A Mail on Sunday report claims the Glazers are planning to take Manchester United off the market with the plan of putting the club back up for sale in 2025 when they believe their valuation of £7-10 billion will be met.

The family had initially hoped to attract multiple serious bidders but only two emerged: Sheik Jassim of Qatar, who wanted to acquire the entire club, and Sir Jim Ratcliffe, whose offer would have left the Glazers with a minority stake.

However, sources close to these parties have expressed frustration at the Glazers' stance, as they made multiple offers without receiving any indication of where they stood. Despite recent rumors suggesting that the Qatari bid was close to being accepted, no progress has been made.

2026 World Cup to boost price

According to the newspapers source suggests that the Glazer family plans to take Man Utd off the market for now and potentially sell the club again in 2025. They hope that by then, factors such as increased TV rights revenues, the expansion of FIFA's Club World Cup, and the upcoming 2026 World Cup hosted in the USA will attract more bidders and allow them to sell United for a higher price.

In a seperate report Sky Sports understands both Ratcliffe and Sheikh Jassim believe the club is still on the market as they await an answer.

 

Real Madrid's row over distribution of broadcast revenues with LaLiga escalates

The conflict between Real Madrid and LaLiga over the changes to the distribution of broadcast revenues introduced this season escalated further over the weekend as the club refused to provide any TV or radio coverage beyond the 90 minutes of their game at the Bernabéu against Getafe on Saturday.

Under the new system, LaLiga clubs that voluntarily give broadcasters more access to players and coaches will earn more in media rights this season.

Real Madrid were reported to be the only club to vote against the changes, and have stood out as the only team not collaborating with the new broadcast initiatives so far, refusing to permit access to cameras in the dressing room.

Their latest move has seen the club take an even firmer stance on the issue. According to Spanish radio station Onda Cero, Madrid sent a fax to LaLiga ahead of Saturday’s match indicating it would not allow any audiovisual activity to take place before or after the match.

Ahead of the weekend’s fixtures, LaLiga insisted that Real’s decision would not affect the quality of the retransmissions and that the level that has been offered would be maintained.

Legal action

LaLiga is said to be preparing legal action against Los Blancos over the issue as it believes they are breaching the league’s statutes and regulations.

Last month, Real Madrid filed a complaint with the Spanish National Court requesting the suspension of the changes to the way media revenues are now being shared out by the Spanish league.

 

XP launches fund to buy media rights for Brazilian championship

Brazilian investment manager and broker XP has launched a fund to raise 800 million reais ($162 million) and acquire a share of the commercial and broadcast rights of the Brazilian championship from 2025.

As reported by Brazilian media, the fund, which is targeting accredited and institutional investors, plans to buy a stake in the rights owned by clubs in the Liga Forte Futebol (LFF), a group vying to control commercial operations in Brazilian football.

In July the LFF expanded to 26 clubs, including 13 from Série A, after four teams that had formed another group, Grupo União, decided to join them. The LFF has financial backing from US-based investment group Serengeti Asset Management and venture capital group Life Capital Partners.

Serengeti and Life Capital will receive 20 per cent of the commercial revenue generated by LFF clubs in the Brazilian championship over the next 50 years, starting in 2025.

“Virtuous cycle”

Bruno Castro, CEO of XP Asset, said: “With the launch of this unprecedented fund, we are going to democratise access to investments in football for thousands of investors, creating a virtuous cycle for our national sport.”

He added: “Some of the biggest football leagues in the world have been empowered by this business model, and Brazilian football will now have the opportunity to reach its full potential in terms of revenue generation and visibility.”

 

Spanish government suffers blow in move to suspend Rubiales after TAD rules behaviour not 'very serious'

The Spanish government has been dealt a blow in its attempts to suspend Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) president Luis Rubiales over his kiss of Jennifer Hermoso at the Women's World Cup final.

On Friday, Spain’s Court of Arbitration in Sport (TAD) agreed to open a case against Rubiales and gave a ruling on his conduct in Sydney during a tribunal.

However, while the body declared his actions amounted to "serious" misconduct, it rejected the government’s argument that his offenses were “very serious,” preventing his immediate suspension by the government and forcing ministers to request the tribunal to do it instead.

Minister of Culture and Sport Miquel Iceta said at a press conference on Friday that he will submit a separate complaint to TAD and request for Rubiales to be removed from his post until the investigation is resolved.

No intention of resigning

Rubiales has insisted he has no intention of resigning despite the pressure on him to step down continuing to mount. On Friday, in a statement released on social media, he expressed regret about his actions, but also pointed to what he believed was a “manufactured campaign” against him, claiming that he had been treated unfairly.

The RFEF chief added that he is apologising to players, the federation, fans and anyone who may have been offended by his actions.

Rubiales has previously admitted that he made a mistake kissing Hermoso but said the act was consensual – a claim the player has defiantly rejected.

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has insisted that Saudi Pro League clubs will not be allowed to play in Europe despite recent speculation about the possibility of Saudi teams entering the Champions League.

Earlier this week, the SPL’s chief operating officer, Carlo Nohra, told Bloomberg it was interested in discussing the option of Saudi clubs playing in the elite European competition.

However, in an interview with L'Equipe, Ceferin said there is no chance of such a move succeeding. "A media outlet talked about this without even asking us," he said. "Only European clubs can participate in the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League."

Ceferin added that he does not see the SPL as a competitor to UEFA's tournaments at present. "This mainly interests the media, but not so much the European football community," he said. "We'll see, but I don't even think for a second that this could threaten our competitions."

Juventus ban

The UEFA chief also commented on the punishments it handed out to Juventus ahead of this season. The organisation banned Juve from the Europa Conference League after concluding the club violated its Financial Fair Play regulations, and also issued a €20 million fine.

“Juventus? It’s logical that a club that has not complied with the rules is suspended,” Ceferin said. “This is a decision made by an independent body [UEFA’s Club Financial Control Body (CFCB)].

