The Dubai-based, World Gate Investments (WGI), is looking to take over French club Toulouse, according to L’Équipe.

Toulouse are currently owned by US private equity firm RedBird Capital Partners, who acquired an 85 per cent majority stake in the club back in 2020.

RedBird, which also owns AC Milan, reportedly considered selling the club in 2023, after they were disqualified from the Europa League, due to a breach of UEFA’s multi-club ownership rules.

Takeover ‘within our capabilities’ say WGI

In a statement to L’Équipe, WGI said that the group had ‘made inquiries’ regarding a potential takeover, and confirmed that they are currently ‘in discussions’ with RedBird.

WGI continued: ‘The conditions seem interesting to us. It’s within our capabilities.’

Luka Modric to become part-owner of Swansea City

Real Madrid and Croatia star Luka Modric has acquired a minority stake in Swansea City, the club have confirmed in a statement.

The move will see the 39-year-old join the Championship club’s existing ownership group, which includes Andy Coleman, Brett Cravatt, Nigel Morris and Jason Cohen.

Last month, Swansea reported a pre-tax loss of £15.2 million in their financial statements for the 2023/24 season, which was up by £2.7 million on the previous year’s figure of £17.9 million.

The latest Real Madrid player to become a part-owner

The minority stake acquisition would mark Modric’s first investment into a football club.

Modric’s team mate, Vinicius Junior, recently became a part-owner of Portuguese club FC Alverca, while another Real Madrid star, Kylian Mbappe, acquired a stake in French second tier side State Malherbe Caen last year.

European Leagues president calls for “detailed study” on impact of FIFA’s new competition schedules

The newly elected president of the European Leagues, Claudius Schäfer, has called for a “detailed study” into the impact of FIFA’s new competition schedules.

During a board of directors meeting, the first since Schäfer’s appointment in March, the organisation’s board discussed the governance of international football, citing a conflict of interest between FIFA’s role as a governing body, while simultaneously organising its own competitions.

Schäfer, who has served as CEO of the Swiss Football League (SFL) since 2011, reiterated this stance, sharing concerns over FIFA’s regard for domestic leagues.

Schäfer’s comments

“The expansion of international club competitions has made this season a game-changer for football in which the competitive balance and future health of the domestic game are challenged,” Schäfer said.

He also cited the “distortive impact” of the increase in prize money in international competitions on the “competitive balance” of the domestic game.

“We are therefore calling on FIFA to compile a detailed study, in partnership with stakeholders across the game, that analyses the impact of their expanded competitions on the development of domestic football,” Schäfer added.

LaLiga names HBS and TSA as new production partners

LaLiga has signed an agreement that designates Host Broadcast Services (HBS) and TSA as the league’s audiovisual partners until 2030.

Under the five-year deal, the two companies will replace MediaPro as the Spanish top flight’s host broadcaster from the start of the 2025/26 season.

LaLiga opened its tender process for five audiovisual production lots last September, of which three have been awarded to HBS, while the fourth lot was acquired by TSA. The fifth lot, which covers content generation, has not been allocated.

HBS CEO reflects on new LaLiga deal

“We are very proud of our track record globally, and entering a new territory and partnership with such an esteemed client is an exciting opportunity,” said Dan Miodownik, CEO of HBS.

“Along with NVP, we look forward to working with LaLiga to bring innovative and engaging coverage to audiences over the coming years.”

MLS considering shifting calendar to align with international leagues

MLS is exploring the possibility of shifting its calendar in order to align with other international football leagues, the elite US division has confirmed.

The league is also evaluating its current regular season and playoff formats.

At present, the MLS season runs from February to October, in contrast to the August to May schedule adopted by the majority of European leagues.

Changes would not take place before 2027

In a statement, MLS said the next stage of the process will involve consultation with key stakeholders, as well as the development of a transition plan.

Any potential changes to the league’s schedule or format would not kick in until 2027 at the earliest.

Celta Vigo get approval for new ‘sports city’ project

RC Celta Vigo’s project to build a new sports city has received the green light from the Regional Government of Galicia, which approved the Spanish club’s Project of Autonomous Interest (PIA).

Plans for the Afouteza Sports City – GS360 project were first unveiled in January.

Aiming to drive youth football development, Celta are intent on building a multi-purpose complex that will include a mini stadium, five training pitches, and a new training centre, as well as accommodation.

Two years in the making

Following approval, the club are now able to begin work on the new development immediately.

Celta have collaborated with the regional government over the last two years, in order to bring this project to fruition.

Tottenham Hotspur have confirmed Vinai Venkatesham as the club’s new CEO.

Venkatesham previously held various executive roles at rivals Arsenal during a 14-year tenure at the club, including the CEO position between 2020 and 2024. He also serves as chair of the Wembley Stadium Advisory Board, as well as being a non-executive director of the British Olympic Association.

Venkatesham was reportedly shortlisted for Newcastle United’s next CEO position, and rejected multiple offers from other clubs prior to joining Spurs.

Daniel Levy hails “crucial” appointment

“The club has experienced significant growth in recent years, making it crucial to expand our executive management,” said Daniel Levy, executive chairman at Spurs.

“I have known Vinai for many years, having worked together in the Premier League and the ECA. I am personally delighted that he has agreed to join our board as we build for success.”

DFL and Adidas ‘in talks’ over €100 million deal

Adidas and the German Football League (DFL) are in advanced talks over a new strategic partnership, which would see the sports brand invest €100 million into the Bundesliga, according to Bild.

