American investment fund Ares Management has injected a further $75 million into MLS club Inter Miami and is also reported to be in talks with Chelsea.

According to a statement released on Friday, Inter Miami will use the money from US-based Ares’s credit group to develop its proposed Miami Freedom Park stadium and fund other growth initiatives.

Ares has now invested $225 million in Inter Miami since 2021. The club, currently languishing at the bottom of the MLS Eastern Conference league, has been boosted by the arrival of Lionel Messi last month.

Chelsea discussions

Meanwhile, as reported by The Financial Times, Chelsea’s owners have held talks with Ares Management and several other investors about raising funds as they explore options for a stadium upgrade and look to add to their network of teams.

The West London club is considering whether to redevelop Stamford Bridge or build a new stadium in nearby Earl’s Court, and is also looking for further acquisitions after making its first move into multiclub ownership in June with the purchase of French team RC Strasbourg.

Sources told The Financial Times that new investment in Chelsea might come in preferred equity financing or other debtlike instruments that offer downside protection, and that fundraising could be around $500 million or higher.

 

FIGC report: Italian clubs dealing with structural issues amid Covid-19 impact

Italian football is facing major long-term structural challenges amid the lingering impact of Covid-19, according to the latest study of football finance published by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC).

The annual ReportCalcio, produced by the FIGC with the AREL research agency and PwC Italia, found that clubs in Serie A, Serie B and Serie C recorded aggregate losses of €1.4 billion in the 2021/22 financial year, up from €1.3 billion the previous year.

Total revenues were €3.43 billion, down from €3.61 billion in 2020/21 and still some way below the pre-pandemic figure of €3.9 billion recorded in 2018/19.

Federico Mussi of PwC wrote in the report: “In the last edition of the ReportCalcio we commented on the aggregate loss of €1.3bn for the season 2020-21, pointing out how that result was strongly impacted by the pandemic period.

“However, the aggregate loss of the season 2021-22 was even higher and was the worst net result in the 15 years analysed in the ReportCalcio, confirming the degree to which the industry continues to show structural weakness.”

The report pointed to an increasingly urgent need to start an investment programme for the construction of a new generation of football facilities in Italy, and for clubs to rebalance their books.

Commenting on the report, FIGC president Gabriele Gravina said: “The need to bring the system back into balance is evident, putting costs under control and allocating resources for investments in nurseries and infrastructures,” he said.

Gravina demands FIFA intervention over Saudi Arabia

Meanwhile, Gravina also called for action from FIFA to deal with Saudi Arabia’s heavy spending in the transfer market and its impact on the game as a whole.

Speaking at the presentation of the ReportCalcio, Gravina said: “With Saudi Arabia we are in the area of competence of FIFA and I think it is right that it begins to identify a method for a whole series of interventions that no longer respond to the logic of the market but to the logic of support and support through the use of state funds.”

 

Premier League clubs call for six-year domestic TV deals

Some top-flight clubs want the Premier League to consider selling its domestic rights for up to six years rather than the existing three-year cycle, according to a report from The Times.

Any change would have to be agreed by the broadcasting regulator Ofcom, and the Premier League has not yet approached it ahead of the next rights auction, due to take place early next year.

The three-year cycle has been in place due to the Premier League’s 2006 agreement with the EU, but Brexit has since made that redundant.

A number of clubs are said to have eyed the NFL’s 11-year TV deals with five broadcasters – worth a staggering £87 billion – and wondered if longer-term deals would be both more valuable and more secure.

Broadcasters, both existing rights holders and those eyeing up a bid, would also prefer the option of longer deals. Sky Sports’ latest contract with the English Football League (EFL) runs over five years.

“Advantages” to longer deals

Andrew Georgiou, president of WBD Sports Europe which now co-owns TNT Sports (formerly BT Sport), said “there are advantages” to longer deals.

“Ultimately it is a regulatory question,” he said. “It’s about what Ofcom thinks and how long they will permit the EPL to go to market for, from a competition perspective. We’ve seen rights in other markets go for a lot longer and Premier League rights in overseas markets go for up to six years.”

Chelsea are looking for fresh investment to help boost the club’s prospects following a difficult first season under the club’s new owners, according to a report from Bloomberg.

Sources said the club has approached investors about raising capital, and that any new investor could inject money in return for a stake in the West London club. One source said the Bluescould raise as much as $500 million.

Chelsea, who were taken over by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital last May, spent over £600 million on new players last season, and have recently taken the first step in their multi-club strategy, buying the French team RC Strasbourg.

Yet the first season under the new ownership group was a major disappointment, with Chelsea finishing 12th in the Premier League their lowest league position in 29 years.

No front-of-shirt or sleeve sponsors

As well as being without European competition this season, the club is set to start the new campaign without front-of-shirt and sleeve sponsors, having failed to agree deals. They also face a potentially expensive stadium redevelopment plan.

For the 2021/22 financial year, Chelsea suffered a loss of nearly £116 million on revenue of £453 million. Under new manager Mauricio Pochettino, the club has spent the summer selling unwanted players, and refocusing on a younger team.

Ex-Sampdoria owner Ferrero has appeal against Radrizzani and Manfredi rejected

A Genoa court judge has rejected an attempt from former Sampdoria owner Massimo Ferrero to halt the acquisition of the club by the new shareholders Andrea Raddrizzani and Massimo Manfredi.

As reported by Italian media, Ferrero, who currently owns 49 per cent of Sampdoria, had filed an urgent appeal in order to obtain a precautionary measure that would block future capital increases in the club.

During the shareholders' meeting of 13th June, Radrizzani and Manfredi subscribed to a capital increase to save the club from bankruptcy after buying shares from a small shareholder.

Convertible bond loan

Ferrero’s case centred around the €30 millionconvertible bond loan that was needed to complete the required capital increase as part of the transfer of ownership.

However, the judge of the court of Genoa, Paolo Gibelli, rejected Ferrero’s case, allowing the new owners to complete the process of becoming majority shareholders in the club.

Ssh Holding, the company represented by Ferrero’s lawyer Pieremilio Sammarco at the hearing, now has 15 days to present any appeal.

Nottingham Forest face potential legal action over millions in overdue payments to players and agents

Nottingham Forest owe millions in overdue payments to players and agents, with legal action being considered if they don't settle the debts imminently, The Daily Mail reports.

The newspaper understands that bonuses for last season, including Premier League survival payments, for players who left the club this summer were due to be paid at the end of July but have failed to materialise.

It was also revealed that a number of agents, also owed millions, are now considering legal action, which could potentially see winding up petitions issued against the club.

The agents are said to have been left waiting for commission payments on transfers and are ready to escalate matters, should the debts not be settled imminently.

Hectic summer window

Last season, following promotion from the Championship, Forest brought in 21 players in a hectic summer window. By the end of the year that figure had reached 30, leaving them with a hefty bill to pay agents.

A comparatively quiet transfer window has followed so far this summer. Players who remain at the club are due to be paid their bonuses at the end of August. It is thought that those who have left will receive their fees at the same time.

Reading owners looking for new investors to provide financial stability

Reading have confirmed that the club's owners are seeking fresh investment to provide financial stability at the beleaguered EFL League One club.

In a statement, Reading said the club’s owner, Chinese businessman Dai Yongge, “remains fully committed to the club”, and that he and CEO Dayong Pang “have been extremely active in recent weeks in trying to establish a sustainable source of financial backing for the football club going forward.”