He added: “You cannot punish someone ten years from now if they have done something wrong now –you cannot decide to suspend Juve in 2028 while waiting for them to qualify for the Champions League.”

 

Saudi Arabia to push for support from Europe for 2034 World Cup bid

Saudi Arabia has embarked on a campaign to gain support in Europe for a bid to host the 2034 World Cup, according to The Times.

The newspaper has reported that officials and ministers from Saudi Arabia have approached senior figures in European football to secure backing for the Gulf state to host the men’s tournament.

Sources with knowledge of the situation said that while Saudi Arabia had initially considered a joint bid for the 2030 World Cup with Egypt and Greece it is now focusing on hosting 2034 on its own.

A joint bid by Spain, Portugal and Morocco is now seen as the favourite to win the bid for the 2030 tournament.

Saudi officials initially suggested a quid pro quo arrangement whereby the country would not enter the 2030 race in return for European support for the 2034 tournament, but that approach was not successful.

UEFA nations do not traditionally vote as a bloc, and that would be the case for a Saudi bid with many European countries having concerns over human rights.

Fierce summer heat

The Saudis are said to be insisting they could hold the World Cup in the summer despite the fierce heat, by using venues at higher altitudes or more temperate venues such as the futuristic city being built at Neom on the Red Sea.

However, that is seen as challenging, especially for a 48-team tournament. The only other alternative is another winter tournament, played at a similar time of year to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

 

777 Partners co-founder defends multi-club portfolio and hails new era of ‘hyper commercialisation’

777 Partners co-founder Josh Wander has defended the American investment firm’s acquisition of multiple football clubs over recent years, and declared that the sport is entering a new era of “hyper commercialisation.”

The Miami-based group has stakes in Genoa, Sevilla and Hertha Berlin, as well as Standard Liège of Belgium, the Paris-based club Red Star FC, Vasco da Gama in Brazil, and Melbourne Victory in Australia. There is also still speculation that 777 is eyeing an investment in Everton.

Most of the clubs in the group’s portfolio have so far been financial underperformers, raising questions about the returns on the firm’s investment, but in an interview with The Financial Times, Wander said critics misunderstood the logic behind its bets.

“We have a strong view that there’s a new wave of commercialisation coming to football,” he said, adding that 777 had paid attractive prices to invest in clubs that had “done a horrible job of commercialising the product.”

Wander declined to comment on 777’s interest in Everton, but noted that the Premier League had done “a very good job relative to the other leagues of commercialising their product.”

Aim for clubs “to be profitable by next season”

Wander, who set up 777 in 2015 with co-founder Steven Pasko, said their goal is “to be profitable by next season” across its portfolio of clubs.

He added: “The vision for this football group is that one day we’re not selling hot dogs and beers to our customers; [it’s] that we’re selling insurance or financial services or whatever,” said. The intensity of fans’ engagement with their clubs meant “they want to be monetised.”

 

UEFA’s Zvonimir Boban says ‘absurd’ and ‘crazy’ stoppage-time rules will not be used in Champions League

UEFA director of football Zvonimir Boban has labelled new stoppage-time rules “absurd” and “crazy”, and insisted they will not be used in the Champions League this season.

Premier League and EFL referees have followed FIFA’s approach in the World Cup and have been adding on to the 90 minutes the exact time lost to goal celebrations, substitutions, injuries, penalties and red cards.

This has led to a significant increase in stoppage time as well as the amount of time the ball is in play, and UEFA now appears to be on a collision course with FIFA and the International FA Board (IFAB) over the rules.

As reported by The Times, Boban was in Monaco ahead of Thursday’s Champions League draw, and asked about the issue said: “It’s absolutely absurd. Regarding player welfare, it’s some kind of small tragedy or big tragedy because we are adding almost 12, 13, 14 minutes, which are very tough minutes to play.”

PFA backing

Leading players including Kevin De Bruyne and Raphaël Varane have raised concerns about the increased demands on them due to the rules and the PFA’s CEO Maheta Molango has backed UEFA’s stance.

“We welcome UEFA’s decision not to apply the new rules around additional stoppage time, which we’re now using in England, to European competitions,” he said. “It’s a decision that shows UEFA have listened to the voices of players and their unions, and are now taking action.”

Lyon have been plunged deeper into crisis following a major escalation in the dispute between American owner John Textor, who acquired the club last December through his Eagle Football business, and former president Jean-Michel Aulas.

As reported by L’Équipe, the Lyon Chamber of Commerce has frozen €14.5 million of the club’s funds, as well as the pledges of security held by Textor, following a request from Aulas. As a result, Lyon have no liquidity with just two days to go until the current transfer window closes.

According to L’Équipe, Aulas put forward his request at a special hearing of the Chamber of Commerce, and felt he had no other option in order to get back the €14.5 million that corresponds to his remaining share in the club. The equity was given as guarantees to the bank now being used as security.

Aulas said in a statement: “John Textor and Eagle Football have been looking, as they have for the past year, to remove themselves from engagements with Holnest [Aulas’ family office] to which they are contractually bound.

“As a result, the Holnest society has had to begin multiple judiciary proceedings in order to preserve its rights in the face of John Textor’s and Eagle Football’s repeated shortcomings.”

Lyon will now contest the Chamber of Commerce’s ruling and ask for an emergency interim procedure in order for the move to be retracted and to unfreeze the funds.

The Lyon executive president Santiago Cucci told L’Équipe: “Jean-Michel Aulas has blocked our accounts in the middle of the transfer window and put us at risk regarding all of our lines of credit. It is acting against the interests of the club and against his own heritage, which we would like to respect.”

Threat to sue for defamation

The escalation in the crisis surrounding the club comes after Aulas threatened to sue Textor for defamation following the American’s comments in a press conference on Tuesday, in which he suggested that ahead of his takeover Aulas had masked Lyon’s financial difficulties. Textor said he had not been made aware of a warning to the club from the DNCG, French football’s financial watchdog.