In March, Adidas secured a four-year deal with the DFL to become the match ball supplier for German football’s top two tiers, the Bundesliga and the Bundesliga 2.

Bild reports that that deal, which kicks in from the 2026/27 season, is worth €20 million over its duration.

The investment agreement could reportedly include additional rights, or potentially a title partnership with the Bundesliga.

An alternative to private equity funding

According to multiple reports, the DFL has been seeking ways to secure external investment, as an alternative to private equity funding.

Last year, the organisation abandoned its plans to sell a reported €1 billion, 8 per cent stake in its media rights business to US firm CVC Capital Partners, following protests from supporter groups.

Lyon owner John Textor being sued for €6.8 million

Former Wolves manager Bruno Lage is suing Lyon and Crystal Palace co-owner John Textor, according to The Telegraph.

The 48-year-old Lage, who is reportedly seeking €6.8 million in compensation, is alleging that the US businessman promised him a managerial position at either Palace or Lyon, which never materialised.

Eagle Football Holdings have issued a statement saying: "Eagle's view is that Mr Lage is not contractually entitled to the sums being claimed on his behalf. Accordingly, Eagle will vigorously defend the claim and seek to recover its costs of doing so from Mr Lage."

Lage’s case against Textor

In the new lawsuit, Lage is claiming that he signed a ‘legally binding contract’ running from January until April 2024, which was signed in July 2023, just weeks after the Portuguese became the manager of Brazilian club Botafogo, which is also majority owned by the American.

The Telegraph reports that the alleged contract included a £2.75 million penalty clause, which Lage would have to pay Textor, if he took up a managerial post at another club during this period.

Lage reportedly rejected other managerial jobs, under false pretences that he would eventually be offered a role by Textor.

Conmebol proposes 64-team World Cup from 2030

South American football’s governing body Conmebol has put forward a proposal that would see the men’s 2030 FIFA World Cup expand to 64 teams.

Speaking at Conmebol’s Ordinary Congress on 10th April, Conmebol president Alejandro Dominguez said: “We are proposing, for the first time, to hold this anniversary with 64 teams, on three continents simultaneously.

“This will allow all countries to have the opportunity to live the world experience and so nobody on the planet is left out of the party.”

The 2026 World Cup, which will be held in the US, Canada, and Mexico, will expand from 32 to 48 teams for the first time. The next tournament in 2030, which will be held in Spain, Portugal and Morocco, will mark the centenary edition of the World Cup.

64-team competition a ‘bad idea’

As reported in March, FIFA is considering the proposal for a 64-team World Cup, which was initially suggested by Ignacio Alonso, the president of the Uruguayan Football Association (AUF).

Earlier this month, UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin expressed his opposition to the concept of an expanded tournament after UEFA’s annual congress in Belgrade.
“I think it’s not a good idea for the World Cup itself, and it’s not a good idea for our qualifiers as well. So I’m not supporting that idea,” said Ceferin.

US Soccer settles long-standing antitrust lawsuit with Relevent

The United States Soccer Federation (USSF) has settled its longstanding antitrust legal dispute with Relevent Sports, after the media rights company field to dismiss the case on 9th April.

Relevent initially filed it lawsuit against US Soccer in 2019, following the company’s attempt to hold a regular season LaLiga fixture in the US in the previous year.

Relevent first unveiled plans for a match between Barcelona and Girona in Miami in August 2018, however this would later be blocked by FIFA, who introduced a new policy two months later that would prevent leagues from staging games outside of their domestic territories.

Settlement to allow US to host international league matches

The new settlement opens the door to the possibility of various domestic leagues bringing regular season matches to the US.

In a statement shared by ESPN, Relevent CEO Danny Stallman said: “Ultimately, we all share the same goal: growing the sport throughout America. We’re excited to continue supporting clubs from Europe and around the world to expand the sport’s reach and impact across the US.”

FC32 ends financing of Austrian club SKN St. Pölten

Multi-club ownership group FC32 has ended its financing of Austrian team SKN St. Pölten, effective immediately.

In a statement, the second tier club said that FC32’s withdrawal was ‘unexpected’, adding that a significant investment for the 2024/25 season remains outstanding.

SKN says the move came after ‘irregularities’ surfaced within FC32, with trust lost in Australian investor Paul Francis, who leads the group.

FC32 recently took over Irish club Cobh Ramblers in February, and also own Italian Serie B side Spezia Calcio.

SKN “surprised” by FC32 exit

Responding to the news, SKN managing director, said “We were surprised with the news that FC32 Holding will cease all payments with immediate effect.

“We received payments from FC32 last week. We reacted immediately and have been doing everything we can to secure the club’s long-term future ever since.”

Real Madrid’s complaint against Javier Tebas has reached Spain’s Sports Administrative Court (TAD), which has opened disciplinary proceedings against the LaLiga president, according to AS.

The club are seeking to suspend Tebas, alleging that he breached their confidentiality in a post shared on X, which revealed the result of a club vote in an anonymous survey regarding their stance on refereeing.

AS reports that the investigation, which is being led by the TAD, could constitute a ‘very serious offence’.

Tebas faces potential dismissal

Real Madrid are arguing that a Tweet posted by Tebas on 3rd February violated their right to confidentiality, which is in breach of Article 19 of the LaLiga Statutes.

Tebas could face a fine of between €3,000 and €30,000, public admonishment, a suspension of between two and 15 years, or dismissal, if he is found guilty of the alleged breaches.