Reading, who were relegated from the Championship last season, were put under a fresh transfer embargo by the EFL late last month for failing to pay taxes on time.

As reported by The Reading Chronicle, that embargo has now been lifted after the club settled the overdue tax bill. Reading had only just had a previous two-year transfer ban lifted, and was also served a winding-up petition over unpaid taxes in June.

In the club statement, Reading said: “Despite ongoing complex cashflow constraints – related in part to the intense and protracted effects of the global pandemic which continue to impact business in China – the full wage bill has been satisfied for both players and staff at the end of the month.

“The day-to-day processes at both Bearwood Park and the Select Car Leasing Stadium remain challenging though, so Mr Dai and Dayong Pang are striving to secure external investment which will offer substantial assistance to the operations of the club in its immediate future.”

Sit-in protest

Supporters remain deeply frustrated with the club’s ownership, and Reading protest group Sell Before We Dai have confirmed plans for a sit-in after the home match against Peterborough United on Saturday.

A spokesperson for the group, Nick Houlton, said: “Not for the first time, hopes of a new dawn at Reading have been replaced by even darker skies as Yongge Dai and Dayong Pang continue to bounce our beloved club from farce to farce.”

Amidst a blizzard of litigation from football agents and their representative bodies, just two months out from FIFA Football Agent Regulations (FFAR) being implemented, the world governing body was last week given a key victory ahead of the regulations actually coming into place.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), the global supreme body for sports-related disputes, “dismissed in their entirety” a complaint brought to it by Professional Football Agents Association (PROFAA) against regulations that promise to transform the football agency industry when they come into place on 1 October.

In so doing it removes one of the key legal obstacles the world governing body faced and may set a precedent when similar complaints are heard across other jurisdictions, as well as the European Court of Justice (CJEU).

FFAR are the biggest changes to the rules governing agents in a generation. As well as introducing basic service standards for football agents, the new regulations include a mandatory licensing system, prohibition of multiple representation and the introduction of a cap on agent fees.

FIFA say that the changes will limit the €500 million agents fees earn each year and rein in the worst excesses of the industry. FIFA say that the CAS award confirms its position that the FFAR are “a reasonable and proportionate regulatory measure” that help to resolve “systemic failures” in football’s financial ecosystem.

Many agents oppose FFAR saying it severely limits their ability to do business and have litigated against the rules.

PROFAA declared itself “extremely disappointed” by the ruling and said that it will affect “thousands of football agent’s livelihoods and families around the world.” It warned that it will continue to support “any and all litigation” against FIFA’s regulations.

But what does the ruling mean? Is the game up for litigious agents? Will FIFA have carte blanche when it brings in the FFAR on 1 October? Is this the end of the road for the agent industry as we know it?

Clean sweep

In terms of a legal victory, reflects the sports lawyer Stephen Taylor Heath, “It could not be more of a clean sweep.”

“Other than suggesting some elements of the rules could do with a greater degree of clarification to avoid arguments on interpretation,” says Taylor Heath, who is head of sports law at JMW Solicitors, “They have been found to be legally fair and proportionate and that FIFA was entitled to govern agents as part of its administrative activities.”

David Winnie, partner and head of sports at London law firm Burlingtons, points to ongoing litigation in other jurisdictions and an impending  verdict at the CJEU, but in a comment piece writes that “FIFA has the upper hand in this dispute as it stands.”

Taylor Heath says that the CAS verdict effectively ends agents’ legal battles in sporting forums and that while the CJEU verdict “could skew matters”, adds that it is “difficult” to see how Europe’s highest court would go against them.

Is it over for the agents? “Yes, in terms of them being challenged in a sports forum as CAS rule extensively on the compatibility of the rules with EC Law including competition law,” says Taylor Heath.

“The CAS judgement is very well reasoned and difficult to see how ECJ could rule differently. Timing is also an issue if ECJ does not reach a ruling before 1 October when the main rules of governing agents come in.

“CAS also ruled on compatibility with Swiss, French and Italian law and it is important to note that it has not ruled on compatibility with English law – this is owed to the country no longer being in the EU.

“Some agents have argued the salary cap breaches English law, so theoretically a challenge might be brought in the English courts although it is unlikely the FA will stick their neck out and so as things stand the FA is expected to adopt the regulations in full.”

Europe wide battle

The judgement may bring clarity to the legal challenges that have been brought all over Europe against the FFAR.

In May a Dutch court rejected an effort by leading agents to block FIFA regulation and awarded costs understood to be as much as €1.5 million in favour of FIFA and the KNVB. But in the same month the Regional Court of Dortmund in Germany issued an interim injunction against FIFA and the German Football Association (DFB), prohibiting the implementation of FFAR in Germany.

The German court believed that FFAR constituted a serious violation of EU competition law and that FIFA and the DFB had abused their dominant position in violation of the Treaty of the Functioning of the EU (TFEU). The CAS verdict does not impact this the injunction, which only applies to the German jurisdiction, pending the CJEU ruling on the matter.

This, opines David Winnie, is the “common ground” amidst what he terms “a considerable degree of uncertainty” across the ongoing litigation in “so far is that national courts appear to be waiting for the decisions of the ECJ [CJEU] to give a more comprehensive and universally applicable ruling.”

Two separate litigations are ongoing in Germany, with cases also pending in several other European countries with more expected to come. However, once the CJEU ruling comes in all EU courts are bound by it. The UK would not be bound by such a ruling, but UK competition law is very similar and it is believed that courts in Britain would defacto follow the European courts on the matter. Written observations are currently being submitted to the CJEU, but an opinion is not expected on the case until the second half of 2024, with a full judgement even further down the line.

Agents view

What about the agents? Most involved in ongoing litigation are remaining tight-lipped lest public pronouncements negatively influence impending and ongoing court cases.

The European Football Agents Association (EFAA), the Rob Jansen-led body which has been among the most vociferous groups, nevertheless issued a stinging statement, saying that the CAS ruling was “no surprise” and claimed FIFA “orchestrated” the court case “in order to legitimate their new regulations.”

“Using the facade of PROFAA for advancing their own regulations was a clear political move of FIFA.”

EFAA said that the CAS award fails to adequately apply EU competition law and protect stakeholders in the sports sector from the “unbridled power” of international sport governing bodies.

“By rejecting the FAR's clear intent to fix prices in so far as creating fee caps that are unrealistic and unrelated to any significant market figure, it is clear that the CAS holds remaining in good graces with their Swiss friend as more important than protecting thousands of agents, and the health of the football market, globally,” it said.

It accused CAS of being “willing to bend judicial procedure in order to come to a favourable outcome” and concluded “The contradictory reasoning of the court casts a severe shadow of doubt on its impartiality.”

“We remain confident that the FAR will be considered incompatible with EU (competition) law by national civil and European courts, and we await the decision of these ongoing legal cases,” said EFAA.

FIFA sources ridiculed the claims of conspiracy, pointing out that the CAS arbitrator Romano F. Subiotto KC is notoriously tough, and previously awarded against the world governing body when its former vice president Mohamed Bin Hammam took a case against them during a 2011 bribe scandal.

Game over?

Winnie says that while CAS gives FIFA the “upper hand” there is some solace for agents from the differing court verdicts across Europe.

