FIFA is set to pay $1 billion in prize money to the 32 participating clubs in this year’s Club World Cup.

The European Club Association (ECA) is representing the 12 European teams during the negotiations.

As reported by BBC Sport, this agreement is partly based on FIFA’s global broadcast rights partnership with DAZN, which was announced in December and is believed to be worth $1 billion.

Revamped Club World Cup

The inaugural edition of the Club World Cup under its new format is set to take place across the US between 14th June and 13th July.

The expanded tournament will feature 32 teams, up from seven in previous editions, and will be staged once every four years.

Rangers takeover ‘agreed in principle’

Rangers FC's proposed takeover led by US businessman Paraag Marathe has been ‘agreed in principle’, according to UK media.

Discussions regarding the takeover have been taking place since last October, with the agreement expected to be finalised ahead of the 2025/26 season.

Marathe serves as the president of 49ers Enterprises, the investment arm of the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers, which completed a reported £170 million takeover of Leeds United in July 2023. Since then, he has also been the chairman of the English Championship club.

Next steps

A period of due diligence will now take place, as the legal paperwork is drawn up.

The US investment group will reportedly acquire a shareholding of at least 51 per cent in the club, including their boardroom.

Italy’s Senate Commission approves return of football betting sponsorship deals

Italy’s Senate Culture and Sports Committee has approved new guidelines for Italian football, which will enable the return of betting sponsorship.

Italian clubs had been unable to sign gambling partnerships since the Dignity Decree was imposed in 2018.

A number of Serie A and Serie B teams have requested for the ban to be lifted, as it may hinder their financial stability.

Italian political parties divided on return of gambling sponsors

The proposals for reform in Italian football were presented by senator Paolo Marcheschi of Fratelli d’Italia on Wednesday 5th March.

Italy’s 5 Star Movement and the Democratic Party both expressed their opposition to the new reform.

UK clubs should fund £70 million cost for match policing, says UKFPU lead

UK Football Policing Unit (UKFPU) lead, Chief Constable Mark Roberts, has called for English and Welsh football clubs to fund their own policing costs in an article published by The Times.

Roberts told the British publication that clubs have the capacity to spend “close to £400 million in a transfer window”, yet will not finance the £70 million cost of policing games.

Although the UK Government is prepared to open a formal consultation process, Roberts believes there to be potential opposition within its Department for Culture, Media, and Sport, adding that it is difficult to discuss the matter with the UK’s secretary of state, Lisa Nandy.

The cost of policing

During the 2023/24 season, the total sum of £71.69 million bill for match policing across England and Wales reached £71.69 million, as per the UKFPU.

However, clubs only covered £14.87 of that fee, with public money being used to cover the remaining £56.82 million.

Infantino confirms plans for 2026 World Cup final halftime show

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has confirmed plans for a Super Bowl-style halftime show at the 2026 World Cup final.

British band Coldplay’s frontman Chris Martin and manager Phil Harvey have been appointed in order to help the selection process for artists who will perform at the showpiece match.

“I can confirm the first ever half-time show at a Fifa World Cup final in New York New Jersey,” Infantino wrote in a post shared on Instagram.

First ever World Cup halftime show

In September, Football’s global governing body initially revealed plans for a half-time show for the first time in its history.

Next year’s final will be staged at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, the home of the New York Giants and New York Jets, with further details yet to be revealed.

RCD Mallorca, the club based on the popular holiday island, are currently competing in their fourth consecutive season in the Spanish topflight, marking a period of stability and growth for the club. 

With millions of international tourists visiting the island each year, RCD Mallorca are striving to establish themselves as more than just a football club. Leveraging the worldwide recognition of the island’s name, they aim to capitalise on this unique appeal and broaden their reach.

Over the past few years, the club have invested in stadium renovations to enhance the matchday experience for the people of Mallorca while also looking beyond Spain’s borders to expand their global presence.

A key figure in this evolution is Andy Kohlberg. Since 2016 he has been a co-owner of RCD Mallorca, when he acquired a controlling stake in the club along with Robert Sarver and Steve Nash. In 2023, Kohlberg bought out Sarver's shares, becoming the majority shareholder and president of the club.

In an interview with Off The Pitch, the American former professional tennis player outlined the club's strategy to improve the matchday experience and increase the matchday revenue and commercial income, under his leadership.

Transforming the matchday experience

Playing in LaLiga for the fourth consecutive season, RCD Mallorca have enjoyed considerable success on the pitch in recent years. According to Kohlberg, the sporting sector, including the coach and players, is the main reason for this success. However, off-pitch factors have also played a key role in shaping the club’s overall progress and development. 

“I think the stadium renovation has been a big factor in taking the club to another level. We have more season ticket holders, we have more sponsors, we're more involved in the island,” Kohlberg explains.

The club have upgraded the stadium with new amenities, such as a dedicated venue for fans to socialise and facility for athlete conditioning, aiming to create a more vibrant and active venue for the fans and people of Mallorca. The vision extends beyond just matchdays, with a focus on turning the stadium into a year-round destination. 

“We just opened the sports bar and the sports performance clinic inside the stadium. So, we're doing lots of things to really make it a hub where instead of playing only 19 games a year, we're going to have people there every day,” he adds.

By enhancing the matchday experience and expanding its use beyond football, Mallorca are trying to strengthen their connection with the community while also creating new sources of income.

“We're trying to make it a hub that's used daily, to bring in more revenue, bring in more fans, bring in more people,” says Kohlberg. 

And on matchdays, the experience extends far beyond the 90 minutes on the pitch, with the club working to create a full-day event for fans.

RCD Mallorca aims to accommodate different fan groups by creating designated zones tailored to their preferences. 

“Each zone around the stadium is purposefully marketed and built with programs tailored to a specific audience - some for businesses, some for families, and some for kids - ensuring that each area serves a distinct purpose.”

With the young fans being a priority for the club’s engagement strategy. 