Verdict on Manchester City’s 115 charges delayed until summer

The verdict on Manchester City’s 115 alleged breaches of the Premier League’s financial regulations is unlikely to come before summer, as reported by The Telegraph.

The charges, which were first announced in February 2023, relate to the nine-year period between 2009 and 2018.

Last year, an independent hearing took place between September and December, with the verdict initially expected to come during the first quarter of 2025.

No official deadline for outcome of trial

No official deadline was ever decided regarding the outcome of the trial.

The matter reportedly might not be resolved before the new Premier League season kicks off on 16th August.

Mbappé takes legal action against Paris Saint-Germain over unpaid wages

Kylian Mbappé and his legal team are taking aggressive legal action against his former club, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), over a dispute involving €55 million in alleged unpaid wages and bonuses. The French striker's lawyers have initiated proceedings in the Paris court, with a legal hearing set for May 26.

According to Mbappé's main lawyer, Delphine Verheyden, the decision to go on the offensive comes after a year-long attempt to amicably resolve the issue. Verheyden stated that Mbappé has not received the €55 million owed to him despite efforts to settle the matter peacefully.

The legal battle extends beyond the courts, with Verheyden requesting intervention from the French sports minister and challenging a ruling by the French football federation's appeals commission. This commission deemed Mbappé's appeal against PSG inadmissible due to an ongoing civil court procedure.

Urged to notify UEFA

Furthermore, Mbappé has urged the federation to notify UEFA of PSG's failure to fulfill salary obligations, which could potentially jeopardise PSG's Champions League license if they are found responsible.

A UEFA spokesperson commented on the matter, stating that if French authorities confirm payment arrears, PSG would need to settle them promptly or face non-compliance with financial fair play regulations.
 

Court blocks LaLiga’s request to suspend CSD ruling on Danii Olmo and Pau Victor

Spain’s Administrative Court has rejected LaLiga’s injunction request, after the league tried to block the Higher Sports Council’s (CSD) decision to allow Dani Olmo and Pau Victor to continue playing for Barcelona for the rest of the 2024/25 season.

Earlier this month, the Spanish Government granted Barcelona temporary licenses, enabling the club to register both players for the remainder of the current campaign.

Following this however, LaLiga requested that the CSD impose precautionary measures to prevent this from happening, claiming that allowing Olmo and Victor to play would highlight a competitive imbalance within the Spanish top flight.

Next steps

After the Administrative Court denied LaLiga’s request for an injunction, the aforementioned players and CSD will be able to appear before a judge, as reported by AS.

The ongoing dispute will not be resolved until the judge’s ruling, which will reportedly take months.

Atletico Madrid sign ‘€20 million a year’ Nike extension

Atletico Madrid have signed a ten-year extension of their kit supplier partnership with Nike.

The new deal, which will run until the end of the 2034/25 season, is worth more than €20 million annually, according to 2Playbook.

This more than doubles the valuation of the current deal, which expires in 2026, and is reportedly worth €10 million per season.

25 years of collaboration

The renewal extends the LaLiga club’s long-standing association with the US sportswear giant, which dates back to 2001.

During that time, Atletico have experienced significant successes, winning 16 trophies, including two LaLiga titles in 2013/14 and 2020/21.

Genoa owner planning €10 million capital increase

Genoa owner Dan Sucu is planning a capital increase of €10 million into the Italian club, according to regional newspaper Il Secolo XIX.

The uptick in investment comes amid an ongoing investigation led by the Genoa Public Prosecutor’s Office into the sale of the Serie A side in December to the Romanian businessman, which was worth €40 million.

Genoa’s previous owner, 777 Partners, collapsed in October last year, prompting the club to seek a new buyer.

Legal dispute with A-Cap

In January, 777 Partners lender A-Cap attempted to block the Sucu takeover, claiming that the company still owned the club, and had not agreed to its sale.

Last week however the Court of Genoa ruled in favour of the club, rejecting A-Cap’s claim, and accepting the arguments presented by their lawyers.

English club Reading are in advanced talks over a takeover led by US businessman Rob Couhig, according to The Guardian.

The League One club were originally handed a 4th April deadline to find a new buyer, after their current owner, Chinese businessman Dai Yongge, was disqualified in March. Last week, the English Football League (EFL) extended the deadline until 22nd April.

In a statement on Wednesday 9th April, Reading confirmed that they are in ‘advanced dialogue’ with a new bidder, after a previous exclusivity agreement with Robert Platek expired on 27th March.

Next steps towards takeover

Reading say they are hopeful of completing the takeover ‘at the earliest opportunity’, and expect the prospective deal to comply with the EFL’s requirements.

If the club fail to secure a new owner in time, they could subsequently face suspension by the EFL.

FIGC receives documents from Rome’ prosecutor’s office for Napoli owner investigation

The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) has received documentation from Rome’s prosecutor’s office on the investigation involving Napoli owner Aurelio De Laurentiis, according to La Republicca.

De Laurentiis has been accused of falsifying accounts between 2019 and 2021, with Italian media reporting in February that Rome’s prosecutors office was seeking to indict the 75-year-old, who has owned Napoli since 2004.

The matter had already been the subject of a proceeding that ended with an acquittal, and the federal prosecutor now has 30 days from receiving the papers to ask for the revocation of the trial.

Osimhen transfer

A key part of the investigation is the €71 million transfer of striker Victor Osimhen from Lille to Napoli in 2020, and the capital gains from the deal.

