An American special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) connected to the Pacific Media Group has joined the race to buy Sampdoria, according to Italian newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore.

The Pacific Media Group, which owns stakes in a number of European teams, reportedly approached another Serie A club, Verona, in July.

It is understood that the SPAC is one of three potential buyers still in the running to acquire Sampdoria, alongside another American group, as well as a consortium of investors from the Persian Gulf represented by the film entrepreneur Francesco Di Silvio.

The identity of the other American group remains unclear, and Sampdoria are said to want maximum confidentiality on the names of potential buyers.

The goal is to avoid a repeat of what happened with the US private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management, which was understood to be working alongside London-based investment company RedStone Capital on a bid, only to back down following media reports of their interest.

Legal ownership

Each of the three bidders in contention are said to have put forward expressions of interest to the investment bank Lazard, and Gianluca Vidal of the Rosan Trust, which holds the legal ownership of the club.

Massimo Ferrero, who had owned Sampdoria since 2014, resigned as club president last December following his arrest by the Italian law enforcement agency Guardia di Finanza as part of an investigation into corporate crimes and bankruptcy.

Leicester City plans to increase stadium capacity to 40,000 set for council approval

Councillors are set to approve plans for Leicester City to expand capacity at their King Power Stadium to 40,000, the BBC reports.

The Premier League club want to add an extra 8,000 seats, as well as building a new hotel and business centre, a flagship fan store, an events arena and residential flats.

The club applied for planning permission from Leicester City Council in October after a public consultation. The council's planning committee is set to vote on the plans on Wednesday but officers have recommended they approve the designs.

10th largest

The plans would make Leicester’s ground the 10th largest among England’s current top-flight clubs.

Leicester said more than 1,000 jobs would be created during the construction period, with another 1,000 permanent positions across facilities on the site.

Council documents show that planning officers have recommended that the committee members vote to approve the plans. If approved, the Premier League club will have to set out more specific plans and agree a financial deal with the local authority.

PSG under pressure to change away travel plans after “sand yacht” comment

French politicians have reacted angrily to a comment from Paris Saint-Germain head coach Christophe Galtier about his team’s choice of travel to away matches.

Galtier and star player Kylian Mbappé were asked about the French champions' jet trip for last Saturday’s game with Nantes, which is less than two hours by TGV (high speed train) from Paris, at a press conference on Monday.

When asked about their decision to fly, Mbappe laughed, and Galtier joked that the club was looking into the possibility of travelling by sand yacht instead.

‘PSG law’

In a speech on Tuesday, the French prime minister Elisabeth Borne called on Ligue 1 footballers to "become fully aware" of the climate crisis.

And French TV channel RMC Sport has reported that the environmental group in the Senate plans to propose a law called ‘PSG’ to regulate the use of private planes in France and to favour train travel.

Manchester United agree multi-year global partner deal with Therabody

Manchester United have announced a deepening of their relationship with global wellness technology leader Therabody, which has become a global partner of the club after signing a multi-year agreement.

The club said the partnership will expand its use of Therabody products and solutions as part of the training and recovery regimes of both its men’s and women’s teams. United will also showcase their benefits to the club’s global fan base.

The Old Trafford club said players will have access to Theraguns in their training facilities to help improve their athletic performance and prevent injury during practices and matches.

They will also be able to use Therabody’s pneumatic compressions device range, including RecoveryAir’s JetBoots, in the training rooms and on all away trips.

Performance education

Victoria Timpson, Manchester United’s CEO of alliances and partnerships, said:

“By gaining access to Therabody’s tried-and-tested range of scientifically backed products and expertise, this partnership will support our players and staff in the pursuit of success on the pitch.

“The partnership also aims to give United’s global audience access to the same in-depth performance education so they too can easily take control of their training and recovery in the same way as their favourite players, through the use of Therabody products.”

The value of the global sports NFT market is forecast to double within a year and reach $2.6 billion by the end of 2022, according to a new report by Market Decipher.

The market research and consultancy firm estimates that the market will experience average annual growth of 36.3 per cent until 2032, which would increase the size of the market to $41.6 billion within a decade.

The report says the boom will be driven by the options that exist today around digital collectibles and by "the enormous demand for limited edition NFTs.” 

It adds that "developing countries are growing at a higher rate than other markets that have high technology."

New revenue stream

Chandradeep Singh, an analyst at Market Decipher, said: "NFTs are creating a new revenue stream for athletes, leagues and teams of various sports, with current demand highly concentrated in the US.

“Various blockchain companies are allowing teams and athletes to create their own sports NFT marketplace, thus easing the way into the NFT industry."

 

West Ham under pressure over partnership with crypto firm doing business in Russia

Questions have been raised over West Ham United’s partnership with crypto firm Peakdefi after it emerged that it offers online financial services in Russia.

Peakdefi was launched by a team in Dubai in 2020 and West Ham joined forces with the company in May this year. 

The Daily Mail reports that the partnership was agreed amid UK government warnings over the risk of crypto assets being used by Russian individuals to avoid sanctions designed to protect Ukraine. 