“We're definitely trying to attract kids because if we can make them a fan of the club when they're young, hopefully they stay fans of their club for most of their life.”

According to Kohlberg, these efforts are already making a noticeable difference in fan engagement.

“People are staying longer after the game and coming before the game and having food and spending time, whereas before they would just come 5-10 minutes before the game and then left when the game was over.”

Expanding the club’s global footprint

With over 15 million of tourists visiting Mallorca each year, the club sees an opportunity to expand their international reach.

“Mallorca is an international island, and it makes sense for us to try to take advantage of the name,” Kohlberg says. 

While the club’s name may not be widely recognized around the world, the island itself carries global recognition. 

“They may not know the soccer club Real Mallorca, but they've heard of the island,” Kohlberg says.

The club has tailored strategies for different regions, with a particular focus on Japan and the United States. 

“We have a Japanese sponsor for our jersey, with whom we collaborate, and a partnership with the Japanese football club Shimizu S-Pulse, located south of Tokyo. We've visited there many times.”

Former Mallorca player Takefusa Kubo also played a role in growing the club’s following in Japan. 

“We've retained a lot of the fans that started to watch our games when Takefusa Kubo was playing for us, so it's been successful over there”.

Mallorca should capitalise on their unique position as a popular tourist destination, and in Kohlberg's view, this gives them a significant advantage over their competitors 

“There's no other market in Spain that gets that many millions of tourists other than Madrid and Barcelona.” 

The club are expanding their reach within the tourism sector, forming strategic partnerships to make things like match tickets more accessible to visitors. 

“We have packages with hotels, we're talking to the airlines, even the cruise ships and other partner companies to ensure they inform their tourists about ticket packages for games and events.”

Kohlberg believes these factors set Mallorca apart from other clubs.

“I think we have a lot of ingredients and can make our club different than the typical club in Spain.”

When it comes to future sporting ambitions, Kohlberg hopes RCD Mallorca can maintain their current position and potentially build on it. 

“Continue to be in La Liga and stabilise as a top 10 club fighting for Europa spots.

Off the pitch, the goal is to continue moving in the same direction as in previous  years. 

“On the business side we want to continue to grow the way we have been and to just be at this level consistently that we're at now,” he says. 

Newcastle United made a loss of £11.1 million, as per the club’s financial results for the year ended 30th June 2024.

Despite this, the Premier League club delivered record revenue of £320.3 million for the 2023/24 season, marking a 28 per cent increase on last year’s turnover of £250.3 million. Last year, Newcastle revealed an overall loss of £71.8 million, with the club stating the latest results helping them comply with PSR.

“We are committed to sustainable success and we have started 2025 in a strong position,” said Darren Eales, CEO.

The impact of Champions League status

Newcastle cited the club’s return to the UEFA Champions League for the 2023/24 season as a key factor in their revenue increase over the last year.

The club also revealed a large profit on transfer activity which ammounted to just shy of £70 million, largely driven by sales of Allain Saint-Maximin, Elliot Anderson and Yankuba Minteh.

Newcastle’s commercial revenue rose by 90 per cent, while match-day income saw a 32 per cent increase compared to the 2022/23 season.
 

Serie A exploring prospect of US matches ‘in a window of one to two years'

Serie A is weighing up the possibility of staging matches in the US within the next two years, according to the league’s commercial and marketing director Michele Ciccarese.

Ciccarese told reporters at the league’s New York office: “All the different leagues are discussing the possibility of playing a regular-season game [abroad]." When asked about the timeframe he said: "maybe in a window of one to two years, we will see the league playing if the approvals come."

“If you look at the NFL, they’re playing in Germany, they’re playing in London, they are going to play in Australia. So there are a lot of things happening that make the possibility [more real].”

Legal challenges

FIFA could potentially oppose plans for Serie A fixtures in the US, following its antitrust lawsuit with Relevent Sports over the staging of domestic league matches in other countries. Although Relevent settled its legal battle with FIFA last year, the organisation is still embroiled in a dispute with the United States Soccer Foundation (USSF).

LaLiga has been intent on bringing fixtures to the US for a number of years, with its president Javier Tebas last year confirming hopes for a game in the US during the 2025/26 season.
 

Benfica score €40.3 million net profit for first half of 2024/25

Benfica have generated a €40.3 million net profit for the first half of the 2024/25 financial year, the club have revealed, which is up €22.2 million compared to the same period last year.

Benfica delivered total revenue of €214.3 million, which marks an 18.8 per cent increase on the €180.4 million last year.

They posted commercial revenue of €19.5 million which is down 5.4 per cent, but sponsorship revenue increased by 7.1 per cent.

Decrease in operating income

Although Benfica’s operating income of €105.7 million is down slightly on last year’s figure of €106.4 million, the club states that only €39.7 million in UEFA bonuses were reflected in these accounts until December, down 8.5 per cent compared to 2023/24.

In light of this, Benfica are forecasting an increase of €32.1 million in the club’s financial statements for the next semester, bringing the figure to a total of €71.8 million.
 

Norwich City confirm Norfolk Holdings as majority shareholder

Norfolk Holdings has become the sole majority shareholder of Norwich City. In a statement, the club confirmed the holding company has completed a share conversion securing them an 85 per cent stake in the club.

Norfolk Holdings, which is led by Milwaukee Brewers owner Mark Attanasio, first invested in Norwich in 2022, acquiring a 15.9 per cent stake.

Last year, the US businessman became the joint-majority shareholder of the club, after the group increased their stake to 40 per cent.

Delia Smith no longer majority shareholder

Celebrity chef Delia Smith, and her husband Michael Wynn Jones will retain a 10 per cent share in the Championship club, however they will no longer be a part of their board of directors.

Smith and Wynn, who first became majority shareholders at Carrow Road in 1996, will now serve as Honorary life presidents of the club.

Arsenal are interested in appointing former Atletico Madrid executive Andrea Berta as the Premier League club’s new sporting director, according to The Times.

Arsenal are looking to find a replacement for Edu Gasper, who served in the role until his departure last November.

