Brand

One of the hottest tickets for the events surrounding Super Bowl LX in February was a party thrown at the Cow Palace in San Francisco by Sports Illustrated, where attendees could hang with Justin Bieber, Kevin Hart and Travis Kelce.

The magazine’s logo and a team of models from its latest annual swimsuit issue were present at another pre-game bash at the Michelin three-star restaurant Quince.

Sports Illustrated journalists were getting requests from peers looking to score invites to the gatherings, which symbolized a turnaround at the 72-year-old title. Just two years earlier, many of its writers were told their jobs were being eliminated.

But Authentic Brands Group, the New York-based company that purchased Sports Illustrated in 2019 for $110 million, says the title is now thriving after reducing its reliance on advertising and circulation revenue. The privately held firm — which expects $38 billion in global retail sales this year, up from $35 billion in 2025 — does not break out the finances for its businesses but says SI is highly profitable after a rocky period. Less than half of SI’s revenue comes from its media business.

“It took us a little while and we had a couple of bumps along the way,” Daniel W. Dienst, executive vice chairman for Authentic, said in a recent interview from his New York office, where a photo of baseball legend Hank Aaron taken by acclaimed SI photographer Neil Leifer hangs on the wall behind his desk.

For decades, SI was where every sports journalist aspired to work, hoping to become the next Frank DeFord or Gary Smith, whose 32-year career at the magazine is highly revered. Cover images of Muhammad Ali, Michael Jordan and other superstars are emblazoned in the memories of fans who eagerly awaited the title to arrive in the mail each week. For athletes and sports institutions, the cover remains a coveted honor.

“You go to LeBron James’ office in Akron, it’s got his 30 covers on the walls,” Dienst said. “You go to USC, they’ve got 21 covers with their athletes and coaches all over their athletic department.”

Now a monthly magazine, the flagship business of Sports Illustrated is no longer the first stop for fans looking for game analysis or profiles of athletes, many of whom have asserted greater control over their images through social media and podcasts.

Like other print magazines, SI has seen a sharp falloff in its circulation, currently at 400,000, down from 3 million in 2010. Authentic says SI has 52 million users a month on its web site and 21 million social media followers. ESPN had 229 million digital users in November.

But the famous SI name still resonates with generations of consumers and Authentic has sought ways to capitalize on it, from selling replica covers to opening branded resort hotels in Chicago and Nashville. International editions of the magazine have been launched in Germany, China and Mexico, with plans to launch in France and the U.K.

In January, Sports Illustrated launched its own free ad-supported streaming TV channel called SITV that features live shows with its journalists and includes films and shows from an archive stocked with documentaries and swimsuit issue specials going back decades.

The channel, which along with the other SI assets is managed by New York-based Minute Media, will also carry live sports coverage including college basketball. While Minute Media did not reveal early viewership figures, the company said the audience for the channel has grown 60% since its launch.

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow on the cover of Sports Illustrated.

(Clay Patrick McBride)

The streaming channel is a major media initiative for brand that has seen more activity in other sectors.

In 2023, Authentic put the SI name on Lunatix, a sputtering ticket marketplace. Now called Sports Illustrated Tickets, the business has signage deals with 13 venues around the world including a New Jersey-based stadium — the home of the New York Red Bulls soccer team. The service expects to generate $500 million in revenue this year.

Authentic also uses Sports Illustrated-sponsored events such as the ones held at the Super Bowl to entertain clients for its other businesses and makes tickets available to the public. SI will host an event for Authentic at the Masters golf tournament in Augusta this week and has a permanent high-end, track-side hospitality space at Churchill Downs in Kentucky called Club SI.

Authentic specializes in acquiring and investing in famous retail properties that have foundered. The firm has acquired such names as the outerwear retailer Eddie Bauer, Brooks Brothers and Reebok, and in January took a 51% share in the fashion brand Guess.

ABG enlists outside operators to run the brands. Those operators pay an ongoing license fee to ABG, which also takes a cut of the revenues.

