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

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

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

Crisis nearing a resolution

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

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

Manchester City accused of financial deception by La Liga president

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

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

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

Filed a complain

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

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

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

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

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

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

Plans for a regulator

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sponsorship impacted by absence of shirt deal

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

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

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

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

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

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

Key factors behind the league’s revamp

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

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

Marseille president handed 15-match ban by LFP

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

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

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

Fallout from Longoria’s post-game rant

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

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

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

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

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

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

Former investment banker

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

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

Arsenal have revealed an overall loss of £17.7 million for the 2023/24 season, despite generating record revenue of £616.6 million. Their revenue saw a 32.1 per cent increase on last year’s figure of £466.7 million, according to the club's financial results for the year ended 31st May 2024.

This comes after Arsenal made a loss of £52.1 million for 2022/23, following a loss of £45.5 million the previous year.

The uptick in revenue is driven in part by the men’s team’s strong on-field performance, after finishing second in the Premier League table, and reaching the quarter final stage of the UEFA Champions League.

Commercial revenue saw a significant increase from £169.3 million to £218.3 million for the last year. This was helped by the renewal of Arsenal’s reported £50 million a year main sponsorship deal with Emirates, as well as the club’s training centre naming rights agreement with Sobha Realty, which was signed last year.

Player wage increase

Meanwhile, wages surged from £234.8 million to £327.8 million for 2023/24, primarily due to to additional investments into player wages .

Arsenal made a profit of £51.1 million on player sales, up from £10.7 million for the 2022/23 campaign, while player loans accounted for £1.4 million, down slightly from £1.5 million last year.

Man Utd slump to £27.7 million loss for Q2 2025

Manchester United made a £27.7 million loss for the three-month period ended 31st December 2024, the club have revealed in their second fiscal quarter accounts for 2025.

The club's total revenue decreased from £225.8 million to £198.7 million, marking a 12 per cent drop compared to Q2 2024. This was driven by a 42.1 per cent reduction in broadcasting revenue to £61.6 million.

Despite this, Manchester United reported an 18.5 per cent increase in commercial revenue - from £71.8 million to £85.1 million - which was boosted by the club’s new front-of-shirt sponsorship deal with Snapdragon that was signed last year.

The price of Ten Hag and Ashworth’s departures

As was also revealed in United’s latest accounts, the sacking of former manager Erik Ten Hag, and the exit of former sporting director Dan Ashworth, cost the club a total of £14.5 million.

The dismissal of Ten Hag and his staff cost the club £10.1 million, while United paid Ashworth £4.1 million during his short five-month tenure at Manchester United.

LaLiga increases salary cap for remainder of 2024/25 season

LaLiga has increased its salary cap to €2.878 billion for the remainder of the 2024/25 season, the league have announced.

This marks a three per cent increase on the previous limit of €2.8 billion for clubs across LaLiga and LaLiga 2, the top two tiers of Spanish football.

For a second successive season, LaLiga’s cap will remain below the €3 billion mark.

Real Madrid remain on top

Champions Real Madrid still have the highest Sports Squad Cost Limit (LCPD) of any LaLiga club, remaining at €754.89 million.

Barcelona have the second-largest cap space, with the club now permitted to spend up to €463.6 million – a nine per cent increase since the start of the season.

Atletico Madrid hold the third-highest LCPD at €317.28 million, followed by Real Sociedad, with just over €160 million

Man Utd co-owner INEOS ‘in talks’ over ending Spurs deal

UK-based petrochemicals firm, and Manchester United co-owner, INEOS is in talks over an early termination of its partnership with Tottenham Hotspur.

INEOS, which holds a 28.94 per cent ownership stake in Manchester United, initially partnered with Spurs in 2022, signing a five-year deal that designated the INEOS Grenadier as the official 4x4 partner of the North London club.

Although the value of the agreement has not been disclosed, the year deal is believed to be worth several million pounds annually, as reported by The Times.

Ongoing fallout from Man Utd’s financial woes

Last week, New Zealand Rugby initiated legal action against INEOS for alleged contract breaches, including a missed first payment for 2025, after entering a six-year training kit partnership in 2021.

