bancard Field, home of the new Fort Lauderdale United FC. The 7v7 format features 15-minute halves and rolling substitutions.

“We’re thrilled to confirm our second World Sevens Football tournament will take place this December in Fort Lauderdale,” said Jennifer Mackesy, co-founder of W7F. “We can’t wait to welcome this new group of players to what we promise will be not just fun and competitive, but also financially rewarding.”

The inaugural event in Portugal featured Ajax, Bayern München, Benfica, Manchester City, Manchester United, Paris Saint-Germain, AS Roma, and FC Rosengård. Bayern München claimed the championship and the majority of a $5 million prize pool, with the prize money split between clubs and players. The Fort Lauderdale event will also have a $5 million prize pool.

“With an average of 11 goals every 90 minutes of play and unforgettable moments on and off the pitch, we saw undeniable proof of concept,” Head of W7F Football Adrian Jacob said. “Now, we’re building on that momentum and in advanced conversations with some of the top clubs across the Americas, all truly eager to be part of World Sevens. This isn’t just a tournament—it’s a movement, this time in America, where women’s soccer has unprecedented momentum.”

Four U.S. House representatives have introduced a bipartisan bill aimed at upgrading the U.S. State Department’s sports diplomacy efforts before some of the largest events in the world come to the country, and to take advantage of the impact those events can have on other diplomatic fronts. The American Decade of Sports Act was put forth by Reps. Sydney Kamlager-Dove, a Democrat from California, Bill Huizenga, a Republican from Michigan, Gregory Meeks, a Democrat from New York, and Michael McCaul, a Republican from Texas.

The United States will be home to some of the largest sports events in the world over the next 10 years, beginning with the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be held in 11 U.S. cities. Other major events on the horizon include the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Summer Games in Los Angeles, the 2029 World University Games in North Carolina, the 2031 Men’s and 2033 Women’s Rugby World Cup, and the 2034 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City. The U.S. is also the only bidder for the 2031 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

In announcing the bill, the political leaders noted that the events present a unique opportunity to enhance U.S. diplomacy and global leadership on the world stage. The bill seeks to upgrade the State Department’s sports diplomacy division to its own office and designate it with the responsibility and personnel to implement U.S. sports diplomacy efforts focused on the decade ahead.

“As a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, I have witnessed firsthand the incredible power of sports to break down cultural barriers and unite people around the world,” said Kamlager-Dove. “The American Decade of Sports is our chance to deepen relationships across the globe and cement U.S. leadership — and we can’t let it slip through our fingers. I’m proud to lead the introduction of this bipartisan legislation to ensure that the State Department is equipped to leverage sports diplomacy as a vital U.S. foreign policy tool and capitalize on this defining moment.”
“From the Ryder Cup to the FIFA World Cup and the upcoming Summer and Winter Olympic Games, the United States is set to host some of the most highly viewed, attended, and anticipated international sporting events in the next 10 years,” said Huizenga. “The American Decade of Sports Act ensures that President Trump is able to carry out his revitalization of American sports and that the State Department is readily equipped to implement this newfound focus in terms of strategic planning and staffing. I am proud to champion this bipartisan effort.”

Specifically, the American Decade of Sports Act:

• Directs the State Department to submit a sports diplomacy strategy to leverage the major sporting events being hosted in the United States to enhance U.S. soft power and global leadership;
• Pulls the Sports Diplomacy Division out of the Office of Citizen Exchanges and elevates it to its own Office of Sports Diplomacy;
• Designates the Office of Sports Diplomacy with the responsibility of implementing the mega-decade sports diplomacy strategy;
• Assigns at least three additional staff to the office to implement the strategy; and
• Requires an annual report to Congress on the implementation of the mega-decade sports diplomacy strategy, the restructuring of the sports diplomacy office, and the designation of additional staff to carry out the strategy.

The American Decade of Sports Act is cosponsored by Reps. Bill Huizenga, Gregory Meeks, Michael McCaul, James Moylan, Maria Elvira Salazar, Michael Lawler, Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, Ted Lieu, Dina Titus, Gabe Amo, Kathy Castor, Sarah McBride, Jonathan L. Jackson, Nikema Williams, Hank Johnson, Don Bacon, Michael Baumgartner, Aumua Amata Radewagen, Buddy Carter, Young Kim, Rich McCormick, William R. Keating, and Greg Stanton.

]]> 74964https://media.sportstravelmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/25134347/AP25234631812238-scaled.jpg https://www.sportstravelmagazine.com/inaugural-esports-nations-cup-set-for-november-2026/ Mon, 25 Aug 2025 14:53:58 +0000 https://www.sportstravelmagazine.com/?p=74957

The FIFA 2026 World Cup Draw will be held December 5 at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., President Donald Trump announced Friday morning with FIFA President Gianni Infantino among those on hand.

The draw was held in Las Vegas the last time the U.S. hosted the World Cup in 1994. While Las Vegas was for months expected to host the event — Mexican media and other American outlets reported a deal was done earlier this month — local sources told SportsTravel that no agreement was reached even as U.S. Soccer told host cities there would be a summit gathering the day before the draw and that it would be in Las Vegas.