That was the plan when Authentic bought Sports Illustrated from Meredith Corp., now known as People Inc.

After the purchase, Authentic entered a $15-million-a-year licensing agreement with Arena Group (at the time known as Maven) to run Sports Illustrated. A New York-based digital media company, Arena operated such well-known titles as Men’s Journal, Parade and TheStreet. But the partnership unraveled when Arena used AI for sponsored content on Sports Illustrated’s website, which sounded alarm bells at the esteemed publication.

Sports Illustrated’s 2026 Super Bowl party at the Cow Palace in San Francisco.

(Sports Illustrated)

The Arena Group acknowledged it hired an outside firm to create product reviews that used fake bylines. The scandal coincided with the termination of its chief executive, Ross Levinsohn, who once held a leadership role at the Los Angeles Times.

The relationship with Authentic worsened when Arena’s majority owner, Manoj Bhargava, took over as interim chief executive. The founder of 5-Hour Energy, Bhargava tried to fire Sports Illustrated’s unionized editorial staff and renegotiate a lower licensing fee from Authentic. He also used the magazine’s editorial pages and website to promote his energy drink business.

The SI media business was unprofitable under Bhargava and Arena missed a payment to Authentic on its licensing deal. In March 2024, Arena announced it was shutting down the print edition of SI.

Around the same time, Authentic hired Minute Media, which runs the digital sites Fansided and Players’ Tribune, to take over Sports Illustrated. Bhargava didn’t go quietly; according to legal filings, he threatened to delete Sports Illustrated’s archive of intellectual property.

Authentic sued Arena for breaching the SI licensing agreement, which was settled. Many of the title’s laid-off journalists were rehired.

The experience with Arena was a harsh lesson for Authentic, which never had owned a media property before.

“The minute I make that phone call or anybody perceives that Authentic could control the newsroom, forget it, game over,” Dienst said, referencing Bhargava. “We had to move on.”

Minute Media has gotten high marks from the SI staff for its repair work on the media side of the business.

“It’s been a long time since we felt like we had an operator and support from the very top to not just grow what we’re doing day to day, but to grow what Sports Illustrated is going to look like 10 years down the road,” said Steve Cannella, editor in chief of Sports Illustrated.

SI’s union representing editorial employees praised Minute Media when it took over, and is close to agreeing on a new contract deal with the company.

Minute Media is aiming to expand the SI brand‘s reach across other media platforms to make up for the time lost under previous regimes.

“I’ve asked, ‘guys, what are all the things you wanted to do that you haven’t been able to do?’ ” said Minute Media President Rich Routman. “If we’re not trying new stuff, we’re failing.”

Some sports media types believe SI is largely a nostalgia play in a landscape where young fans go elsewhere for game highlights and turn to provocative hosts such as Pat McAfee on YouTube. But awareness goes beyond the audience of baby boomers and Gen Xers who grew up with the brand.

Lisa Delpy Neirotti, who leads the sports management program at George Washington University, recently conducted a study with her students on their media consumption habits. She said she was surprised to see high recognition of Sports Illustrated with the Gen Z crowd, and credits SI for Kids, the spin-off publication for younger readers launched in 1989.

“They would remember getting it in the mail, and it was the first thing that got them interested in sports,” Neirotti said. “There are a lot of positive memories that keep the brand alive.”

Dienst said the audience for SI has gotten younger under Authentic’s ownership. But he doesn’t disregard the oldsters who grew up with it.

“They’re very affluent and they’re super loyal,” he said.

The life of a showgirl wouldn’t be complete without a few lawsuits, and who knows that better than Taylor Swift and Elizabeth Taylor?

On Monday, the “Bad Blood” singer was hit with a trademark infringement lawsuit regarding her most recent album, “The Life of a Showgirl.” Real-life Las Vegas showgirl and writer Maren Wade, born Maren Flagg, alleges that Swift knowingly disregarded her claim to a similar name.