In January, INEOS split from the Britannia America’s Cup team led by Sir Ben Ainslie, a move which has also prompted a legal dispute.

Prosecutors seek indictment of Napoli owner De Laurentiis

The Rome public prosecutors’s office is seeking the indictment of Napoli owner Aurelio De Laurentiis, over allegations of falsified accounts between 2019 and 2021, according to Italian Media.

The prosecutors are requesting that De Laurentiis, who has owned the Serie A outfit since 2004, will be put on trial alongside his advisor Andrea Chiavelli, and the club.

Central to these allegations are the transfers of Kostas Manolas in 2019 from AS Roma, as well as the signing of Victor Osimhen from Lille the following year.

De Laurentiis’s lawyers issue response

In a statement, De Laurentiis’s lawyers Fabio Fuller and Lorenzo Contrada criticised the request for a trial as “incomprehensible.”

“In the documents there are opinions from consultants and independent bodies which demonstrate incontrovertibly that Napoli acted legitimately and in compliance with Italian accounting principles,” they said. “We are convinced that the proceedings will conclude positively.”

Canadian court validates lawsuit against Newcastle United chairman

A Canadian judge has validated the service of legal papers in a potential $70 million lawsuit against Yasir Al-Rumayyan, chairman of Newcastle United, as reported by The Athletic.

Al-Rumayyan, who is also the governor of the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF), is accused of conspiring with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman (MBS), with the alleged goal of "destroying" the family of Dr. Saad Aljabri, Saudi Arabia's former intelligence chief.

The PIF, which owns an 80 per cent stake in Premier League club Newcastle United, was purchased in October 2021. Al-Rumayyan's influence extends to his role as chair of the board at oil company Saudi Aramco, which also has sponsorship deals with FIFA.

Confirms service of motion for counter-claim

According to new court documents obtained by The Athletic from the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, Honorable Justice Cavanagh has confirmed that a notice of motion seeking to bring about a counterclaim against Al-Rumayyan and others has been properly served. .

The proposed counter-claim alleges that Al-Rumayyan was "directly involved" in a campaign against Aljabri's family from June 2017 to January 2021, acting on MBS's instructions with "malicious intent" to harm them.

Lyon owner John Textor’s Eagle Football Group has said it has generated fresh funds of €83 million for the Ligue 1 club over the past four months as it battles to secure its top-flight status following the provisional relegation imposed by the DNCG in November.

In a statement, Eagle Football said the additional finances were generated “during the 4th quarter of 2024 and January 2025.” The amount includes €21.3 million from the American businesswoman Michelle Kang, who acquired the Lyon women’s team OL Féminin last February.

The Lyon owners said that of Kang’s latest injection, €11 million is for an increase in her 52.9 per cent shareholding in OL Féminin and another €10.3 million in the form of additional investment in the project.

Player sales bring in €62.3 million

Eagle Football said it has also generated €62.3 million in player sales in the January transfer window from teams across its group. More than half the total has come from Brazilian right winger Luiz Henrique’s move from Botafogo to FC Zenit St Petersburg for €33 million.

Eagle said it has also made savings on player wages of €5 million following the transfer deals involving Lyon and other teams across its portfolio completed in January, as well as the termination of several player contracts and loan agreements.

Ex-Roma president James Pallotta faces prospect of trial over capital gains case

Former AS Roma president James Pallotta is facing the prospect of going on trial over the club’s use of capital gains from player transfers after the Italian Prosecutor's Office requested his indictment in relation to the case.

As reported by Italian media, the prosecutor Renata Cerasa has also asked to try five other former Roma executives: ex-CEOs Umberto Maria Gandini and Guido Fienga, former general manager and executive vice president Mauro Baldissoni, and two former accounting executives, Francesco Malknecht and Giorgio Francia.

The defendants are accused of false accounting and violation of the consolidated law on financial intermediation. According to investigators, evidence of those crimes were found in five player transfers.