On Tuesday night, Aulas wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter): “I’m assuming that John Textor didn’t make these comments, because if he did, he’d be liable to a libel suit and, what’s more, he’d risk disastrous sanctions for OL from the DNCG and the LFP.”

RMC Sport has since reported that Aulas will sue Textor, as announced in a statement released through Holnest.

 

FC Barcelona transfer plans on hold after ‘delay in funds from commercial agreement’

FC Barcelona are facing further complications in the transfer market, which the club claim have been caused by a delay in receiving funds from a commercial agreement reached earlier this month.

Barça sources told The Athletic that the hold-up relates to their deal with German company Libero Football Finance. However, the firm has said that Barcelona requested a change in the agreement, and that it does not believe there has been a delay in the payment.

Barça president Joan Laporta and club treasurer Ferran Olive are now preparing to sign a bank guarantee that will provide the club with an immediate injection of €20 million. This would be the third bank guarantee the club’s executives have arranged in this way over the past 12 months.

LaLiga cost control rules

The development comes as the Catalan giants once again seek to boost their finances in order to meet LaLiga’s cost control rules. As it stands, they cannot sign Portuguese full-back Joao Cancelo, who they are trying to bring in on loan from Manchester City, nor can they fully register their squad, making some players ineligible to play.

Earlier this month, two days before their opening fixture in LaLiga against Getafe, Barcelona only had 12 first-team squad members registered.

The commercial arrangement involving Libero allowed the club to register more players in time for kick-off. However, with the transfer window closing on Friday night, Barça’s next moves in the market have been halted, although club sources insisted the Cancelo deal will still be completed.

 

Palkin backs playing Champions League final in US ahead of ECA elections

Shakhtar Donetsk CEO Sergei Palkin, who is standing for election to the European Club Association (ECA) board, has said he believes that playing the Champions League final in the US would benefit the European game.

In an extensive and wide-ranging interview with The Athletic, Palkin was asked his thoughts on taking the final of Europe’s elite competition outside of the continent to destinations such as New York, Miami or the Saudi capital Riyadh, as previously discussed by some ECA executives.

“Now this idea is quite interesting, and it is one I would support definitely, because this is directed to the promotion of European football,” he said.

“Therefore, yes, we should consider these kinds of choices to bring our European football to, for example, the US or different continents. It will be quite interesting. Why not?”

Palkin was speaking ahead of next week’s ECA general assembly in Berlin, where the organisation will hold its latest elections for representation on its board. The CEO of the Ukrainian champions officially declared his candidacy on Tuesday.

“We need to be open-minded”

The idea of taking the Champions League final away from Europe has received opposition from many fans, particularly in England, and Palkin was asked whether he felt clubs and UEFA would have to help supporters with the costs of travel if such a move occurred.

“First of all, we should analyse everything, before talking about operational issues,” he said. “But we need to be open-minded and I would support this idea to promote football for fans outside of Europe and make these steps to develop European football.”

 

UK government launches new scheme to boost women’s sport investment

The UK’s Department for Business and Trade has launched a new scheme designed to deliver greater investment in women’s sport.

In a statement, the government said the Women’s Sport Investment Accelerator will bring UK-based women’s sports rightsholders who are seeking investment together with industry experts and sports investors.

“The new programme will provide a series of sessions offering market insights, connections and networking events alongside comprehensive mentoring for rightsholders who are looking for investment,” it said.

Women’s Super League could benefit

The government added that the Women’s Super League is among those which could benefit from the programme, which will run for a year starting this autumn.

The application process is open to rightsholders of any UK-based women’s sports leagues, teams, competitions or events aiming to attract investment and boost their growth.

The scheme will be carried out in association with Deloitte’s Sports Business Group and supported by the International Working Group (IWG) on Women and Sport.

Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) president Luis Rubiales was cutting an increasingly isolated figure last night after renewed calls for him to resign over his kiss of Jennifer Hermoso at the Women's World Cup final.

On Monday evening, the RFEF’s Territorial Presidents' Committee, made up of the federation’s 19 regional presidents, unanimously called for Rubiales to step down.

In a statement, the committee said: “Following recent events and unacceptable behaviour that has seriously damaged the image of Spanish football, the presidents request that Mr Luis Rubiales immediately tender his resignation as president of the RFEF.”

The regional presidents said they would also push for “a profound and imminent restructuring of strategic positions at the federation in order to make way for a new era in the management of Spanish football”.

The committee added that it “has given its unanimous backing to [RFEFinterim president] Mr. Pedro Rocha to lead us through a new stage where dialogue and reconciliation with all football institutions will be the line followed.”

Cannot attend UEFA events

On Tuesday, it also emerged that Rubiales will not be allowed to attend any UEFA events or meetings over the coming months as the European governing body complies with the provisional 90-day suspension handed out by FIFA, pending the outcome of its investigation into the issue.

While UEFA is still yet to comment publicly on the saga, as reported by Sky Sports News, the FIFA suspension means the RFEF president, who is a vice-president at the European body, is banned from Thursday’s Champions League draw in Monaco.

He will also not be allowed to attend the UEFA Executive Committee meeting in Cyprus at the end of next month, or take part in the vote for the 2028 and 2032 Euro hosts on 10th October in Nyon.

Coach Vilda also under pressure

Jorge Vilda, the head coach of Spain’s women’s team, is also coming under increasing pressure, with the RFEF exploring its options over whether it can sack the World Cup-winning manager, the BBC reports.

Vilda remains in his position despite most of his coaching and technical staff resigning over the issue, while 81 Spain players, including all 23 World Cup winners, have also said they would not play for the team again while Rubiales remained as president.

Spain’s Labour Ministry writes to clubs about pay gap

Meanwhile, Spain’s Labour Ministry has sent letters to football clubs across the country as a first step of a wider campaign to investigate the salary gap between male and female players.

At a press conference on Monday, labour minister Yolanda Diaz said income differences must be “reasonable.” The government’s Labor Inspectorate agency will follow up the letters by contacting clubs and requesting more information about salary calculations.