According to the lawsuit, Wade launched the column “Confessions of a Showgirl” in the Las Vegas Weekly in 2014. The column eventually became a live show, which became a touring production. “Over the course of a decade, Confessions of a Showgirl grew into a brand encompassing performances, writing, and digital media — built by one person, city by city and show by show,” reads the lawsuit, which adds that Wade took the show across the country, and used the brand when appearing on television and podcasts.

Wade as a performer herself respects Swift’s right to creative expression, according to the suit, “and nothing in this action challenges it.” The filing argues that “whatever [legal] protection might attach to creative expression, it does not immunize Swift’s separate decision to adopt a confusingly similar designation as a trademark, affix it to goods, and deploy it as a source identifier in commerce.”

In 2015, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office registered “Confessions of a Showgirl” and named Maren Flagg as the owner. And according to the suit, in November 2025, the office refused an attempt by Swift’s team to register “The Life of a Showgirl” based on a likelihood of confusion with Wade’s established brand.

Patent attorney JD Harriman told The Times in a statement that although the trademark office did reject Swift’s mark, she voluntarily suspended the “Life of a Showgirl” application while a separate trademark application for “Showgirl” moved forward.

“This case isn’t about the music, and it may not even be about confusion,” Harriman said. “Wade’s own complaint concedes she’s not challenging the album itself — only merchandise. And before filing, she was publicly hashtagging Swift’s album and calling herself a fan.”

Jaymie Parkkinen, an attorney for Wade, told The Times in an emailed statement that Maren spent more than a decade building Confessions of a Showgirl.

“She registered it. She earned it. When Taylor Swift’s team applied to register The Life of a Showgirl, the Trademark Office refused, finding Swift’s mark confusingly similar,” Parkkinen said. “We have great respect for Swift’s talent and success, but trademark law exists to ensure that creators at all levels can protect what they’ve built. That’s what this case is about.”

Wade’s team argues that since Swift’s 12th album dropped last year, search results are dominated by Swift, and even though Wade established her own showgirl brand a decade ago, her brand is now seen as affiliated with Swift’s.

“The Life of a Showgirl is one designation among more than 170 active or pending trademark registrations managed by Defendant TAS on behalf of Swift, spanning names, phrases, and commercial designations across one of the most extensive trademark portfolios in the entertainment industry,” reads the suit.

Swift’s broader enterprise “does not depend on the continued use of any single designation,” the suit continues. “By contrast, Confessions of a Showgirl is the sole trademark under which [Wade] has built her professional identity for more than a decade. It is not one mark among hundreds. It is the only one she has. The continued erosion of that mark threatens the entirety of Wade’s brand.”

In other Swift news, the Grammy winner dropped the music video for “Elizabeth Taylor” on Tuesday.

The video features archival film clips of the latter starlet — also known for high-profile legal battles, media scrutiny aimed at her love life and larger-than-life fame — rather than the songstress herself, who does not appear in the video.

The video, which has been exclusively released via Spotify Premium and Apple Music, includes scenes from “Father of the Bride,” “Rhapsody,” “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” “Cleopatra,” and “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” among other classic films starring Taylor. The homage also has old press footage of the Oscar winner.

Back in October, Swift told BBC radio that if she mentions a real person in her songs, she warns them ahead of time, and in the case of someone like the late movie star, she asked the Taylor estate for permission to pay homage with the song.

“If it’s Elizabeth Taylor,” she said, “we go to their family and her estate and let them know, and they were lovely about it.”

“OH, the kids would just love that,” I gasp as I watch the Aqua Slidecoaster rocket up and around the top deck of the new Norwegian Luna.

Following its progress around the pinnacle of this sparkling new cruise ship, I spot ten-deck slide The Drop, the multi-level tangle of Moon Climb’s obstacle nets, high-tech Glow Court with its interactive LED floor for virtual sporting challenges and the wacky technicolour holes of the Tee Time mini golf course.

