La Liga President Javier Tebas has openly criticized FIFA's plans for an expanded Club World Cup, urging FIFA President Gianni Infantino to abandon the tournament.

Speaking at the European Professional Football Forum in Brussels, Tebas argued that the tournament lacks support from broadcasters, clubs, players, and sponsors.

According to a report by The Athletic, Tebas's remarks come in the wake of a formal complaint lodged by FIFPro and European Leagues with the European Commission against FIFA's anti-competitive practices. This move prompted La Liga to rejoin European Leagues after leaving last year due to disagreements.

Message to the FIFA president

Tebas accused FIFA of failing to consult domestic leagues on key decisions, such as scheduling the Club World Cup every four years, moving the 2022 World Cup to winter, and expanding the men's World Cup from 2026.

He directly addressed Infantino during his speech: "Mr President (Infantino), you know you have not sold the broadcast rights for the Club World Cup, you know you have not sold any sponsorship rights," Tebas said. "Scrap the Club World Cup. It is not needed by the players, the clubs or FIFA."

He also called on FIFA to engage in proper negotiations with leagues and players' unions regarding the international match calendar.

Investigation into PSG's alleged ethnic profiling reopens

A new judicial investigation has been launched into Paris Saint-Germain (PSG)'s alleged ethnic profiling of players during the 2010s, following a complaint by the Human Rights League (LDH), reports French newspaper L'Équipe.

This development comes after an initial probe into the matter was closed without further action in August 2022. The Paris prosecutor's office confirmed the opening of this new investigation last May.

According to the club, which is represented by lawyer Antoine Maisonneuve, "PSG did not commit any discrimination" and the prosecution has already concluded the case without further action.

However, in late 2018, reports by media including Mediapart and Envoyé spécial exposed that PSG's recruitment unit had listed ethnic criteria in their evaluation sheets for young players between 2013 and 2018, categorizing them as "French", "North African", "Caribbean" and "African".

Blames Profiling on Individual

Initially, PSG claimed that this profiling was an individual initiative by the head of the recruitment unit for territories outside the region Île-de-France.

Yet, a document produced by L'Équipe suggested that ethnic criteria were also used by the Île-de-France unit. An internal investigation by PSG found no proven cases of discrimination but acknowledged ethnic profiling and led to a fine of 100,000 euros from the LFP's disciplinary committee in January 2019.

Inter Milan make strategic expansion into Saudi Arabia

Inter Milan is making a strategic move into the Saudi Arabian market by acquiring the MISA-license, which is crucial for any foreign entity looking to operate commercially in the country.

The club announced this expansion during a ceremony at the Ministry of Investment of Saudi Arabia (MISA), with high-profile attendees including Vice President Javier Zanetti and CEO Corporate Alessandro Antonello.

According to the club's statement, this initiative will support Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 by promoting sports culture and talent development.

For the brand presence

Inter aims to extend its brand presence in the Middle East, grow its fanbase, and contribute to the country's sporting sector while also promoting Italian values and traditions.

The club plans to open several Inter Academies across Saudi Arabia, support youth and women's football development, and organize unique experiences to engage with the country’s young population. This expansion is also expected to involve local businesses as part of Inter's global network.

Benfica have acknowledged they are being investigated for match-fixing between 2016 and 2019 but have claimed the accusations are "unfounded" after local prosecutors called for a ban of up to three years if the club was found guilty.

Portuguese media reported that the public prosecutor's office has issued an indictment, which would be the third corruption case against Benfica in just over three years.

According to the local media reports, the public prosecutor's office believed that Benfica granted financial advantages to rivals Vitoria Setubal, who in return deliberately made life easier for the Lisbon club during matches between the two teams.

The main defendant in the trial would be former president Luis Filipe Vieira, who was in charge at the club for 18 years until his arrest in July 2021, in a case involving breach of trust and fraud.

Club “will defend itself”

In a statement, Benfica said the club and its lawyers “will analyse in detail the accusation of which they were notified," noting that the suspicions related to "acts allegedly imputed to its ex-president and a former advisor".

The club added: "Benfica will defend itself, without hesitation, from all unfounded accusations," adding that "from what has already been analysed, these are unfounded".

Premier League meeting over Manchester City-APT rules case postponed

The Premier League’s emergency meeting with clubs scheduled for tomorrow to discuss the legal dispute with Manchester City over its Associated Party Transaction (APT) rules has been postponed.

As reported by The Times, on Monday night clubs were informed that the planned meetings with the league’s legal advisory group and the financial controls advisory group, which were due to take place yesterday, have now been cancelled.

Those key discussions were essential before the emergency meeting in London and clubs have now been told there has been a postponement of that gathering too.

Delayed by a matter of days

According to The Daily Telegraph, the emergency meeting is likely to be delayed by a matter of days rather than weeks.

The newspaper reported that in the week after the findings of the City tribunal were published, several of the other 19 clubs shared extensive levels of detail around their shareholder loan agreements with the competition.

It is understood that the significant variation in terms attached to those deals has played some part in complicating preparations to thrash out a new arrangement.

Manchester United end Sir Alex Ferguson’s ambassadorial contract

Manchester United are to end their ambassadorial deal with Sir Alex Ferguson as the cost-cutting measures at the club driven by co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s INEOS Group continue.

Ferguson has been a global ambassador and club director at Old Trafford since his decision to end his 27-and-a-half year reign as manager and retire in May 2013.

The Scot, who is the most successful manager in United’s history, has been paid an annual salary for his ambassadorial duties but will now step away from that role at the end of this season.

Salary of £2.16 million

The only official reference to Ferguson’s services as an ambassador for United came in the club’s accounts for the 2013/14 financial year.

Under a section about related party transactions, United stated that Ferguson signed an agreement on 17th October, 2013 – less than five months after retiring as manager – to become a global ambassador on a salary of £2.16 million.

The European Leagues and global players' union FIFPro have launched legal action against FIFA over what they allege is abuse of a dominant position in relation to the international calendar.

The two organisations have filed a legal complaint against football’s global governing body with the European Commission after announcing the action back in July. They claim that FIFA has abused its role under European competition law.

The European Leagues represents 39 leagues and 1,130 clubs in 33 countries, including the Premier League, Serie A and Bundesliga. LaLiga is not a member of the European Leagues but is joining the action.

