Sky is knocking 20% off its entire range of Glass TVs to mark the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Until June 17, shoppers can upgrade to the Sky smart TV that’s ‘designed for football’ from £4.50 per month when taken alongside a Sky TV and Netflix package.

Morocco head coach Mohamed Ouahbi praised his players after their impressive victory over Scotland in their second group-stage match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, insisting that the Atlas Lions must remain focused on the task ahead.

Speaking after the match, Ouahbi said he was delighted with the team’s display against a strong Scottish side and stressed that Morocco would continue to work hard as the tournament progresses.

“We continue,” Ouahbi told beIN Sports.

“It was a great game against Scotland and their talented players. We want to keep this momentum and continue working hard.”

The coach also reserved special praise for forward Ismael Saibari, who scored twice in the victory and was named Man of the Match.

“Saibari scored two goals and I hope we continue with this same spirit,” Ouahbi said.

When asked about the strong unity within the squad, Ouahbi played down his role, saying the foundations were already in place before his arrival.

“The group was already there. We only added some younger players to the team. I am proud to be part of this group,” he said.

Ouahbi added that the players were pleased to see Saibari receive the individual award following his outstanding performance.

“The players are very happy and they are happy for Saibari to be named Man of the Match.”

Saibari opened the scoring just 72 seconds after kick-off, setting the record for the fastest goal of the 2026 World Cup so far.

The midfielder said Morocco’s strong team spirit has been a major factor behind their success.

“I feel very good. We have four points and we are top of the group, so it was a very good game,” Saibari said.

“We all have the same goal and the same dream. We work together, we are like a family and we always want to win every match.”

Goalkeeper Yassine Bounou also praised his teammates after another solid defensive display.

Bounou admitted Scotland made life difficult at times but said Morocco responded well under pressure.

“It was not an easy game. We produced a high-level performance and I congratulate all my teammates,” Bounou said.

“Scotland tried to put us under pressure, but we defended well and created chances. They pushed hard in the final 10 minutes, but we did our best.”

The experienced goalkeeper added that Morocco are improving with every match and stressed the importance of keeping the squad healthy.

“World Cup matches are never easy. Morocco is improving game after game. We just need to protect the players from injuries so we can remain balanced in defence and attack.”

Morocco’s strong start to the tournament has continued to attract praise from football observers around the world. The Atlas Lions opened their campaign with an impressive 1-1 draw against Brazil before following it up with victory over Scotland.

The result has also strengthened Morocco’s position in the FIFA rankings, with the North Africans moving up to fifth place in the live standings. While other World Cup results could still affect the rankings, Morocco’s rise underlines their growing status as one of the leading teams in world football.

The FIFA World Cup 2026 has completed its first week of action and, in just seven days, fans have witnessed masterclasses in individual performances, memorable upsets, and impressive displays from some of the tournament favourites, not to mention some spirited resistance from lesser-known teams. By the end of the opening week, co-hosts Mexico had also become the first side to secure their place in the round of 32.

Week 1 has been a reminder that football’s old order refuses to go quietly into the night even as a new generation threatens to crash the party. Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, Harry Kane and Erling Haaland lit up the tournament with statement performances, while Cristiano Ronaldo’s much-anticipated return failed to produce the fairytale beginning many had hoped for.

Here is a recap of all the memorable happenings over the first week of the FIFA World Cup 2026 being held across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Messi’s magic remains intact

For years, the World Cup had been the stage where Messi’s brilliance was measured against expectations. In 2026, the Argentine captain finally appears to be playing with freedom, likely because, for the first time in his six appearances at the tournament, he is defending the trophy rather than chasing it.

Argentina’s title defence began with a comfortable 3-0 victory over Algeria in Group J and, fittingly, all three goals came from Messi.

Mbappe’s historic night

If Messi reminded the world of his magic, Mbappe once again showcased why he is regarded as the heir to football’s throne.

France’s 3-1 victory over Senegal saw the French captain score twice and overtake Olivier Giroud to become his country’s all-time leading scorer with 58 goals.

The brace also took Mbappe’s World Cup tally to 14 goals, levelling with Germany’s Gerd Muller in fourth place on the all-time list. Only Messi and Klose, with 16 goals each, and Brazil legend Ronaldo Nazario, with 15, are now ahead of the 27-year-old.

Most goals in FIFA World Cup history

Norway announce their return

Few teams entered the tournament with as much momentum as Norway, who qualified for the World Cup with a perfect record in the European qualifiers.