Four more must-dos for any thrill-seeking kiddo.

Alongside indoor and outdoor arcades with carnival games, pools and splash parks and, of course, kids’ clubs, this ship is a paradise for little ones.

But the joy of this 3,565 passenger liner is the way it can keep all ages happy.

I was the first UK journalist to get a sneak peek of the ship last week as it made its way from Italy across to its new home port in Miami.

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And while the kids will be delighted, there’s so much more for all ages onboard.

Luna has a shimmering, celestial theme to its decor ­— think modern luxury with an almost art deco feel, opulent fabrics and glistening metals that are understated and ooze sophisticated calm.

For a little more luxury, at the rear of the ship the Vibe Beach Club with its cushioned loungers, comfy cabanas and hot tubs is an adults-only zone.

It may come at an extra cost but you are guaranteed your own lounger and there are no splashing kids to avoid.

And what mum wouldn’t want to enjoy a pamper in the vast Mandara spa with its indoor pools sitting beneath a sparkling two-deck high wall of waterfalls.

With multiple saunas, steam, ice and salt rooms, it’s the epitome of zen.

Treatment prices are on the steep side, though.

While the main pool has even more loungers than its Prima class sister ships, one of the features I loved about this ship’s design is the generously wide spaces on deck eight where some restaurants and bars spill outside with al-fresco tables and there’s still plenty of space for loungers, infinity pools and in-pool layouts.

Dubbed the Ocean Boulevard, this 46,000sq ft walkway wraps around the entire ship and also features a vertigo-inducing glass bridge and Luna sculpture that comes with a button you can press for a personal video.

Look up at the camera and within seconds it will take a video of you, panning out so you can take centre stage.

A download of the resulting video costs £3.75 — great for adding to your social media!

Talking of restaurants, the choice is dizzying with 17 dining options and 18 bars and lounges.

Norwegian were among the first to challenge the idea that cruise ship dining had to be formal and at set times.

The latest ship shows just how far they have taken their freestyle concept.

There are five venues included in your fare.

I loved the Indulge food hall where you can grab a tablet to make your choice from nine different stations featuring tapas and noodles to curries and barbecue.

Tap away and dishes are then delivered to your table.

Also stunning was Hudson’s – one of the two very chic main dining rooms with floor-to-ceiling sloping windows, offering fabulous views of the ocean.

For quick bites, there’s the Surfside Bar and Grill, The Local serving classic pub fare 24/7 and on-deck ice cream stands with soft whip treats.

But the ship comes into its own with the choice of speciality restaurants.

I sampled the freshest, tastiest sushi at Nama and a sublime filet mignon at Mediterranean-inspired Palomar.

Also new on Luna is authentic Thai cuisine at Sukothai as well as a vast teppanyaki restaurant, Nuki.

These do come at an extra cost, from £38pp for the sushi to £45pp for Palomar and Nuki.

When it comes to a tipple, there’s so much choice, but my favourites were the outdoor Soleil Bar for sunset sips and the Metropolitan for evening cocktails.

And when the sun goes down, there’s plenty of entertainment to keep the grown-ups happy with new shows Elton: A Celebration of Elton John and Revolution: A Celebration of Prince.

But the smaller venues are also sure to be popular with a new Eagles tribute in Syd Norman’s Pour House, an intimate rock-club venue inspired by the Los Angeles Sunset Strip rock scene.

And for a risque pop-circus song and dance experience, the new adults-only LunaTique show comes with an extra charge of £34, but does come with four (very sweet) themed cocktails.

At the end of the night, I was very happy to head back to my spacious balcony cabin, which has a huge bed plus a sofa bed and roomy bathroom with a rainfall shower.

Homeporting in Miami, the ship will offer three and four-day Bahamas voyages as well as seven-night Caribbean itineraries including calls at the Dominican Republic, Cozumel and St Thomas as well as the cruise line’s private island Great Stirrup Cay in the Bahamas.

Your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man is finally back.