As reported by the BBC, FIFPro expects the European Commission to open a preliminary investigation which could take 12 months. The expectation is that there would then be a decision on whether to open a formal investigation.

Club World Cup

FIFA has previously denied accusations of a failure to consult over recent changes to the calendar, such as the introduction of a 32-team Club World Cup. It has also accused some leagues of "hypocrisy" by sending their players on global pre-season tours.

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has conceded "the match calendar has reached full capacity" but has also said he believes complaints over the issue are from a minority of players.

FIFA to open dialogue on transfer rules after CJEU verdict on Diarra case

FIFA has announced the start of negotiations with stakeholders across the game on its transfer regulations following the ruling by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) earlier this month on the case of Lassana Diarra.

The CJEU ruled in favour of the former French player, stating that specific FIFA Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players (RSTP) –particularly article 17.2 – conflicted with EU law. This article dictates how compensation is paid when a player terminates their contract without just cause.

In a statement FIFA said: "In the coming days, FIFA will formally invite stakeholders to comment on and propose ideas in relation to article 17 of the RSTP (“Consequences of terminating a contract without just cause”) with a view to consolidating the proposals and identifying the best way forward.”

At present, under article 17, a player who terminates a contract before its term "without just cause" is liable to pay compensation to the club, and where the player joins a new club they will be jointly liable for payment of compensation.

Regulatory framework
FIFA’s chief legal & compliance officer Emilio Garcia Silvero said: “FIFA looks forward to developing its regulatory framework further, obviously taking into account views and input from all relevant and affected parties.”

While Diarra's legal team claimed the whole transfer system would change following the CJEU’s ruling, FIFA argued that only part of the regulations would be affected.

beIN Sports ‘owes €27 million to UEFA’ for Euro 2024 broadcast rights

Fresh concerns have emerged over missed payments by beIN Sports after L'Équipe reported that the Qatari-based network is yet to pay UEFA money owed for its broadcast rights to Euro 2024.

According to the French newspaper, beIN Sports owes around €27 million to UEFA after it aired all 51 matches in France during the summer tournament hosted by Germany, 25 of which were broadcast jointly with TF1 or M6.

According to L'Équipe, beIN Sports acknowledges that the payment has still not been made and is justifying it by explaining that a contract has not yet been signed with UEFA due to points waiting to be finalised over a deal that also includes Euro 2028.

Champions League rights

The case is especially sensitive as beIN Sports holds the rights for other UEFA competitions, including the Champions League in various territories, and because the president of beIN Media Group, Nasser al-Khelaïfi, is also president of Paris Saint-Germain, chairman of the European Club Association and a member of the UEFA Executive Committee.

The L'Équipe report follows the revelation earlier this month that beIN Sports has fallen behind on its payments to the LFP for its rights to show Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 matches in France for the new five-year cycle running from 2024/25 to 2028/29.

Premier League CEO Richard Masters has conceded there will be no quick fix to the legal dispute with Manchester City over the league’s Associated Party Transaction (APT) rules.

In a letter to top-flight clubs, seen by The Times, Masters wrote that officials would be taking “the necessary time to develop our proposals and the associated draft rule amendments” following City’s legal challenge. The letter appears to mark a clear change of tone from the Premier League over the issue.

Last week it was announced that an independent panel had found the APT rules break competition law in two specific ways, including that shareholder loans should not be excluded from the rules.

The Premier League released a statement saying it would continue to operate its APT system with changes that “can quickly and effectively be remedied by the league and clubs”.

However, City then responded in an email to clubs that warned against a “knee-jerk reaction” that “would be likely to lead to further legal proceedings with further legal costs”.

Emergency meeting

Sky Sports News has reported that an emergency meeting for the 20 Premier League clubs is due to take place in London on Thursday to discuss the fallout over the City case.

It is understood clubs have provided the league with details of their shareholder loans over the past week, as proposals are drawn up to amend the APT rules and ensure they comply with competition and public law.

Manchester City confirm Txiki Begiristain departure and name Hugo Viana as successor

Manchester City have confirmed the departure of Txiki Begiristain as the club’s director of football and named Hugo Viana of Sporting CP as his replacement.

The announcement follows reports last week that Begiristain was expected to leave at the end of this season.

In a statement, City said: “Txiki will leave his current post following the club’s involvement in this summer’s FIFA Club World Cup and will be succeeded by Hugo Viana of Sporting CP.

“Viana will begin his full-time role in the summer of 2025, but will collaborate with Txiki in the preceding months to ensure a smooth transition.”

Primeira Liga title

Viana was appointed as Sporting's director of football in 2018 and helped the club win the Primeira Liga title in 2020/21 and 2023/24 as they overcame strong competition from Benfica and FC Porto.

SC Freiburg announce record financial results for 2023/24

SC Freiburg have announced a record net profit of €40.8 million and turnover of €203.1 million – also a historic high – for the year ending 30th June 2024.

The figures follow the profit of €16.1 million and turnover of €175.3 million earned in 2022/23 for the Bundesliga club.

Freiburg reached the last 16 of the Europa League for a second successive season in 2023/24 and Oliver Leki, board member for finance, organisation and marketing, noted that the financial results were also boosted by “high transfer surpluses”.

Player sales to Brentford

Leki pointed in particular to the sales of German winger Kevin Schade and Dutch goalkeeper Mark Flekken, who both moved to Brentford in the summer of 2023. Schade was sold for €24 million and Flekken for €13 million.

Freiburg’s record financial results provided a significant boost to the club’s balance sheet, with equity of €151.9 million as at 30th June 2024, up from €111.1 million a year earlier, while total assets amounted to €189.2 million, compared with €149.1 million at the end of 2022/23.

Valencia CF present plans for Nou Mestalla completion by 2027

Valencia CF have presented details of their plans to complete the construction of the Nou Mestalla within the next three years to the City Council of Valencia.

In a statement on Friday, the LaLiga club said the documentation consists of more than 1,500 plans across 4,500 pages covering aspects such as the concrete and metal structures, roof and interior architecture.

In July this year, the club announced that work on the stadium was set to resume within the following six months after the council granted it the mandatory building licence for the plot of land where the partially built venue sits.