But expectations were tempered by the country’s long absence from football’s biggest stage.

Their emphatic 4-1 victory over Iraq confirmed that they are more than just participants in the 48-team event. Star striker Erling Haaland scored twice, while Martin Odegaard dictated the tempo as Norway celebrated their first World Cup appearance since 1998 in style.

Having won all eight qualifying matches and starting the tournament with a convincing victory, Norway are rapidly emerging as one of the teams nobody will want to face.

Ronaldo’s wait grows longer

While Messi, Mbappe, and Haaland dominated the headlines, the storyline for Cristiano Ronaldo during the opening week was considerably less memorable.

Portugal were held to a 1-1 draw by DR Congo in their opening game, with the 41-year-old failing to score despite several opportunities.

It was also the first World Cup since 2014 in which Ronaldo failed to find the net in his opening match. He scored a hat-trick against Spain in Portugal’s first game at the 2018 World Cup and netted against Ghana in the opening match of the 2022 edition.

With what is likely to be his final World Cup underway, the pressure is mounting on the all-time leading scorer in men’s international football.

Controversies arrive early

No World Cup is complete without debate, and the first week provided plenty.

Mandatory hydration breaks, introduced to help players cope with the North American summer, became one of the biggest talking points. Critics argued they disrupted the rhythm of matches and increased commercial interruptions.

Several VAR decisions also came under scrutiny, while players and coaches voiced concerns about scheduling and extreme weather conditions.

The tournament also encountered political complications. Iran captain Mehdi Taremi and head coach Amir Ghalenoei revealed that FIFA had ordered the team to leave the United States immediately after their 2-2 draw against New Zealand in Los Angeles and return to their base in Tijuana, Mexico, denying the squad an overnight stay for recovery.

Mexico strike first

Amid all the drama, co-hosts Mexico became the first team to secure a place in the round of 32.

Mexico defeated South Africa 2-0 in their opening game before edging past South Korea 1-0 to collect six points from two matches.

With South Korea on three points and both Czechia and South Africa on one point each, Mexico became the first side to officially progress to the knockout stage.

Canada secure historic breakthrough

Co-hosts Canada are also enjoying a memorable campaign.

Before the start of the tournament, Canada had never won or drawn a match at the FIFA World Cup. However, just two games into the 2026 edition, they have already earned their first point with a draw against Bosnia and Herzegovina and followed it up with a commanding 6-0 victory over Qatar.

With four points from two games, Canada are now well placed to join Mexico in the round of 32.

Germany turn back the clock

Germany arrived at the tournament with lingering doubts after suffering group-stage exits in both 2018 and 2022.

Those concerns briefly resurfaced when debutants Curacao cancelled out Felix Nmecha’s early opener to level the scores at 1-1.

However, Julian Nagelsmann’s side responded emphatically. Kai Havertz scored twice as Germany ran out 7-1 winners, recreating the scoreline of their famous victory over Brazil in the semi-finals of the 2014 World Cup.

Vozinha steals the show for Cape Verde

In one of the biggest David-versus-Goliath stories of the opening week, debutants Cape Verde held tournament favourites Spain to a goalless draw.

The star of the night was 40-year-old goalkeeper Vozinha, who produced a string of saves to frustrate the European champions.

Spain registered 23 shots and eight efforts on target, but the veteran goalkeeper stood firm to earn Cape Verde their first-ever World Cup point. His heroic display also earned him the Player of the Match award.

Kane continues his purple patch

After finishing as the leading goalscorer at club level during the 2025-26 season, England captain Harry Kane carried his rich vein of form into the FIFA World Cup 2026, scoring twice in England’s commanding 4-2 victory over Croatia in their Group L opener.

Kane put England ahead from the penalty spot in the 12th minute, but Croatia responded through Martin Baturina, who levelled the scores in the 36th minute. The England skipper restored his side’s advantage six minutes later with his second goal of the night, only for Petar Musa to strike in first-half stoppage time and send the teams into the break locked at 2-2.

England regained control soon after the restart as Jude Bellingham found the net in the 47th minute before Marcus Rashford sealed the victory with a late goal in the 85th minute, helping the Three Lions begin their campaign with an impressive win.

FIFA World Cup 2026 Week 1 results

One week into the expanded tournament, familiar stars have once again dominated the headlines, but the opening round of matches has also shown that surprises are never far away. With qualification places at stake and the race for the round of 32 gathering pace, the second week promises even more drama.