The Premier League club have been enthusiastically profiling the company, which allows consumers to trade online using digital currencies, to invest in its own crypto token and to earn commission by encouraging others to put their money in.

Russian Twitter channel

Author and football finance researcher Martin Calladine said he is concerned that West Ham are choosing to partner with, and promote, a company still seeking crypto business in Russia while the war rages in Ukraine.

“The situation [with PEAKDEFI] is they maintain two social channels, an English language Twitter and a Russian Twitter,” Calladine said. “The Russian one is regularly updated.”

He added: “It is possible to purchase their tokens from the Russian Federation. So, they are deliberately and openly doing business in Russia.”

The Daily Mail contacted PEAKDEFI for comment, and said that West Ham have confirmed the club is investigating.

 

Birmingham City set to confirm £5 million stadium works plan

The prospective new owners of EFL Championship club Birmingham City are set to finalise a £5 million programme of improvements to the club’s St Andrews stadium.

The Mirror reports that Ex-Gymshark chairman Paul Richardson and former Argentine striker Maxi Lopez, who assisted the club’s transfer business last month, are this week finalising a plan of works to restore the club’s home ground. 

The aim will be to get the stadium fully open for next season. Currently the Tilton and Kop stands need major work, with sections closed to fans since December 2020 because of safety concerns, reducing the ground's 29,409 capacity by a third.

EFL approval 

Richardson and Lopez paid a £1.5 million deposit in July to buy-out Birmingham's largest individual shareholder Vong Pech, who has a 21.64 per cent stake.

It is part of a plan to take over the whole club in the next two years for £36.5 million from the current Far East regime. The duo are now just waiting on EFL approval, due next week, before officially taking control.

UEFA have confirmed that Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus are among eight clubs that competed in its competitions last season to be fined for breaches of Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules.

PSG have been ordered to pay an unconditional fine of €10 million and another €55 million if they fail to break even, while Juventus have been hit with a €3.5 million fine to be paid up front, and a further €19.5 million if they don’t comply with the break-even requirements.

The other clubs to be sanctioned are AS Roma (€5m unconditional fine, €30m conditional fine), Inter Milan (€4m, €22m), AC Milan (€2m, €13m), Beşiktaş (€0.6m, €3.4m), AS Monaco (€0.3m, €1.7m), and Olympique de Marseille (€0.3m, €1.7m).

19 clubs on watchlist

The analysis covered the period from 2018 to 2022. No clubs from either LaLiga or the Premier League were found to have breached the regulations.

However, UEFA also stated that 19 clubs – Borussia Dortmund, Chelsea, FC Barcelona, Basel, Union Berlin, Fenerbahce, Feyenoord, Leicester City, Manchester City, Lyon, Rangers, Real Betis, Royal Antwerp, Sevilla, Lazio, Napoli, Trabzonspor, Wolfsburg and West Ham United – have been placed on a watchlist.

UEFA said these clubs were “able to technically fulfil the break-even requirement thanks to the application of the Covid-19 emergency measures and/or because they benefited from historical positive break-even results.”

The governing body added that the clubs were “asked for additional financial information and will be monitored closely in the upcoming period.”

 

Premier League clubs set for spending restrictions under new squad cost rules

Premier League clubs are set to face spending restrictions on transfers and wages for the first time as the English top-flight plans to follow UEFA’s new financial rules, The Times reports.

Under UEFA’s new squad cost rule clubs will be limited to spending 70 per cent of their revenue in a calendar year on player wages, transfers and agents fees, although any income from selling players will allow clubs to spend more.

UEFA has already said it will phase the new limit in – with 90 per cent the cap for the calendar year 2023, 80 per cent for 2024 and 70 per cent from 2025. The Premier League is looking to bring in a similar rule, but with a higher percentage so clubs can invest more in competing to get into Europe.

Fines and points deductions

UEFA’s model will lead to fines and points deductions imposed for breaches, with the sanction determined by the size of the breach. It is understood the Premier League has yet to make any detailed proposals to clubs around sanctions.

Insiders told The Times that the first step is for the principle to be agreed by the member clubs and then to set out a phased introduction. The ‘Big Six’ clubs – Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and the two Manchester teams – are believed to be broadly supportive of the plans.

 

Future of Bundesliga’s ‘50+1’ rule remains in doubt as cartel office investigation drags on

The future of the Bundesliga’s ‘50+1’ ownership rule remains unclear as an investigation by Germany’s federal competition authority into the rule continues to drag on, Kicker reports.

The Bundeskartellamt delivered a preliminary evaluation of the 50+1 ownership rule, which bars big investors from taking over clubs, back in May 2021 after the DFL had requested it for reasons of legal clarity.

The cartel office declared that the rule was not in breach of anti-trust laws. However, it warned that it considered the exceptions to the rule to be problematic, and said efforts should be made for implementation across the league.