The 53-year-old Italian left Atletico Madrid in January, following a 12-year tenure at the club.

Competition for Berta’s signature

According to reports in Italy, Berta was also recently shortlisted for a role at AC Milan, along with former Tottenham Hotspur executive Fabio Paratici and former Lazio sporting director Igli Tare.

However, Berta has turned down the chance to join the Serie A side according to Gazzetta dello Sport, favouring a position in the Premier League, and has been learning English ahead of a potential move to the Emirates.
 

Inaugural Women’s Club world Cup set for postponement by FIFA

FIFA is set to delay the inaugural Women’s Club World Cup until at least 2027, according to English media. The first edition of the Women’s Club World Cup was initially slated to take place in January and February 2026.

However, since revealing plans for the new 16-team tournament in May last year, football’s global governing body has yet to confirm further details pertaining to the competition, including its host, format, and qualification process.

The decision to postpone the competition is set to be confirmed during a FIFA Council meeting on Wednesday 5th March.

Smaller version of the competition for next year

As reported by The Athletic, women’s football clubs, confederations and leagues have convinced FIFA to delay the launch of the Women’s Club World Cup, alternatively suggesting a smaller tournament for next year comprising four to six teams.

Under this proposal, this smaller format could take effect in the years between the 16-team version of the tournament, which will be played once every four years.
 

Juventus stock prices reach highest point since 2022

Juventus have seen their stocks increase by 12.03 per cent yesterday, reaching €3.37 per share, as reported in Italian publication Calcio Finanza.

This marks the club’s highest share level since June 2022.

Juventus also sold more than six million shares during the day, and have sold an average of 1.57 million each day over the last three months.

Continued economic growth

Overall, the team’s stocks have risen by 45 per cent since 7th February. The increase in Juventus’ share prices comes as the latest financial boost for the club, who recently revealed a profit of €16.9 million for the first half of the 2024/25 season.

The financial upswing follows the men’s first team’s return to Champions League football of the current campaign.
 

Man Utd consider London office closure as cost-cutting continues

Manchester United are considering terminating their lease on the club’s London office, as reported by The Guardian.

The Premier League club moved into the building in 2023 signing a 10-year contract, following the expiry of a previous 10-year lease on another office in Mayfair.

This move would come as the latest cost-cutting measure at the club, since the arrival of Sir Jim Ratcliffe in February 2024, with the co-owner reportedly believing that the majority of United’s staff should be stationed in Manchester.

Cost-cutting at Old Trafford

Last month, United confirmed that the club would be making 150-200 redundancies as part of a ‘transformation plan’, after the club revealed a net loss of £113.2 million for the 2023/24 season. The club previously made 250 members of staff redundant last summer.

According to recent UK media reports, the club are set to close their staff canteen, with staff being offered free fruit as an alternative.
 

WSL clubs set to vote on plans to scrap relegation from 2026/27

WSL clubs are set to vote at the end of the 2024/25 season on a proposed plan that would see the English women’s topflight scrap relegation between 2026 and 2030, according to UK media.

Under the new proposal, there would be no relegation from the WSL from the 2026/27 campaign, however one team each year would be promoted from the Women’s Championship second tier division for next four seasons.

This comes as part of a plan to expand both the WSL and Women’s Championship to 16 teams by 2030, with relegation set to be reintroduced for the 2030/31 season.

WPLL

Since last August, the top two tiers of English women’s football have been governed by Women’s Professional Leagues Limited (WPLL), a new entity that took the reigns from England’s Football Association (FA), with a view to further expanding and commercialising the women’s game.

Last Friday, WPLL CEO Nikki Doucet reportedly presented these plans to the 23 WSL and Championship member clubs during a shareholders’ meeting. As reported by The Guardian, the clubs are open to continuing discussions regarding the proposals, prior to a vote at the end of the current campaign.

Liverpool have reported a loss of £57 million for the 2023/24 season, marking a £48 million increase on last year’s overall loss of £9 million.

The club delivered commercial revenue of £300 million, which is up £36 million on last year’s results, and sets a new record for the Merseyside club. The opening of the Anfield Road Stand meanwhile accounted for a £22 million match-day revenue increase.

Overall, Liverpool generated revenue of £614 million, compared to £594 million last season.

“The success of our commercial operations, together with the opening of the new Anfield Road Stand, has increased our revenues during this reporting period, which demonstrates our desire to continue to compete at the highest levels of football in the men’s and women’s games,” said Jenny Beacham, chief financial officer at Liverpool.

The impact of missing Champions League qualification

Media rights revenue dropped from £242 to £204 million, which was primarily driven by the club's participation in the UEFA Europa League, as opposed to the Champions League in the previous campaign.

This was the first season in which Liverpool didn’t feature in the elite European competition since the 2016/17 season.

According to the club, the rise in administrative costs from £562 million to £600 million also contributed to the overall loss.

Liverpool additionally made payments of £9.6 million for former manager Jürgen Klopp and his staff, who left Anfield at the end of last season.

Brighton report £73.3 million profit

Brighton have generated a profit before tax of £73.3 million for the 2023/24 season, as revealed in the club’s latest annual accounts.

Brighton reported turnover of £222.4 million which is the highest in their history, and marks an 8.9 per cent increase on last year.

Meanwhile, Brighton’s match-day income climbed to £27.9 million, as the club made its debut in the UEFA Europa League.

Sustained profitability

Last year, Brighton reported a profit of £122.8 million for the 2022/23 accounting period, setting a new record for an English club.

“Overall, the accounts show another healthy profit for the period,” said Tony Bloom, chairman at Brighton.

“We’ve stayed competitive on the field while also making some significant investments in terms of transfer dealings ahead of that June deadline."

Todd Boehly suggests Netflix Premier League broadcasts

Chelsea Co-Owner Todd Boehly has suggested the idea of Premier League matches airing live on Netflix.