Sky is knocking 20% off its entire range of Glass TVs to mark the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Until June 17, shoppers can upgrade to the Sky smart TV that’s ‘designed for football’ from £4.50 per month when taken alongside a Sky TV and Netflix package.

Lamine Yamal is not feeling 100% fit and is not likely to start for Spain in the match against Saudi Arabia on Sunday at the World Cup.

Yamal came into the tournament nursing a left hamstring injury and was only a substitute in the team’s opener on Monday – a disappointing 0-0 draw against Cape Verde.

“I’m fine, I feel good, but it’s still too soon,” Yamal told Spanish network RTVE. “It’s unnecessary (to take risks). I’m going through an adaptation process, it’s not the time to play a full match yet. But I can play as many minutes as the coach wants.” 
The 18-year-old Yamal came off the bench in the 71st minute against Cape Verde but was not able to spark La Roja to victory against the nation of about half-million people that was making its debut at soccer’s showcase event.

After facing Saudi Arabia on Sunday in Atlanta, Spain goes to Guadalajara to play Uruguay in the highlight match of Group H. The match may be decisive and having Yamal fully fit could be crucial for Spain.

Yamal said teammate Nico Williams, who also arrived nursing an injury, was ahead of him in the recovery process. 

“Physically he’s even better than me,” Yamal said. “We’re not in a rush. We have a great team with top-level players and we have to go step by step.” 
Yamal arrived at the World Cup as one of the tournament’s biggest stars despite his young age. He has been thriving with Barcelona and Spain’s national team for a while, having helped La Roja win the European Championship in 2024. He led Barcelona to the Spanish league title this past season.

His popularity in the United States has been evident at the World Cup. An advertisement with his image towers over Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, where Spain kicked off its campaign.

“I’m taking it naturally, it’s something I’m used to,” Yamal said about his popularity. “I know what I represent both outside of Spain and in Spain. I try to always give my best, that’s what the fans want. If you have your image on that building, it’s because you can do things on the field that people like, things that excite them when they see you play.

SEATTLE — Alex Freeman spent a few anxious seconds waiting to learn whether the biggest goal of his life would count. By the time video review confirmed the U.S. defender had been onside, his United States teammates were already sprinting toward him.

Freeman’s first World Cup goal ended up being the capper on the United States men’s national team’s 2-0 victory over Australia on Friday. The victory secured a berth in the Round of 32 for the U.S.

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Initially, Freeman — who followed through with the header after Sergiño Dest’s shot was blocked by an Australian defender — was called offsides. But review determined Freeman had been onside when Dest made the shot, making it a good goal.

That’s when Freeman and the USMNT reserves ran over to the opposite side of the field, celebrating the young U.S. defender’s goal.

“I was going to run to the side, and Cristian [Roldan] and some of the boys were like, ‘No, no, come to this side, to this side,’” Freeman said of the celebration. “And when [the goal] got accepted I turned back and they were all running at me, I was like, ‘I’m gonna run to the other corner flag.’”

“He was already kind of near us, so we’re just kind of telling him, ‘come, come, come, come, come,’” Auston Trusty confirmed to reporters after the game.

In many ways, Freeman was an unlikely hero. The United States’ first goal was officially credited as an own goal by Australian defender Cameron Burgess after a dangerous run and cross from Folarin Balogun, leaving the 21-year-old defender as the only American credited with a goal in the 2-0 victory.

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Freeman is a relative newcomer to the U.S. squad: Friday was just his 19th cap, with the 21-year-old defender only a year or so removed from his first senior call-up. He started his career with the Orlando City academy, debuting for the senior team in 2022 at age 17, but completed a $7 million transfer to La Liga side Villarreal in January.

And at the same time, Freeman has become a key piece of the U.S. back line in a short amount of time. Of his 19 matches, he’s played the full 90 minutes in 10, including both group stage games at this World Cup. Friday’s goal wasn’t Freeman’s first — he scored twice for the USMNT during friendlies last year — but it was his most important to date.

Freeman spoke about his own rapid rise for both club and country, noting that he’s been moving at a “fast pace at such a young age.”

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“I think it’s hard for me to kind of take it all in,” he said.

USMNT manager Mauricio Pochettino had high praise for the defender, and attributed some of Freeman’s “evolution” to former Orlando City head coach Oscar Pareja and the rest of their coaching staff. (Pareja and Orlando mutually parted ways in March.)