“The most obvious conclusion that can be drawn from the court rulings that have arisen so far is that there is a considerable degree of uncertainty as to whether FFAR ought to be deemed legally invalid and unenforceable, which might provide some comfort for agents,” he says.

“However, until the ECJ provides a definitive conclusion (whenever that might be) the FFAR will be applied and enforced in many countries from October 2023.”

Taylor Heath, however, thinks that the CAS ruling makes it difficult to see where the agents take this next. “You also have to remember it was the agent’s association that took the case to CAS so they have accepted CAS jurisdiction as did FIFA,” he says.

He describes it as a “landslide victory” for FIFA, and notwithstanding the legal practicalities of challenging the world governing body further, there are cost implications too.

There is awareness of the chastening Dutch court decision that cost one of the agent member groups a seven-figure sum earlier this year.

“Normal litigation rules are that if you lose, you pay – agents may therefore not wish to risk the financial costs of mounting their own action,” he says.

Manchester United have announced a new kit deal with Adidas worth £900 million over ten years, with the potential to earn even more from bonuses.

The extension of the partnership means it will now run until at least June 2035. The existing deal between the two parties is worth £750 million over ten years, and was signed in 2014 to run from 2015/16.

The new agreement will be the third-largest kit deal in football behind FC Barcelona's contract with Nike, worth around €155 million per season, and Real Madrid's own deal with Adidas, valued at €120 million annually.

It is expected United’s latest deal will also include the possibility of bonuses related to winning trophies, as well as a similar penalty clause.

Under the current deal, Adidas would pay 30 per cent less over a season if United fail to qualify for the Champions League for successive seasons. The existing contract allows for bonuses of up to £4 million a season.

No bearing on possible sale

Insiders told The Times that the announcement has no bearing on the possible sale of the club, with United executives operating on a “business as usual” basis while options are explored by the Glazer family.

It was also said that the Adidas extension will provide extra reassurance to those bidding to buy United about the club’s financial future. The main contenders are Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s Ineos group and a Qatari bid led by the banker Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al-Thani.

 

Juventus banned from Europa Conference League and hit with €20 million fine for UEFA FFP breaches

UEFA has banned Juventus from competing in the 2023/24 Europa Conference League after concluding the club violated its Financial Fair Play regulations.

In a statement, UEFA said its Club Financial Control Body (CFCB) First Chamber had found that “Juventus violated the UEFA’s regulatory framework and breached the settlement agreement signed in August 2022.”

The European governing body has also fined the Turin club €20 million, half of which is suspended and will only be enforced if the club’s annual financial statements for the financial years 2023, 2024 and 2025 do not comply with UEFA’s accounting requirements.

Juventus said in a statement that they accepted UEFA’s decision and would not appeal. “Juventus, while continuing to consider the alleged violations insubstantial and its actions correct, has declared to accept the decision,” the club said.

However, they insisted that this did not “constitute admission of any liability against itself”.

Fiorentina to take Juve’s place

Juventus’s place in the Europa Conference League will be taken by Fiorentina, who finished eighth in Serie A last season, one place behind Juventus, who were deducted 10 points after being found guilty by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) of false accounting in relation to capital gains.

 

Chelsea agree to pay €10 million UEFA fine for FFP breaches under Abramovich ownership

Chelsea have agreed to pay a €10 million fine to UEFA for breaching Financial Fair Play rules by submitting “incomplete financial information” during Roman Abramovich’s ownership.

In a statement, UEFA said: “Following the club’s sale in May 2022, the new ownership identified, and proactively reported to UEFA, instances of potentially incomplete financial reporting under the club’s previous ownership.

“The reported matters related to historical transactions which took place between 2012 and 2019.”

“Following its assessment, including the applicable statute of limitations, the CFCB First Chamber entered into a settlement agreement with the club which has agreed to pay a financial contribution of €10 million to fully resolve the reported matters.”

Payments to agents

Sources with knowledge of the case have told The Times that the irregularities identified by the new Chelsea owners include payments to certain agents that were not disclosed as part of the club’s financial statements.

Chelsea were bought by a consortium led by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital from Abramovich for £2.5 billion last May.

 

UK and Ireland on course to host Euro 2028 after Turkey and Italy decision

The joint UK and Ireland bid to host Euro 2028 has moved a step closer to being confirmed after Italy and Turkey agreed to drop their individual bids for the 2032 tournament and merge into a joint submission.

Turkey was the only competitor for the plan proposed by England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland to host the 24-team tournament in five years’ time.

As reported by The Guardian, an alliance with Italy gives those two countries a clear run in 2032, however, meaning that Turkey’s 2028 proposal is unlikely to be developed further.

The Turks, who lost out to Germany for 2024, have failed five times to land the tournament while Italy, the reigning European champions, have hosted the Euros twice before, in 1968 and 1980.

Bidding requirements

In a statement, UEFA said it “will now work with FIGC and TFF to ensure that the documentation to be submitted for [the joint Turkey-Italy bid] is compliant with the bidding requirements.”

It added: “If the joint bid does comply with such requirements, it will be submitted to the UEFA Executive Committee at the meeting scheduled on 10 October, where the appointments for 2028 and 2032 will be made. Decisions on venues and match schedules will be made at a later stage.”

Lyon have reported that total revenues for the 2022/23 financial year rose by 15 per cent on the previous year despite the club not competing in Europe.

Income was significantly boosted by the first two of three payments from the LFP’s deal with private equity firm CVC, for a total of €40 million. This resulted in media and marketing rights revenue increasing by 58 per cent to €85.3 million.

However, adjusting for the CVC deal money, underlying total revenue fell by 16 per cent due to the lack of UEFA TV revenue.

Ticketing revenue grew 4 per cent to €37.7 million, as the lack of disruption from Covid-19 offset the loss of European ticketing income.

Sponsorship and advertising revenue fell 7 per cent to €38.9 million, which the club attributed to a one-off Covid-19-related impact on the base, noting that it would have risen by 2 per cent if adjusted for this, while transfer income was €90.5 million, down by 2 per cent.

Events revenue rebounded strongly, rising by 58 per cent to €16.6 million, primarily driven by a strong concert line-up, including Ramstein, Rolling Stones, Muse, Depeche Mode and Mylène Farmer.

Commenting on the outlook for 2023/24, Trion Reid, an analyst at Berenberg Bank, said: “As the men’s team finished seventh in the league, there will be no European football for a second year in a row. However, FY 2024 revenue will benefit from the third and final payment related to the CVC investment, for €50 million.”

Club faced relegation prospect due to 2023/24 budget

Meanwhile, L’Équipe has reported that Lyon faced the prospect of being relegated to Ligue 2 due to financial irregularities in the budget for the forthcoming season presented by the club’s owner John Textor.

Earlier this month, French football’s financial watchdog, the DNCG, decided to monitor Lyon’s transfer activity and wage bill for the 2023/24 season – a decision upheld last week after the club’s appeal was rejected.

According to L’Équipe, relegation to the second tier remained a possibility until Textor put forward the guarantees requested by the DNCG. The American businessman was asked by the watchdog to inject €60 million into the club ahead of their hearing.

Tottenham Hotspur seek to distance themselves from Joe Lewis after insider trading charges

Tottenham Hotspur have sought to make it clear that Joe Lewis is no longer the club’s owner after he was charged with insider trading by US federal prosecutors on Tuesday, The Guardian reports.

