The Progress 1000: London's most influential people 2019 – Sport

Arsenal director
The long-term plan within the Kroenke family is for Josh to succeed the club owner and his father, Stan. The family is unpopular with the fans but Josh has become an increasingly important decision-maker within the club.

West Ham vice-chairman
Divides opinion among supporters, many of whom still pine for Upton Park and have little love for the London Stadium. But under manager Manuel Pellegrini, the Hammers look to be finally making some progress on the pitch.

Footballer
Part of Phil Neville’s World Cup squad, the trainee accountant is already a star after helping the Gunners to the WSL title and she is tipped to be a future captain of the Lionesses.

Footballer
One of the North-East’s most successful recent exports and a big-game player for Arsenal and England. At 24, she is still improving rapidly.

Footballer
Top scorer in the Arsenal team which won the Women’s Super League after a seven-year wait. PFA Women’s Player of the Year and the Netherlands’ all-time top goalscorer.

West Ham Women managing director
The 19-year-old son of co-chairman David Sullivan was recently the subject of a BBC programme, Britain’s Youngest Football Boss, charting his progress in charge of the West Ham women’s team.

Chelsea manager
After a moderately successful first year in management, when he led Derby to the Championship play-off final, Lampard has his work cut out to be as successful as Chelsea manager as he was as a player.

Chelsea Women’s manager
Perhaps the most high-profile female boss in the English game, Camden-born Hayes is hugely smart — and very successful. Under her leadership, Chelsea have been superb on the pitch and gained many new fans.

England women’s manager
The former England men’s international made a big impression since taking charge of the women’s team in 2018, introducing a more attacking style of play that got the team all the way to the semi-finals in July.

Tottenham Hotspur manager
Now one of the most coveted managers in Europe after leading Spurs to the Champions League Final last season against all the odds, he has transformed the club in his five-and-a-half years in charge.

Agent
A key influence in the career of Harry Kane but also a director of an agency — Unique Sports Management — that has other stars such as Wilfried Zaha and Ryan Sessegnon on their books.

Agent
Football agent and CEO of Tongue Tied Media, which represents a large number of key figures at the top of the women’s game.

Head of development at the charity Kick It Out
A driving force behind the anti-racism movement in sport, who has done excellent work with the charity Kick It Out. Father of Crystal Palace and England winger Andros Townsend.

Presenter
The former England captain, who presents Match of the Day as well as BT Sport’s Champions League coverage, remains a powerful voice in the game and was revealed this year as the Beeb’s highest paid star on £1.75 million.

Football pundit
His enthusiasm and knowledge as a pundit shine through on BT Sport’s coverage, and his career in the game ensures people listen to his words.

Football pundit
One of the most erudite pundits on the television, the former Arsenal and England defender offers telling insights on both the men’s and women’s games.

Cricketer
England’s Test captain and one of the best batsmen in the world, he is also a key member of the one-day team.

Cricketer
Ruthless, single-minded cricketer and outstanding leader, Morgan was the driving force behind England’s march to World Cup glory.

Cricketer
England all-rounder has found redemption after the street brawl in Bristol in 2017 to produce heroic performances in the World Cup and Ashes.

Fast bowler
Jofra Archer is the hottest property in English cricket after a remarkable breakthrough summer in which he starred in the World Cup and Ashes. Archer was born in Barbados to a British father, a former Tube driver, and Barbadian mother. He made his England debut in May, with his sensational pace bowling taking 20 wickets at the World Cup, more than any England bowler ever, and he held his nerve to carry England to a maiden title under cricket’s hottest pressure: the super over. In the drawn Ashes series, his impact was just as instant, and the charming, charismatic Fortnite-loving 24-year-old looks set for a long international career.

Managing director of the Hundred
The ECB has bet the farm on its new competition, the Hundred, attracting new fans when it launches in 2020. The Hundred is a professional 100-ball cricket league in England and Wales, consisting of eight city-based teams, each of which will field both a men’s and women’s team. Patel must win over the sceptics.

Cricketer
The captain of England women’s World Cup-winning team in 2017 is part of an exciting group of players — but the team is under pressure after their poor performances in the Ashes.

Chief executive, Premier League | NEW

The Premier League’s long search for a successor to Richard Scudamore as chief executive came to an end with the appointment of Pemsel, the CEO of Guardian Media Group. Starting his role before next April, he has big shoes to fill, and among his most pressing challenges will be finding a way to maintain or increase the television revenue which funds the League’s global success.

Chief executive, FA
Assumes one of English football’s senior roles at a time when the game is facing unprecedented challenges both on and off the field.

