About the desk

Clear Sports Journal is an independent-minded explainer publication about how sport works. It is for readers who want to follow a match more closely, understand an unfamiliar event, or make sense of the choices behind a result.

What we cover

We explain rules, tactics, player roles, formats and equipment across different sports. A piece might trace what happens after a restart, compare two ways a team uses space, or clarify what an event format asks of its competitors. The subject is the game itself, not a promise of perfect prediction.

Who it is for

Our readers may be new to a sport, returning after time away, or simply curious about a detail they have noticed. We aim to make explanations useful without assuming specialist vocabulary or asking readers to take sides.

How we approach a game

We begin with the question a reader might have while watching or playing, then separate the rule from the tactic and the tactic from the outcome. Sports can vary by format and governing body, so we identify the context when it matters and avoid treating one example as universal.