Speaking at the Financial Times Business of Football Summit, the 51-year-old American said: “Premier League content is so valuable because it’s so widely demanded.

“How many global platforms are there? Probably just Netflix. If you’re thinking about how do I launch a global product, you do it in partnership with content like this.

“If you really think about what it could do to unlock a global media platform, there’s nothing like this. I’m not saying that is the direct answer right this minute, but I think that’s where we’re headed.”

Netflix’s movement into live sports broadcasting

Over the last year, the global streaming platform has made its first forays into live sports coverage, including streams of the Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson boxing match last August.

Netflix also broadcast two NFL fixtures as part of a double-header on Christmas Day, as part of a plan to reach new audiences globally.

Wolves report £14.3 million loss, despite revenue increase

Wolves have made a net loss of £14.3 million for 2023/24, marking a significant improvement on last year’s loss of £67.2 million.

According to the club's accounts for the year ended 31st May 2024, the club’s revenue rose from £168.6 million to £177.7 million. This was driven largely by the uptick in the Premier League’s broadcast rights revenue.

Wolves matches were broadcast live on 16 occasions during the 2023/24 campaign, compared to 12 in the previous season.

Transfer activity

In terms of sale of player registrations, Wolves generated a profit of £64.6 million, compared to £43.9 million last year, following the sales of former midfielder Ruben Neves, former captain Conor Coady, and Mexican international Raul Jimenez to Al-Hilal, Leicester City, and Fulham respectively.

This was however offset by amortisation and impairment fees on player signings totalling £67.2 million, due to investments into the club’s first team and academy.

DFL is working on a new external investment vehicle

The German Football League (DFL) is set to launch a new external investment vehicle for its member clubs, as revealed by the organisation’s co-CEO Mars Lenz.

Speaking at the Financial Times Business of Football Summit in London on 27th February, Lenz said: “We are discussing various financing potentials. If we’re talking about a €800 million to €1 billion investment over so many years, then risk capital at that size is nearly always private equity. And we’re moving away from that.

“We’re looking at a smaller model. We’ll be ready to push on this from mid-year onwards.”

The DFL’s previous private equity plans

This comes after the DFL’s previous plans for private equity investment were scrapped in February last year, following backlash from German football fans.

The league had been prepared to sell an eight per cent, reported €1 billion share in its media rights business to US private equity firm CVC Capital Partners, after 24 of the 26 teams in the Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 voted in favour of the move back in December 2023.

Supporter groups expressed their opposition to the proposed private equity funding in protests across the country, pushing the DFL to reconsider.

The pressure on clubs to replace or eventually fire a head coach is a constant threat in the life of a manager.

An analysis from Off The Pitch studying all head coach changes (HCC) in 11 seasons from 2013 to 2024 in the Premier League, Bundesliga, Serie A, La Liga, and Ligue 1 concludes that 69.3 per cent of the clubs, which changed their head coach in an ongoing season, had a positive sporting output after the change in terms of growth in scored goals on average, less conceded goals on average and an increase in gained points on average.

The data consists of 371 head coach changes and 13.818 observations (games) from the last 11 seasons in the Premier League, Serie A, Bundesliga, Ligue 1 and La Liga. This data has been used to calculate the sporting outputs and outcomes before and after each head coach changes in an ongoing season. 

This analysis only points out what the output and outcome of the HCC is during the same season. It does not say anything about the new or old head coaches’ motivational and tactical skills or how players may change their attitudes or when it happened during the season.

Positive output, but leagues vary 

For each club with an HCC in a given season, we calculated the average points per game up to the round in which the HCC occurred and compared it with the average from subsequent rounds. Similarly, we analysed scored and conceded goals, averaging both before and after the HCC round for comparison.

If points earned, goals scored, and goals conceded improve after an HCC, the outcome is labelled “positive.” 

A clear example of this is when Bayer Leverkusen replaced Gerardo Seoane with Xabi Alonso after round 8 in the 2022/23-sesaon. Alonso enhanced their gained points on average from 0.63 to 1.5, their scored goals on average from 1.1 to 1.8 and reduced conceded goals on average from 1.8 to 1.3. Bayer Leverkusen moved from number 17 to number 6 and qualified for the Europa League.

If these metrics remain unchanged, it is “neutral.” A decline in points and goals scored, along with more goals conceded, results in a “negative” label.

There are some differences between the leagues. The highest positive output is in the German Bundesliga with 78.6 per cent followed by Serie A, Premier League and Ligue 1. The Spanish La Liga has the lowest positive output.

Better rankings, but consequences are more balanced

We assessed two outcomes. First, we measured ranking changes (minimum one place) before and after an HCC, comparing the league position at the time of the change with the final ranking at the end of the season.

Overall, across all five leagues, a HCC generally leads to a higher league ranking. However, German clubs are particularly effective at converting improved performance into better standings. In the Bundesliga, 64.3 per cent of HCCs resulted in a higher ranking. Similar trends were seen in Ligue 1 (62.7 per cent) and the Premier League (62.5 per cent).

Serie A and LaLiga had lower success rates, with 53.1 per cent and 50.6 per cent, respectively, achieving a lasting improvement. LaLiga had the highest percentage of clubs worsening after an HCC (27.2 per cent), followed by the Premier League (20.8 per cent).

So, what does this mean in terms of definite consequences?  

We analysed each club’s position, focusing on spots 18-20 and 1-7 in the table (Bundesliga: 16-18) before and after the round in which the HCC occurred.

For example, if a club was 19th before an HCC and finished 14th after, the HCC had a positive outcome, as the club avoided relegation. The same applies if a team moved from 14th to 5th, securing European qualification. These cases are grouped as "saved from relegation or qualified for European tournaments."

If an HCC caused movement within the table but outside the key positions (1-7 and 18-20 / Bundesliga 16-18), it is classified as "no difference."

A negative consequence occurs when a club drops out of the top 7 after an HCC or falls into the relegation zone (18-20 / Bundesliga 16-18) from a higher position. These cases are labelled "relegated or missed European qualification."