When the Nigerian agreed to join the Serie A club, three Napoli players moved in the opposite direction for €20 million. Namely, these included then third-choice goalkeeper Orestis Karnezis, as well as youth players Claudio Manzi, Ciro Palmieri and Luigi Liguori.

Kostas Manolas’ transferí from AS Roma to Napoli in 2019 is also being investigated.

Benfica aim to generate up to €40 million from latest bond issue

Benfica have launched a new bond issue, as part of a plan to generate up to €40 million.

The Portuguese club will will issue €8 million in shares worth €5 each, with a fixed interest rate of 4.5 per cent per year for the 2025 to 2029 cycle.

Recently, the Lisbon club reported a profit of €40.3 million for the first half of the 2024/25 season.

Previous boss issues

Lat year, Benfica issued a bond of €35 million for the 2024-27 cycle, which was later increased to €50 million, according to 2Playbook.

According to their latest financial statements, the club delivered transfer capital gains of €87 million, marking a 53 per cent increase, in comparison to the same period the previous year.

Manchester City want the Premier League to foot a legal bill worth more than £20 million, after winning their legal case regarding the English top flight’s Associated Party Transition (APT) rules, as revealed by The Times.

In February, an independent tribunal declared that the Premier League’s APT regulations were ‘void and unenforceable’, ruling in favour of the current champions. Although the tribunal has not yet finalised the apportionment of costs for the case, City are planning to apply for the league to cover the legal fees.

The league first introduced its APT rules in 2021, following the Saudi-backed takeover of Newcastle United, as part of a clampdown on partnerships between clubs and companies with ties to their ownership.

City’s latest case against the Premier League

According to recent reports, City have launched a separate legal challenge against the league’s APT rules, claiming that other clubs have an unfair advantage due to shareholder loans from their owners.

City reportedly consider this to be an unfair advantage, with Everton and Arsenal receiving £450 million and £259 million respectively in shareholder loans during the 2022/23 season.
 

DAZN has lost ‘between €200 and €250 million’ in first year of Ligue 1 broadcast deal

DAZN has lost between €200 million and €250 million this season from its Ligue 1 domestic rights agreement with France’s Professional Football League (LFP), according to a report by L’Équipe.

DAZN is just one year into a five-year broadcast agreement with LFP, which is reportedly worth an average of €375 million annually, and will run until 2029. The broadcaster is set to pay €325 million for the first year of the deal, as well as €35 million in additional costs, including salaries, travel expenses, and marketing.

Since the Ligue 1 season kicked off, DAZN has only gained 500,000 subscribers, according to the company’s lawyer, meaning it has generated €120 million from them. If these figures are accurate, this means the network has lost €240 million this year, after paying a total €360 million for the league’s rights.

DAZN’s dispute with Ligue 1

In February, DAZN initiated legal action against the LFP, demanding €573 million in compensation over alleged ‘breaches’ and ‘market dishonesty’. The company would later drop this case, with a mediator brought in by the Paris Commercial Court to help resolve its dispute with LFP.

Despite this, RMC Sport reported earlier this month that DAZN is looking to terminate its Ligue 1 deal at the end of the 2024/25 season.
 

Luis Campos likely to leave Paris Saint-Germain at the end of the season

Luis Campos looks set to leave Paris Saint-Germain at the end of the 2024/25 season, as reported by RMC Sport.

The 60-year-old Portuguese and the newly crowned Ligue 1 champions are yet to agree a new deal, and with Campos’ contract set to expire in June, negotiations appear to have stalled.

Campos joined PSG in 2022 as the club’s football advisor, effectively serving as sporting director, but a renewal now appears unlikely.

Campos has support of PSG manager and president

Last week, PSG manager Luis Enrique expressed his desire for Campos to remain at the Parc des Princes, telling reporters: “I would like Luis Campos to continue at the club. I started with him, I would like to finish with him.”

PSG president, Nasser Al-Khelaïfi, also shares these sentiments, wanting Campos to remain at the club.

The Court of Genoa has ruled in favour of Genoa, rejecting the attempt of 777 Partners lender A-Cap to block the takeover of the Serie A club.

In a statement, Genoa said that the court ‘fully accepted’ the arguments put forward by the club’s legal team.

In January, A-Cap claimed that it still owned the Italian club, and did not agree to its €45 million sale to Romanian businessman Dan Sucu, which was announced in December.

A-Cap’s ownership claim over Genoa

777 Partners collapsed in October, forcing the company to sell its shares in football clubs including Genoa.

According to A-Cap, the US insurance firm had provided a €440 million loan to Genoa in 2023, which included various powers, including voting rights. However, the Court of Genoa has refuted this claim, concluding that any alleged voting power cannot be enforced.

Genoa said in a press release: ‘it was determined that [A-Cap] is not and has never been the holder of the right to challenge the Shareholders’ Meeting Resolution, as it is not listed among the shareholders of Genoa CFC.’
 

Southampton make £5.7 million profit for 2023/24 due to player trading profit

Southampton have reported a post-tax profit of £5.7 million in the English club’s financial statements for the year ended 30th June 2024.

These figures, which mark a significant increase on last year’s loss of £70.5 million for the 2022/23 season, are primarily driven by the club’s £123 million profit on player sales, mainly driven by a reported £53 million sale of Romeo Lavia to Chelsea.

However, following their relegation from the Premier League to the Championship, Southampton’s revenue fell from £145.5 million to £84.8 million.

The cost of relegation

The reduction in turnover for 2023/24 is mainly due to a drop in broadcast revenue, which almost halved, dropping from £108 million to £56 million as a result of the club being relegated to England’s second tier.