The council set a series of conditions, including the presentation of an ‘Execution Project’ within three months, which the club has now done, one day ahead of the deadline.

Capacity of 70,000

According to Spanish media, it has been agreed that the work on the stadium must start before 12th January, 2025 and be completed by the summer of 2027, with "partial milestones" set along the way. The stadium is due to have a capacity of 70,000 spectators.

It was also reported that the project’s budget has been increased by a further €20 million. Last week, media reports claimed the total budget needed to complete the stadium was €120 million, of which €80 million will come from the LaLiga Impulso project with CVC Capital Partners.

Bill Foley, the owner of Bournemouth, is currently in discussions to acquire Portuguese club Moreirense through his investment group, Black Knight Football Club.

The Athletic reports that Foley, who took over Bournemouth in December 2022 and subsequently bought stakes in French club Lorient and Scottish Premiership side Hibernian, is expanding his football portfolio.

Although no formal offer has been made for Moreirense yet, negotiations are underway. This move comes after talks to purchase Lisbon-based Casa Pia fell through due to a breakdown in discussions with their owner Robert Platek.

In Portugals top flight

Moreirense, a club with a history of playing in Portugal's top division and winners of the Taca da Liga in 2017, could be the latest addition to Foley's growing collection of football investments.

Foley has been open about Bournemouth's priority within the Black Knight group, despite some discontent this has caused elsewhere, particularly in France. He told The Athletic, "I’m just being honest. Many players in Ligue 1 want to move to the Premier League, and we want to give them that opportunity."

Manchester City rivals prepare damages claims over Premier League’s 115 charges

Manchester City are expected to receive legal notices over the next month from rival clubs that reserve their rights to seek damages, as the Premier League’s civil war enters a new phase, The Daily Telegraph has reported.

It comes as the hearing continues into City’s 115 alleged breaches of the league’s rules. Proceedings began last month and are expected to last around 10 weeks.

Claims for breach of contract generally have a six-year limitation and, with allegations of City rule-breaking emerging in Der Spiegel in November 2018, there is said to be a feeling inside the league that clubs must act to reserve their rights while the hearing continues.

Legal advice

City have always denied breaking any rules but, such has been the time it has taken for the Premier League to investigate and bring charges, it is understood that clubs are taking legal advice on the issue before deciding how to proceed.

Any eventual arbitration between Premier League clubs is private but City will soon have a much better idea of who intends to seek damages if an ongoing independent commission finds serious wrongdoing in its investigation of the alleged rule breaches.

Lyon accuse LFP of ‘incompetence’ over beIN Sports broadcast deal

Lyon have launched a scathing attack on the LFP over the controversial domestic broadcast deal agreed with beIN Sports in August as the fallout from the agreement looks set to intensify.

The LFP announced a deal with DAZN and beIN Sports in August to broadcast Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 matches for the new five-year cycle running from 2024/25 to 2028/29, reported to be for a total of €500 million per year.

However, concerns have emerged over the deal with beIN Sports after it was reported last week that the Qatari-based network has fallen behind on its payments.

According to L'Équipe, Lyon have sent a letter to the LFP accusing it of “incompetence” over the agreement and calling on the league to “take all the necessary steps without delay to recover the sums owed by beIN Sports."

Sponsorships with Qatari companies

The Ligue 1 club also questioned the structure of the deal, pointing out that £20 million per year – out of a deal worth £100 million per year in total – is due to have come from sponsorships involving Qatari-based companies.

Lyon said they “have no choice but to contest the LFP's decision … particularly with regard to the ‘Sponsorship Deal’ component with beIN Sports.” The club added: “In addition to the economic inconsistencies and inequities that have been created, our position is based on several legal considerations.”

DAZN asks for support from Bundesliga clubs ahead of new broadcast rights auction

DAZN has sent a letter to Germany’s 36 first and second division clubs asking for their support and understanding ahead of a fresh partial auction of the Bundesliga’s domestic broadcast rights, according to a report from Kicker.

Back in April, the DFL was forced to suspend the auction process for the next five-year cycle, running from 2025/26 to 2028/29, after DAZN claimed the league had unlawfully awarded the deal for the largest bundle of games to rival Sky.

However, following an arbitral award delivered last month, the DFL must re-conduct the controversial partial auction of the rights package B, and DAZN is now courting the Bundesliga clubs as it looks to secure the rights.

“Critical point”

In its letter, DAZN asks the German clubs’ representatives "for your support at this critical point," adding that it is time to "look to the future with optimism and confidence".

However, the UK-based streaming platform also warns that whether it will place a new bid for the rights package B depends on the extent to which the DFL will take measures to make the tender process "lawful, transparent and fair".

The DFL has previously stated that it conducted the original tender process “in a transparent and non-discriminatory manner”, and that DAZN’s complaints had “no basis and no justification”.

Reading takeover threatened by owner Dai Yongge’s £55 million debt to Chinese bank

The repeated attempts by Reading’s Chinese owner Dai Yongge to sell the club are being jeopardised by his failure to repay previously undisclosed debts of more than £55 million to a state-backed Chinese bank, The Guardian has reported.

According to documents seen by the newspaper, a loan from Haitong International Securities caused the collapse of a £30 million takeover of the EFL League One club by American financier Rob Couhig last month.

Haitong is understood to have effectively blocked the sale by obtaining a stop notice in the British Virgin Islands, where the club’s stadium is registered for tax reasons, which prevented it being transferred to Couhig’s company, Redwood Holdings.

Late in the process

According to The Guardian, Couhig was not informed until late in the process about Yonnge’s debt to Haitong, which is secured against the club’s stadium. It is understood the EFL was also not aware of the loan despite being asked to approve the sale.

The documents showed Haitong has the right to take ownership of Reading’s ground if it is sold without the debt being repaid.

Reading announced on Monday they had entered “exclusive negotiations” with another buyer. However, according to the documents, the stadium issue remains unresolved and ownership will pass to Haitong if the loan remains outstanding after the club is sold.

UEFA and European Club Association extend partnership to 2033

UEFA and the European Club Association (ECA) have extended their formal partnership by a further three years, taking the agreement through to 2033.

A memorandum of understanding (MOU) extension was unveiled at the ECA’s general assembly in Athens, building on the previous agreement up to 2030 announced last September.