 

Chelsea supporters’ group accuse club of ‘penny-pinching’ for removing fans’ subsidised coach travel

Chelsea have been accused of penny-pinching and putting financial strain on supporters after removing a £10 coach subsidy for travel to domestic away games.

The Chelsea Supporters’ Trust (CST) has reacted angrily to the decision and questioned the club’s stance that it was “not financially sustainable to continue to offer subsidised coach travel.”

In a statement, the group noted that the decision comes not long after Chelsea broke the British transfer record for the second time this year by buying Moisés Caicedo from Brighton & Hove Albion in a deal worth up to £115 million.

“The appalling decision will force those who rely on the service to pay significantly more to travel to away fixtures,” it said, adding that it “has therefore decided to part-fund the cost of the upcoming away travel to Bournemouth [for the Premier League match on 17th September] on this one occasion.”

The trust said it will subsidise the cost from the quoted £29 to £10 “to highlight the appalling decision and to give the club additional time to fully reassess the feedback received from user groups.”

Priced out of attending away games

The CST, which met with club officials this month to urge them not to remove the subsidy, added that supporters who use the club coaches fear they will be priced out of attending away games.

“It appears that during a cost-of-living crisis, Chelsea FC are happy to increase the financial burden on many supporters by penny-pinching,” it said.

 

Chinese Super League chairman Liu Jun taken away for investigation

Chinese Super League chairman Liu Jun has been taken away by authorities for investigation, according to a report from the state-backed Beijing Youth Daily.

The report did not give further details on the investigation and the Chinese Football Association (CFA) has yet to comment.

Liu was previously chairman of now-defunct CSL side Jiangsu Suning and was appointed CEO of Inter Milan in 2016, soon after the club was purchased by Suning Holdings Group.

The CSL chairman is the latest senior football official to come under scrutiny following an anti-corruption investigation of Chinese football which began last November.

Earlier this month, China’s top state prosecutor announced that former national team coach Li Tie had been charged with corruption offences, including bribery.

"Severe violations of the law”

Back in January, two former CFA officials were investigated for suspected "severe violations of the law," according to statements posted by the Chinese sports regulator. Then in February, CFA chairman Chen Xuyuan was placed under investigation for suspected serious violations of discipline and law.

In March, two more leading Chinese football officials Wang Xiaoping, director of the CFA's disciplinary committee, and Huang Song, head of the competition department – were also investigated for suspected serious violations of the law.

UEFA has reportedly dismissed a request from the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) to have all its clubs suspended from European competition as the Women’s World Cup final kiss saga involving RFEF president Luis Rubiales and Spanish player Jennifer Hermoso took a series of dramatic new twists on Monday.

Early in the day, Spanish radio station Onda Cero revealed that the RFEF had sent a letter to UEFA complaining that government attempts to get Rubiales suspended were in breach of rules on outside interference.

The federation believed it had grounds to get UEFA to intervene because statutes say the body will not recognise a national association if it is not being independently run. One result of such a decision is for all clubs playing under that association to be removed from European competition.

RFEF secretary general Andreu Camps was said to have written his letter on Friday immediately after the Spanish government announced it was beginning legal proceedings seeking to suspend the RFEF president, following a defiant speech in which Rubiales refused to step down.

However, it was widely reported later on Monday that UEFA had rejected the RFEF’s complaint, which was seen as an attempt to ward off the government moves to topple its president.

According to The Daily Telegraph, there is no appetite within European football’s governing body to intervene in the saga, with FIFA having already given Rubiales a provisional 90-day suspension, pending the outcome of its investigation into the issue.

“As these events fall under the disciplinary jurisdiction of FIFA, it was agreed that the FIFA disciplinary bodies would handle the case,” a source told the newspaper.

Prosecutor’s Office initiates proceedings

The pressure on Rubiales continued to mount on Monday as the Spanish Prosecutor’s Office initiated proceedings against him for possible sexual assault on Hermoso, whom he kissed on the lips during the Women’s World Cup final trophy presentation.

Hermoso has been given 15 days by the National Court Prosecutor’s Office to contact it as an alleged victim of sexual assault, which could result in criminal proceedings being brought against the RFEF president.

In a further extraordinary development on Monday, Rubiales’ mother Angeles Bejar locked herself in to a church and went on hunger strike in protest over what she describes as an “inhuman witch-hunt” against her son.

 

Inter Miami project MLS record $200m revenue in 2024 due to Messi effect

Inter Miami are anticipating revenues of $200 million for next year, more than triple the target set before Lionel Messi’s arrival, the MLS team’s chief business officer Xavier Asensi has told Sportico.

As well as the boost from ticket sales following the arrival of the Argentine World Cup winner, Inter Miami are also benefiting from a major increase in sponsorship income – including from corporate partnerships that were signed years ago.

Asensi said the club have for the last few years pushed to sign sponsorship deals with a clause that would lead to higher payments should a player of Messi’s calibre sign with the club.

Those deals include the agreement with cryptocurrency platform XBTO as front-of-shirt sponsor, which was announced as one of the largest sponsorship deals in MLS club history when it was unveiled in September 2021.

Asensi said Inter Miami also structured a number of partnerships so that they would expire at the end of 2023, allowing the club to hit the market at a point where its assets are likely most valuable.

Highest single-year revenue

If Inter Miami were to reach the anticipated $200 million revenue mark in 2024, it would dramatically outpace the highest single-year revenue haul for any team in MLS history and place them among the world’s highest earning football clubs.

 

Saudi Pro League confirms interest in joining UEFA Champions League

The Saudi Pro League has confirmed its desire to join the UEFA Champions League following increasing speculation about the possibility of such a move over recent weeks.

In an interview with Bloomberg, the leagues’ chief operating officer, Carlo Nohra, said it is interested in discussing the option of its clubs entering the elite European competition.