It’s been nearly five years since audiences last saw Tom Holland’s Peter Parker suit up as the webslinger in “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” and a lot has happened in the Marvel Cinematic Universe since. (10 movies’ worth, for those keeping track.) But Sony Pictures released the first trailer for “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” on Wednesday, and it appears our hero has been dutifully continuing as a full-time masked crimefighter while remaining an anonymous entity to those he loves most.

“Sometimes Spider-Man has to do the hard thing, even if it breaks Peter Parker’s heart,” Peter says in a voiceover on the new footage. According to the film’s logline, it has been four years since the events of “No Way Home,” which saw Peter have to make everyone forget who he is to save the world. “Brand New Day” will see Spider-Man take on “one of the most powerful threats he has ever faced.”

The trailer shows Peter cross paths with former besties MJ (Zendaya) and Ned (Jacob Batalon), who still don’t know who he is. But like everyone else in New York, it does appear they are at least familiar with Spider-Man.

Among those Spidey crosses paths with in the teaser are Frank Castle (Jon Bernthal), also known as the Punisher. It doesn’t seem like Spider-Man and the “Daredevil: Born Again” anti-hero are on very friendly terms, though. The trailer also features glimpses of Spider-Man battling Scorpion (Michael Mando), Boomerang (whose casting has yet to be announced) and the Hand — as well as a seemingly invisible foe.

Peter is also shown seeking out Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo) in his non-Hulk form to try to figure out what is going on with his own body. It appears Spider-Man’s DNA could be mutating, as he has gained the ability to produce organic webs, which could be alarming. The trailer concludes with a mysterious voiceover (which sounds like Keith David) teasing what it could mean.

“Spiders have three life cycles,” the unnamed voice says. “When between cycles, it can leave the spider vulnerable to threats. … And for those spiders who make it through, it amounts to a kind of rebirth.”

Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” opens in theaters July 31.

Spider-Man battling the Hand in “Spider-Man: Brand New Day.”

(Sony Pictures)

The Dodgers agreed to a deal granting Uniqlo naming rights to the field at Dodger Stadium, according to the Athletic — marking the first time in the 64-year history of the stadium that a corporate sponsorship has been attached to it.

Dodger Stadium’s name remains unchanged. The organization made it a priority to keep the name of the ballpark, which has been in place since its opening in 1962.

“[The stadium’s name] will never be for sale,” Dodgers president Stan Kasten told The Times in 2017.

Though not officially announced by the Dodgers, the name likely will be Uniqlo Field at Dodger Stadium.

With more than 1,000 stores worldwide, the Japanese-based clothing brand will hold exclusive marketing and promotional opportunities as the Dodgers’ main sponsor. The new deal will also include a new sign in center field.

Since signing Japanese two-way star Shohei Ohtani, the team has partnered with several different Japanese companies, earning $70 million in sponsorship revenue in 2024 alone, according to Forbes.

Bob Lynch, chief executive of research firm SponsorUnited, estimated that teams hosting the Dodgers generated roughly $15 million in cumulative revenue from the brands that have attached themselves to the team.

“ … A slew of brands essentially following him around across the country that are paying dollars either directly to the team or to Van Wagner, who’s selling the backstop signage,” Lynch told Forbes in 2025.

In 2022, the Dodgers partnered with global sports marketing agency Sportfive to secure premier sponsorships. Two years later, the organization announced a self-sponsorship with its ownership group, Guggenheim Baseball Management, which placed a patch on the team’s jerseys.

Disneyland Paris is opening World of Frozen later this month and we got a first look at the brand new Frozen Ever After ride, as well as where you can meet the princesses and see Olaf

Disneyland Paris is set to open its huge new World of Frozen land later this month – and I was lucky to get a sneak peek beforehand.

When Anna and Elsa open up the gates on March 29 in Walt Disney Studios Park (which will rebrand as Disney Adventure World on the same day), visitors will be treated to a host of exciting offerings in Arendelle.