It means the two parties will continue to manage the commercial aspects of UEFA’s club competitions through the UEFA Club Competitions SA (UCCSA) joint venture during the 2030-33 cycle.

“Trusted relationship”

ECA chairman Nasser Al-Khelaïfi said: "With ECA’s membership now totalling over 715 clubs of all sizes across 55 countries in Europe, we are delighted to deepen our trusted relationship with UEFA, as the sole representative body of clubs in Europe.”

Last September, UEFA and the ECA agreed a new system for revenue distribution across all ECA member clubs. For 2024/25 to 2026/27, the share of revenue distributed to teams not participating in the league phase of UEFA competitions will rise to 10 per cent, equivalent to €440 million per season.

Paris FC could be on the verge of being sold to Red Bull and the Arnault family, who have worked together previously in Formula 1, according to a report from L’Équipe.

It is understood that the current president and majority shareholder of the Ligue 2 side, Pierre Ferracci, is preparing his succession.

If the club were to be sold, Ferracci will keep 30 per cent of his shares until 2027, when he is reportedly planning on exiting. Red Bull would be expected to take a 15 per cent share, with the Arnault family, who own LVMH, becoming the new majority shareholder with a stake of around 55 per cent.

Regular qualifier for Champions League

According to L’Équipe, the prospective new owners hope to shake up the landscape of French football. The immediate plan will be to gain promotion to Ligue 1 by the end of this season, and in the long term make the club a regular qualifier for the Champions League.

It is believed Paris FC could be provided with an extensive budget to achieve this aim, with funds of between €100 and €200 million.

Aston Villa minority shareholder Atairos injects £50 million into club

Aston Villa minority shareholder Atairos has injected £50 million in equity into the club, increasing its overall stake to 31.1 per cent.

The injection, completed last Thursday, follows the announcement last December by the American investment firm of a deal to become a minority partner in V Sports, the holding company jointly owned by Villa’s owners Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens.

Under Sawiris and Edens, V Sports has had full control of Villa since 2019. It also holds investments in a network of clubs, including Primeira Liga side Vitoria S.C., as well as having partnerships with teams in Spain, Japan and Egypt.

Increase in stake

The £50 million injected into Villa from V Sports last week was provided solely by Atairos. This increased the American firm’s overall stake to 31.1 per cent, with Edens and Sawiris owning 34.4 per cent each.

Atairos had increased its stake from 21.3 per cent to 26.5 per cent in August, having issued £44 million worth of new shares.

Jurgen Klopp to become Red Bull's global head of soccer

Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has been announced as the new global head of soccer at Red Bull after signing a long-term contract with the group.

Klopp will start his new role on 1st January next year and will be in charge at the strategic management level of Red Bull's international network of clubs. These include RB Leipzig, Red Bull Salzburg and New York Red Bulls, as well as two clubs in Brazil and a third-tier Japanese side.

As reported by Sky Sports News, Red Bull CEO Oliver Mintzlaff is largely responsible for what is seen as a coup for the company.

Exit clause

Klopp is understood to have secured an exit clause that especially applies to the Germany national team. He is touted as a potential successor to Julian Nagelsmann if he does not continue beyond his contract, which currently finishes after the 2026 World Cup.

Klopp has been on a break since leaving Liverpool at the end of last season, after a reign at Anfield lasting almost nine years.

Berlusconi heirs in fresh talks over new investment in Monza

Fresh efforts are underway to bring new investment into Monza,withthe heirs of previous long-time owner Silvio Berlusconi now reported to be in talks with several potential partners.

According to a statement seen by Bloomberg, the family holding firm Fininvest is in discussions with a number of prospective investors to join the Serie A club.

“There are conversations ongoing with several possible partners, but none of them are at an advanced stage,” the statement read, adding that Fininvest’s goal is to “find a partner to guarantee the development of the soccer club.”

American entrepreneurs

Back in August, Italian media reported that a group of American entrepreneurs had begun initial talks about acquiring a majority stake in Monza.

In May, negotiations over a takeover of the club by the Italy-based holding company Orienta Capital Partners were abandoned, reportedly due to significant differences over the structure of the agreement.

Atlético Madrid confirm stadium naming rights deal with Riyadh Air

Atlético Madrid have announced that their stadium is to be renamed Riyadh Air Metropolitano in a deal running up to 2033, replacing the naming rights agreement with Spanish construction firm Cívitas.

It follows the expansion of the LaLiga club’s sponsorship deal with Riyadh Air to include the naming of the stadium. The digital-native Saudi airline became Atlético’s main sponsor last August.

The club did not disclose details or the value of the new stadium naming rights agreement. According to Spanish newspaper Expansión, which broke the news of the deal, it is worth between €250 and €300 million, including bonuses.

Third name since construction

The deal marks the third name for the Metropolitano since its construction. From its opening in 2017/18 until 2021/22, the stadium was called Wanda Metropolitano due to a sponsorship deal with the Chinese conglomerate.

In a separate statement, Atlético announced that Cívitas has "reached a new sponsorship agreement" with the club, ensuring their relationship "will continue for at least the next five years.”

Manchester City have sent a letter to the other 19 top-flight clubs and the Premier League itself, accusing the league of being “misleading” following Monday’s ruling on its Associated Party Transaction (APT) rules.

In the letter, which has been seen by The Athletic, City also said there could be further legal action taken if amendments to the rules are rushed through, and warned against a “knee-jerk reaction”.

The 20 Premier League clubs will meet next Thursday to discuss the fallout from the APT ruling, although there is no plan to vote on the issue.

Competition law

An independent panel found the APT rules break competition law in two specific ways. City’s position in their letter is that the ruling means “all of the APT rules are void, and have been since 2021 [when they were first introduced]”.

City and the Premier League both released statements on Monday in which they appeared to claim victories. In their letter, City contend that the Premier League statement “is misleading and contains several inaccuracies” and is “a peculiar way of looking at the decision”.

The Premier League rejects the idea that its response to the ruling is misleading. The league said in its statement that the ruling “endorsed the overall objectives, framework and decision-making of the APT system”.

Sheffield United takeover: Key player named from US investor group in talks

A key player in the ongoing Sheffield United takeover saga has been named, with US businessman Steven H. Rosen now leading the bid to buy the EFL Championship club, according to a report from Bloomberg.