“We are trying to be different, so any kind of format-changing or improvements that can be introduced into the league will be welcomed,” Nohra said.

He added that the SPL is still “completely committed” to being in the AFC Champions League, and that any talks about SPL teams joining the UEFA Champions League would probably be between UEFA and the Saudi Arabian Football Federation.

Non-European countries

UEFA members include a few non-European countries, including Kazakhstan, whose clubs can participate in the Champions League.

UEFA referred Bloomberg to comments this month by its chief of football Zvonimir Boban. Responding to a report of a Saudi club joining the Champions League in 2025, he told Croatian newspaper Jutarnji List that it’s a “fabrication”.

 

FIGC reduces Agnelli ban over player salaries case from 16 to 10 months

The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) has reduced its punishments handed out to Andrea Agnelli over the Juventus player salaries case following an appeal by the club’s former president.

Agnelli had been banned from Italian football for 16 months and fined €60,000 after a trial at the FIGC Federal Court last month examining allegations related to player salary manoeuvres, relations with agents and partnerships with other clubs.

However, the FIGC said the ban has now been reduced to ten months and the fine lowered to €40,000 as the federation partially upheld Agnelli's appeal against the sanctions, heard at the FIGC’s Federal Court of Appeal on Monday.

“Causal contribution”

In explaining the reasons for the decision, the court said: “The preliminary findings allow us to affirm with reasonable certainty the causal contribution of … Agnelli in the salary manoeuvre [case]”.

It added: “It is evident that the actual economic and financial situation is well known to the [president], constantly informed and updated on the state of the art.”

Agnelli has already been serving a two-year FIGC ban for alleged financial malpractice following the separate capital gains case heard in January, when Juventus were handed a 15-point penalty, which was eventually reduced to ten points.

The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) is to hold an "extraordinary and urgent" meeting on Monday amid the continuing fallout over president Luis Rubiales’ conduct at the Women’s World Cup final, when he kissed Spain’s Jennifer Hermoso on the lips during the trophy presentation.

An RFEF spokesman said on Sunday that its interim president Pedro Rocha has called the meeting "to evaluate the situation in which the federation finds itself" and look at "the decisions or actions to be taken.”

The federation has also launched an internal investigation after its sexual violence protocol was activated.

FIFA suspension

The announcement of the RFEF meeting came after Rubiales vowed to fight on and stay in his position despite growing pressure to step down and a provisional 90-day FIFA suspension “from all football-related activities at national and international level,” announced by the global governing body on Saturday.

The FIFA suspension followed the opening of disciplinary proceedings against Rubiales last Thursday. In response to the suspension, the RFEF said its president would "legally defend himself", adding: “He fully trusts FIFA and reiterates that, in this way, he is given the opportunity to begin his defence so that the truth prevails and his complete innocence is proven.”

Later on Saturday, nearly all the coaching and technical staff for the Spanish women’s team resigned over the issue. Head coach Jorge Vilda remained in his position, but in comments published on Sunday by Spanish sports newspaper Marca he described the crisis as "a real nonsense" and said it has "tarnished a well-deserved victory" for the players and the country.

Defiant speech

The weekend’s developments came after RFEF held an emergency meeting on Friday morning, at which Rubiales insisted he would not resign as he delivered a defiant speech after being widely expected to step down.

Soon after the meeting, the Spanish government announced it was beginning legal proceedings seeking to suspend Rubiales, and the Spanish secretary of sport declared he "wants this to be Spanish football's MeToo moment".

During his speech, Rubiales called the kiss "consensual", but later on Friday Hermoso released a statement on Instagram rejecting the RFEF president’s claims, saying that "at no time ... was his kiss ever consensual".

RFEF then issued a statement threatening legal action against Hermoso for refusing to accept Rubiales’ version of events. Also that evening, 81 Spanish players – including all 23 players who went to the Women's World Cup – issued a joint statement via their FUTPRO union saying they will not play for Spain's women's team until Rubiales is removed from his position.

Pressure continued to mount on the RFEF president over the weekend as a number of Spanish clubs, as well as the men’s national team coach, Luis de la Fuente, released statements condemning his actions and supporting the moves to suspend him.

On Sunday evening, UEFA, where Rubiales is a vice-president, were still yet to comment on the case.

 

Real Betis shareholders approve €43 million capital increase

Real Betis’s shareholders have overwhelmingly approved the club’s proposed €43 million capital increase, with 93.5 per cent voting in favour of the move at an extraordinary general meeting held on Friday.

In a statement, the LaLiga club said that of the 60,754 shares represented at the meeting, there were 56,813 votes of approval, 3,141 votes against and 800 abstentions.

Of the club’s total shareholding, 51.7 per cent was represented at the EGM, enough for a legitimate vote, although shareholder Salvador Carrero Moral was among a number of disapproving voices who questioned the list of shareholders present.

"Here we have been told that it is duly attended because there are 60-odd thousand shareholders,” he said. “I want to raise protest, because the criterion is contrary to that maintained in previous meetings, in which all capital was counted with suspended political rights."

Long-term impact of Covid-19 pandemic

Betis claimed the proposal was met with “massive support from the small shareholder”, and board member José María Pagola told those at the meeting that the capital increase was required due to the lingering impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Covid has clearly led us to this situation,” he said. “It affects Betis and all the clubs in LaLiga. It is the cause of the situation in which we find ourselves. There is a transfer of doubt from the short-term to the long-term.”

Pagola pointed out that as at 30th June 2023, the club had a record net debt of €112 million and negative equity of €72 million, and said the capital increase will provide a necessary boost to the club’s finances.

 

Manchester City and Newcastle face potential European Commission investigation over 'state subsidies' complaints

Manchester City and Newcastle United could face an investigation by the European Commission for alleged breaches of new rules over ‘state subsidies’, according to The Mail on Sunday.

The commission has confirmed to the newspaper that it has received complaints against the two clubs from multiple parties concerning the new rules, which are designed to prevent ‘state aid’ from distorting markets across the continent.