Match-day revenue meanwhile decreased from £19.2 million to £16.2 million, while commercial revenue dropped from £15.6 million to £10.1 million.
 

Norwegian club Brann win appeal against UEFA over ‘UEFA Mafia’ chants

Norwegian club Sportsklubben Brann have won their case against UEFA at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), after European football’s governing body fined them for ‘UEFA Mafia’ chants.

Last year, Brann were handed a €5,500 fine from UEFA after their fans sang ‘UEFA Mafia’ during a Women’s Champions League fixture against Austrian club St. Pollen.

After UEFA claimed that this constituted a breach of its regulations, the club subsequently launched an appeal, arguing that the comments were made in a satirical content, and were justified.

The CAS determined that the use of ‘UEFA Mafia’ indeed did have satirical intent, and therefore ‘cannot be considered offensive of provocative’, according to a statement shared to the club’s website.

Brann president hails CAS ruling

“We are very pleased with the verdict from CAS,” said Aslak Sverdrup, president of Brann.

“It's not every day that a club from Norway moves the whole of football Europe, but today we actually do it. In a world where freedom of expression is under pressure, this is an important and correct judgment," adds the chairman.
 

LaLiga requests precautionary measures to prevent Dani Olmo and Pau Victor from playing for FC Barcelona

LaLiga has requested that Spain’s National Sports Council (CSD) impose precautionary measures that will prevent Dani Olmo and Pau Victor from playing for FC Barcelona for the remainder of the 2024/25 season.

Last week, the CSD granted permission for the two players to continue playing for the club for the rest of the current campaign. This came after the club launched an appeal, after initially missing the 31st December deadline to register the aforementioned players.

LaLiga has now appealed against this ruling, and is seeking an ‘urgent judicial response’ to support ‘competitive balance’ within Spanish football.

LaLiga claim ‘violation of regulatory framework’

In a statement, LaLiga said: "The resolution seriously violates the regulatory framework concerning financial fair play and the processing of sporting licences.

"It undermines the general interest of the competition and compromises its integrity by violating the principle of equality between clubs. All of the above justifies the need for an urgent judicial response."
 

Former City Football Group executive set to join Fenway Sports Group

The Former City Football Group (CFG) executive Laurie Shaw is set to join Liverpool owner Fenway Sports Group (FSG), as reported by The Athletic.

Shaw will reportedly join the organisation in the next few weeks, after being placed on gardening leave by CFG in January.

Previously, he had served as director of football data at CFG since 2021.

Shaw’s next chapter

In his new role, The Athletic reports that Laurie will work across a number of sports.

The US organisation owns a number of teams outside of football, including MLB’s Boston Red Sox, the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins, and Nascar’s RFK Racing.

Manchester City have claimed that rival Premier League clubs have an unfair advantage, due to them receiving significant shareholder loans from their owners, as reported by The Times.

In the 2022/23 season, Arsenal received £259 million in shareholder loans, while Everton benefited from £450 million. The previous year, Brighton secured shareholder loans worth £406.5 million, while Leicester City received £265 million.

City reportedly believe that independent experts should have been consulted by the Premier League, in order to review whether they were at free market value. In their latest case against the Premier League, the club are claiming they have received ‘different treatment’ to other clubs.

According to City, the aforementioned shareholder loads were not assessed with the same level of scrutiny as their own Associated Party Transactions (APT), which include sponsorship agreements with companies connected to the club’s ownership.

City’s case against APT rules

First introduced in 2021 following Newcastle United’s takeover by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), the Premier League’s APT rules are intended to clamp down on partnerships between clubs and associated parties relating to their ownership, in order to ensure that they are of fair market value.

After the tribunal determined that the APT rules are ‘void and unenforceable’ in February, City are now arguing that the English top flight should return to its previous regulations prior to 2021.

In a statement, City said: “This continued preferential and discriminatory treatment of shareholder loans has the object and/or effect of distorting economic competition between member clubs on affected markets.”

Chelsea seek UEFA settlement after FFP breach

Chelsea have confirmed talks with UEFA, after the English club exceeded the loss limit of European football’s governing body for the 2023/24 season.

Unlike the Premier League, UEFA does not allow clubs to include revenue from selling assets to sister companies in their financial statements.

In Chelsea's annual report for 2023/24, the club reported a pre-tax profit of £128.4 million, which was primarily driven by the the £200 million sale of Chelsea Women to BlueCo, the consortium between Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital which took over the team in 2022.

Chelsea’s UEFA settlement

As reported by The Times, Chelsea have exceeded this, and are now engaged in talks with the organisation over a settlement. The publication says the West London club could potentially face sanctions including a financial penalty, and could agree to a three-year spending ban.

The outcome of the settlement is reportedly set to be revealed by UEFA in ‘mid-May’.

Football finance lender OLB acquired by French banking group

Oldenburgische Landesbank (OLB), a German lender known for its involvement in football finance—particularly in funding services such as transfer receivables—has been acquired by French banking group Crédit Mutuel Alliance Fédérale.

The move comes as something of a surprise, given the northern German bank, backed by private equity giant Apollo, had long been weighing a stock market listing.

Crédit Mutuel's acquisition of OLB will be executed through its subsidiary, Targo Deutschland GmbH. While financial terms were not officially disclosed, Reuters reports the deal values OLB at close to €2 billion.

Gaining ground in the Premier League

Last year, OLB and other European banks were granted permission to lend to Premier League clubs, gaining access to the world’s most lucrative football market.