The move has come as the club deal with the fallout of one of the most high-profile figures associated with the club, who is facing a number of extremely serious charges.

The 86-year-old Bahamas-based billionaire faces a 19-count indictment – 16 counts of securities fraud; three counts of conspiracy – and was bailed by a judge in New York on Wednesday after pleading not guilty to charges of giving insider trading tips.

Lewis stepped back from his publicly stated position at Spurs last October 2022. Spurs are 86.58 per cent owned by Enic and the investment company itself is 70.12 per cent owned by the Lewis Family Trust. The Spurs chairman, Daniel Levy, and certain members of his family hold the other 29.88 per cent of Enic.

As of 5th October 2022, Lewis ceased to be a part of the trust – even though it retained his name – or to be a beneficiary of it. Two trustees were appointed to run it on behalf of his family.

Spurs have described the scandal engulfing Lewis as a “legal matter unconnected with the club” and appear to be working hard to distance themselves from Lewis, having previously not taken issue with him being referred to in the media after 5th October as their owner.

Potential impact on takeover prospects

Meanwhile, according to The Athletic, the charges against Lewis, while making a sale of the club less likely in the short-term, could bring a future takeover deal closer to reality.

“Could Liberty Media, or some other wealthy individual, company or group, finally see the chequered flag and buy Tottenham?,” The Athletic reports. “Of course, and while these revelations make that unlikely in the coming weeks and months, they could make it more likely in the medium-to-long term.”

FC Barcelona set for €60 million boost from selling 16 per cent of Barça Visión to German fund

FC Barcelona are set to receive €60 million from the sale of 16 per cent of the club’s Web3 innovation platform Barça Visión to a German fund, according to a report from El Confidencial.

The latest economic lever used by the club to help fund their transfer spending has come after Barcelona last summer sold two 24.5 per cent stakes in their subsidiary business Barça Studios to Socios and Orpheus Media for €200 million in total.

The Catalan club agreed that the two firms could delay €60 million worth of payments for their stakes until December, leaving Barcelonaneeding extra funds to fill that gap and keep their salary limit at the same level.

According to El Confidencial, Barcelona have now struck a new agreement for both Orpheus Media and Socios to cede 8 per cent of their shares, so that the club can re-sell 16 per cent of it to an unnamed German investor.

LaLiga regulations

As yet it is not clear how Barcelona’s latest economic lever will comply with LaLiga’s latest set of regulations, which state that only 5 per cent of income from the sale of assets could be counted towards the salary limit.

Serie A delays media rights decision as bids fall short of €1 billion per year target

Serie A CEO Luigi De Siervo has said that a decision on a deal for the league’s next cycle of domestic broadcast rights has been delayed until October as bids remain below the €1 billion annual price tag being sought.

The Italian league had kicked off a round of talks with DAZN, Sky Italia and MediaForEurope after a first set of bids submitted by the broadcasters for the live rights to matches was dismissed as too low. The bids are for the five-year cycle starting with the 2024/25 season.

Speaking to reporters at an event in Milan late on Wednesday, De Siervo said: "Despite some improvements ... we still have work to do. Our goal remains to collect €1 billion per season.”

Offers to remain in place until 15th October

Earlier in the day, the league said offers received from broadcasters would remain in place until 15th October as clubs and the league sought to maximise the value of their media rights.

Under its current three-year deal, Serie A is earning €930 million per year from the sale of its broadcasting rights in Italy, with DAZN holding the lion's share.

Osasuna to play in Europa Conference League after UEFA reverses ban

UEFA have confirmed that Osasuna will be able to participate in next season’s Europa Conference League after reversing its original decision to punish the LaLiga club for a match-fixing scandal from 10 years ago.

Osasuna had qualified for European competition for the first time since they were found guilty of match-fixing following an investigation that took place between 2012 and 2014.

Earlier this month, UEFA decreed that the club had been directly involved in such offences and would subsequently be banned from next season's competition, after the club’s appeal was rejected.

However, after Osasuna brought the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), UEFA decided that the Pamplona side can compete next season after all.

Osasuna won their case by ‘Consent Award’ – a conciliation process overseen by CAS between the parties. During this process, UEFA accepted Osasuna’s arguments, so CAS did not need to hold a proper case.

“Eligible to participate”

In a statement, UEFA said: “Following the opening of Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) proceedings, evidence was submitted by CA Osasuna which it was not in a position to file at an earlier stage.

“UEFA reviewed this material and concluded that CA Osasuna has not been involved in match-fixing activities in the meaning of Article 4.02 UECLR. Accordingly, the Club shall be considered eligible to participate in the 2023-24 UECL for which it sportingly qualified.”

He has never been shy of taking on big challenges – but Charlie Boss may now be facing the biggest task so far in his career.

Before joining Southampton FC in April, he was the chief commercial officer at The Jockey Club, the UK’s largest commercial horse racing organisation, which owns 15 of the country’s most well-known racecourses, including Aintree, Cheltenham and Epsom Downs.

Other previous positions include commercial director, sports at Disney, head of marketing, commercial & strategy at ESPN, brand development manager at the Rugby Football Union, and marketing manager at the English FA, where he began his career.

Despite the extensive scope of those roles, in many ways few assignments have been as challenging as helping to restore hope and optimism at Southampton FC over recent months.

Boss’ appointment has been one of a series of steps taken by the club’s owners, the sports and entertainment investment firm Sport Republic, as they double down on efforts to bring sustained success on and off the pitch to the Saints as part of a multi-club group, which so far also includes Turkish second tier side Goztepe S.K., bought last August, and French Ligue 2 team Valenciennes FC, acquired just this week.

The owners’ plans for Southampton FC were dealt a hammer blow last season, with the club finishing bottom of the Premier League on just 25 points, ending their 11-year stay in the top-flight and going through three managers in the process.

As a transfer strategy focused heavily on youth unravelled painfully before supporters’ eyes – they won just two home league games – fan sentiment plummeted, and for Boss reviving this has been a top priority during his first three months in the job.

Speaking to Off The Pitch at the club’s St Mary’s stadium, he says: “One thing we've tried to do really quickly is to reconnect and re-engage with our fan base and make sure they are excited about our mission.

“Towards the end of last season, you could sense in this stadium a slight growing disconnect between the club and its fans. The hard work of the team here has very quickly started to rebuild that and we're seeing some incredible green shoots.

“Our season ticket sales are ahead of where we expected to be at this point, our shirt sales are doing brilliantly, and all of that, I think, is because the fans now feel a sense of belonging to this place again .”

3,000 new season ticket holders

According to the club, the Saints’ 2023/24 season home kit launch day delivered the single biggest day of revenue for home kit shirt sales since 2015, while 3,000 new season ticket holders have signed up for the forthcoming campaign. There were several record individual days of season ticket sales, with a 30 per cent increase compared with the previous year in season ticket purchases from fans under the age of 25, for whom affordability is particularly important.

Boss acknowledges that a key driver of the season ticket sales has been a drop in price. Depending on where fans sit in the stadium, savings on the previous season range from 6 to 30 per cent, with a reduction of 10 per cent on average. Prices now start from £359 for adults and £50 for juniors, and for payment plans, where the cost can be spread over 10 months, fans are now able to set up a direct debit scheme, having previously been required to make a payment each month via the club. Around 45 per cent of all season ticket holders are now on a payment plan compared to 34 per cent last season.