The differences between the leagues are significant. German clubs are also more effective at turning improved sporting performance into better outcomes, with Bayern Munich providing key examples.

They won the national championship multiple times after an HCC. In 2019/20, Hansi Flick replaced Niko Kovač and took Bayern from fourth to first place. Similarly, in 2022/23, Thomas Tuchel succeeded Julian Nagelsmann and led the club from second to first.

In contrast, LaLiga clubs see positive consequences from an HCC only 25.9 per cent of the time. A notable example is FC Barcelona’s 2019/20 season when Ernesto Valverde was replaced by Quique Setién, leading the team to drop from first to second place.

However, a major tendency in all leagues is that a HCC didn´t result in any significant consequences in terms of qualification or relegation.     

The Italian Serie A and Spanish La Liga lead by far with the most HCCs from 2013/14 to 2023/24. Both leagues have nine extra HCCs than the Premier League. 

Moreover, some of the clubs in the Italian and Spanish leagues are more willing to change head coach more than one time in an ongoing season. 

29 clubs in La Liga had more than one HCC during one season from 2013/14 to 2023/24. In Serie A this number was 16, the Bundesliga had 13 clubs, Ligue 1 had 11 clubs, and the Premier League had 6 clubs. 

Although a head coach’s salary may be costly for a year or two, replacing a coach is quicker and cheaper than changing four or five new players. A HCC is often tied to discussions of opportunity costs.

Ultimately, the decision is weighed against the potential benefits—such as avoiding relegation or securing European qualifications - which far outweigh the costs in terms of a club’s long-term sporting and financial sustainability.

So, does a HCC improve results?

This analysis shows that, in most cases, an in-season HCC has a positive impact on sporting performance. In 69.3 per cent of cases, teams scored more goals, earned more points, and conceded fewer goals. Additionally, 58.3 per cent improved their league ranking. However, the impact on relegation battles and European qualification varies.

Results differ across leagues. Bundesliga clubs tend to benefit the most from an HCC, while teams in LaLiga, Serie A, and the Premier League struggle to translate the positive results into better consequences at the end of the season. 

DAZN has paid the remaining €35 million to France’s Professional Football League (LFP), after initially paying only half of the €75 million due in February for Ligue 1’s domestic broadcast rights.

The London-based media company has also dropped its legal case against the LFP, after demanding €573 million in compensation last week.

During the standoff, the LFP filed an interim order with the Paris Economic Activities Court, with it decision set to be revealed today. DAZN subsequently has settled its payment ahead of today’s deadline.

Crisis nearing a resolution

A statement from the LFP on Thursday said: 'An initial agreement was reached under the terms of which, DAZN having paid the January 2025 deadline, the LFP withdrew from the interim proceedings that it had initiated.

‘Discussions are continuing to try to find an agreement on all the difficulties encountered between the LFP and DAZN.’

Manchester City accused of financial deception by La Liga president

La Liga president Javier Tebas has accused Manchester City of financial deception similar to the Enron scandal, alleging that the club used related companies in the United Arab Emirates to hide losses and improve their balance sheet. Tebas claims that Manchester City have a network of companies outside of the City Football Group structure where they allocate expenses, which do not reflect on the club's accounts.

According to Tebas, this practice allows Manchester City to report lower costs and gain an unfair competitive advantage by signing top-tier players and securing inflated sponsorship revenues.

He stated at the Financial Times Business of Football Summit, "City have a lot of companies in their group which lie outside the City Football Group structure, extra companies where they put their expenses" and compared it to the Enron case where losses were hidden in different companies.

Filed a complain

La Liga has filed a complaint with the European Commission, which is reportedly in the investigation phase. The complaint alleges that Manchester City's financing mechanisms cause serious distortion in the internal market of the European Union and are based on receiving foreign subsidies from the UAE.

Manchester City have not officially commented on these allegations but sources close to the club strongly refute them, pointing to their publicly recorded accounts as evidence of no wrongdoing. These sources also note that Tebas has a history of attacking Manchester City.

Crystal Palace chairman blasts independent regulator plans as ‘paralysing the game’

Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish has claimed the UK Government’s proposal for an independent football regulator is ‘paralysing the game’.

Speaking at the Financial Times Business of Football Summit in London, the 59-year-old expressed his dissatisfaction with plans for a regulator, which would be implemented under the Football Governance Bill.

“We have got the spectre of a government regulator as everybody knows, who unfortunately wants to interfere in all the things we don't want them to interfere in and help with none of the things we actually need help with it feels,” Parish said. "We are now in a complete paralysis because the government have put this spectre of a regulator and have basically paralysed the game and driven it into the courts.”

Plans for a regulator

The bill, which was presented to the UK parliament’s House of Lords in October, will see the introduction of the independent regulator.

The new body will oversee the top five tiers of English football, placing tighter scrutiny on club ownership, and ceding greater representation to fans.

Juventus score €16.9m profit for first half of 2024/25

Italian football giants Juventus have revealed a profit of €16.9 million for the first half of 2024/25 during a Board of Directors meeting.

That figure marks a significant increase of €112 million compared to the €95.1 million loss for the same period last year, and sees the club return to profitability for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic.

Juventus have seen a 53 per cent year-over year uptick in revenue, which has risen from €190.6 million in 2023/24 to €291.6 million. This was boosted by the Torino-based club’s return to the UEFA Champions League for the current season.

Sponsorship impacted by absence of shirt deal

Despite the overall revenue increase, the Serie A outfit reported a 28 per cent drop in sponsorship revenue to €48.2 million, after the club failed to find a front-of-shirt sponsor for the 2024/25 season.

Juventus’ previous agreement with Jeep, which was reportedly worth €45 million annually, expired at the end of the 2023/24 campaign.

Official: Belgian Pro League to expand to 18 clubs from 2026/27

The Belgian Pro League will expand from 16 to 18 clubs from the 2026/27 season, following a club vote at its General Assembly on Thursday 27th February, the league have announced.