For years, lenders specialising in football receivables finance had lobbied for changes to the Premier League’s regulations, which were originally put in place to prevent potentially questionable lenders from operating in the space. Until recently, only UK-based deposit-taking institutions were permitted to provide loans to clubs.

Sheffield United report £16.6 million profit for 2023/24

Sheffield United’s former parent company, Blades Leisure Group, have revealed a profit of £16.6 million for the year ended 30th June 2024.

This marks a significant uptick on last year’s financial statements, when Sheffield reported a club record loss of £31.4 million for the 2022/23 season.

The Yorkshire club’s revenue more than doubled following their promotion to the Premier League for the 2023/24 campaign, rising from £64.3 million to £138.2 million.

Sheffield spent last season in the English top flight, before being relegated back to the Championship.

Change in ownership

In December, Sheffield were subject to a reported £100 million takeover, after Blades Leisure Limited was sold to COH Sports, a US consortium led by Steven Rosen and Helms Eltoukhy.

The arrival of the club’s new owners marked the end of Prince Abdullah Bin Mosaad Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud’s 11-year tenure at Bramall Lane.

CAS hearing set over Club Leon's Club World Cup ban

Mexican teams Club Leon and CF Pachuca have both submitted appeals to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) regarding FIFA’s decision to eject Club Leon from this year’s Club World Cup.

Last month, FIFA confirmed Club Leon would be excluded from the tournament, after deeming that the two teams did not comply with the organisation’s multi-club ownership rules, with both clubs owned by Grupo Pachuca.

On 31st March, FIFA revealed it was weighing up the prospect of a one-game qualification playoff between MLS club LAFC and Mexican team Club America, with the winner to replace Club Leon in the competition.

Hearing set for next month

CAS has confirmed that the expedited appeals will be heard during the week of 5th May, regarding Club Leon’s status in the Club World Cup.

This summer’s expanded Club World Cup will comprise 32 teams for the first time, and will be held in the US from 14th June to 13th July.

Real Madrid received record prize money of €138.8 million from UEFA following their Champions League win, as per UEFA’s 2023/24 financial report.

That figure marks a slight increase on last year’s Champions League prize money of €134.9 million, when Manchester City lifted the trophy for the first time.

European football’s governing body also revealed Italian club Atalanta earned €33.9 million for their Europa League win, while Europa Conference League champions West Ham United received a payout of €22.1 million.

Record revenue for UEFA

Overall, UEFA generated its highest ever revenue of €6.8 billion from the 2023/24 season, and subsequently distributed a record €1.6 billion in solidarity payments.

The organisation cited the success of last summer’s men’s Euro 2024 championships in Germany, alongside its club competitions, as key drivers for the record figure.

UEFA elects new 11-member Executive Committee at UEFA Congress in Belgrade

UEFA has elected its new Executive Committee during the organisation’s 49th UEFA Congress in Belgrade, where all 55 national association presidents and general secretaries across Europe attended.

The UEFA Executive committee will comprise 11 members in total, eight of which will serve a four-year term. These include Italy’s Gabriele Gravina, and Germany’s Hans-Joachim Watzke, who were both re-elected, as well as Norway’s Lise Klaveness, Croatia’s Marijan Kustić, Finland’s Ari Lahti, Armenia’s Armen Melikbekyan, the Netherlands’ Frank Paauw, and Estonia’s Aivar Pohlak.

Serving a two-year term on the committee will be Spain’s Rafael Louzan, and Israel’s Moshe Zuares. Meanwhile Swiss Super League CEO Claudius Schäfer was ratified as the European Leagues representative on the committee, and will serve a four-year term.

Infantino calls for Russia to return to “football landscape”

Also during the UEFA Congress, FIFA President Gianni Infantino said in his speech that he hopes Russia can “soon” be reinstated into international football, if the country reaches a peace deal with Ukraine.

“As talks are going on for peace in Ukraine, I hope we can soon move to the next page - bring back Russia in the football landscape, because this would mean that everything is solved,” said Infantino.

Spanish Government allows Dani Olmo and Pau Victor to continue playing for FC Barcelona

The Spanish Government has given permission for Dani Olmo and Pau Victor to continue to play for Barcelona for the remainder of the 2024/25 season.

The Spanish Football Council (CSD) ruled in favour of Barcelona, following an appeal from the club, after they missed the deadline of 31st December to register the players. In the meantime, the CSD offered Olmo and Victor temporary permission ahead of the definitive ruling.

Earlier this week, LaLiga issued a statement saying that Barcelona would have their salary cap reduced by €100 million, after the club failed to disclose a €100 million VIP seats deal in their financial statements. This means the club did not have the space to register either of the players.

LaLiga appeals

In a statement LaLiga have announced that it will appeal the decision of The Spanish Football Council (CSD).

"LALIGA reiterates its commitment to legality, fair competition and the objective application of the regulations on financial fair play and player registration. For these reasons, and as LALIGA does not consider the resolution legally valid, it will file an immediate appeal".

Luton Town report record profit for club’s first Premier League season

Luton Town generated a record operating profit of £48 million for the club’s first ever season in the Premier League, as per their financial statements for the year ended 30th June 2024.

The club also delivered record revenue of £132.3 million for 2023/24, marking an increase of more than £100 million on the previous year’s figure of £18.4 million.

Meanwhile, Luton’s earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) more than quadrupled from £13.7 million to £60 million.