“If you don’t have the support of the coaches like Oscar Pareja and the coaching staff in Orlando, and if you don’t build that relationship and trust, it’s difficult to make decisions,” Pochettino said. “[Freeman has] an amazing profile. He want to learn, he always listens and he’s a player that you really enjoy being with him, not only coaching, but being with him. He’s a lovely guy and he’s an amazing player for me. [He has] potential to be one of the best players in his position in the world.”

Freeman’s father is former wide receiver and Green Bay Packers great Antonio Freeman, giving some context to the USMNT defender’s ability to thrive at the other football. But Freeman made it clear he wanted to separate himself from his father’s accomplishments.

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“That just shows how he can be great, and I can be great in my own way as well,” he said.

That early glimpse at greatness was clear, not only in the goal, but with the rest of his play. Midway through the half, Freeman had an outstanding defensive play to tap the ball out of bounds and keep Australia from getting a very dangerous chance.

Freeman also went down with a knock to the head shortly before his goal, but was able bounce back without issue. That doggedness was on display with his goal, with Freeman saying postgame that he was going to get the rebound on Dest’s shot “any way I can” — a determination that led to glory, after a short break for VAR.

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Though the defender is still young, it was the realization of a lifelong goal for Freeman, who got emotional during the national anthem ahead of Friday’s game.

“I think for me, it shows how I’ve made it, kind of in my way. I’ve been working my whole life to be able to go to that moment and hear the national anthem in front of the home crowd,” he said.

Freeman made a point to shout out that home crowd, which had Seattle Stadium shaking after both goals Friday — literally, as the stadium recorded seismic activity following the VAR decision.

Still, Freeman said that he and his teammates didn’t really get a chance to appreciate the fans until after the game was over.

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“In a big game, you don’t realize how much support you have in the stands, right? And after the game, we were just able to take it all in, and realize how much of a great support system that we have in the U.S. fans,” Freeman said. “[It] kind of make us calm and make us accept the fact that we’re here and we have such an amazing thing to do, and now we have more stuff to do.”

Ismael Saibari scored only 72 seconds into the game and Morocco beat Scotland 1-0 at the World Cup on Friday to keep alive its chances of advancing to its second straight knockout round.

Saibari slipped behind two Scotland defenders and Brahim Diaz dropped the ball over the top to him. Saibari gathered and blasted it into the top left corner of the net, well outside the reach of goalkeeper Angus Gunn.

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Morocco, which reached the semifinals at the last World Cup in Qatar, drew 1-1 with Brazil in its Group C opener. Scotland, which hasn’t gotten out of the group stage in its previous eight previous World Cup appearances, beat Haiti 1-0 in its first match.

Saibari also scored Morocco’s goal against Brazil.

Morocco nearly scored another in the 52nd minute when a header by Bilal El Khannouss off Achraf Hakimi’s corner kick was battled down by Gunn.

Scotland had a chance in first-half stoppage time when Andy Robertson sent a cross at John McGinn, who couldn’t get a foot on it near the back post.

As Scotland pressed for an equalizing in the closing minutes, Morocco had a pair of good chances to add to their wide both both missed the target.

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Celebrating its 10th anniversary, Elevate has had its busiest show to date, with almost 200 exhibitors, 115 seminars and 200 speakers over two days, with numbers understood to be up by ten per cent over the two days.

Highlights included a partnership with Intelligent Health to bring in a Beat the Streets trail, with boxes placed on the stands of legacy exhibitors who have been with the event since the beginning.

Another high point was a live workout led by 1980s tv fitness legend, Mr Motivator, who is working with Innerva, around engaging older people with exercise. This was clearly a topic which resonated with the audience, as there were no spare seats for Thursday’s panel discussion on the importance of strength training for older people on the Debate stage.

Talking points on panels included technology, AI, gamification, longevity, diversity and inclusion, as well as the underlying pillars of health – breathing, sleeping, nutrition and recovery.

Here are some of HCM’s key takeaways.

Opportunities to widen our welcome

The disability market is being underserved, with opportunities for the sector. 

Including invisible disabilities, one in four people have a disability in the UK and this cohort represents an annual spending power of £446 billion. Of the 49 per cent who are active only half of those feel welcome where they train.

Disability consultant, Marina Logacheva, who is researching and campaigning on the subject told HCM that the industry is taking too long to shift the dial on this issue. As a wheelchair user she has been told by multiple fitness professionals that they won’t work with her because they don’t know how to.

She also has to pay for services at her gym that she is unable to access – for example the swimming pool is inaccessible because there is no hoist – but the gym will not give her a discount.

This is not good enough for an industry which talks about lowering barriers, being inclusive and supporting the NHS. There is the continual narrative in the industry that people who don’t go to gyms have the wrong perception of our facilities, but do they?