Boss notes that sales have also been boosted by increasing the maximum age for a junior season ticket from 11 to 14, designed to reduce the drop-off of fans who weren’t coming back once they turned 12, as well as the introduction of a new family zone and extended family block, all of which he believes will continue to see the average age of the club’s season ticket holders get younger, as it has done for each of the last 10 years.

However, he stresses that the over-arching efforts to boost fan engagement have also been key, in particular working more closely with the club’s Fan Advisory Board, which comprises 15 supporters and was first set up in 2018.

“We were well ahead of the fan engagement guidelines the Premier League have put out recently, but I saw a real opportunity to try and use that group in a more meaningful way,” he explains. “So, we are now trying to incorporate their feedback and their steer into the way that we think about and make decisions.

“For example, before we went on sale with season tickets, we went to them first and said ‘This is how we're thinking about the pricing. This is what the press release looks like. What do you think?’ And what that allowed us to do is to try and reflect the fans and their voice in the way we were presenting ourselves. And we're doing it all the time now.”

The Fan Advisory Board has also had test access to the club’s new app to be launched for the new season, while other areas of consultation include the club’s new website, stadium issues such as safe standing, and environmental sustainability.

As well as more regular dialogue through Zoom calls and WhatsApp groups, the club will now meet the Fan Advisory Board in-person at least four times a year for a structured board meeting co-chaired by Boss.

“Last season we were meeting slightly less frequently and with a less clear agenda of what it was trying to achieve,” says Boss. “It definitely feels constructive now and while it’s not perfect it will get better as we do it more.”

“Experiment, test and learn” in the Championship

As the club prepares for the new season, Boss says it is also keen to use what it hopes will be just one year in the Championship to “experiment, test and learn more about how our fans behave and what they want from us – so that when we go back up, we can do more for them and we're going back with far more insight driving our long-term decisions.”

As an example, he points to Saints Play, the club’s new streaming service due to launch just before the season starts, which will allow fans to watch a number of men's first-team matches live – an opportunity not available in the Premier League.

“We're very deliberately going to be pricing that on a match-by-match basis, or an episode-by-episode basis for original content. That will allow us to test things like pricing and production quality, and how we market those games and what technology we use to enhance them, so your experience as a Saints fan is better come March than it will be when we start the season.”

Multi-club benefits

Boss says Southampton FC’s commercial department is also aiming to leverage some of the benefits of being part of a multi-club group.

The new chief commercial officer visited Goztepe S.K. earlier this month, when the Saints played the Turkish club in their first pre-season friendly, and one of the topics being discussed was the platform for Southampton FC’s new app, which has been used by Goztepe for the last 12 months.

“That's been brilliant for us, because they've been able to test it with their fans and get a bunch of real-life feedback from their fan base, so when we launch our app, we're a year ahead of where we would have been.”

Along with the development of player pathways, Boss stresses that the use of technology is a central part of Sport Republic’s vision for the multi-club group and provides numerous advantages for Southampton FC, such as “having a shared technology stack with our sister clubs, and working with sports tech companies to innovate a bit more.”

Sport Republic has minority shareholdings in a number of football-related businesses, including Tonsser, an app designed to help young unsigned players aged 13 or older get professional or academy deals.

The platform, which is used by 1.6 million players across Europe, and has been used in the past by Erling Haaland as well as Southampton’s French striker Sékou Mara, was showcased for the first time in the UK at a two-part trial experience held in London in May and at Southampton’s Staplewood training ground in June.

“On the back of that, we are optimistic there could be at least one, possibly more signings that may come from it,” reveals Boss. “But regardless, the feedback from our regional scouting department was (a) this is great and (b) we would never have found these players otherwise.”

“Community-based partnership”

While Boss is keen to explore new opportunities for the club over the coming season, he acknowledges that playing in the Championship inevitably means significantly lower revenues for the club.

“The short-term impact of being relegated from the Premier League is obviously pretty dramatic, particularly from a sponsorship perspective, without the big media eyeballs that come with Premier League coverage, and also the central revenue from the league.”

Southampton FC’s main club partner remains the Yolo Group, whose brand Sportsbet.io, a crypto sports betting and casino site, has been the men’s team’s front-of-shirt sponsor since 2020/21. The partnership began with a one-year agreement which was then renewed for a further three years in a record deal for the club reported to be worth more than £7.5 million a year.

Meanwhile, the women’s team’s front-of-shirt deal with Starling Bank, which began last season, has been renewed for a further three years.

However, the men’s training kit deal with Ecowatt, which began last November, has not been extended, and the men’s shirt sleeve partnership with JD struck last August also expired after the end of the season – and before the EFL announced in June that this part of the kit would be available for sponsorship among its 72 clubs.

While Southampton FC are looking for new partners for those two assets, they have unveiled local business Draper Tools as their new back-of-shirt sponsor for the men’s team and back-of-shorts sponsor for the women’s team. The Hampshire firm was previously the Saints’ front-of-shirt sponsor for nine years from 1984 to 1993, and continued a partnership with the club until 2018.

The announcement of Draper’s new deal in June followed the launch of Southampton’s new 2023/24 home kit, which pays homage to the club’s 1987-89 shirt sponsored by Draper.

While there inevitably tends to be a greater focus on local businesses for relegated clubs, Boss stresses that having such firms as sponsors presents numerous benefits it plans to build on.

“In the Premier League, a lot of organisations feel priced out, rightly or wrongly. And so someone like Draper Tools, I think, would have discounted themselves potentially from a Premier League partnership, but have been so keen to embrace this new reality. I think it's a perfect example of a real community-based partnership that the fans love.

“And those partnerships extend far beyond just the financial impact they make. So, I think that ability to really connect with the local community, from a commercial perspective, actually will help put us in really good stead in the long term. And I would like to think whatever happens that partners like Draper Tools will come with us on that journey. And that journey, by the way, is definitely back to the Premier League.”

Former Hertha Berlin investor Lars Windhorst has revealed he made a huge loss on the sale of his shareholding in the club to American investment firm 777 Partners.

As reported by The Financial Times, the controversial German financier said that 777 paid less than €15 million up front to buy his majority stake, a heavy loss on his original €374 million investment.

Windhorst confirmed previously undisclosed details of the recent sale during a London court hearing when a barrister representing one of his creditors cross-examined him about his financial arrangements.

During the hearing, Windhorst said he had sold his Hertha Berlin shareholding for a €65 million purchase price, offset against a €50 million loan that 777 had previously provided.

“Performance-related” payment

The deal also included a “performance-related” payment of up to €35 million potentially due in future, agreed in March between one of Windhorst’s Dutch investment companies and a Belgian company belonging to 777.

Windhorst told the hearing that 777 had not yet paid all of the €15 million and that he did not remember how much had been received so far. He disagreed with the barrister that this meant 777 had defaulted on the deal.

CAS rules in FIFA’s favour over challenge to agent regulations

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has dismissed claims made by the Professional Football Agents Association (PROFAA) in a dispute with FIFA over the legality of the governing body’s new agent regulations.

The case centred around new rules introduced by FIFA earlier this year, with agents having to pass an exam before being allowed to operate beyond 1st October.A number of agents were attempting to stop the regulations most notably the cap on their fees – from being implemented. CAS ruled against the PROFAA, with the claims “dismissed in their entirety”.