The current ownership of Roma, represented by the Friedkin family, is not part of the investigation. Although investigated in a first phase, the prosecutor asked for the Friedkins to be dismissed.

Reopening of investigation

The latest developments have come after Italy’s financial police, the Guardia di Finanza, last year concluded its investigation into Roma’s financial statements from 2016 to 2021, following the reopening of the investigation into the use of capital gains in Italian football.

A number of transfer deals were examined over suspicions that exchanges were disguised as sales and of excessive devaluation of player fees. Among the deals under scrutiny was the swap of Luca Pellegrini and Leonardo Spinazzola between Roma and Juventus.

West Ham win £3.6 million legal battle with London Stadium landlords

West Ham United have won a court battle with their stadium owners over a £3.6 million payment they were obliged to make after the Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky bought a 27 per cent stake in the club in November 2021.

As reported by The Times, The High Court ruled that an “expert determination” the club had to pay the money as part of their lease agreement with E20 Stadium contained two “manifest errors”.

The court ruling states it was an error for the expert to regard three share transactions and a share option by West Ham’s co-owners, David Sullivan and the late David Gold, as one single transaction.

Lease penalty clause

West Ham’s parent company, WH Holding (WHH), contested £3.6 million of the £6.5 million it paid to E20 in March 2023 under the stadium lease penalty clause.

The clause was included so that any increase in the value of the club as a result of their deal for the London Stadium should be reflected in a payment to the stadium’s owners.

E20 Stadium was set up by the publicly-owned London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) to manage the stadium. The £3.6 million will now be repaid to West Ham, unless E20/LLDC appeals.
 
 

Paris FC stadium move talks stall as Arnault family look to share rugby venue

French billionaire Bernard Arnault's family is struggling to secure a deal on a new stadium for Paris FC, with compensation and other costs proving a sticking point in discussions, according to a report from Reuters.

The Arnault family, which owns the luxury goods giant LVMH, completed its takeover of the Ligue 2 club alongside Red Bull in early December and have since been in talks with rugby team Stade Francais over sharing their Jean-Bouin stadium.

The aim is to replace Paris FC's current venue, a run-down athletics stadium, but there has been no headway in the discussions. It is understood the talks centre on compensation for replacing Jean-Bouin’s synthetic pitch, which will result in higher maintenance costs and some lost revenue for Stade Francais.

Ferracci confident of securing deal

Last week, in an interview with AFP, the Paris FC president Pierre Ferracci expressed his confidence over securing a deal with Stade Français to share their stadium from next season, and said he hopes to conclude an agreement “in February.”

Meanwhile, in a separate interview, Ferracci told the Spanish international news agency EFE he expects the Arnault family to invest "several hundred million euros” in the coming years as they look to deliver on ambitious plans to rival Paris Saint-Germain.

Manchester City have been threatened with legal action after being accused by Real Valladolid of tapping up the teenage Sierra Leonean defender Juma Bah.

In a statement, Valladolid expressed their “great disappointment and indignation” at what they claim to be City’s attempts to encourage the 18-year-old to break his contract with them.

The Spanish club, who are currently bottom of LaLiga, claim they exercised a purchase option on Bah on 1st January, having initially loaned the 6ft 5in centre-back from AIK Freetong in Sierra Leone last summer.

Attempts to leave

Valladolid claim City have been behind Bah’s subsequent attempts to leave and revealed that the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) had confirmed on Wednesday that the defender – who did not appear for training – has “deposited the amount for the unilateral termination of the contract”.

In their statement, Valladolid added: “In this regard, Real Valladolid reports that it reserves the right to resort to the appropriate legal and sporting jurisdictions to exercise its rights and defend its interests.”

FC Barcelona release 1,500 VIP Ring Seats at revamped Camp Nou

FC Barcelona have launched their latest premium seating package at the revamped Camp Nou, with the release of 1,500 VIP Ring Seats, located in the corner sections of the ground’s new VIP ring.

In a statement, the Catalan club said each seat will cost between €5,500 and €9,000 per season, and will come with access to hospitality suites and VIP areas within the stadium.