SportsTravel had reported in the spring that Las Vegas was a leading candidate to host the draw; one Las Vegas property had more than 4,000 suites reserved for FIFA around the scheduled draw date. The rooms that FIFA had asked to be blocked off were released earlier this month after months of negotiations; those in Las Vegas who had been negotiating with FIFA received a generic email from the organization this morning informing them a different location had been chosen.

While Las Vegas has been widely expected to host the draw, the spector of Trump loomed throughout the process in large part due to the relationship between Infantino and Trump. Infantino has been seen with Trump more than a dozen times since the inauguration after not having one in-person meeting with the previous administration.

Infantino visited Trump in the Oval Office in March after a White House Task Force for the World Cup was announced and was at the first meeting of the group in May, where there was reaction to multiple mentions about the potential of visitors overstaying their welcome. Infantino also delayed his arrival at May’s annual FIFA Congress, held in Paraguay, to join Trump on a trip to Saudi Arabia, where the 2034 World Cup will be held. Infantino’s late arrival on private jet flights from Qatar forced FIFA’s annual meeting to start more than three hours late and led to a mid-meeting walkout in protest by senior officials from European soccer body UEFA at the “deeply regrettable” delay.

FIFA has opened an office at Trump Tower in New York City and the family was part of the Club World Cup draw. When Chelsea won the Club World Cup title, there were reports that the trophy the club was given was a replica of the original still in Trump’s possession. Trump helped Infantino present the trophy to Chelsea captain Reece James, with Trump staying front and center despite confusion of Chelsea players and pleading of Infantino to move to the side of the stage.

FIFA’s official announcement about the draw says it will be held at noon local time, which also puts it in a prime-time TV position for its European broadcast partners.

New Approach for the Draw

The draw will be the first FIFA 2026-related event not to be at a host city. The host cities announcement was made from a TV studio in New York before the logo was revealed in Los Angeles. When the schedule was released and New York/New Jersey was awarded the final, Infantino made the announcement from a TV studio in Miami.

The 2026 World Cup starts June 11, 2026, at Azteca Stadium in Mexico City and will be FIFA’s biggest ever with 48 teams and 104 matches in 16 cities. The U.S. host cities will be Atlanta, Los Angeles, the Bay Area, Seattle, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, New York/New Jersey, Boston, Philadelphia and Miami. In Canada, Vancouver and Toronto were selected. In Mexico, matches will be played in Monterrey, Mexico City and Guadalajara.

The draw will finalize the groups and give countries the chance to know where they will play in the group stage as well as their potential knockout round paths. After the draw, countries will begin the process of selecting base camps from the 62 options around North America. Teams will submit their selections for base camps, with selection order based on a team’s world ranking.

Host country sites for the group stage have been decided; the U.S. will have two games in Los Angeles and one in Seattle. Should it finish first in its group, the U.S. would have a round of 32 game in San Francisco, then potentially a round of 16 game in Seattle and quarterfinal in Los Angeles. If the U.S. finishes second in its group, its knockout-round path would start in the round of 32 in Dallas, followed by potentially a round of 16 game in Atlanta and quarterfinal in Kansas City.

Along with the three co-hosts, countries that already qualified for the 2026 World Cup are Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Ecuador, Iran, Japan, Jordan, New Zealand, South Korea and Uzbekistan. While the draw will be in December, there will be two spots not yet determined when it is made; the final six-country, inter-confederation playoff will not be held until March 2026 and is due to be held in one of the three host nations as a test event.

LIV Golf has announced a partnership with Fever that will see the tech platform will become the official global ticketing and demand generation partner for LIV plus an official partner of Fireballs GC team featuring major champion Sergio Garcia.

This multi-year collaboration will have Fever’s platform used to discover and purchase access to LIV Golf tournaments worldwide. The partnership will also ensure the integration of advanced technology for user experiences.

“At LIV Golf, our goal is to push boundaries and deliver the game in fresh and dynamic ways for fans around the world,” said LIV Golf President of Business Operations Chris Heck. “Partnering with Fever gives us a powerful platform to connect with audiences around the world and makes our events even more accessible and entertaining. Together, we will deliver unforgettable experiences both on and off the course.”

The partnership will showcase the Fever logo on the sleeve of Fireballs’ shirt as well.LIV has started announcing some of its 2026 schedule including Riyadh (February 5-7), Adelaide (February 13-15), Singapore (March 13-15), South Africa (March 20-22), Mexico City (April 17-19), Virginia (May 8-10), Andalucía (June 5-7), England (July 24-26) and Indianapolis (August 21-23).

“Fireballs GC is proud to partner with an organization like Fever that shares our passion for bringing fans and people together through sport and world-class events,” said Garcia. “Our fans are incredibly important to our team and through Fever we can create new ways for them to engage with Fireballs GC and the energy of LIV Golf events.”

Fever operates in more than 40 countries, using its technology to deliver personalised recommendations for major sporting events including Real Madrid, Barcelona and the X Games.

“LIV Golf’s innovative new format and international reach is the perfect complement to Fever’s global presence and holistic approach to audience engagement and conversion technology,” said Tom McElwee, Fever general manager for North America. “Together, we’ll deliver a seamless, technology-powered experience that makes it easier than ever for fans to discover and enjoy one of the most exciting sporting events in the world.”