“First in-depth legal assessment”

In a statement, FIFA said it “welcomed” the decision by CAS, adding: “The award represents the first in-depth legal assessment of the legality of the FFAR by an independent panel of renowned experts.”

The decision comes after the European Football Agents Association lost a case against FIFA in the Netherlands Central Court in May, having argued that the new restrictions were unlawful as FIFA has no authority to regulate their profession.

LaLiga to use €130 million ‘jackpot’ to reward clubs for broadcast quality and innovation

LaLiga is to share out a new ‘jackpot’ of €130 million in TV rights income to clubs depending on the level of their broadcasting performance during the 2023/24 season, Spanish media have reported.

It is understood that clubs will be awarded points based on the quality of their broadcast, which will be assessed based on the use of new technology and access.

Points handed out will range from a minimum of 175 to a maximum of 500, and will be earned from features such as extra footage from the tunnel or dressing room, motivational speeches, half-time interviews and immediate reaction.

The funds will come from the new media rights deal signed by LaLiga, where 50 per cent is divided between the clubs equally, 25 per cent is based on sporting results, and the final 25 per cent goes to improving the product.

The €130 million pot from that final 25 per cent will be divided between clubs depending on the number that reach 500 points.

LaLiga Netflix series

The system is designed to encourage clubs to enhance the attraction of LaLiga broadcasts, create a more engaging product and also improve access for the upcoming LaLiga Netflix series.

It is anticipated that the new approach will have a huge impact on the level of content produced by LaLiga clubs, while the reward system is expected to benefit big clubs such as FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, Sevilla and Valencia.

Premier League opens US office in New York

The Premier League has opened an international office in New York as it targets further growth for the league and its clubs in the US.
Based in Manhattan, the office will be led by former NBA, NFL and MLS executive Akasah Jain, who was appointed as the Premier League’s US managing director in June.

In a statement, the Premier League said: “The US base will build on the opportunities created through the League’s highly successful and long-term broadcast partnership with NBC Sports, who became the home of Premier League coverage in the US in 2013.”

The announcement came last week as the Premier League Summer Series kicked off for the first time, with six clubs playing matches across five East Coast cities.

More than 240,000 fans are expected to attend nine matches featuring Aston Villa, Brentford, Brighton & Hove Albion, Chelsea, Fulham and Newcastle United between Saturday 22nd July and Sunday 30th July.

The tournament follows on from the eight Premier League Mornings Live fan festival events the Premier League and NBC Sports have hosted in multiple US cities since 2018, which have seen more than 60,000 fans attend live match screenings.

Fan engagement boost

The Premier League said the new office “will seek to deliver more opportunities for fans in the US to engage with the League, while developing partnerships and content strategies to deepen relationships with existing supporters as well as attracting new fans.”

In 2019 the Premier League opened its first international office in Singapore, primarily established to fight piracy of Premier League content and support broadcast partners.

Tom Vernon is not your typical CEO. He doesn't talk about big money transfers or the trophies that the Right To Dream clubs should win. Instead, he shares a story about an 80-year-old Greek woman who had a dream of visiting the Louvre in Paris, the renowned museum displaying some of the world’s most iconic works of art.

"There was a Greek guy who suddenly realized that he had never asked anyone in his family about their dreams. So he asked them, including his 80-year-old mother. He was surprised by her answer: She wanted to go to the Louvre. So he took her to experience all the fine art. It may be a small story in a vast world, but for me, it emphasises the essence of our brand. What we do, enabling everyone to have a dream, is relevant to everyone," says Vernon, CEO of Right To Dream.

Worldwide operation

As head of the group, Vernon is a visionary leader who always sees the bigger picture and never forgets the greater purpose of the Right To Dream Group. It operates four academies worldwide (Ghana, Denmark, Egypt, and San Diego) and three elite teams, including FC Nordsjælland in Denmark, San Diego (set to play in MLS in 2025), and FC Tut, one of the top women's football teams in Egypt.

"While we often focus on whether kids are economically disadvantaged or not, we can see that the welfare system in Denmark and Western Europe, in general, provides incredible support, and young people in Europe are privileged compared to what we witness at our academy in Ghana," Vernon explains.

However, he believes it is narrow-minded to view the world solely from that perspective. After living in Denmark for many years as chairman of FC Nordsjælland, he has now relocated with his family to the UK.

"I guess that many Danish parents would agree with me that their teenagers are somewhat trapped on social media. What if you asked them about what their dreams were? Would they even know? Have they even thought about it? I am not trying to blame anyone here, just asking the simple question that maybe kids and young people from Denmark and other Western countries could meet someone their own age from other parts of the world through our Right To Dream project, and maybe those stories could truly inspire them."

For Vernon, these thoughts capture the potential of Right To Dream. He envisions all these kids, whether from Denmark, Ghana, Egypt, the US, or Mexico, having fascinating stories to tell. It's not necessary for them to break through to the first team or secure big-money moves to European clubs.

"At its core, our project is about character building. Everyone who is part of the Right To Dream family is developing as human beings. That is our focus, and then some of them end up playing football at the highest level. But I genuinely believe that we have many interesting stories to tell about young people finding their way in this world. And they are not necessarily the best footballers."

Compelling content

This is where the group plans to make significant investments in the coming years.  It aims to build a concept and strategy that can transform these stories into compelling content, targeting fans worldwide, not just those who support teams within the Right To Dream group.

"Imagine yourself being a fan of a team in Denmark, which is not FC Nordsjælland. But you might be fascinated by a young kid from Ghana playing football in our academy in San Diego or a kid playing in Egypt. We can create fantastic documentaries and other types of content about these young individuals who are fulfilling their dreams. I believe that these truly touching stories could captivate you and millions of other football fans around the world," Vernon says.

He emphasises that the approach to content is holistic and goes beyond simply documenting a player's performance for a specific club. For Vernon and Right To Dream, the focus is on the person, their journey, and their dreams, rather than the club they represent.

"We believe this would appeal to quite a few, and they might subscribe to some of our social media channels, even though they don't support any of our teams. But maybe they would support our vision?" He asks.

He is confident that in a couple of years' time, the group will have found a model where it can generate substantial revenue through its content. This additional revenue would provide it with the opportunity to open more academies around the world.

Vernon reveals the group has already had discussions with some of the world's leading streaming platforms, which see great potential in the stories being created at Right To Dream. However, his group hasn't been able to strike a deal with any of these platforms so far.

"I see two problems. First of all, they are all in search of jeopardy. And we are not necessarily interested in highlighting the stressful periods that our athletes go through. We acknowledge that there are tough times, and we only want to produce honest content. But it seems like the aspect of jeopardy should be the primary driver of the content, and we don't see it that way."

Secondly, Right To Dream and Vernon are also after a partner who is willing to share the content without charge in Africa.

"What we do is try to improve people's lives. And then we can't be part of something where we can truly inspire millions of kids in Africa, and then ask them to pay for a subscription, which would be a lot of money for a kid in Africa. That would be wrong. So we need to find a model where we can charge those who can afford it. We believe that these stories featuring our young footballers are educational for everybody, and we just have to continue working hard to develop the right business model around this," says Vernon.