Barcelona also confirmed that in total there will be 9,400 premium seats available at the renovated Camp Nou and that 60 per cent of the stadium’s premium allocation has now been sold since the first seats were put on sale in October 2023.

Three times the space

Barça said the club “has adapted its VIP proposal for the new stadium to the new market trends, with boxes and seats of much higher quality”, and with three times the space available in the old ground.

The expanded VIP section is expected to be available by 2026. The club anticipates the revamped venue will generate around €120 million in annual revenue, including the sale of premium seats and new sponsorship agreements.

French clubs push for return of Coupe de la Ligue

The Coupe de la Ligue, France’s League Cup, could be set for a return following calls from a number of presidents of Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 clubs to revive the competition.

The trophy was initially removed in 2020 to ease fixture congestion for elite teams, particularly those competing on the European stage, but according to L'Équipe it now appears to have some backers.

Defenders of the cup's reinstatement argue there is now room for a revived competition as there are fewer league matches in a season, following Ligue 1 and Ligue 2's reduction to 18 teams ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

New revenue stream

Clubs facing financial difficulties due to the drop in the value of the Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 broadcast rights are also said to be eyeing a new revenue stream through the potential return of the Coupe de la Ligue.

It is understood a working group of five club presidents and executives has been proposed to discuss the issue, including Marc Keller (Strasbourg), Laurent Prud'homme (Lyon), Waldemar Kita (Nantes), Pascal Robert (Brest), and Arnaud Pouille (Rennes), although they are yet to convene.

Arsenal have confirmed that their sporting director Edu Gaspar is to leave the club, with reports indicating he is set to join up with Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis and his network of clubs.

In a statement released yesterday, Arsenal said: “Edu Gaspar has today resigned from his position as our sporting director”. The former Gunners midfielder said: “Now it is time to pursue a different challenge.”

According to a report from The Independent, the Brazilian has been in talks with the Marinakis group and is now set to lead their recruitment to assist with Forest, as well as Greek club Olympiacos and Portuguese side Rio Ave.

Tripling of wages

It is understood Edu had held ambitions to become CEO at Arsenal, a position the Marinakis group is willing to meet, while also improving his wages by more than three times that of his existing salary at the Emirates.

Edu has established himself as one of the game’s leading sporting directors after impressing with both signings and trimming down Arsenal’s squad after selling Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

FIGC assembly approves Gravina reforms amid clash with Serie A

The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) assembly has approved the amendments to the Federal Statute proposed by its president, Gabriele Gravina, as a dispute with Serie A over the changes looks set to continue.

As reported by Italian media, of the accredited delegates at yesterday’s assembly, there were 376.35 votes in favour of the changes (81.5 per cent of those entitled to vote), 29.33 votes against (6.35 per cent) and 46.40 abstentions (10.05 per cent).

Of the Serie A representatives eligible to vote, there were eight votes against and 12 abstentions. The league has been seeking greater autonomy in organising its competitions and a binding say in matters that exclusively affect the league.

Federal Council’s power maintained

The amendments to the Federal Statute acknowledge “full autonomy of the leagues in organising their competitions,” but maintain the Federal Council’s power to coordinate competitive activities and deliberate on the organisation of the championships, in agreement with the leagues.

The updated Statute also grants Serie A a “right of agreement” on federal regulations that exclusively concern it. However, Serie A views this as insufficient, believing it maintains the previous system without recognising true autonomy.

In response, the Italian league has been considering countermeasures, including a possible legal challenge to the legitimacy of yesterday’s FIGC assembly.

Paris Saint-Germain announce record revenues of €805 million for 2023/24

Paris Saint-Germain have announced record revenues of €805 million for the 2023/24 financial year, up from the €801.8 million earned the previous year.

The figure was included in a report presented by the club on its economic and societal impact, which was produced by the French Centre for Sports Law and Economics (CDES).

In 2022/23, PSG generated the third highest turnover in European football, behind Real Madrid (€831.4 million) and Manchester City (€826 million). The Ligue 1 champion’s revenues have now grown by a yearly average of 17.9 per cent since 2010/11.