The revised structure will see the bottom two teams relegated to Belgium’s second tier, the Challenger Pro League, with the top four placed teams set to qualify for European competitions. The league’s existing play-off format, which has been in place since 2009, will be scrapped.

Next season, the Pro League will feature a modified promotion and relegation system, as it shifts towards its new model. The league will comprise 16 teams until the end of the 2025/26 campaign, as well as playoffs.

Key factors behind the league’s revamp

The decision to expand the Belgian topflight comes as part of a strategy to align its format with that of other European domestic leagues, and is intended to reduce the number of fixtures for each club, while providing greater stability for smaller teams.

“There will be fewer matches from 2026/27 and therefore more flexibility for the larger teams,” said Lorin Parys, CEO of the Pro League. “In addition, this format ensures that all teams have an even number of matches against each other and also meets the demand for more stability from smaller clubs.”

Marseille president handed 15-match ban by LFP

Marseille president Pablo Longoria has been handed a 15-match suspension by the French Professional League (LFP), after his comments last week accusing Ligue 1 of “corruption”.

Despite Longoria issuing a public apology for his remarks earlier this week, the LFP has decided to sanction the Spaniard, who said following Marseille’s 0-3 defeat to Auxerre last Saturday: “This is corruption. I’ve never seen anything like it.

“You can write it down: ‘Pablo Longoria says it’s corruption.’ Everything has been organised. It’s planned, it’s rigged”. The outburst came after a controversial red card during the match, when Derek Cornelius was given a second yellow card.

Fallout from Longoria’s post-game rant

On Sunday, France’s Elite Football Referees Union (SAFE) announced it would be taking legal action against Longoria in the wake of his comments.

The statement from the SAFE said: ‘Losing a match cannot justify questioning the probity of French referees.
‘Evoking an organised corruption system is not only defamatory for the referees evolving in the professional championships: it is proof of ignorance of their work and their commitment to the service of football.’

Former Manchester United CEO Ed Woodward in conversation with Eagle Football Group

According to Sky News, Ed Woodward, the former CEO of Manchester United, is in dialogue with Eagle Football Group.

The organisation currently owns French Ligue 1 club Olympique Lyonnais and has a 45 per cent stake in Premier League team Crystal Palace.

As Eagle Football Group prepares to list on the US Stock Exchange, they are looking to bolster their executive team and advisory. John Textor, the head of the group, has reportedly approached Woodward, who left Manchester United in 2022 after a 17-year tenure with the club, during which he also served as vice-president.

Former investment banker

Woodward is not being lined up to take role at the listed company but more having a dialogue about an advisory role.

The 53-year-old Englishman has a background as an investment banker and his expertise in finance is expected to be a valuable asset to Eagle Football Group as they navigate their upcoming transition to a publicly-traded company.

Leeds United's Chief Executive, Angus Kinnear, is poised to make a significant move by joining Everton at the end of the current season.

The Daily Mail reports that Kinnear is nearing an agreement to transition to Everton, who are undergoing a period of reconstruction under new ownership, The Friedkin Group (TFG), as they prepare to relocate to the new stadium, Bramley-Moore Dock.

TFG is eager to appoint a CEO promptly to spearhead a new chapter for Everton, particularly with an active transfer window on the horizon. Despite this, Kinnear appears committed to remaining at Elland Road until Leeds secures their anticipated promotion to the Premier League.

Without a permanent CEO

Kinnear's contract with Leeds is open-ended, and discussions will be necessary between the two clubs regarding his departure. He joined Leeds in 2017 after stints with West Ham and Arsenal.

Everton has been without a permanent CEO since Denise Barrett-Baxendale's resignation last summer. Colin Chong has been serving as interim CEO.
 

Spurs chairman Daniel Levy ‘pricing out’ potential investors

Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy’s high valuation of the Premier League club is making it difficult for Spurs to find a buyer, according to Bloomberg.

The report reveals that the North London club have held discussions with prospective investors, including American billionaires and US private equity firms, which have repeatedly broken down due to Levy’s lofty asking price and ambition to retain influence.

The 63-year-old, whose tenure at Spurs dates back to 2001, making him the longest-serving Premier League chairman, wants to remain as a stakeholder at the club, either as an investor, or as an executive oversees sporting decision making.

Seeking new investment

Last year, Spurs appointed Rothschild in order to seek potential investors. Spurs confirmed that the club would be seeking new investment, after reporting a loss of £86.8 million for the 2022/23 season, despite delivering revenue of £549.9 million.

Spurs are majority owned by ENIC Sports Inc, which holds a 87 per cent shareholding in the club, and have a valuation of $3.2 billion (£2.53 billion).

French senators to launch new legislation amid LFP and DAZN dispute

French senators Laurent Lafon and Michel Savin are set to submit new legislation pertaining to the ‘organisation, management, and financing of professional sport’.

This comes amid the ongoing legal dispute between Ligue 1’s governing body the French Football League (LFP) and DAZN over the league’s broadcast rights, with the UK-based broadcaster demanding €573 million in compensation earlier this month.

The proposed bill will aim to ‘provide a renewed framework’ for French football, thus preventing a similar crisis from arising in the future.

No details revealed yet

The two senators previously launched a scathing report on the management of French football in October, citing a ‘persistence in error’.

Though no details of the coming legislation have been revealed, the report recommended strengthening control of club and league accounts.

Montpellier owner seeks new investment

Montpellier owner Laurent Nicollin is seeking new investment in the Ligue 1 club, as reported by French media.

Nicollin, whose father Louis acquired the team in 1974, cited the ongoing broadcast rights crisis in French football as cause for concern, with the current legal dispute between LFP and DAZN.

In a document shared with French investment banks Nicollin said, “We are throwing a hook into the sea.” and added: “Before, we were doing well financially. But we were missing more than 30 million at the start of last season. We'll still have to sell players next year.”