American acqusition

Currently, Vernon and his colleagues at Right To Dream Group are focused on a reorganisation to benefit from their latest acquisition, the San Diego MLS team, purchased together with the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation. The tribe has resided in and around San Diego for more than 12,000 years. However, the team will not participate in the MLS tournament until 2025.

"San Diego, which we consider a strategically great location for us, is just 15 kilometers from the Mexican border. It would probably be fair to say that in Mexico, some kids are further disconnected from their dreams compared to the US. So we feel that we are tapping into a very big market where we can make a significant difference."

Vernon explains that the soccer model in America could be described as a "pay-to-play" system, which excludes many kids from playing football. Additionally, he feels that the MLS is one of the best leagues in terms of giving young talents a chance to play senior football. Vernon, who used to be a scout in Africa for Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United, says the diversity of playing styles in the MLS is unique compared to most other leagues.

"You won't play against similar teams week in and week out in the MLS. It is such a big country, so you see many different playing philosophies. Some teams are very much inspired by a Latin-American style, while you encounter something very different when you travel to Vancouver in Canada to face their team. This is the perfect league for our young players as they need to learn to adapt to different styles of play," says Vernon, also highlighting that the group is now entering a massive market with 350 million potential fans.

"This is also why we see content as a growth driver for us in the coming years. We believe that we can offer something new, honest, and very special to this large market."

British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe is prepared for Manchester United’s protracted takeover saga to enter the new season if required, The Guardian reports.

It is understood the Ineos founder is putting no timeframe on when the Glazer family need to make a decision and remains patient regarding the process.

If there is no resolution by the middle of August, when the 2023/24 campaign starts, it will be nine months since the Glazers announced that they were starting “a process to explore strategic alternatives”.

Ratcliffe is yet to hear from the American family after tabling his bid to obtain a majority shareholding in a deal that may retain one or more of the Glazers as minority owners.

Sheikh Jassim unsure about intent to sell

Meanwhile, Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al-Thani, the other publicly declared interested party, is believed to have become frustrated at the length of the process.

The Qatari banker’s fifth and final offer was lodged in early June and is for no more than £6 billion. He is said to be unsure about the Glazers’ intent to sell.

Leeds United announce EFL approval of 49ers Enterprises takeover

Leeds United have announced that the English Football League (EFL) has approved the sale of the club to American investment group 49ers Enterprises.

The chairman and majority shareholder, Andrea Radrizzani, agreed to sell his controlling stake last month and the deal, which includes full ownership of Elland Road and values the club at around £170 million, has now been confirmed.

49ers Enterprises, which owns NFL franchise the San Francisco 49ers, has steadily increased its stake in Leeds since becoming a minority shareholder in 2018. The group upped its stake in the Yorkshire club to 44 per cent in 2021.

In a statement, Leeds confirmed that Paraag Marathe, previously vice-chairman, will take over as chairman, while CEO Angus Kinnear will remain in his current position and Rudy Cline-Thomas, founder and managing partner of venture capital firm Mastry, will join the board as co-owner and vice-chairman.

Gretar Steinsson new technical director

Leeds have also announced that Gretar Steinsson has joined the club from Tottenham Hotspur in the role of technical director. He will work alongside Nick Hammond, who will continue to oversee player trading throughout the current transfer window.

Adam Underwood will step up to become head of football operations, whilst Hannah Cox and Rob Price complete the team, as head of football administration and head of medicine and performance.

Chelsea move closer to Stamford Bridge rebuild after winning bidding war for 1.2 acre plot

Chelsea have reportedly taken a significant step towards committing to the £1.5 billion rebuild of Stamford Bridge after winning a bidding war to buy a 1.2 acre plot of land next to the existing stadium.

As reported by The Daily Telegraph, housing association Stoll has confirmed the sale in principle of the land to the West London club, who are believed to have agreed to pay around £80 million to see off 12 other bids.

While buying the land does not yet offer a cast-iron guarantee that Chelsea will remain at Stamford Bridge, sources confirmed to The Telegraph that it is a big step in that direction and points towards the club’s owners working towards that plan.

The sale of the Stoll site to Chelsea is still subject to resident consultation, which will end on 20th September when a final decision will be confirmed.

Chelsea still have a number of logistical problems to overcome to rebuild Stamford Bridge on the existing site, but buying the Stoll land will give the club the capacity to open up a large area in front of the stadium to create a fan experience and build offices.

Earl’s Court move

Meanwhile, according to The Guardian, it is understood that Chelsea view moving to nearby Earl’s Court as an attractive proposition if they are unable to find a way to stay put.

Any move would depend on the club receiving backing from the Chelsea Pitch Owners, who own the freehold of Stamford Bridge stadium and the name Chelsea FC, and that would require significant negotiation.

Manchester United sales process under criticism from interested buyer

Thomas Zilliacus, the Finnish businessman who attempted to purchase Manchester United, is unimpressed with the sales process of the club, which he describes as a "play" in an interview with Danish football publication Tipsbladet. At the same time, he acknowledges that he should have presented his own bid much more thoroughly, but entered the process too late.

"The entire process has become somewhat of a play. Numerous new bidding rounds and so forth, and I think it reflects that the Glazers don't really know what they want," he adds, suggesting that he wouldn't be surprised if the Glazers decide to remain as primary owners.

Unprofessional process

"It wouldn't be fair to judge people that I have never met. However, the sales process that they are in charge of (led by Raine Group) is not particularly professional. If you have three serious buyers, then the normal thing to do would be to invite each one to negotiate. Instead, we have these anonymous bidding rounds over and over again, where the interested parties, to my knowledge, don't really know what is going on."

In the interview, Thomas Zilliacus also clarifies that it was never his intention to fund only half of the takeover and expect fans to buy the rest of the shares. However, in the long term, he wanted to provide fans with the opportunity to own half of the club, as he believes that would be the best ownership structure for the club.

MLS commissioner DonGarber welcomes Saudi Pro League growth

MLS Commissioner Don Garber has declared that the growth of the Saudi Pro League poses no threat to Major League Soccer but is an opportunity to grow the game around the world.

Speaking to reporters ahead of Wednesday's MLS All-Star game in Washington, Garber said: "I believe that emerging leagues in emerging markets, having energy and having investment and creating noise is a positive.

"For many years, we were that challenging league and we're in a different spot than we were in the past. I don't look at that as a threat in any way to Major League Soccer. I actually think it's positive for the sport. I wish them well."

Rise of CONCACAF

Garber also likened the growth of the Saudi Pro League to the rise of CONCACAF. "I am a supporter of CONCACAF,” he said. “I have seen the energy and investment that's gone into this part of the world.

"I want to see the rest of the world being a big part of the soccer family – whether that's in Saudi Arabia or whether it's in Asia, whether it's in the emerging professionalism of some of the leagues in South America."

Garber added that he hopes an MLS club will get the chance to play a Saudi team at the expanded 32-team Club World Cup, which will be held in the US in 2025.

(Sydney) In the end, the big kick off had something of a rushed feel.

18 minutes after co-hosts New Zealand kicked off the opening match of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Auckland, FIFA rushed out a press release unveiling its two final sponsors for the tournament.

2100 km north west in Sydney, where it would have been virtually impossible to know that the country was staging the World Cup until a day before it started, construction workers toiled through the night adorning lampposts and buildings with Women’s World Cup branding to give the city something of the sense that it was hosting its biggest international sporting event since the 2000 Olympics.

