Tottenham Hotspur announced on Thursday that Daniel Levy has stepped down as the club’s executive chairman with immediate effect after 24 years in post.

Levy, who was appointed in March 2001, had become something of a divisive figure among Spurs supporters, overseeing the redevelopment of their home ground into one of the finest stadiums in football along with a state-of-the-art training ground yet delivering just two trophies during his two decades in charge.

Peter Charrington, director of owners ENIC, only joined the board as a non-executive director in March but he has been named as Levy’s successor.

Sources have told ESPN that Spurs have been in discussions with interested parties over potential fresh investment — or even a possible sale of the club — for several months, although it is unclear how advanced any talks currently are.

In a statement, Levy said: “I am incredibly proud of the work I have done together with the executive team and all our employees. We have built this club into a global heavyweight competing at the highest level.

“More than that, we have built a community. I was lucky enough to work with some of the greatest people in this sport, from the team at Lilywhite House and Hotspur Way to all the players and managers over the years.

“I wish to thank all the fans that have supported me over the years. It hasn’t always been an easy journey but significant progress has been made. I will continue to support this club passionately.”

Spurs confirmed there were no further accompanying changes to the ownership of the shareholder structure of the club for the time being. ENIC own 86.58% of Tottenham and Levy owns 29.88% of ENIC.

Tottenham said in a statement: “Tottenham Hotspur has been transformed over the last quarter of a century. It has played in European competitions in the last 18 of 20 seasons, becoming one of the world’s most recognised football clubs, consistently investing in its academy, players and facilities, including a new, world-class stadium and state of the art training centre.

“The club has also competed regularly at the highest level, enjoying a number of fantastic on-field successes, including the recent Europa League cup win.

“As part of its succession planning, the club has made a number of senior appointments in recent months. Vinai Venkatesham was hired as chief executive officer (CEO), with Thomas Frank as our new men’s head coach and Martin Ho as women’s head coach. Peter Charrington joined the board and will step into the newly created role of non-executive chairman.”

In addition to Venkatesham’s arrival, board member and long-time Levy acolyte Donna-Maria Cullen stepped down earlier this summer.

Chief football officer Scott Munn also left the club in June.

Charrington said: “I am very honoured to become non-executive chairman of this extraordinary club and, on behalf of the board, I would like to thank Daniel and his family for their commitment and loyalty to the club over so many years.

“This is a new era of leadership for the club, on and off the pitch. I do recognise there has been a lot of change in recent months as we put in place new foundations for the future. We are now fully focused on stability and empowering our talented people across the Club, led by Vinai and his executive team.”

Levy also took the decision to sack manager Ange Postecoglou in June, 16 days after he led them to their first trophy in 17 years with victory over Manchester United in the Europa League Final.

Postecoglou was subsequently replaced by Thomas Frank, who has made an encouraging start albeit losing his final Premier League match before the international break with a 1-0 home defeat to Bournemouth.

Levy repeatedly faced protests from a section of Tottenham fans who believed the club prioritised finance over football and questioned his ambition to win major honours.

Speaking last month, Levy said of those protests: “Of course it hurts. But their pain is also my pain. I want to win, and when we are not playing well and not winning, believe me, I suffer as well.”

The 2025 NFL season kicks off Thursday night as the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles host the Dallas Cowboys at Lincoln Financial Field.

It’s the first time these NFC East rivals have opened a season against each other since 2000, when the Eagles cruised past the Cowboys 41-14. According to ESPN BET, Philadelphia enters as an 8.5-point favorite, the largest spread for a defending champion in a kickoff game since Tampa Bay in 2021, with Jalen Hurts leading an offense that looks to pick up where it left off.

More recent history, though, leans in Dallas’ favor.

While Philadelphia swept the series last season, Dak Prescott — who missed both of those games — is 4-1 against the Eagles since 2021, with 16 touchdown passes and just one interception in that span.

Can the Cowboys spoil the champs’ home opener, or will the Eagles start their repeat bid with another statement win?

Follow along all night for live updates, highlights and the biggest moments from the NFL kickoff game.

ESPN Research contributed to this story.

Pro Football Hall of Famer Brett Favre was one of the loudest supporters of President Donald Trump during his 2024 reelection campaign from the world of sports.

The Packers legend spoke at one of Trump’s rallies in Green Bay, Wisconsin, before the election took place. Trump eventually defeated then-Vice President Kamala Harris in the general election, carrying Wisconsin on to the win.

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Favre said in a recent interview with sports personality Sage Steele that he took a “common sense” approach when it came to his decision to support Trump.

I thought about the rally in Green Bay when he asked if I would come talk. There were those that said, ‘You know, people throw daggers at you anyway, they’re really gonna throw daggers at you.’ So, I thought about it. I weighed the pros and cons. I really thought I don’t know if I’m going to influence it at this point,” he said. “There’s been a hard line drawn in the sand and you’re either on one side or the other. I thought about if you persuade five voters, and who knows, it may be a five-vote difference. Then, I would be beside myself if I didn’t take advantage of that.

“It wasn’t my cup of tea. I’m not a public speaker. I’m certainly not a political public speaker. But it was an honor that I was asked. And, do I agree with everything President Trump says or does? No. Does he agree with everything that I do? No. Nor with anyone on the other side. But from a common sense perspective, do you really think boys should compete in girls’ sports and that’s fair? No. The illegal (immigration), the crime, the border, the things because of it – how can you think that’s OK? I’m all for doing the right thing for the people, but we have to protect our own first.”

EAGLES’ NOTORIOUS TUSH PUSH SET TO RETURN IN NFL SEASON OPENER AFTER SURVIVING BAN VOTE

Former Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre speaks before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at a campaign rally at the Resch Center, Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024, in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

He said he also wondered whether supporters on the left thought about whether the country’s direction was really something they wanted to further support. He said he couldn’t be one of those supporters who rested on his laurels, hoping things would get better.

“Some of the things that you’re, on the left, are saying is normal, do ever not look in the mirror when no one is looking and it’s just you and you go, ‘Are we out of our damn mind?’” he said. “So, I felt like the conservative crowd in general sits on our hands, and I think at times I was like you just expect people to do the right thing and to make common sense decisions. 

“So, you sit on your hands and you expect that and it doesn’t happen and it continues to get worse. And the left has no problem talking. They don’t shut up, and they blame it all on everyone else. And I’m thinking, you know, like, if we don’t start standing up and defending ourselves, not that we should have to, it is what it is, if we don’t start taking a stand, we’re gonna get dominated.”

Favre said he had no plans to run for office but wasn’t going to tone his voice down either.

Green Bay Packers quarterback (4) Brett Favre warms up before playing against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. (Tom Szczerbowski/USA TODAY Sports)

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“I would like to run off into the sunset and enjoy life, but we gotta fight. I’d love to sugarcoat it but they ain’t going away,” he said.

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