It is understood that Rosen, who co-founded Cleveland-based private equity firm Resilience Capital Partners, has been leading the negotiations on behalf of a group of investors.

The price of any potential deal or who is joining Rosen’s bid is currently unclear. Rosen is also a co-founder of Zanite Acquisition Corp., a SPAC that invested in the electric vehicle takeoff and landing unit of Brazilian planemaker Embraer SA.

Plan to invest in January window

According to Bloomberg, the prospective new owners plan to invest in United’s squad during the January transfer window to boost the team’s chances of an immediate return to the Premier League following last season’s relegation. They are currently in second place in the Championship.

United, owned by the former Saudi sports minister Prince Abdullah, have been for sale since at least May 2023. A previous agreed deal with another American, Henry Mauriss, collapsed before Nigerian businessman Dozy Mmobuosi failed to convince the EFL he had the capability to run the South Yorkshire club.

Paris Saint-Germain set for fresh blow to stadium plans by city council

Paris Saint-Germain are facing a fresh blow to their plans to build a new stadium after the prospect of legal action emerged from the Paris city council over a plot of land to be used for the club’s new home.

According to a report from Le Parisien, the deputy mayor in charge of sports, Pierre Rabadan, has presented a motion to the council to allow the city to annul an amendment providing PSG with 50 hectares of land for the new arena.

A motion to annul the amendment will be voted on by the council tomorrow, in what PSG believe to be a clear attempt to force the club to remain at the Parc des Princes.

“Sudden panic”

In a PSG statement provided to Le Parisien, the club said it “is moving forward calmly with its new stadium project and is pleased to count on the support of the region.”

However, it went on to attack the council’s latest move, saying: “The sudden panic … confirms the seriousness of this project. The City of Paris cannot claim to be open to dialogue and torpedo all alternatives that the club is working on. This reveals the blatant hypocrisy that the city hall has demonstrated since the beginning of the negotiations.”

Manchester City's Director of Football, Txiki Begiristain, set to depart

Manchester City's Director of Football, Txiki Begiristain, is set to depart from the club at the end of the current season. Begiristain, who turned 60 in August, had initially planned to reduce his involvement when he reached 55 but chose to stay on due to his deep commitment to the City project and his collaboration with manager Pep Guardiola, according to a report from The Athletic.

Manchester City has already secured a successor for Begiristain, who is expected to start in early 2025. Begiristain was instrumental in the recruitment process of the new appointee and will remain active in his role during a six-month transition period.

Begiristain and Guardiola share a long-standing personal relationship, dating back to their time as teammates at Barcelona. It was during Begiristain's tenure as Barcelona's technical director from 2003 to 2010 that he gave Guardiola his first managerial break, choosing him over other candidates including Jose Mourinho.

Crucial for Guardiola

Guardiola has previously emphasized Begiristain's crucial role in his career, stating, "Txiki is the key to all of this" and acknowledging that Begiristain was one of the few who believed in him when he was appointed as Barcelona's head coach.

Since joining Manchester City in 2012 and reuniting with CEO Ferran Soriano, another Barcelona associate, Begiristain has seen the club achieve an era of remarkable success, including six Premier League titles and a Champions League victory.

On Monday afternoon the decision of an Arbitration Panel was published following a legal challenge by Manchester City FC against the Premier League’s Associated Party Transaction (APT) Rules.

The case, which focused on financial arrangements between clubs and entities connected to their ownership, is one of two major disputes involving City that could reshape the future of financial regulations in English football.

This arbitration hearing was important for City as they sought to challenge the fairness of rules that directly affect their lucrative sponsorship deals. APT regulations were tightened in response to concerns over competitive integrity, especially after Newcastle United’s takeover by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.

City, with its ownership links to Abu Dhabi, argued that the updated rules unfairly limited their financial opportunities, calling them anti-competitive and biased.

Within minutes of the tribunal’s decision being made public, both the Premier League and City scrambled to claim the victory in the dispute. Indeed the ensuing PR battle may ultimately be the whole point of the exercise, with City increasingly desperate to see the Premier League’s authority as a regulator eroded as its parallel case with the league continues over the 115 charges. 

Certainly there has been much spin and briefing. One journalist somehow managed to scrutinise the highly guarded 164 page decision and write a 1890 word editorial denouncing the Premier League’s financials rules as “in tatters” within 18 minutes of its publication.

But does the decision actually have far-reaching implications, not only for City but also for the broader landscape of the Premier League? 

The verdict included significant findings regarding how financial transactions like shareholder loans are regulated, potentially affecting several top-flight clubs, but do they actually affect City? Or does the whole case simply serve as a precursor to the much larger one involving 115 charges, which could fundamentally alter City’s standing and whole future in the league?

This explainer breaks down the tribunal’s ruling, answering key questions about what City’s challenge was, what they hoped to achieve, and what the independent panel ultimately found. It explores how these findings could impact City, the Premier League, and the broader financial practices of other clubs. It also scrutinises the implications of this case on the ongoing 115 case against Manchester City. 

What was City’s challenge?

Manchester City’s legal challenge against the Premier League revolved around the rules governing Associated Party Transactions (APTs), which are financial dealings between a club and entities directly linked to its ownership. The Premier League introduced these rules in December 2021 and updated them in February 2024 to tighten oversight on such transactions. They are especially significant for City as so many of their commercial deals are tied to Abu Dhabi, whose ruling family have a controlling stake in the club. 

City, feeling the rules were too restrictive, argued that the regulations were anti-competitive and discriminatory. Specifically, City contended that the governance model behind these rules – i.e. the 20 clubs, who make up the Premier League shareholders – which requires a two-thirds majority vote for changes, amounted to what they described as the “tyranny of the majority.” 

They believed this system unfairly restricted their ability to engage in sponsorship deals with partners connected to their ownership.  Although their broader challenge to the governance structure was dismissed, City did manage to secure two victories in specific areas of the regulations.

What did City hope to gain from the case?

City’s primary objective in challenging the APT rules was to create a more favourable environment for their sponsorship deals with companies that have ties to their ownership, such as Etihad Airways and the First Abu Dhabi Bank. By questioning the Premier League’s application of fair market value (FMV) assessments for these sponsorships, City aimed to weaken the league’s regulatory power over its financial dealings.