That includes brand new ride Frozen Ever After (you can read my verdict on this one below), as well as meet and greets with both Anna and Elsa, interactions with a very impressive Olaf animatronic, and plenty more fun including a chance to hang out with Oaken ahead of his Big Summer Blowout, and chatting to the villagers to hear various fun tales from around the land.

There’s also a new restaurant, shows and heaps of Easter eggs for all Frozen fans. Here’s a rundown of everything you need to know about the new land – including my review of the new ride, and tips on where to actually meet the characters…

The new Frozen themed ride

For the first time (in forever), Disneyland Paris has a Frozen themed ride. ‘Frozen Ever After’ is a gentle boat ride where you sail through the Kingdom of Arendelle and head towards Elsa’s ice castle.

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It’s definitely a family-friendly ride but be warned there are a few drops along the way that caught me off guard – including one particularly steep section which was a little more thrilling than I had expected! The ride has all of the makings of that Disney magic; beautiful sets, impressive animatronics, and all of the iconic songs that have become such a staple in most families’ households (whether parents like it or not).

I think overall it’s going to be a hit; it’s got enough of the original Frozen magic for the kids, but for parents it’s got a bit more thrill and fun to it as well. The queue itself also features plenty of little surprises and sets full of hidden gems that will no doubt keep kids entertained while they wait for their turn to board the boats.

Where to meet the characters

If you want to meet Anna and Elsa, you’re going to have to book in for the experience. I think the system could actually work out better for families; no need to spend hours in a queue, and you can actually plan your day around the meet and greet if it’s going to be very important for your kids to meet the Arendelle royals.

If you do manage to bag a slot, the overall experience is pretty intimate feeling. There’s a waiting hall adorned with paintings of Anna, Elsa and their parents, as well as a few paintings you might recognise from ‘For the First Time in Forever’. You wander along the halls of the royal palace before turning a corner into a private room where Anna and Elsa are ready and waiting to greet you. It’s a lovely experience overall, and as you’re the only ones in the room with the princesses and photographer, it means families will get some proper quality time with them all.

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If you don’t book a slot, there are plenty of other character interactions throughout the land. Oaken can be found wandering around the land – and a simple ‘Yoohoo!’ call grabs his attention – or you can keep an eye out for the adorable baby troll Mossie who’s more than willing to have a natter. The Arendelle villagers are also around to chat to kids and share their favourite tales from the kingdom.

Even though I knew he was an AI-powered animatronic, he looked absolutely real – it’s a real feat of engineering. kids around us were in complete awe. Although it’s not a traditional ‘meet and greet’ with photos, you can watch him interact with a villager and the crowd, so it makes for a fun show. He’ll make his appearances throughout the day, so keep your eyes peeled!

New show and general atmosphere

The overall atmosphere at World of Frozen is just a lot of fun. A Celebration in Arendelle is a fun new show that takes place on the waters of the land’s bay, featuring Anna, Elsa, Olaf and Kristoff – another chance to get a glimpse of your favourites – with plenty of music and enchantment.

I was pretty blown away by the design of World of Frozen too; from the moment you walk up, you feel like you’re instantly transported into the films. The Nordic-inspired buildings, food and the instrumental takes on the film’s iconic soundtrack all come with a dose of that Disney magic, not to mention there’s so much attention to detail.

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There are photo opps everywhere, but two main areas were a hit with the crowd when I was there; the first was the large ice-inspired fountain right by the entrance to the kingdom, and the second was in front of the entrance to ‘Frozen Ever After’, as you can get a picture with a mountainous backdrop that features Elsa’s ice castle too.

The food

World of Frozen has a brand new restaurant, the Nordic Crown Tavern. This quick service restaurant has a menu inspired by Scandinavian cuisine, featuring the likes of salmon, meatballs, quinoa and mashed potato.