“The FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 is set to be the biggest stand‑alone women’s event in history, and it’s truly incredible to see our fantastic partners and supporters engage with the potential of this unique event,” said FIFA’s Chief Business Officer Romy Gai.

In announcing commercial partnerships with Hublot and the Brazilian bank Itaú, Gai had increased FIFA’s sponsorship portfolio from 12 to 30 commercial partners (an earlier, ill-considered deal with the Saudi tourism board was ditched after local protests), an impressive achievement that reflects women’s football’s upward trajectory.  But only a day earlier FIFA had announced a deal with the travel website, booking.com. The assumption is clear: sponsorship deals were being conducted right up until the wire, just as broadcast contracts have been.

“Today, I am… tired,” the organisation’s usually hyperactive president, Gianni Infantino, said at a press conference in Auckland on Wednesday. His statement was a play on a notorious briefing he gave in Doha before the men’s World Cup last November, when he declared himself an immigrant and “gay”, amongst other things.

Infantino gave platitudes about the “future” being “women” and anticipating the “the greatest FIFA Women's World Cup ever", but his true ambitions for the game and full vision for the tournament’s legacy is known only to him and his colleagues. Accredited media for the tournament were neither notified nor invited to his press conference.

In a video clip Infantino said his “only message” was for the Australian and New Zealand publics to “seize the moment”. FIFA declined to comment or offer background on its commercial and broadcast ambitions.

Local crisis

At the Football Writer’s Festival staged under the shadow of Sydney’s iconic Great Harbour Bridge last weekend, there was considered debate about the implications of the tournament.

Craig Foster, a former Socceroo and now one of Australia’s leading sports broadcasters, talked about football in Australia as a sport that had failed to move on. He talked about the discrepancy between the focus on the women’s World Cup now and the reality facing the sport more regularily in Australia.

Foster cited the lack of willingness to “confront fundamental questions” facing the sport. These included lack of indigenous Australian representation, physical and sexual abuse scandals, and overall lack of media attention on the sport. There needed to be “courageous and difficult conversations” he said.

“The industry hasn’t been willing to have conversations around the issues facing it,” he added.

The World Cup offered an opportunity to move football and Australia as a country on, he said, but it could only do so by addressing its fundamental challenges.

“We know about football’s dark side. We have to take the opportunity to bring it into the light,” Foster added.

“You can’t build a legacy on such unsteady foundations. We preach inclusivity, we preach diversity, but we don’t practice what we preach,” added Elissia Carnavas, a former Matilda player, which is the nickname given to an Australian woman’s international player.

“Football [in Australia] isn’t a game in charge of its own financial future,” said Nicholas Ruppolo, a communications expert with experience as a sports journalist and sports administration in Australia.

He cited poor administration of the domestic game, TV deals that didn’t give primacy to the sport, and a failure to harness Australia’s fiercely passionate and tribal football community, who base their identity on commitments on “equality, fairness, compassion and inclusion.”

“There is nothing more painful than an unfulfilled dream,” he added.

He said that hosting the WWC was simply expedient for Football Australia and said that no long term thought had gone into it. Citing former Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating - ‘In the race of life, always back self-interest — at least you know it's trying’ - he said: “That is the story of football in Australia.”

Game changing event

Others put a more optimistic complexion on the event.

“The discussion isn’t about if it is giving to be a game changer, it is how it is going to be a game changer,” said Dr Fiona Crawford, adjunct lecturer at the Queensland University of Technology's Centre for Justice and co-author of Never Say Die: The Hundred-Year Overnight Success of Australian Women's Football.

She cited money, media, mentality and what she termed “men’s mentality” as the reasons why it was a game changer.

“Men’s football needs women’s football in Australia more than the other way around,” she added, citing a recent interview Football Australia CEO James Johnson gave to the Australian Financial Review.

In it Johnson admitted that the award of the Women’s World Cup in 2020 in the midst of the pandemic saved Football Australia from the financial abyss.

“It was rock bottom,” Johnston told AFR Weekend. “Winning the Women’s World Cup became our way out, our way to keep the Football Federation Australia lights on, to keep the ship above water.”

“All of a sudden, we could talk to bringing the biggest sporting event since the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games to Australia.”

Low profile build up

Admittedly the lack of pre-tournament marketing presence in Queensland and Sydney in the weeks leading up to the tournament was not dissimilar to what was seen in France four years ago. The face of Matilda’s icon Sam Kerr on a packet of potato chips was the sole presence witnessed until a week out from the tournament, until Fox TV built a huge temporary studio replete with FIFA’s branding close to Sydney’s Opera House.

FIFA’s well fed “Family”, the assortment of committeemen and women, officials and hangers on, were late to arrive at the tournament, with their base at Sydney’s Park Hyatt conspicuously quiet. Infantino was nowhere to be seen and no media appearances were planned in Australia before the big kick off. There seemed to be little local engagement either; the Football Writer’s Festival - despite the presence of key stakeholders - was lazily and wrongly described by a FIFA official as “an anti-FIFA Festival.”

FIFA silence

For FIFA the priority is on TV eyes and ears globally. It has targeted 2 billion total TV reach for the tournament, nearly double what it was in France four years ago. Whether that is realistic given the challenges posed by time zones - Australia is 8 or 9 hours ahead of Europe and Africa, and 14 ahead of the USA’s east coast and South America - is another matter.

Infantino’s unnecessary public battle with major international broadcasters won’t have helped the cause. Last October, FIFA rejected bids from various public and private broadcasters for what it described as significantly under-priced bids, urging broadcasters to bid more. As recently as May there was the prospect of a European media blackout for the tournament and although that was averted, only as recently as late June did FIFA confirm a broadcast agreement with Japan - a key and lucrative Asian market.

“The incendiary attitude of Infantino was insane,” a European broadcast executive told this publication on the condition of anonymity. “You don’t try and hold a gun to your partners’ head.  FIFA should be building the women’s game over a sustained period of time and this is not the way to do it.”

The executive added that the world governing body’s responsibilities went beyond the World Cup and beyond 2023. The tournament should be the “anchor” around which the broadcast growth of the women’s game was based in all countries, “not as a cash cow or political tool of the FIFA president.”

Infantino’s behaviour, he added, was “a case study of how not to do things.”

“He hasn’t got more money and he’s antagonised a lot of people.”

“Significant steps”

FIFA’s reticence to be pinned down on revenue numbers for this World Cup extends to even saying whether an earlier pledge that every player at this tournament will earn at least $30,000 will be met.

Research by GlobalData, a data and analytics consultancy, estimates that FIFA’s collective annual rights are worth $307 million annually, but that these predominantly derive from the likes of Wanda and Coca Cola, and are linked to larger rights packages linked to the men’s World Cup and other FIFA competitions.

Jake Kemp, an analyst at GlobalData, has nevertheless praised FIFA for splitting its rights packages and says that in doing so it will have raised the value of income for the women’s game.

“GlobalData expects the growth of women’s soccer to continue in the coming years, but the selling of commercial rights with the 2023 World Cup appears to be a significant step taken for women’s sport in general,” he said.

“As the organizers commit harder to the evolution of the game, it has a knock-on effect, with more money being channelled throughout the sport which only elevates the standards and interest in the sport itself. Expect women’s soccer only to grow over the next decade, with even greater commercial revenue expected at future competitions and even greater brand commitment.”