Total economic impact of €243 million

The CDES report said PSG generated a total economic impact of €243 million for the Île-de-France region in 2023/2024, compared with €182.2 million in 2018/19, when the previous CDES report was produced.

The study also found that PSG’s total contribution to the region's public finances amounted to more than €371 million in 2023/24, an increase of 44 per cent compared to 2018/19, and the equivalent of 7.4 per cent of the region's budget.

Marinakis sues owner of rival Greek club for defamation

Evangelos Marinakis, the Greek owner of Nottingham Forest and Olympiacos, is suing Irini Karipidis, the owner of rival Greek club Aris, for more than £2.1 million in a high court libel claim.

Marinakis is taking the action over an alleged “smear campaign” including “false” allegations of match-fixing following allegations made on a website, social media, and mobile billboards between November 2023 and March 2024.

A court hearing was told the allegations, which Marinakis denies, along with separate accusations over a separate drug trafficking case. Barristers for Marinakis said the allegations were “completely untrue” and that the case should proceed in an English court because it had a “real prospect of success”.

Forest-themed website

The court heard that allegations had appeared on a Forest-themed website, X, and YouTube as well as mobile billboards viewed around the City Ground on matchdays. The YouTube channel, X account, and website were later taken down.

David Sherborne, who represents Marinakis, said in written submissions to the court: “The allegations which Mr Marinakis complains of are completely untrue and nothing in the defendants’ evidence comes anywhere close to substantiating [the claims].”

Representing Karipidis is Matthew Hodson, who told the court that the publications were “procured or created by a US PR firm” named Harris Media, which was paid $25,000 but is not involved in the case, and that there was no evidence of “actual harm” to Marinakis’s reputation.

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

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

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

In Portugals top flight

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

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

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

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

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

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

Legal advice

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sponsorships with Qatari companies

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Critical point”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Late in the process

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

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

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

UEFA and European Club Association extend partnership to 2033

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

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

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

“Trusted relationship”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What was City’s challenge?

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

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

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

What did City hope to gain from the case?

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

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

What did the independent panel find?

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

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

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

How will this change things?

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

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

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

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

What did City actually gain from the case?

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

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

Is there something else going on with this case?

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

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

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

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

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

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

How does it affect the 115 case?

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

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

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

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

What happens next?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Succeeded with claim”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Opinion "with exceptions"

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

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

PSV Eindhoven post €9.7 million profit for 2023/24

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

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

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

Costs rise to €141 million

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

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

Newcastle United considering complete rebuild of St James’ Park

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

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

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

Multi-purpose venue

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

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

Exclusive: Wander booted off ECA board

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

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

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

Contested at the general assembly

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

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

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

Manchester City appear to have secured a potentially significant victory in their legal battle with the Premier League over its Associated Party Transaction (APT) rules, according to a report from The Times.

The newspaper has reported that a “last-minute” withdrawal of a league-wide vote on the rules at yesterday’s Premier League shareholders’ meeting indicates City have had at least partial success in their attempt to change them.

A central pillar of the rules – which are designed to limit how much associated parties can pay clubs in sponsorship – was a databank to which clubs are required to submit all commercial contracts, and which in certain circumstances can be used to validate the value of such deals.

Restricting access

The Times understands that the 20 Premier League clubs were due to vote on an amendment to rules specific to the database at the shareholders’ meeting yesterday, and that the clubs were to be asked to vote on restricting access to the databank.

However, the planned vote on the amendment was removed from the agenda late on Wednesday night, even though more specific details of what the amendment regarded were not included.

Sources told The Times that the “last-minute” withdrawal was being interpreted as an indication that a City legal team have enjoyed some success in convincing an independent panel that the APT rules need to be changed.

Ajax post €9.8 million loss for 2023/24

Ajax have reported a net loss of €9.8 million for the year ending 30th June, 2024, following the €39 million profit earned in 2022/23.