Beyond this, it seems City hoped to set a legal precedent that might benefit them in their ongoing battle against the 115 charges of alleged financial misconduct they face. A favourable ruling could undermine the Premier League’s standing as a regulatory body and set the stage for more lenient rulings in the future.

What did the independent panel find?

The independent arbitration panel delivered a mixed verdict, granting City partial victories while also upholding the Premier League’s overall approach to APT regulations. City’s primary win was related to the treatment of shareholder loans. The panel agreed with City’s argument that these loans should be subjected to the same scrutiny as sponsorship deals in terms of fair market value, finding that excluding them was “discriminatory” and “distorted competition.”

Another area where City won was regarding the Premier League’s procedural handling of fair market value assessments. The panel ruled that the Premier League had failed to provide City with timely information that would have allowed them to address concerns over the valuation of their sponsorship deals. This led to two of City’s deals being unfairly rejected, which will now be reassessed.

However, the panel also dismissed many of City’s broader claims, including their argument that the APT rules lacked transparency and distorted competition. The adjudicators confirmed that the rules themselves were generally in line with sporting integrity and sustainability objectives, giving the Premier League validation in its regulatory processes.

How will this change things?

The reality is that City failed in their main argument, which was to overturn APT rules. Yes, there will be a reassessment under fresh criteria, but they aren’t going away.

The most significant outcome of this ruling is that shareholder loans will now fall under the scope of APT regulations. 

This could have implications for other Premier League clubs, chief amongst them (as far as City are concerned) Arsenal, who have £259 million on their books. Everton (£451 million) and Brighton (£373 million) also benefit heavily from them. This change means that clubs receiving interest-free loans from their owners will face greater scrutiny. 

This adjustment will likely force these clubs to align their financial practices more closely with market standards, potentially limiting their ability to finance operations in a way that circumvents the league’s spending controls. In broader terms, the verdict reinforces the need for the Premier League to refine its regulatory framework to avoid procedural lapses that can be legally challenged.

What did City actually gain from the case?

While City did not achieve a comprehensive victory, they managed to win on procedural points. Their success in challenging the exclusion of shareholder loans from APT rules has significance, as it highlights a flaw in the Premier League’s regulatory approach. 

Additionally, City’s ability to force the reassessment of their rejected sponsorship deals with Etihad Airways and the First Abu Dhabi Bank means they could potentially recover revenue they claim to have lost due to these rulings. The opportunity to seek damages for the Premier League’s delays in processing these deals is also on the table, although the financial impact of any potential compensation remains uncertain.

Is there something else going on with this case?

Even if it received no more than a bloody nose from the panel, there is the reality that the Premier League risks being overwhelmed by litigation at a time when it reaches a critical juncture in its much bigger and infinitely more complex case against City on the 115 charges. 

Just on this single arbitration case, there were – reported the well-informed Independent chief football writer, Miguel Delaney – no fewer than 13 barristers on the case, five of whom were King’s Counsels. Such an arsenal of legal experts is “insane”, one source told Delaney. 

“It is a staggering number of barristers,” a partner at a major law firm told Off The Pitch. “I actually find it very difficult to understand what they were all contributing. I can’t bring to mind an example of another case where a party had more than two barristers, i.e. a KC supported by a junior.” 

The source added that a KC would typically command a £100,000 fee for a one week trial, and junior barristers around half that. That is before solicitors, paralegals and expert witnesses were factored in. A solicitor’s fee on such a case would come in as high as £500 per hour.

Who covers these costs? For the Premier League the clubs ultimately share all operating costs, of which this is a significant one. The Times has reported that last season’s Premier League legal bill was £48 million, instead of a budgeted £8 million. 

City – and their parent company, City Football Group – have declined to respond to previous queries made by this publication as to how much their legal bill is and how they account for it.

How does it affect the 115 case?

The ongoing case involving 115 charges against City for alleged breaches of Premier League rules is far more significant in scope. The arbitration panel’s ruling in the APT case does not directly impact these charges, but it could provide City with a legal foothold to argue that the Premier League’s regulatory procedures are flawed. 

The implication that the league’s processes are prone to procedural errors could cast doubt on the fairness of the ongoing investigation into City’s financial conduct.

However, the panel’s decision to uphold the general principles of fair market value assessments weakens City’s broader challenge against the Premier League’s authority. 

Ultimately while City may have scored some tactical victories, the strategic battle over the 115 charges will be much harder to win.

What happens next?

The immediate outcome of the arbitration ruling will be a formal vote among Premier League clubs to amend the APT rules to include shareholder loans. A meeting to discuss them has been called for next week, but they will not be voted for on the same day.

This adjustment could significantly impact clubs that have previously used these loans to support their spending, requiring them to find alternative financing methods that comply with fair market value standards.

Already City have sought to undermine those reforms, circulating an email from its chief counsel, Simon Cliff, to the other nineteen clubs, accusing the Premier League of “misleading” them and repeating “several inaccuracies.” 

City may also choose to pursue compensation for the revenue they claim to have lost due to the Premier League’s handling of their sponsorship deals. This could set a precedent for other clubs to seek damages for any procedural failings by the league in the future.

The broader trend indicated by this case is that legal disputes involving football governance are likely to increase. As financial stakes continue to rise, clubs are becoming more willing to challenge the rules they believe are limiting their commercial opportunities. 

This trend could lead to more cases being settled by legal tribunal, with the Premier League and other governing bodies facing greater scrutiny over their regulatory practices.

Bad news for the Premier League, and also for the member clubs who ultimately pick up the legal table. On the other hand: boom time for lawyers. 

“We are living in the most exciting time for sports law,” Nick De Marco KC, perhaps the most prominent sports lawyer in Britain, wrote in a LinkedIn post after the verdict was published.  “I have never myself been one to celebrate the greater commercialisation and therefore legalisation of sport and its regulation, but it is a real fact of life and economic activity, such that this tendency for greater scrutiny of sports regulation is inevitable.
 
“It does perhaps also lend further support to the calls for greater independence, and transparency, in the regulation of sport.”