In a panel discussion chaired by Future Fit’s Paul Swainson, entitled Does the industry have an image problem, Logacheva and fellow panelists Sarah LeBrocq, founder of All About Obesity and managing director of Active Insight, Julie Allen, agreed that being more inclusive starts with images used in marketing. The people who aren’t coming to facilities need to see people like themselves represented in order to feel they might have a place there.

“Creating a feeling of belonging starts with the ad. If you don’t see yourself then you feel like you don’t belong there,” said Logacheva. “People with disabilities are only on 2 per cent of ads on social media.”

Allen shared a compelling story from a focus group of a man who suffered a stroke which motivated a lifestyle change. After being prescribed GLP-1 medication by his GP and losing weight, he said he felt able to lift the heaviest weight – the door handle of the leisure centre. 

“Confidence is one of the top five barriers among people who don’t go to gyms. They feel a sense that the gym is not the place for them,” says Allen. “The industry is still not doing enough to look through the lens of the consumer.”

Triathlete, distance runner and obesity campaigner, LeBrocq, expressed frustration about being patronised by gym staff and having assumptions made that she has joined the gym to lose weight. “Treat the individual, ask questions and don’t make assumptions based on appearance,” she said. 

Logacheva has published a report on Creating Welcoming Fitness Environments based on her research trip to Australia which can be downloaded for free at disabilityinsport.com/report

 Mental health – great progress and more work to do

A panel discussion hosted by UK Active’s director of membership and sector development, Marianne Boyle, celebrated the journey that the fitness sector has been on with mental health. Ten years ago it was barely spoken about, now it’s widely observed that people use facilities to improve their state of mind as much as their physical health. 

There has been a huge amount of progress and yet there’s still a way to go – only 16 per cent of people living with mental health conditions are meeting WHO activity guidelines. Women, younger adults and those in lower socio-economic groups are the most likely to be losing out. “There is still a significant gap between what we know works and what people are able to access in our facilities,” said Boyle.

Panelists included psychotherapist, Charlotte Braithwaite; Swim England’s head of public affairs, Philip Brownlie; founder of Together We Lift, Liam Baker and Sam Perks physical activity operations manager at mental health charity, Mind.

Key takeaways from the panel were the need to have some upskilling of the sector’s workforce so that fitness professionals are comfortable having big conversations while staying in lane. 

Perks said that fitness instructors have told him that clients have spoken to them about having suicidal feelings, which is a lot to take on board. The panel stressed that instructors don’t need to solve the problem, they need to be empathetic, present with the individual and know where to signpost.

Braithwaite spoke about the importance of creating psychological safety in gyms and this can only be done by humans. “Gyms can be a confronting environment,” she said. “They’re full of mirrors and metal and people who look like they know what they’re doing. Simply interacting with weights isn’t wellness. You need people and you need to spell out what to expect and provide human touchpoints to make everyone feel safe.”

She also spoke about neuroaesthetics – providing environments where nervous systems feel safe – which HCM has identified as a  trend.

Trauma – more common than you think

Another panel discussed the creation of trauma-informed fitness environments, with Akusile Makawa from Loughborough University; Fiona Roberts, founder of The Movement Charity and Kim Grey, founder of Sattva Trauma Informed Education, which offers a CIMSPA-accredited training course to empower fitness professionals to work this cohort.

Trauma might sound niche, but it’s not. Shelving perceptions of what a person living with trauma looks like is important  – it’s very likely to be that high-achieving CEO who appears to have life nailed.

Roberts said that 70 per cent of people have experienced trauma, 25 per cent of women have experienced domestic violence and 20 per cent have experienced some form of child abuse.

“There will be people in your clubs and classes who’ve experienced trauma,” she says. “And if not it’s because they’re not getting through the barriers to your facility.”

Human connection, providing touchpoints, relationship building and empathy are the foundations of addressing this issue.

Roberts says that setting the scene at the start of the class of what to expect creates safety and predictability. She also says it’s important to give the individual an element of choice as often they’ve had choices taken away – this could be leaving the class early with no questions asked and no offence taken. “Tell them that everything is optional, that they are in charge of their own bodies and what they do in the class,” she says.

The Movement Charity takes exercise into the community, including women’s refuges and Roberts talked through some of her experiences, including leaving mats by the door, for people to choose where they put them. She also provided a great example of how an empathetic instructor can build confidence.