Total revenues fell by €44.4 million to €152 million. The Dutch giants said the result was mainly due to lower income from European competition and player transfers, as well as a fall in merchandise sales.

The 2023/24 season was Ajax’s first without any Champions League football for 13 years. The team were knocked out of the Conference League in the round of 16 after finishing third in the group stage of the Europa League.

Income from player sales amounted to €81.5 million, down from €113.3 in 2022/23, and was mainly driven by the transfers of Mohammed Kudus and Edson Álvarez to West Ham United and Jurriën Timber to Arsenal. After depreciation of fees, the figure was €31.3 million.

Ajax also reported that costs decreased, by €11.4 million to €191.3 million due to a fall in player salaries and purchasing costs as a result of the lower merchandise sales. The operating loss for 2023/24 amounted to €39.3 million, compared to €6.4 million for 2022/23.

Another loss expected for 2024/25

Ajax – who are playing in the Europa League again this season after ending their 2023/24 Eredivisie campaign in fifth place – said they expect a further negative result after tax for the 2024/25 financial year.

The club said this was “due to the current level of costs in relation to participation in the UEFA Europa League on the one hand and the transfer result achieved so far on the other.” It added: “With a view to sustainable financial health, additional structural cost reductions will be implemented this season.”

S.C. Braga profit falls by 15 per cent despite record revenues of €90.5 million

S.C. Braga, owned by Qatar Sports Investments who also owns Paris Saint-Germain, have posted a net profit of €17.3 million for the year ending 30th June, 2024, down 15 per cent from the surplus of €20.4 million achieved in 2022/23.

The lower figure came despite the Portuguese club earning record total revenues of €90.5 million, compared with €77.5 million the previous year.

Ordinary turnover doubled to €55.2 million due to S.C. Braga competing in the group stage of the Champions League in the 2023/24 season after playing in the Europa League the previous campaign.

However, income from player trading fell to €34.9 million, down from €49.8 million in 2022/23. The biggest sale was that of Álvaro Djaló to Athletic Club for €15 million (plus €5 million in variables).

Costs rise to €59.6 million

Braga’s presence in the Champions League also increased their costs in 2023/24, with the club recording operating expenses of €59.6 million, up from €45.2 million the previous year.

Added to this were €10 million in transfer amortisation costs, compared with €6.8 million in 2022/23, and €5.3 million in other expenses related to operations on players' rights.

Premier League’s legal fees hit £50 million: six times higher than expected

The Premier League spent nearly £50 million on legal costs in 2023/24 –six times the amount it had budgeted for, The Times has reported.

The cost of investigations and arbitration hearings involving Manchester City, Chelsea, Everton, Nottingham Forest and Leicester City led to the league’s legal bill soaring well beyond the anticipated £8 million.

The Premier League’s finances were due to be discussed by the clubs at yesterday’s league shareholders’ meeting, with questions about the scale of the legal spending expected to be raised.

Unprecedented number of cases

League chiefs could point to an unprecedented number of cases and investigations, and were also expected to explain at the meeting that the costs have been incurred in an effort to protect the integrity of the competition, defend it from legal challenges and enforce the rules.

The Times had previously reported that the Premier League’s costs for the first Everton case alone amounted to £4.9 million, but an independent commission ruled that the club only needed to cover £1.7 million of that.

York City minority shareholder named as US private equity chief Bill E Ford

The family office of Bill E Ford, the CEO of private equity firm General Atlantic, has emerged as a significant minority shareholder in the English National League club York City.

According to a report from Bloomberg, Ford’s family office acquired a 24 per cent shareholding in the club earlier this year. York City announced “a new strategic partner” in June but didn’t identify them.

A source familiar with the matter told Bloomberg that the investment is driven by Ford’s sons – Billy and Tim. York City said in their June statement that the new member of its ownership group would operate as a silent partner.

Data firm

York City are majority owned by the wife and son of Lance Uggla, who is vice chair of General Atlantic and founded IHS Markit, the data firm that merged with S&P Global in 2022.

The Ugglas secured a majority shareholding in York City in June 2023, with the rest of the equity then owned by the York City Supporters’ Trust.
 