Montpellier’s future

In the document, Nicollin also reflected on La Paillade’s league position, with the team currently placed 18th in Ligue 1, and facing relegation to Ligue 2.

He stated that potential partners would help bolster the club’s efforts to make an immediate return to the French topflight, in event of relegation at the end of this season. "We’re looking for partners to prepare for next year,” he said. “Our fall must be less painful at the end of the year.”
 

Italian prosecutors seek trial of former Chievo Verona president Luca Campedelli

Former Chievo Verona president Luca Campedelli is facing calls for a trial from the Public Prosecutor’s Office of Verona on grounds of fraudulent bankruptcy.

Chievo Verona were relegated to Italy’s fourth tier Serie D after filing for bankruptcy in 2021, and subsequently folded.

Calls for Campedelli’s trial come after Italian law enforcement agency, Giardia di Finanza, claim to have found a “fraudulent mechanism” that would enable the club to be viewed more sympathetically by administrators.

This allowed Chievo to “conceal the bankruptcy and erosion of the company’s assets”, as well as enabling the club to register for the league.

Capital gains controversy

Giardia di Finanza’s investigation also claims that transfers of former Chievo players to Cesena and Carpi were “not in line” with their market value, allowing the club to register capital gains of more than €35 million.

In 2018, Chievo received a three point deduction and a fine of €200,000 by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) for reporting “ficticious capital gains”, with Campedelli banned for three months.
 

Reading takeover facing complications over 'conflict of interest'

Reading’s proposed takeover by US businessman Robert Platek has hit a snag over a potential conflict of interest, according to The Guardian.

The League One club confirmed on Monday 24th February that they had granted a period of exclusivity to a prospective buyer, with the takeover subject to approval from the English Football League (EFL).

However, the acquisition could face complications, as US merchant bank BDT & MSD Partners where Platek serves as co-head of global credit, has previously lent ‘tens of millions of pounds’ to other EFL clubs during the covid-pandemic.

Prove no knowledge

It could be necessary for Platek to prove that he has no knowledge of any financial arrangements between MSD and EFL clubs.

As reported in The Guardian, the clubs include Burnley, West Bromwich Albion, Derby County, and Sunderland.

CR Vasco da Gama have filed for bankruptcy, the club announced. A statement from Vasco’s chief executive Carlos Amodeo which was shared to the club’s X page, said, “Club de Regatas Vasco da Gama (CRVG), reiterating its commitment to transparency and respect for the entire Vasco community, informs that it filed a request for judicial recovery of VascoSAF and CRVG at the 4th Business Court of the Court of Justice of Rio de Janeiro, this Monday, February 24th.”

The Brasilero Serie A side have a total debt of €233 million, as reported by Brazilian media. According to Amodeo, judicial recovery is integral for Vasco in order to provide legal certainty, while bolstering the club’s financial stability, and making it more attractive to prospective investors.

The club also confirmed that day-to-day operations, as well as payments to players and staff, will continue. Amodeo added that despite making some “difficult decisions”, the club is determined to overcome its financial woes, stating: “Either we face reality, or we risk repeating the same mistakes of the past.”

Fallout from 777 Partners ownership

Vasco was previously owned by US-based private equity firm 777 Partners, which acquired a 70 per cent, reported €107 million stake in the club back in 2022.

777 lost permanent control of Vasco last May, as the Miami-based investment company grappled with financial difficulties that would lead to its own bankruptcy in October. The Rio-based club had previously been slapped with a transfer ban in October 2023, after failing to make transfer payments.
 

Italian Government ‘set to lift’ betting sponsorship ban

The Italian Government is set to lift its ban on betting sponsorship deals in football, according to a report from Italian newspaper La Repubblica.
Gambling sponsors have been prohibited in Italian football for the last seven years, since the ‘Dignity decree’ was introduced in 2018.

Through the now proposed legislation, 1% of the value from existing contracts from betting partnerships will go towards the construction of new stadiums, and renovations of existing infrastructures.

Part of the proceeds would also be used for the ‘football system’, promoting anti-gambling initiatives and helping develop grassroots football.

Exploiting loopholes

Despite the implementation of the Dignity decree, reigning Serie A champions Inter Milan have been able to circumvent the legislation with their partnership with betting brand Betsson, which takes effect from the 2025/26 season, and is reportedly worth €30 million per year.

Inter were able to bypass the legislation by displaying the name of the Swedish company’s website on the Nerazzurri’s shirts.
 

Plans for new Newcastle United stadium presented to club’s chair

Newcastle United chair Yasir Al-Rumayyan has been presented with plans for the club’s new stadium during a meeting in Northumberland on Monday 24th February, according to The Daily Telegraph.

As reported earlier this month, Newcastle are considering building a new £1.2 billion, 70,000-seat venue. Proposals for a new venue, which would become the Premier League’s second largest stadium after Old Trafford, were discussed with Newcastle’s senior hierarchy in attendance.

The Premier League outfit is also weighing up a renovation of St. James Park as an alternative option, which would see the stadium expand to a capacity of 60,300 with an expected cost of £800 million.

No final decision has been made

The proposed multi-sport stadium would be constructed on some of the same land occupied by the team’s current St. James’ Park home, where they have played since 1892. Though the final decision has not yet been made, the feeling is that PIF will eventually lean towards building a new home ground.

Newcastle’s future stadium plans are now set to be discussed by PIF in Saudi Arabia. Therefore, it could still be some time before any announcements are made.
 

Robert Platek in talks over Reading takeover

US investor Robert Platek has entered talks over a takeover of English club Reading, according to regional news outlet the Reading Chronicle.

On Monday, the League One club revealed that it had entered a period of exclusivity with an unnamed potential buyer, which is now understood to be the 61-year-old American.

Reading have been up for sale for 18 months and have struggled finding new ownership. Last summer a sale came close to Rob Couhig but the deal instead resulted in an ongoing legal battle with current owner Dai Yongge.

Active investor in football

Platek, who is also the owner of Liga Portugal 2 site Casa Pia, recently sold Italian side Spezia after acquiring them in 2021 and now looks set to venture into English football.