“Initially people tend to stay by the door and as far away from me as possible because I present the threat,” she said. “But in time they move closer to me and put me between them and the door because I come to represent safety.”

Grey highlighted a major no-no – asking people in front of the class whether they have any injuries or issues. This might sound basic, yet it still happens.

She also highlighted that trauma gets stored in different parts of the body – for example hips, which can lead to some exercises being triggering. Subtly offering alternatives can be a way to navigate this.

Another important takeaway – check before the start of each class if people are happy with being adjusted. A better way of allowing people to respond than a show of hands is to give them a card or a coin which they can flip according to their preference, which might change from day to day.

Exercise addiction – too much of a good thing

Exercise is medicine, but even medicine can have negative side effects for some people. HCM attended a couple of panel discussions which talked about this important issue. 

Exercise addiction is when the individual feels dependent on it and an uncontrollable compulsion to exercise, which gets in the way of other areas of their life, for example their work or relationships.

It affects 8 per cent of general exercisers, 9 per cent of fitness professionals and is 3.5 times more likely in those experiencing eating disorders.

People with high intelligence, a tendency towards perfectionism and possibly some form of neurodivergence are most vulnerable to over-exercise. 

This is the same cohort that needs to be careful with tracking data. As wearables and data continue to be more deeply embedded in the industry, it’s very important to acknowledge that not everyone will benefit from using them. For some people, the data will start to control them.

Exercise psychologist, Dr Paula Watson, spoke about her work with clients living with exercise addiction. Often these are people who take sports seriously and their identity becomes caught up with it. Much of her work with clients is around developing self-love and self-compassion. 

“There are two distorted beliefs associated with exercise addiction,” she says. “The individual feels that if they’re not strict with their training they’ll lose control, for example get fat, or not get big enough, or not be able to cope with their emotions. And if that happens, they’re not good enough.

“The language unintentionally used in fitness culture can fuel these distorted beliefs,” she says. “For example, ‘you’re a machine’”.

Dr George Mycock, founder of MyoMinds, shared his journey with over-exercise and shared some valuable advice: “More is not always better – don’t celebrate exhaustion, stress the need for rest and recovery when working with clients. Avoid talking about using exercise as a way of earning food. And avoid linking self-identity with exercise – talk to clients about the other areas of their life as well.”

The fundaments of good health and an opportunity for coaches

Thomas Hague, The Breath Coach, has worked in elite sport, including with British Sailing, GB Boxing and British Triathlon, as well as individuals struggling with anxiety. He said that breath is the missing performance skill and wants to normalise breath assessments and breathwork in the industry.

“Super simple changes to breath can make a huge difference to performance,” he said. “Breath underpins all the work an athlete or individuals do. The quickest way to downregulate the nervous system is to change the cadence of the breath, it improves the ability to handle pressure, speeds up recovery, improves sleep and emotional regulation, relaxes muscles and can bring about a 30 per cent increase in range of motion. However, most of us completely ignore the thing that keeps us alive.”

Hague says that a few minutes of deep breathing at end of workout would clear the stress of the workout and set the client up for better recovery.

Fitness professionals who are trained in breathwork could help clients to overcome the common negative breathing patterns – mouth breathing, fast respiratory rate (we should breathe 5.5 times a minute), upper chest breathing, poor lower rib mobility (they should expand by 1 – 2.5 cm on an in-breath), weak breathing muscles and poor breathing mechanics. Building carbon dioxide tolerance can help the delivery of oxygen to muscles.

The Sleep Geek, James Wilson, said there is also the opportunity for fitness professionals to be the experts on sleep – both the number one recovery tool and a growing pain point, with people suffering from poor sleep, insomnia and the quest for the perfect night’s sleep.

He cautioned about reliance on sleep trackers, saying they’re not accurate and that optimisation culture makes us doubt ourselves. If people are told they are sleeping badly, they are likely to have a worse night’s sleep. 

Some surprising facts raised by Wilson were that we inherit our sleep patterns. Some people are lucky, others less so. Some people can sleep soundly after drinking a cup of tea before bed, others can’t tolerate any caffeine. Emotional and physical security are crucial for sleep. You sleep better if you sleep next to someone you love and this also works the other way. 

Next steps

As the industry looks to broaden its reach to cater for new audiences, work more closely with the health service and attract investment, it was great to see such a broad conference programme. While there is still some way to go to become fully inclusive, it’s heartening to see that the conversations are underway and a growing awareness of the changes the industry needs to make. Hopefully all attendees went back to work brimming with inspiration and with some ideas to implement.