Manchester City have claimed a partial victory in their legal battle with the Premier League over its Associated Party Transaction (APT) rules after an independent panel found the rules break competition law in two specific ways.

City made their legal challenge against 25 of the regulations in the Premier League's rulebook regarding APTs, which are designed to limit how much associated parties can pay clubs in sponsorship.

The panel found partly in City's favour, agreeing that shareholder loans should not be excluded from the rules, and that an update to the rules in February was unlawful due to wording changes which tightened the interpretation of what constitutes 'fair market value'.

The panel also found that two City sponsorship deals – one with Etihad Aviation Group and another with First Abu Dhabi Bank – were blocked unfairly, as the Premier League did not give the club all of the information used for its decisions in time for them to respond.

It was also ruled by the panel that the Premier League took several months too long to reach its decision in both cases. City's other claims against the Premier League were dismissed.

“Succeeded with claim”

In a statement, City said the club had “succeeded with its claim” in that the APT rules “have been found to be unlawful” and that the Premier League’s decisions on the Etihad and First Abu Dhabi Bank deals have been set aside.

However, the Premier League also issued a statement, insisting it welcomed the tribunal’s findings, as it had rejected the majority of City’s challenges. The league said it would continue to operate its APT system with changes that “can quickly and effectively be remedied by the league and clubs”.

FC Barcelona loss for 2023/24 should be higher, auditor Grant Thornton says

FC Barcelona's net loss for the year ending 30th June, 2024 should be higher than the €91 million the club announced last week, Grant Thornton, which has audited the club’s financial statements for 2023/24, has said, according to Spanish media reports.

The Catalan giants announced some headline financial results for 2023/24 last Monday, and said the bulk of the loss was due to the failed sell-off of its digital business Barça Vision, which it said cost the club €141 million “due to non-payment by some of the investment partners involved”.

Barcelona recorded around €208 million in assets derived from 51 per cent of Bridgeburg Invest, the holding company which controls Barça Vision, as at 30th June, 2024.

However, according to Spanish newspaper La Vanguardia, Grant Thornton believes "the value of the investment registered at the end of the year should be subject to deterioration".

The firm says this is due to the "failure of the partners to comply with the payment schedule agreed in previous purchases" and "the lack of compliance with business plans".

Opinion "with exceptions"

Grant Thornton does not specify in the media report the amount to be impaired, but considers the amount significant enough to issue an opinion "with exceptions" on the 2023/24 accounts.

In their statement last week, Barcelona emphasised that they continue “to be confident in [Barça Vision]’s viability and future capabilities, with an established business plan that will allow it to generate recurring income in the near future.”

PSV Eindhoven post €9.7 million profit for 2023/24

PSV Eindhoven have reported a profit of €9.7 million for the 2023/24 financial year following the surplus of €13.1 million achieved in 2022/23.

Turnover rose by more than 50 per cent to a record €152.1 million in 2023/24, up from €100.6 million the previous year, after a season in which PSV won the Eredivisie title and reached the last 16 of the Champions League.

As well as the success on the pitch, the club said the financial results were driven by record income from the commercial department and merchandise sales, as well as a consistently sold-out Philips Stadium.

Costs rise to €141 million

Total operating expenses rose to €141 million, up from €114.8 million the previous year, which PSV said was largely due to the personnel costs accrued from the team’s successful season as well as investments to enhance safety at their home ground.

The club recorded a positive equity position of €40.5 million as at 30th June, 2024, compared with €30.8 million at the end of the previous financial year, which PSV said signalled a return to “pre-corona crisis levels for the first time.”

Newcastle United considering complete rebuild of St James’ Park

Newcastle United are looking at a complete rebuild of St James’ Park, rather than just an expansion, as part of a major redevelopment of the surrounding area, The Daily Telegraph has reported.

It is now thought that should Newcastle decide to stay at St James’ Park, rather than move to a new site, which remains under consideration, the project is far grander than initially thought.

According to The Telegraph, the estimated cost of the new scheme could be as high as £1 billion as capacity could be expanded to 65,000-70,000.

Multi-purpose venue

It is understood that rather than add additional seats, the idea would be to completely reconstruct the stadium, not merely rebuild, expand and modernise the Gallowgate End and East Stand.

It is believed that whatever the final decision, which is expected to be made public early next year, the new stadium will be a state-of-the-art, multi-purpose venue at the heart of a redeveloped city centre.

Exclusive: Wander booted off ECA board

Joshua Wander, the former head of bankrupt multiclub ownership group, 777 Partners, has been forced to leave the board of the European Club Association (ECA), following the demise of his seven-club group.

777 Partners, whose MCO included Genoa, Standard Liege and a stake in Sevilla, is now in the hands of liquidators, with ongoing litigation in New York alleging a vast fraud involving hundreds of millions of dollars borrowed against assets that either do not exist or were pledged to other lenders.

Wander, in his capacity as a Standard Liege director, was elected to the ECA board in September last year, defeating the Shakhtar Donetsk CEO, Sergei Palkin, in the process.

Contested at the general assembly

777 subsequently pursued a bid to buy Everton, but were unable to complete the deal after failing to satisfy the Premier League’s owners and directors criteria.

In an interview with Off The Pitch, the ECA CEO, Charlie Marshall, confirmed Wander’s departure from the ECA and said that his seat would be contested at this week’s general assembly, Athens, along with that of former Young Boys CEO, Wanja Gruel.

“By our statutes if you don't have a role in your club you can't sit on the ECA board,” Marshall told Off The Pitch.

As hundreds of club officials embark on Athens for its general assembly, the CEO of the European Club Association (ECA) tells Off The Pitch that he believes it is “necessary” for clubs to finally have formal stakeholder representation within FIFA and that a succession of recent court decisions affecting clubs have highlighted the need for change.

Speaking in the wake of the European Court of Justice’s (CJEU) ruling on the Diarra case, in which Europe’s highest court said FIFA transfer rules breach EU law, Charlie Marshall says that he believes clubs should be formally recognized as stakeholders within FIFA, especially in areas that directly affect their interests. 

The Diarra case follows major court rulings against FIFA over the past 12 months on control of international club competitions and rules governing agents. 

Marshall agrees that it is anomalous that clubs are largely excluded in a body that sets many of the rules that govern them but acknowledged that FIFA ismoving towards having clubs properly represented within its ecosystem.