The complaints come under the Foreign Subsidies Regulation (FSR), which became law in January and has been in force since June. They are likely to focus on whether City may be controlled by the state of the UAE and that Newcastle are a Saudi Arabian state tool.

City have always maintained the club are a personal venture of Sheikh Mansour, who is a member of the ruling family of Abu Dhabi and deputy prime minister of the UAE.

Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), which owns 80 per cent of Newcastle and is chaired by the de facto Saudi ruler, Mohammed bin Salman, has always claimed to be an impartial, independent investment entity.

LaLiga criticism

It has not been confirmed who made the complaints about City and Newcastle, but it is said to be likely that there has been a complaint about the clubs from LaLiga now that the FSR is up and running.

LaLiga president Javier Tebas has long been a critic of what he calls ‘state-funded clubs’, including City. The Spanish league has previously made a formal complaint to the European Commission about state aid unfairly helping Paris Saint-Germain, who are in effect owned and funded by the government of Qatar.

 

Liverpool apologise and admit to ‘inadequate’ academy processes after complaint from player’s parents

Liverpool have apologised and admitted to failings in their academy system after receiving a formal complaint from the parents of a teenager released by the club last year.

As reported by The Athletic, the Merseyside club launched an internal investigation after being accused of failing to offer adequate mental health support to the boy and poor communication over his prospects of being kept on before he left Anfield last year.

The parents of the boy – who cannot be named as he is still a minor, but has now joined another club – also had concerns over Liverpool’s handling of an injury suffered by their son while his future at the club hung in the balance.

Automated email

The parents only became aware that their son was not being offered a re-registration at Liverpool when they received an automated email from the Premier League confirming the news last September.

This came despite a senior academy director having informed them he would have to “fall off a cliff” not to be kept on just a few months previously. Liverpool’s internal investigation, summarised in a 15-page report which has been seen by The Athletic, admitted that some of its processes were “inadequate”.

Club secretary Danny Stanway also offered the parents an apology for the “shock” caused by receiving the automated email, insisting it did not reflect Liverpool’s final position regarding his re-registration.

Everton's hopes of bringing new investment into the club have suffered a significant blow after the American group MSP Sports Capital withdrew from talks over taking a minority stake, The Times reports.

The New-York based firm had signed an exclusivity agreement with the Merseyside club in May, when it was looking to take a 25 per cent holding that could have been worth £150 million.

Two thirds of that amount would have gone to Everton Stadium Development Company, which is overseeing the construction of Everton’s new Bramley-Moore Dock stadium, with the rest going to the club.

However, the time period of exclusivity that MSP Sports Capital had has now elapsed. It will, however, still lend £100 million to the stadium company.

Alternative funding

It is understood that Everton owner Farhad Moshiri is seeking alternative funding for the stadium, which is scheduled to be completed next year.

Earlier this year, Everton were reported to be close to a £600 million takeover by another American investment firm, 777 Partners, but this has not come to fruition.

 

Chelsea confident Premier League will approve £40m-a-year shirt sponsorship agreement despite concerns over deal

Chelsea are still waiting for approval from the Premier League of their new £40 million-a-year shirt sponsorship deal with Infinite Athlete but are said to remain hopeful that the deal will go ahead.

According to The Daily Telegraph, the sports data company has provided the Premier League with details of its funding and revenues in a bid to get the green light to display its brand on the front of Chelsea’s shirts.

As reported by The Evening Standard, Infinite Athlete was created just a week before discussions about becoming Chelsea’s sponsor began and its estimated turnover is £12 million this year, so it is being asked for funding proof.

The start-up aims to prove it has raised significant funding through venture capital, but there are also concerns over whether the deal will pass Premier League fair market rules, with Infinite Athlete-backer Silver Lake linked to Clearlake Capital, owner of a majority stake in Chelsea.

It is believed InfiniteAthlete has told the Premier League it has already raised hundreds of millions in investment and that revenue generated across its investors and backers also runs into the hundreds of millions.

Contract with Three expired

Chelsea have started the Premier League season without a sponsor on their shirts after the contract with Three expired in the summer. A proposed deal with US TV network Paramount was blocked by the Premier League, while the Blues pulled out of advanced negotiations with gambling firm Stake.

 

FIFA to investigate RFEF president Luis Rubiales’ conduct at Women’s World Cup final

FIFA has announced that it has opened disciplinary proceedings over the conduct of Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) president Luis Rubiales at the Women’s World Cup final in Sydney on Sunday.

Rubiales has faced heavy criticism and calls to resign after he kissed Spain’s Jennifer Hermoso on the lips during the trophy presentation. He also grabbed his crotch while celebrating Spain’s 1-0 victory over England while standing close to Spain’s Queen Letizia and her teenage daughter, Sofia.

In a statement released on Thursday, FIFA said: “The FIFA Disciplinary Committee informed Luis Rubiales, President of the Spanish Football Association, today that it is opening disciplinary proceedings against him based on the events that occurred during the final of the FIFA Women’s World Cup™ on 20 August 2023.”

The global governing body said “the events may constitute violations of article 13 paragraphs 1 and 2 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code,” which cover “offensive behaviour and violations of the principles of fair play”.

FIFA added that “the FIFA Disciplinary Committee will only provide further information on these disciplinary proceedings once it has issued a final decision on the matter.”

Rubiales issued a video apology late on Monday, after initially calling critics "idiots", but Spain’s acting prime minister Pedro Sanchez described the apology as “insufficient”.

RFEF opens internal proceedings

Meanwhile, the RFEF has called an extraordinary general assembly for Friday in response to the matter, and confirmed it has opened internal proceedings.

The world players’ union, FIFPRO, had called on FIFA on Wednesday to open proceedings against Rubiales, while the FUTPRO union in Spain, which Hermoso has said is representing her interests in this case, expressed its “firm and resounding condemnation” for behaviour which it said “violates the dignity of women.”