The cost of Premier League football

For the 2023/24 season, Luton’s operating costs more than doubled, rising from £39.5 million to £85 million, following the club’s promotion from the Championship.

Despite the club spending more than £25 million on new player signings, they were unable to retain their Premier League status, after being relegated at the end of last season.

Chelsea’s sale of women’s team ‘yet to be approved’ by Premier League

The Premier League have not yet determined that Chelsea’s sale of Chelsea Women was at fair market value, according to The Times.

Earlier this week, the club reported a £198.7 million profit from selling their women’s team last year to BlueCo, the consortium led by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital that has owned Chelsea since 2022.

The women’s team alone have an estimated value worth ‘considerably more’ than £150 million.

PRS concerns

Football finance expert Kieran Maguire told The Times that he would have expected Chelsea Women to have a valuation of £20 million to £30 million. Christina Philippou, a professor in accounting and sport finance at the University of Portsmouth, told the publication that she estimated the team to be worth £50 million and £80 million.

If the Premier League deems that Chelsea artificially inflated the valuation of the women’s team, the club could potentially face sanctions for breaches of its profit and sustainability rules (PSR) regulations.

The sale of Chelsea Women took place on 28th June, just two days before the end of the 2023/24 financial year on 30th June.

LaLiga has reduced Barcelona’s salary cap by €100 million, after the club did not include the €100 million sale of VIP boxes at the Spotify Camp Nou in their financial statements.

The league says that Barcelona’s auditor, Crowe Spain, failed to mention the sales of the VIP seats in their accounts for the first half of the 2024/25 season, meaning the club is in breach of fair play regulations.

In January, LaLiga increased Barcelona’s Club Squad Cost Limit (SCCL), enabling the club to register new players, including Dani Olmo and Pau Victor. This came after the league confirmed receiving documentation soft an auditor which stetted that the sale had been completed on 3rd January.

Despite this, Barcelona’s new auditor did not include the €100 million deal in the club’s financial accounts.

LaLiga’s stance

LaLiga said in a statement: ‘No amount of (the VIP tickets sales) is finally recorded in the Profit and Loss account, contrary to what had been certified by the club and the auditor at the time of the execution of said operation.

‘LaLiga informs that it will report to the Institute of Accounting and Auditing of Accounts (ICAC) the auditor who was appointed by the Club on December 31, 2024 , and who certified the accounting of the aforementioned corporate operation in the Club's Profit and Loss account.’

DAZN prepared to terminate Ligue 1 partnership after just one year

DAZN is prepared to terminate its domestic broadcast rights agreement with Ligue 1 at the end of the 2024/25 season, as reported by RMC Sport.

Last year, the London-headquartered broadcaster inked a five-year deal with the French Football League (LFP) for Ligue 1 rights, which is worth €400 million annually.

However, DAZN and Ligue 1 have found themselves at odds in recent months, after the media company defaulted on its full payment for February, and invoked legal action against the LFP, seeking €573 million in compensation due to alleged ‘breaches’ and ‘market dishonesty’.

DAZN’s concerns ‘understandable’

Since last month, DAZN resumed discussions with Ligue 1, alongside a mediator, which told the network that their complaints over product promotion were ‘understandable’.

DAZN are subsequently looking to end their deal before its two-season exit clause, which can be activated in December 2026. The broadcaster is also reportedly considering defaulting on its next payment, due on 30th April.

Leicester City announce £19.4 million loss for 2023/24

Leicester City have revealed a pre-tax loss of £19.4 million for the period ended 30th June 2024, down from £89.5 million the previous year.

Leicester’s turnover dropped from £177.3 million to £105.3 million for 2023/24, primarily due to the club’s relegation to the Championship at the end of the 2022/23 season.

Accordingly, the club saw their broadcast revenue decrease from £60.3 million to £54.2 million, while sponsorship revenue fell from £32.1 million to £21.5 million.

PSR Concerns

Last year, Leicester were charged by the Premier League for alleged breaches of the English top flight’s profit and sustainability (PSR) rules. This came after the club made total losses of £215.3 million over a three-year period between 2020 and 2023, more than double the PSR’s limit of £105 million over three seasons.

This was later overturned following a successful appeal from the club, which determined that the Premier League lacked the jurisdiction to sanction them when the team was competing in the Championship. The club however could potentially face charges from the English Football League (EFL), which prohibits teams from making losses of £39 million over three years.

DFL announces extra summer transfer window for German clubs

The German Football League (DFL) has announced an additional summer transfer window for the Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2, which will be open from 1st to 10th June.

The move comes as part of a plan to allow teams to conduct transfer business ahead of the FIFA Club World Cup, which will take place between 14th June and 13th July.

Two German clubs - namely Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund - will compete in this year’s tournament.

FIFA grants extra window to sign players

Ahead of this summer’s Club World Cup, FIFA has granted member football associations the authority to open an ‘exceptional registration window’ before the competition kicks off.

Recently, the Premier League also confirmed plans for an extra transfer window, which will also open on 1st June, before closing on 10th June.

Leeds United to avoid PSR sanctions despite latest £60.8 million loss

Leeds United have reported a loss of £60.8 million for the 2023/24 season, following the club’s relegation from the Premier League to Championship.

Over the last year, Leeds’ revenue decreased from £190 million to £128 million. This came as a result of central distributions dropping from £94.1 million to £51 million, after being relegated after the 2022/23 season.

Commercial revenue across sponsorship, advertising and other events dropped from £18.3 million to £9.5 million.

