exclusively

F1 races are exclusively coming to Apple TV next year as part of a five-year deal announced Friday between the tech giant and Formula 1.

Apple TV subscribers in the U.S. will have access to practice, qualifying, Sprint sessions and Grands Prix footage, as well as F1 TV Premium, Formula 1’s subscription service.

Some races and practice sessions may be free for viewing on the Apple TV app. The Apple Sports app will show live updates on each Grand Prix, including real-time leaderboards, Apple said.

“2026 marks a transformative new era for Formula 1, from new teams to new regulations and cars with the best drivers in the world, and we look forward to delivering premium and innovative fan-first coverage to our customers in a way that only Apple can,” Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of services, said in a statement.

Stefano Domenicali, Formula 1’s president and CEO, said the partnership will help maximize Formula 1’s growth potential in the U.S. His company worked with Apple on “F1 The Movie,” starring Brad Pitt, which was released last summer. It was Apple’s first box office hit.

“We have a shared vision to bring this amazing sport to our fans in the U.S. and entice new fans through live broadcasts, engaging content, and a year-round approach to keep them hooked,” Domenicali said in a statement.

Apple paid roughly $140 million a year for the rights to show the races, according to a person familiar with the matter who was not authorized to speak publicly. The races have been airing on ESPN since 2018 in a deal that will end this year. ESPN paid roughly $85 million per year on average, the source said. The financial terms were first reported by CNBC.

Apple and Formula 1 did not immediately return a request for comment and ESPN declined to comment on the financial terms of the deal.

“We’re incredibly proud of what we and Formula 1 accomplished together in the United States and look forward to a strong finish in this final season,” ESPN said in a statement. “We wish F1 well in the future.”

Streaming services have increasingly been airing sports on their platforms to attract more viewers who gather for major events. In addition to F1, Apple has deals to air games from Major League Baseball and Major League Soccer.

Apple also recently announced a deal to bundle Apple TV with NBCUniversal’s streaming service Peacock.

The world’s first cruise ship for solo travellers is set to sail in 2027 with a series of glamorous European sailings – and bookings have already opened

Solo travellers who want to book cruise holidays often have to face the likes of single supplements as cruise ships often have cabins that are designed for at least two people.

However, a new offering from Riviera Travel could be the answer to their problem, as the brand is launching the world’s first river cruise ship aimed exclusively at solo travellers.

MS George Eliot will set sail in 2027 on a series of European itineraries along the likes of the Rhine and Danube, with eight-day itineraries from £2,449pp, as well as two brand new 15-day itineraries.

The move comes after Riviera Travel saw a 66% year-on-year increase in solo river cruise bookings. In fact, solo travellers now make up nearly 13% of all bookings, with half of guests being repeat travellers.

Research from the travel firm also found that 64% of solo travellers preferring a solo-exclusive trip, as they embrace the freedom of exploring alone while also having the option to travel with like-minded adventurers.

To celebrate the new launch, the company is offering holidaymakers a free upgrade from middle to upper deck on European river cruises departing in 2027 (excluding long-haul). You’ll need to book by the 31st October 2025, and travellers will need to use the code ‘Upgrade 27’. You can find out more on rivieratravel.co.uk.

It’s not the only new launch for the brand. Riviera Alba will also sail in 2027, and will be the first-ever ship outside Europe for the cruise brand, with itineraries along the Mekong River in Southeast Asia.

In the meantime, there are plenty more cruise ships to get excited about. Disney Cruise Line, Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line and MSC Cruises have all revealed plans for new ships in 2027, although you’ll need to watch this space for updates on the names and exactly what passengers will get to enjoy onboard.

For those who can’t wait to sail, there’s more good news as Royal Caribbean, MSC Cruises and TUI Cruises are all set to welcome new ships in 2026. In fact, Royal Caribbean celebrated a milestone for its upcoming mega ship Legend of the Seas, as the vessel was floated out earlier this month ahead of its summer 2026 maiden season.

Legend of the Seas will be the third of the cruise line’s Icon Class ships, with the world’s biggest cruise ships Icon of the Seas and Star of the Seas being the other two. It will be the first of this ship class to offer sailings around Europe on itineraries from the likes of Barcelona and Rome. Meanwhile with a passenger capacity of up to 5,628, this huge ship will boast the largest waterpark at sea, a 40ft-long FlowRider surf simulator, dazzling theatre shows, epic dining venues and plenty more for passengers to enjoy.

Want to join our cruise community? Sign up to Anchors Away for a weekly dose of cruise news, sneak peeks inside ships and travel tips we think you’ll love.

The Chargers’ season opener in Sao Paulo, Brazil, will be the NFL’s first game streamed exclusively on YouTube, the league announced Tuesday, further expanding the NFL’s streaming footprint to include the ubiquitous free video platform.

Despite now having a home team and TV partner for the matchup, the Chargers’ opponent was the only piece of the NFL’s seven-game international slate that was not announced Tuesday. Front Office Sports reported the Chargers will face AFC West rival Kansas City on Sept. 5 at Arena Corinthians. The Chiefs have won seven consecutive games against the Chargers while becoming one of the league’s most popular TV draws.

Kansas City star quarterback Patrick Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce were at the center of the NFL’s expanded streaming influence last year as the Chiefs played in the league’s Christmas Day takeover of Netflix. The doubleheader that also featured Houston playing Baltimore drew an average of 26.5 million viewers, which made them the most-streamed NFL games in U.S. history. But the ratings lagged slightly behind recent linear broadcasts. In 2023, the NFL boasted its most-watched Christmas Day game since 1989 with the Chiefs and Las Vegas Raiders drawing 29.2 million viewers on CBS.

Last season, the Chargers faced the Arizona Cardinals in a “Monday Night Football” game that was the first ESPN+ exclusive to not be included in the international series.

Played as the second game of a staggered doubleheader that featured a matchup between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Baltimore Ravens, the Chargers’ loss to the Cardinals attracted less than 2 million viewers, according to NBC’s Pro Football Talk, which made it the least-watched NFL game since 2008.

Putting a star-studded division matchup at a neutral site on Friday of Week 1 would remove a marquee game from the Chargers’ SoFi Stadium slate. While local fans would miss the highly anticipated rivalry game, the Chargers will still host the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles and NFC rookie of the year Jayden Daniels, the San Bernardino native who led the Washington Commanders to their first NFC championship game appearance since 1991 last season.

The home schedule also features AFC West counterparts Las Vegas and Denver, Houston, Indianapolis, Pittsburgh and Minnesota. On the road, the Chargers will play their three AFC West rivals, Jacksonville, Tennessee, Dallas, the New York Giants and Miami.

The remainder of the schedule will be released Wednesday at 5 p.m. PDT.