LaLiga president Javier Tebas has accused FC Barcelona of "sports corruption" and said he believes the Catalan club will be sanctioned over the Negreira case.

During an appearance on The Wild Project podcast, Tebas said the case "has to be clarified as much as possible. … We have submitted certain documents for research. In this case it has not been proven that referees have been paid and I do not believe that it [will be] proven either.”

He added: "Barcelona paid Negreira because he sold them [the belief] that he could influence the promotions and relegations of referees. He sold them [the belief] that Barcelona could have more influence on that. That is sports corruption, but not at the level of buying [referees].”

“Not possible to prove it”

Tebas continued: "But it will not be possible to prove it. They are not going to reach any referee. What was done is wrong. I think Barcelona will have their sanction, but not at the level of the narrative that is being built by [Real] Madrid.”

The case relates to payments totalling €7.3 million made by Barcelona to the former vice-president of the Spanish FA’s refereeing committee, José María Enríquez Negreira, over 17 years.

Barcelona have consistently denied any wrongdoing or conflict of interest over the payments. The club has repeatedly said they paid an external consultant for “technical reports related to professional refereeing”, which they said was common practice among professional clubs.

DFL and Relevent Sports strike long-term deal to boost Bundesliga growth in Americas

The DFL has announced a long-term strategic partnership with the New York-based sports and media rights company Relevent Sports to significantly expand its sales and marketing activities in the Americas region.

In a statement, the DFL said Relevent will market the media rights to Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 matches across the region from the start of the 2026/27 season, adding that the agreement “will run over several rights cycles.”

The league said Relevent will also support the Bundesliga’s media and sponsorship sales from the current 2024/25 season by “creating tailor-made content for the various target markets”, which encompass North, Central and South America as well as the Caribbean.

Bundesliga Americas team

The DFL and Relevent will also build out a Bundesliga Americas team featuring content, marketing, PR and sales specialists, with branches in New York City and Guadalajara, Mexico, alongside “a significant expansion of the existing staff,” according to the statement.

The DFL said the Bundesliga Americas team will “boast greater proximity to local markets and media companies and produce cross-media content that appeals to fans in the 35 countries” across the region.

RC Deportivo confirm closing of historic bankruptcy case

RC Deportivo de La Coruña have announced that the bankruptcy proceedings against the club which began in 2013 have officially been closed after its historic debt was cleared.

The Spanish second division club confirmed in a statement that the Commercial Court No. 2 of A Coruña has made public the “conclusion of the insolvency proceedings and definitive agreement to close the case.”

Deportivo noted that they were “involved in the largest and longest insolvency proceedings in Spanish football,” with a bankruptcy debt of more than €160 million.

Creditors' agreement

A creditors' agreement was approved by the Commercial Court in February 2014, with payment terms extended until January 2048. However, in April of this year the court gave the green light for Deportivo to alter the agreement so they could immediately pay all the credits with a 19.9 per cent haircut.

Deportivo had already had the approval of most of their creditors months earlier, but with that resolution it did not have to wait until 2031 to receive the credits linked to the ordinary debt and until 2048 those of the subordinated debt.

Exclusive: FC32 set to acquire Roy Keane’s first club

Multiclub ownership group FC32, co-founded by American sports executive Charlie Stillitano, is on the verge of acquiring League of Ireland club Cobh Ramblers, the former club of football legend Roy Keane, reports Senior Correspondent, James Corbett.

This acquisition marks the second club purchase for FC32, following their acquisition of Austrian side SKN St. Pölten earlier this year.

FC32, which boasts a “player-first approach”, and which is run by Paul Francis, a former head of sports science at Adidas, targets lower-league, promotion-ready clubs.

Athlete-led group

The group emphasizes long-term player development over short-term results, aiming to maximize growth potential while supporting players with personalized development plans.

It claims to have an investor base of “70 per cent current and former athletes” and its founders have targeted a total of seven clubs. The group eventually aims to generate annual transfer fees of €100-150 million.