He was previously part of a consortium that tried to take over EFL Championship club Sunderland in 2019, before the Black Cats were acquired by Swiss businessman Kyril Louis-Dreyfus.
 

The FSA urges Premier League to support claim for ticket price freezes

The Football Supporters’ Association (FSA) has penned an open letter to the Premier League, calling for a freeze on all ticket prices for the 2025/26 season.

This comes after Premier League clubs Liverpool and Brentford recently announced that they would be freezing their respective ticket prices.
According to the FSA, the issue has arrived at a ‘critical juncture’,after supporter groups of Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa, Arsenal, Fulham, West Ham United and Manchester City joined the FSA’s ‘Stop Exploiting Lotalty’ campaign.

During Sunday’s fixture between Manchester City and Liverpool, fans of both clubs revealed ‘Stop Exploiting Loyalty’ banners at the Etihad Stadium.

The FSA’s request

In the letter, which is addressed to the league’s chief executive Richard Masters, the FSA calls for ‘urgent’ dialogue and transparency between clubs and their supporter organisations regarding ticketing. The FSA has also urged the English topflight to support its call to protect concessionary tickets.

'Many of your rules and guidance on ticketing are 25 years old and we are concerned that clubs do not act in the spirit of those rules,’ the FSA wrote.

‘We all love seeing full stadiums but we have reservations about the approaches taken to fill them. Unfortunately, a severe lack of transparency by the clubs about ticket sale processes, aligned with recent media reports about secondary ticketing site ownership, is only adding to the scepticism about where many tickets actually go.’

Manchester United expect to make a further 150-200 redundancies, the Premier League club have confirmed, as part of a transformation plan to bolster their financial standing and operating structure.

The latest redundancies come amid ongoing financial difficulties at Old Trafford, after United made losses of more than £300 million over the last three years, including a £113.2 million loss for the 2023/24 season. These new measures have been taken in order to ‘improve the club’s financial sustainability and enhance operational efficiency’.

This marks the second wave of departures in the last year, after 250 members of staff were made redundant last July. Last week, Manchester United revealed a £27.7 million loss in in their results for the second fiscal quarter of 2025, following a 12 per cent drop in total revenue.

“Necessary” measures for financial viability

“We are initiating a wide-ranging series of measures which will transform and renew the club,” said Omar Berrada, CEO at Manchester United.
“Unfortunately, this means announcing further potential redundancies and we deeply regret the impact on those affected colleagues. However, these hard choices are necessary to put the club back on a stable financial footing.

“We have lost money for the past five consecutive years. This cannot continue. Our two main priorities as a club are delivering success on the pitch for our fans and improving our facilities. We cannot invest in these objectives if we are continuously losing money.
 

Marseille president apologises for “corruption” comments

Marseille president Pablo Longoria has apologised for his comments after the club’s match against Auxerre, in which he made allegations of “corruption” within French football. Following the 0-3 defeat on Saturday 22nd February, the Spaniard spoke of “corrupiton, real corruption,” after Derek Cornelius received a second yellow card, and was subsequently sent off.

“This is corruption. I’ve never seen anything like it,” he said. “You can write it down: ‘Pablo Longoria says it’s corruption.’ Everything has been organised. It’s planned, it’s rigged. If [Marseille] has a proposal for the Super League, we’ll leave straight away.”

Longoria has now retracted his comments, telling French news agency AFP that it “wasn’t appropriate” to use the word “corruption” in his postgame remarks. He continued: “I'd like to say that there's no corruption in French football. But that there are things that aren't clear and that need to be improved, for everyone, yes.”

FFF responses and potential sanctions

Philippe Diallo, president of the French Football federation (FFF), said in a statement: “I condemn in the strongest possible terms the remarks made by the president and officials of Olympique de Marseille against French refereeing in general and the referee of yesterday’s match, Jérémy Stinat, in particular, to whom I offer my full support."

“Calling into question the integrity of our referees is defamatory, unacceptable and reprehensible,” he added. “Such comments seriously damage the image of our league.”

Despite his apology, Longoria could be handed a suspension by the FFF, which could range from between three and 12 matches, depending on their perceived severity. If suspended, he will also lose his seat on the LFP’s boards of directors.
 

LFP 'unable to negotiate' new Ligue 1 broadcast deal before December

France’s Professional Football League (LFP) will be unable to negotiate a Ligue 1 media rights deal with a new broadcaster before December 2025 amid its legal battle with DAZN, according to L’Équipe.

The current agreement, which was signed last year and is believed to be worth €400 million annually, is set to run until 2029.

A clause within the contact prevents the governing body from entering discussions over a new deal with other broadcasters. A potential breach of this could reportedly result in financial sanctions.

LFP’s legal dispute with DAZN

The LFP is currently embroiled in a legal dispute with the London-headquartered media company, which is demanding €573 million in compensation due to ‘deception on the merchandise’ and ‘observed shortcomings’.

DAZN has subsequently withheld half of its latest payment to LFP for February, paying €35 million of the €70 million due, as reported in L’Équipe.
 

Celta Vigo 'considering' Portuguese club investment

LaLiga club Celta Vigo are considering purchasing a team based in northern Portugal, according to Bloomberg.

The Galicia-based outfit are weighing up potential options to acquire a team based in neighbouring northern Portugal, with second tier side Grupo Desportivo de Chaves under consideration. A takeover would see the Spanish club join the growing list of multi-club ownership groups.

Despite rumoured interest, Francisco Carvalho, president of Grupo Desportivo de Chaves, told Bloomberg that they have not yet been involved in any takeover talks with Vigo.

Growing interest in Portuguese clubs

Last week, Real Madrid and Brazil star Vinicius Junior led a takeover of Segunda Lega club Alverca, a part of a group of Spanish and Brazilian investors.

PSG owners Qatar Sports Investments (QSI) acquired a 21.67 per cent stake in SC Braga back in 2022.