 

Liverpool unsure of completion date for Anfield Road stand as work halted

Liverpool CEO Billy Hogan has admitted the club do not know when the £80 million upgrade of the Anfield Road stand will be finished after the construction company responsible for the project filed for administration last week.

The Merseyside club had initially hoped to have the new stand, which will increase capacity from 54,000 to 61,000, ready in time for the start of this season.

However, work on the project, which began in September 2021, stopped last Thursday when the Buckingham Group, which is also responsible for the development of Fulham’s Craven Cottage, filed for administration.

The lower tier of the stand has already been opened, and there had been a provisional opening date of mid-October for the upper tiers, but in a Q&A published on Liverpool’s website, Hogan made no assurances that it would be ready in time.

“Timing, obviously, is incredibly fluid right now, there’s a lot of uncertainty around where we are and obviously in time that will become more clear,” he said. “If Buckingham does enter into administration, then we’ll need to address any delays that may arise from completing the new stand as a result of that.”

“Still aiming for October”

Hogan added: “We are still aiming for October but what we’re working through now is to put a plan in place. There is an unbelievable amount of work going on in the background, literally since we were made aware of Buckingham’s intentions, to make sure that we have as little impact on that timeline as possible.

“I don’t want to set false expectations but we do have to have, obviously, a schedule that we need to work towards. Effectively major work stopped on the site on Thursday morning after the announcement so clearly that impacts all of our planning.”

Fiorentina president Rocco Commisso has revealed that the club generated record revenues of €119 million in the 2022/23 financial year.

In an interview with the club’s official channels, the American businessman said the figure does not include the €25 million from its sponsorship deal with Commisso’s cable TV company Mediacom or any capital gains made from player transfers.

“2022/23 was Fiorentina’s best year in terms of revenues,” Commisso said. “It had never reached this point in the history of Fiorentina. I am very happy with this … revenues have grown and we hope to continue like this.”

The president attributed the higher income to the club reaching two cup finals last season: the Coppa Italia, where Fiorentina lost to Inter Milan, and the Europa Conference League, where West Ham United were the winners.

Viola Park training facility update

Commisso also provided an update on Fiorentina’s new €110 million training ground, Viola Park, saying that while the facility is almost complete, and is now being used by the club’s players, fans are not yet able to visit due to bureaucratic problems, above all safety rules.

“The structure is practically finished,” he said. “To date, however, there is neither the tramway nor the parking lots, and it is not known when they will be there. We are there in terms of practicability, only the fans and some permits are missing.”

He added: “I have to live with Italian laws, but that doesn't mean I can't criticise. Maybe by 15-16 September we will be able to have what we need to inaugurate the facility.”

 

Australia faces Melbourne stadium issue over potential Men’s World Cup bid

Football fans in Melbourne could miss out on Men’s World Cup matches if an Australian bid was successful amid a rectangular stadium conundrum in Victoria, The Guardian reports.

Football Australia (FA) is seeking to build on the success of the Women’s World Cup with an imminent bid for the 2026 Women’s Asian Cup and another try for the Men’s World Cup in 2034.

Melbourne’s largest rectangular venue, AAMI Park, has a capacity of 30,000 and was used during the Women’s World Cup group stage and round of 16. But the city missed out any of the marquee fixtures of the tournament such as the opener, semi-finals or final.

FIFA requires World Cup bids to include grounds of at least 40,000 for group stage matches, and 60,000 or more for knockout matches. Rectangular grounds are preferred given the improved viewing experience and atmosphere they offer.

Three options

FA CEO James Johnson said there were three options for Melbourne to be part of a 2034 Men’s World Cup bid. “There would have to be investment into a stadium like the MCG to ‘rectangulise’ or ‘footballise’ it,” he said.

“Or there would need to be an upgrade to AAMI Park because it’s not big enough to host even a group stage match of a Men’s World Cup, or there needs to be a new rectangular stadium built.”

Asked if the Victorian government would consider building an 80,000-seat rectangular stadium, the premier, Daniel Andrews, said: “We’ve got a stadium [the MCG] that seats 100,000 and it can be made a rectangle and it has been done in the past.”

 

Southend hit with 10-point deduction over HMRC debt and given 'final' 42-day adjournment to find new buyer

Southend United have been handed a 10-point deduction by the National League after being given a last chance to pay their debts and avoid liquidation by the courts.

As reported by the BBC, the financially-troubled club have yet to clear a £275,000 debt owed to HM Revenue & Customs and were given a 42-day adjournment at their previous appearance in court on 12th July to clear their debt to HMRC and find a new owner.

In court on Wednesday, the judge warned owner Ron Martin that the club would be wound up if the new deadline of 4th October was missed. "If this was not a football club, with the attachment of its fans, I would be winding it up today," Judge Sebastian Prentis said. "This has got to be sorted out".

The points deduction means Southend go bottom of the table on minus four points, but they are expected to appeal.

Prospective new owner named

Martin said the sale of the club to an Australian buyer should be finalised next month, and The Echo, Southend’s local newspaper, has since named the prospective new owner as Justin Rees.

The Australian is listed as the co-founder of Eighty20 Solutions on his LinkedIn page but has since stepped away from the company and has his sights sets on Southend, heading up a consortium made up of local businessmen. According to The Echo, Rees has met with members of the club’s staff and has also spoken to local MP Anna Firth.

Serie A president Lorenzo Casini has called on FIFA and UEFA to address the threat posed to European football’s competitiveness by the financial muscle of the Saudi Pro League as it continues to attract star players from some of Europe’s top clubs.

In an interview with Italian channel Extra TV, Casini said the heavy transfer spending of Saudi Pro League teams over recent months marks a new phase in the growing influence of wealthy Gulf states on the game.

"Of course, the Saudi phenomenon is not entirely new,” he said. “Other countries have made these sorts of deals in the past. [But] the size of the operation that Saudi football is carrying out is striking.”