Prices range from €12-€20 depending on what you choose, but the portions were pretty generous. I went for the vegan meatballs and mashed potato combination, and I was genuinely impressed at the quality – it left me feeling full up for most of the afternoon, but not so full that I couldn’t get a cheeky ice cream or two later!

The restaurant itself is full of charm, with portraits of the characters and paintings throughout, as well as hidden features (there’s a little cat that you can try and spot from the queue for the food), and it definitely felt like an extension of the rest of the land.

It’s only one part of Disney Adventure World

World of Frozen is undoubtedly the new land that’s got everyone excited, but it’s actually just one part of a much wider expansion for the theme park. Walt Disney Studios Park may be what Kristoff and friends would deem a ‘Fixer Upper’, but it’s being completed transformed into Disney Adventure World. That comes with heaps of fun new additions alongside the opening of World of Frozen.

This will include ‘Adventure Way’ where you’ll find another new ride; Raiponze Tangled Spin, a little bit like the teacups, inspired by the scene in Tangled where Flynn and Rapunzel sing ‘I See the Light’. There are also plenty of food stalls, fun interactions with the likes of Mickey, Peter Pan and Mary Poppins, and even a dance show featuring Rapunzel herself.

This is all laid out around a large lake which becomes the setting for the brand new ‘Cascade of Lights’ show at night. I won’t spoil too much, but let’s just say the drones, pyrotechnics and music were absolutely spectacular.

• Package prices start from £129pp per night, based on a Disney Hotel Cheyenne & Ticket package for 2 adults and 2 kids staying four nights/five days, between July 31-August 28. Subject to availability. You can find out more and book at disneylandparis.com.

European Sleeper is a Dutch-Belgian train operator that runs night train services across Europe, currently connecting major cities such as Berlin, Prague and Amsterdam

Tickets for a new night train that’ll connect major European cities are about to go on sale.

European Sleeper is a Dutch-Belgian train operator that runs night train services across Europe, currently connecting major cities such as Berlin, Prague and Amsterdam. It is poised to launch its third route, a 17-and-a-half-hour journey from Belgian capital Brussels to Italy’s fashion hub Milan.

At first, the night train to Milan will depart from Belgium. However, an extra leg will later be added to and from the Netherlands from 2027. Once fully operational, the train will stop in Cologne in Germany, Zurich in Switzerland and Como in Italy.

It was announced late last week that the train will no longer launch in June as planned. The service will now take to the rails on 9 September. European Sleeper has said track works in Germany during summer 2026 and the certification process for Switzerland – which is a new country for its network – had caused the delay.

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The European Sleeper is scheduled to depart from Brussels on Monday, Thursday, and Saturday evenings, arriving in Zürich and Milan the following morning.

The return service from Milan will operate on Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday nights. In Switzerland, the train will run via Zürich and the Gotthard Pass for the time being. That means it will not be going via the Simplon Pass, as previously planned. This has proved unfeasible due to track works scheduled through 2027.

“Luckily, the revised route via the Gotthard Pass also brings new opportunities,” a statement from the company read. “A stop in Göschenen provides convenient access to nearby ski resorts, while Lugano and Como offer easy connections to the well-known lakes and surrounding mountain landscapes.”

Tickets for the new route go on sale on 17 March 2026, with budget, classic, comfort standard and comfort plus available. Seats in budget start from €29.99 (£25) per person one way.

A couchette bed in a classic compartment is available from €49.99 (£43) including ticket, reservation, luggage and bed linen. Those who fancy splashing out a little more can choose comfort standard from €99.99 (£85) or comfort plus from €129.99 (£111) which includes breakfast.

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“Although the first departure comes a few months later than originally planned, the new connection marks an important milestone,” the company said in a press release.

European Sleeper already operates a service between Brussels and Prague, and a new connection between Paris and Berlin is launching later this month. Right now, prices begin from €69.99 (£60) for a one-way ticket in a shared compartment.

Nox, a Berlin-based startup, has said it will offer an affordable alternative to short-haul flights, from 2027, with single rooms starting from €79 (£67).