Referees’ chief
The former official became manager of the Professional Game Match Officials’ board in 2009 and has overseen the introduction of VAR in the Premier League this season.

UK Sport CEO
Appointed off the back of a successful decade with England and GB Hockey, her task when she starts this autumn is to potentially turn GB into the leading Olympic and sporting nation from UK Sport’s London offices.

NFL, UK managing director
NFL already has a keen foothold in the UK with regular London games played here. Kirkwood is also helping to push the long-term aspiration of a franchise in the capital, potentially the Jackonsville Jaguars.

MLB Europe managing director
Hill played a pivotal role as MLB finally made its London bow in June with the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox, with the St Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs playing in London next year. A personal appearance by Harry and Meghan in June certainly helped raise MLB’s profile here.

Boxer
The Watford-born boxer may have been dethroned as heavyweight champion but the 6ft 6in 29-year-old plans to use the latter part of 2019 and next year to win his place at the top of global boxing.

Racing driver
At the age of 34, the Stevenage-born Hamilton has no plans to hang up his racing overalls and will continue to be Formula 1’s biggest draw next season.

Racing driver
This 20-year-old who idolises Hamilton has set his sights on becoming the first double amputee to compete in Formula One.

Racing driver
The dominant force of the new all-female W Series, Chadwick, 21, has aspirations to be the next female driver in F1 and inspire a generation of girl racers.

Golfer
The Londoner is being tipped as Britain’s next first-time Major winner, having finished third at the US PGA and rapidly climbed up the world rankings.

Golfer

Already a runner-up at a Major, the 23-year-old is edging ever closer to breaking her Major duck and has already been a tournament winner in 2019.

Hockey player
England hockey’s Player of the Year was one of the team’s rising stars at the Rio Olympics and is now one of its leaders ahead of next year’s Games in Tokyo.

Ineos boss
Linked to buying Chelsea, he also bought Team Sky’s cycling operation and Ben Ainslie’s America’s Cup team, and recently completed a deal for French top-flight football club Nice.

Chelsea owner
Rumours persist about whether the Russian billionaire is looking to sell, but regardless of the uncertainty his club remains a powerful force in the European game.

Cyclist
A late bloomer, he was victorious in the 2018 Tour de France and has set his sights on multiple Grand Tour victories.

Netball player
Netball has proved one of the fastest-growing participation sports in the UK, further helped by England hosting the World Cup in July this year with Guthrie as the new captain.

Sprinter
Still just 22, the London 2017 double world champion is tipped to defend both titles at the Worlds later this year and win gold at the 2020 Paralympics.

British Paralympic swimmer
Ealing’s own para swimming wonder, Tai continued her perfect record with her sixth gold from six races on day five of the Para-swimming World Championships last month. Big wins are expected at next year’s Paralympics in Tokyo.

Swimmer
Peaty will comfortably be one of the biggest names in Team GB at the Tokyo Olympics and is heading up a London team in the new International Swimming League in 2019.

Chief executive, All England Club
Having acquired the freehold of the neighbouring golf course, Lewis has overseen ambitious expansion plans for Wimbledon. Will step down after next year’s championships.

Twice Wimbledon champion
The former world No 1 had hinted at retirement before undergoing hip surgery in January but is making an impressive return to Grand Slam singles action.

Tennis player
A semi-finalist at the French Open, Konta has bounced back from a turbulent two years to become one of the most dangerous players in the women’s game.

Rugby player
Uncompromising character who has become England’s captain, fly-half and beating heart over the last 12 months and is leading the team at the World Cup.

Chairman of Saracens
Wray is the man who built the Saracens dynasty. The men in black are the double winners and the best club side in the world, while providing the core of England’s team.

Rugby player
England Women’s Kennington-raised forward is a firefighter, boxer, Commonwealth Games athlete and commercial diver. Was playing for England within two years of taking up rugby. Impressive.

Head coach of the England Rugby team
The unpredictable Tasmanian has been in charge of England for four years and leads them at the World Cup this year. There is never a dull moment with Eddie about.

Chief executive, Future Sport at Sky
One of the pioneers leading the march of sports coverage on Sky, Francis has now moved to a more senior role at the broadcasting giant.

Head of sport, BT
Now a major player in the sports television scene in Britain, with Champions League coverage the jewel in the network’s crown.

Managing director, Amazon Prime Video, Sport
All eyes were on the streaming company this year as they took their first steps into the live Premier League coverage market.

The Progress 1000, in partnership with the global bank Citi, is the Evening Standard’s celebration of the people changing London’s future for the better. #Progress1000