“Now, there is a phase two”

Casini continued: “It’s moved from phase one, in which Saudi or other Middle Eastern capital was invested in European clubs look at Manchester City for example. Now, there is a phase two, where they want to bring champions to their country and try to establish a real ‘European’ championship.

“Clearly, FIFA and UEFA will have to take countermeasures to avoid putting competitiveness at risk. It is important to see a reaction.”

 

Spanish PM says Rubiales’ apology “not enough” as pressure grows on RFEF president over unsolicited kiss

Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) president Luis Rubiales is facing renewed pressure to resign amid the fallout from kissing Women’s World Cup winner Jenni Hermoso on the lips after Sunday’s final.

During a news conference on Tuesday, Spain’s acting prime minister Pedro Sanchez said: "We've seen his apology and that's not enough, he must be much clearer and convincing in apologising. He must take more steps to clarify a behaviour that is unacceptable."

The incident – which happened as Rubiales handed the women's team gold medals after they beat England 1-0 – sparked outrage within and outside Spain, with many, including ministers, demanding Rubiales' resignation.

As criticism mounted, Rubiales issued a video apology late on Monday, after initially calling critics "idiots". In the video statement sent by the RFEF, he said: "Surely I was wrong, I have to admit. It was without bad faith at a time of maximum effusiveness."

Hermoso "didn't like it"

After the kiss, Hermoso told teammates in the locker room that she "didn't like it," according to video footage posted by El Mundo newspaper and other media outlets. She later downplayed the incident in a statement sent to Spanish news agency EFE by the RFEF.

Post-game video footage also depicts Rubiales kissing other players on the cheek or embracing them when handing out the medals. Standing besides Spain's Queen Letizia and one of her teenage daughters on the stadium's seats,
Rubiales enthusiastically celebrated the victory, including by grabbing his crotch while pointing to the field.

Borussia Dortmund have revealed that the club returned to profitability in the 2022/23 financial year for the first since 2018/19.

In their preliminary figures for 2022/23, the Bundesliga club reported a profit of €9.6 million, after suffering a loss of €35.1 million in 2021/22.

Consolidated revenues reached €418.2 million, up 19 per cent from €351.6 million the previous year, while consolidated total operating proceeds (consolidated revenue plus transfer income) amounted to €515.4 million, a 13 per cent increase on the €456.9 million earned in 2021/22.

The club attributed the improved financial performance to the lifting of Covid restrictions. Matchday income almost doubled from the previous year, rising to €43.5 million from € 22.7 million, and conference, catering and miscellaneous income reached €41.5 million, up from €26.0 million.

There were also significant increases for broadcast revenue, rising from €145.1 million to €157.5 million, and commercial income, which increased from €126.1 million to €142.3 million.

Net transfer income amounted to €72.5 million, up from €62.9 million in 2021/22. Personnel expenses increased to €236.2 million, compared with €231.2 million the previous year.

No dividend payment yet

Despite the return to profitability, Dortmund are not proposing a return of a dividend payment yet. The club said this is “in light of the losses incurred during the Covid-19 pandemic and the earnings situation”.

Commenting on the results, Trion Reid, an analyst at Berenberg Bank, said: “The better performance was driven by 2022/23 representing a season that was unaffected by Covid-19-related restrictions, which allowed the full recovery of revenue related to match operations and conference, catering and miscellaneous income, as well as an improved performance in advertising and TV income.

“Net transfer income was also up YOY, driven primarily by the sale of Erling Haaland to Manchester City in July last year.”

 

Newcastle United’s new five-year kit deal with Adidas leaked from documentary

Newcastle United have agreed a five-year deal with Adidas to become the club’s new kit manufacturer from the 2024/25 season, it has emerged.

As reported by The Athletic, news of the agreement was revealed after Amazon mistakenly released episodes three and four of the ‘We Are Newcastle United’ documentary, which showed the club’s commercial staff agreeing a deal with the German brand. Those episodes have subsequently been taken back down.

Newcastle’s deal with Adidas is believed to represent a significant uplift on their current agreement with Castore, which is reported to be worth around £7 million per year.

The Manchester-based company has supplied Newcastle’s apparel since 2021/22, and the deal was set to run until 2027. However, the club has invoked an exit clause to extricate themselves from the contract.

Kit supplier during the mid-1990s

Adidas has a long history with Newcastle, and previously supplied the club’s kit during the mid-1990s, while its chief commercial officer Peter Silverstone has close ties to the company from his time working at Arsenal, having been involved in the north London’s club return to the brand from the 2019/20 season.

On Saturday, Adidas tweeted ‘Coming Soon’, with the Newcastle colours, and the date on which the final documentary episode was set to be released. Newcastle subsequently replied with the ‘eyes’ emoji.

 

Manchester United announce U-turn over Mason Greenwood who will not return to team

Manchester United have abandoned their plan to bring back Mason Greenwood to the club’s first team following a public backlash over the development after charges of attempted rape and assault against him were dropped.

The striker had been subject to an internal investigation from United since February when the UK’s Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) discontinued its case against him for attempted rape, assault, and coercive control.

The CPS said there was “no longer a realistic prospect of conviction” after key witnesses withdrew their cooperation from the investigation. Greenwood denied all the alleged offences.

In a statement released on Monday, United said that Greenwood will not now return to play at Old Trafford, and that they are now working with the player to find him another club.

The club statement read: “All those involved, including Mason, recognise the difficulties with him recommencing his career at Manchester United. It has therefore been mutually agreed that it would be most appropriate for him to do so away from Old Trafford, and we will now work with Mason to achieve that outcome.”

Strong critical reaction

The club faced mounting criticism from inside and outside after The Athletic reported last Wednesday that United chief executive Richard Arnold held a meeting with the club’s executive leadership in the first week of August to inform them the plan was for Greenwood to return.

United insisted last week a decision “had not yet been made” but, in light of the strong critical reaction to the revelations in the media, the club held crisis talks on Friday. They have since decided not to reintegrate Greenwood with the first team at this stage.