Reflecting on the recent FIFA Congress in Bangkok, he says, “One of the statutory amendments that they put through was envisaging stakeholders to be appointed to the FIFA Council. I don’t know if that was picked up actually very widely at the time, but if you go back and take a look, there is now a clause in the FIFA statutes that enables them to appoint stakeholders or will enable them in the future to appoint stakeholders to the FIFA Council.” 

This shift, he argues, signalled a much-needed opening in FIFA’s governance, which has historically excluded clubs from formal decision-making processes despite their central role in the sport’s ecosystem.

“I think that is a good sign about opening up decision-making within FIFA, and I do think it's necessary,” he adds.

Diarra case

Marshall says at the time of the interview, a few hours after the CJEU had published its judgement on the Diarra case, that the ECA’s lawyers were still “neck deep in all of the detail” but that he took “comfort from the fact that the judgment is clearly saying that the stability of football clubs and of football competitions is of paramount importance.” 

He emphasises the importance of the transfer market to football’s financial eco-system and said that his initial reading of the judgement pointed towards specific changes rather than a complete overhaul. “This is not about throwing caution to the wind and opening up the whole thing,” he says.

“The initial press release was quite an eye opener. But as we learned from the Super League case [the CJEU judgement was published in December], it takes a much more detailed reading of the judgment to fully understand what it's actually saying. 

“I think even at this early stage, it's fair to say that, for sure, it takes issue with some of the RSTP [FIFA Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players] rules that FIFA has, when it comes to the player side, and FIFA, together with the stakeholders, including us, are going to have to take a really close look at how to adapt those rules in future.”

Solidarity payments

Marshall says that a discussion on the ruling is likely to be among the hot topics of conversation when clubs gather in Greece this week. The ECA is expecting around 380 of its members to be in attendance.  Another key issue would be more detail on the deal for non-participating clubs in UEFA Club Competitions (UCC), which was ratified by the UEFA Exco last month, and which will see €308 million shared out. 

“While the overall sort of global split for 10 per cent – 7 per cent non-participating and 3 per cent to those who play qualifiers – was agreed in Berlin [at the last ECA General Assembly in September 2023], it’s taken a year to actually design the whole system and the mechanism for distributing that money,” he says.

Marshall says that as well as a 75 per cent increase in solidarity payments, there has been moves designed to make the distribution of funds fairer and more transparent. “We’ve worked on a special license that clubs will need to get before they’re entitled to the solidarity money,” he says. 

“This license is designed to make sure, again, that the club is both sportingly and from a governance perspective increasingly stable and sustainable.” 

By setting these criteria, the ECA and UEFA aim to ensure that funds are directed toward clubs that are genuinely committed to long-term development, not just in youth football but across governance and sustainability initiatives as well.

The conversation then moves to the revised UCC format, which Marshall views as a step forward in making European football more competitive and engaging. “I think it’s really delivering on its objectives. You are seeing some real unpredictability, which was one of the big objectives. The league table itself brings a whole new dimension to how we think about European competitions.” 

Marshall praised the increased frequency of high-stakes matches, noting that even after just two match days, the new structure was creating a sense of excitement and uncertainty that is crucial for maintaining fan engagement.

He points to Aston Villa’s “unbelievable, absolutely fantastic win” Champions League win over Bayern Munich last week as the sort of encounter that is “exactly what we want to see”. 

“And that is happening throughout the rest of the competitions as well,” he adds.

Club World Cup updates

Yet while the revitalised UEFA competition formats have – initially – driven greater revenue and interest, question marks remain over next summer’s FIFA Club World Cup. ECA are working with FIFA on selling commercial rights, but as yet there have been no announcements regarding broadcasters or sponsors. 

“The Club World Cup is operating on a much more accelerated timeline than one is traditionally used to, certainly from a UEFA perspective,” Marshall admits. He acknowledge that while operational plans, including venue announcements, are progressing well, commercial aspects like broadcasting and sponsorship deals are still in negotiation. 

Marshall remains optimistic, however, stating that there are many promotional initiatives lined up to boost the event’s visibility and engagement with fans worldwide.

How joint has the joint venture actually been?

“It’s hand-in-hand working together with FIFA as much as we possibly can,” he says. “It’s not a formal joint venture in the sense that the UEFA joint venture is a formal joint venture.” 

Instead, he describes a more fluid partnership characterised by committees and working groups that handle various aspects of the tournament’s organization. He says the evolving collaboration aimed to establish a robust framework that could lead to a more formalised ECA-FIFA joint venture in the future.

Athens meeting

Looking ahead to the General Assembly in Athens, Marshall expresses excitement about the scale and scope of the event, which will feature a mixture of formal discussions and informal networking opportunities for its growing membership base. 

“We’ve got about 380 clubs attending, something like that, getting on for 400 clubs. Many clubs bring more than one representative, which gives us a little bit of a logistical headache,” he jokes.

This year’s assembly will address several more key topics, including the future of the international match calendar and updates on both the men’s and women’s sides of the game.  He adds that there would be a partnership with Harvard Business School unveiled and that the popular CBS Golazo team [Thierry Henry, Jamie Carragher, Micah Richards and Kate Scott] would be doing a special show from the Assembly.

Marshall says that fully incorporating the new membership within the ECA was a key priority of the gathering. “One of the major reforms that you have read about already but which will be highlighted at the GA is that all of the clubs we’ve been building into our network category will now be converted into members,” he says. 

He emphasises that this shift is not just a structural change but a philosophical one, aimed at making the ECA a truly representative body that advocates for all clubs, irrespective of their size or their participation in elite competitions.

He acknowledges that the association’s rapid growth over the past two years has impacted on the ECA’s focus and priorities. “We have a vastly growing membership base,” he says, noting that the expansion brought more clubs into the fold, many of which are non-participating clubs in European competitions. 

“The pure mathematics of it are that ECA has many more non-participating clubs as members than participating clubs by volume. That’s now a fact.”

Looking ahead to Athens, he adds: “A lot of it is about the clubs being together. You know, it's a unique experience, a unique opportunity for a vastly growing membership base to actually network and either get to know each other or re-establish old contacts and just have sort of bilateral, multilateral discussions between themselves.”