Leeds expected to fall with PSR limit

In light of the club’s latest financial statement, Leeds have made a combined loss of £131.2 million over the last three seasons, after making losses of £33.7 million and £36.7 million in 2022/23 and 2021/22 respectively.

The Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules (PSR) prohibit clubs from making losses of more than £105 million over a three-year period, however Leeds are estimated to be between £15 million and £20 million under the limit, as reported by The Athletic.

Reading face latest setback ahead of sale deadline

Reading owner Dai Yongge’s offer to Rob Couhig to lift his security over the English club’s Madejski Stadium home and training ground, has been rejected, according to a report from The Guardian.

The club penned a letter to Couhig, which offered to place some of the funds of the club’s proposed sale to Robert Platek into a frozen escrow account.

Platek entered exclusive talks to purchase Reading in February, however the proposed takeover hit a snag over a potential conflict of interest. The US businessman is the co-head of BDT & MSD Partners, which had previously lent money to multiple English teams.

Couhig meanwhile is currently in the midst of a legal dispute with Reading, after his proposed takeover of the club fell through last year. The former Wycombe Wanderers owner, who previously loaned £5 million to Reading, is seeking £12 million for loss of opportunity. Despite this, the US businessman is still aiming to buy the club.

Reading need to find buyer ahead of 5th April

Last month, incumbent Reading owner, Chinese businessman Yongge, was disqualified by the English Football League (EFL), who handed the club a deadline of the Saturday 5th April to find a new buyer.

If the club fail to finalise a sale beforehand, the EFL will consider various options, which could include suspending Reading or preventing the team from playing.

Ipswich Town made a £39.3 million loss for the period ended 30th June 2024, up from £18.1 million last year.

The overall loss comes despite a 71 per cent increase in turnover, which rose from £21.8 million in 2022/23 to £37.3 million for 2023/24.

Meanwhile, Ipswich’s commercial revenue more than doubled over this period, increasing from £5.4 million to £11 million.

Club are compliant with EFL’s financial rules

Although Ipswich’s losses were up by 116 per cent over the last year, largely driven by an increase in wages from £19.8 million to £44.5 million, the club say they are compliant with the English Football League’s (EFL) profit and sustainability (P&S) regulations.

P&S rules prohibits clubs from losing more than £39 million over a three-year period, or making an average loss of £13 million annually for three years.

Ipswich say that their average loss of £11.6 million a year therefore falls within this threshold, which applies as due to the club’s participation in the EFL's Championship and League One for the previous three seasons, prior to their promotion to the Premier League.
 

St. Pauli raise €27 million from subscriptions to new FCSP cooperative

FC St. Pauli have generated €27 million through the sale of 21,000 subscriptions to the Football Cooperative Sankt Pauli 2024 eG, the club have announced.

The Hamburg-based club opened its subscription period for the cooperative Sankt Pauli in November last year, selling €850 shares as part of a plan to raise €30 million, with the objective of acquiring a majority stake in the club’s Millerntor Stadium home.

St. Pauli’s FCSP cooperative serves as the first of its kind in German professional football, and will hold its first ever general meeting in June.

Club president “infinitely grateful” for community support

Oke Göttlich, president of FC St. Pauli, said: "We are stunned and infinitely grateful for this tremendous outpouring of support from our community.

“The people who hold FC St. Pauli in their hearts or who sympathise with our path have sent a clear message: a different financing approach in professional football is possible.”
 

Ligue 1 clubs blast DAZN and LFP in newly released audio recordings

French journalist Fabien Touati has released new audio clips from meetings between Ligue 1 club presidents on 14th February on the L’After Foot podcast.

At the time, Ligue 1 was embroiled in a legal standoff with broadcast partner DAZN, after the media company withheld its payment for February, and initiated legal action against the Professional Football League (LFP), demanding €573 million in compensation for alleged contract breaches and ‘market dishonesty’.

In the recordings, numerous club presidents criticised DAZN’s Ligue 1 coverage, while some expressed concerns over the French top flight’s governance by the LFP. Le Havre president, Jean-Michel Roussier, can be heard saying: “DAZN, why is this in court? Because they have been making a mess from the beginning.

“They made a mistake in their business plan. They are the only ones in the world who imagined getting 1.5 million subscribers with the crap product they deliver to us.”

LFP’s governance also called into question

Lens president, Joseph Oughourlian, meanwhile criticised the leadership of LFP president, Vincent Labrune.

“The management of the League, Vincent Labrune in particular, the management of the College, Jean-Pierre Caillot, have a very important responsibility in this f****** disaster that is ours,” said Oughourlian.

“It leaves me speechless. I would like these people to take their responsibilities but it is far too much to ask of them.”
 

Sheffield Wednesday fail to pay player salaries for March

Sheffield Wednesday have failed to pay their players’ salaries for the month of March, the English club confirm.

Wednesday say the ‘temporary issue’ with payments is due to ‘significant sums of money' owed to the businesses of chairman Dejphon Chansiri.

"The chairman is working hard to resolve this situation at the earliest possible opportunity and in the meantime thanks everyone for their patience and understanding," the club announce in a statement.

Wednesday’s financial issues

Since Chansiri led a consortium that took over the club in 2015, Wednesday have encountered numerous issues relating to club finances.

Last November, the English Football League (EFL) placed a registration embargo on the team due to money owed to the UK Government’s HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). Previously, in October 2023, Chansiri called for fans to raise £2 million in order to help the South Yorkshire club cover their debt to the HMRC, and to pay wages.