The Bundeskartellamt's president Andreas Mundt said this week that it has now heard a "broad picture" of views, having spoken with clubs, the league and investors. But he suggested that further crucial talks will be held over the next few months.

Speaking on Tuesday at the presentation of the Bundeskartellamt's annual report, Mundt said: "It would not be expedient to comment on this now, at a stage where the whole thing is really in conversation with us. This is not the easiest issue. I hope that we are heading for good solutions, with the DFL, with the clubs."

Factory-owned clubs

Under DFL rules clubs are not allowed to play in the Bundesliga if commercial investors have more than a 49 per cent stake, meaning private investors cannot take over control.

There are some exceptions, such as factory-owned clubs Bayer Leverkusen and VfL Wolfsburg. Under current rules investors with an interest in the club for 20 years or more can apply for an exemption from the 50+1 rule.

 

FIFA set date for Chile appeal over Ecuador’s World Cup place

FIFA will hold an appeal hearing on 15th September over Chile’s claim they should be at the 2022 World Cup instead of Ecuador due to the alleged use of an ineligible player during qualification matches.

On 10th June FIFA dismissed the Chilean FA’s complaint that Ecuador’s Byron Castillo was born in Tumaco, Colombia in 1995 and not in the Ecuadorean city of General Villamil Playas in 1998, as stated on his official documents.

The Chilean FA appealed the decision on 1st July and recently urged FIFA to speed up the process.

Eduardo Carlezzo, the lawyer representing the Football Federation of Chile in its FIFA appeal, told Reuters in an email that the governing body had called Castillo himself to testify.

Ecuador denial

Castillo played in eight of Ecuador’s 18 qualifying games for the Qatar World Cup. Ecuador have denied that the player was ineligible.

Ecuador picked up 14 of their 26 points in matches Castillo played. If they had lost points for the games in which Castillo appeared, they would have missed out on a place in Qatar.

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My Career in Sports Law: Emilio García Silvero, Chief Legal and Compliance Officer at FIFA

What makes football law different from other careers?
"Football law is a very particular combination. Essentially, we are talking about law, so a strong and solid legal education is crucial. But the fact is that the application and the interpretation of the law is done in a very particular environment, such as football or sport in general. Hence, knowledge of the sporting environment is also a vital aspect for anyone who wants to work in this field. I always tend to say that football law is essentially law, and that without the passion about the legal system it is impossible to work in this market, but it also important to highlight that the understanding of the context in which the rules and regulations are applied is an equally relevant aspect."

Who in this industry has inspired you the most?
"I have been very fortunate since I started working in the Legal Department of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) almost 20 years ago. During this period, I have met incredible people from whom I have learned a lot, both from a professional and personal point of view. Professionally, the figures of the former UEFA's Legal Directors from 2004 to 2018, Gianni Infantino and, later, Alasdair Bell, have been fundamental in my development. To this, I add my Thesis Director at the University in Madrid, Prof. Miguel Cardenal, today Chairman of the Supervisory Council of the Aquatic Integrity Unit and CAS Arbitrator. Personally, I learned a lot about human relations from the former President of the RFEF, Angel Maria Villar Llona, whom I hold in high esteem."

What is the most complicated case you have been involved in, and why?
"In the last 20 years, I have been involved in numerous judicial and arbitration proceedings in different jurisdictions all across the world. I could give many examples, but two cases stand out for me, both before the CAS: The match-fixing proceedings of the Turkish club Fenerbahce and the Albanian club Skenderbeu were incredible legal challenges during my time as Director of Integrity at UEFA. They were a mixed bag of proceedings, pioneering in many cases, and they were a real learning experience. More recently, I would say that the work with the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) from 2018 to 2021, which has led to the restitution to the FIFA Foundation of more than USD 200 million, has also been something that has marked me professionally."

Which type of case can really inspire you and make you feel highly motivated?
"Any case, no matter how small, is interesting. The most complicated cases I have been involved in, have not been in my time at FIFA or UEFA, but those almost unsolvable cases of lower categories that occur in a domestic federation or a league (in my case in the RFEF). There are situations that do not happen often in professional football, and often the rules are not designed for cases of that nature. But any procedure that involves law in sport or football is exciting."

Looking into your crystal ball, which area of football law do you see growing in importance and relevance?
"I think there are two aspects that are already fundamental at the moment: on the one hand, the digitisation of the whole environment, which directly affects those professionals who are dedicated to football law. It is no longer just a question of knowing about employment disputes, disciplinary sanctions or doping, but the commercial aspects related to the digitalisation of the market are now also essential. The second aspect is also partly tangential to football law, but increasingly linked to it. The international or local financial control of clubs through regulations will continue to generate litigation at domestic level and before the CAS. It is an exciting area and we will see some development in the future."

By James Corbett, senior correspondent

UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin has offered his unequivocal support for a Spain-Portugal World Cup bid for 2030, dashing unlikely hopes that Turkey and Greece could co-host the event with Saudi Arabia and Egypt.

Speaking at the Football Talks summit in Lisbon, Čeferin also said that UEFA was also reassessing the format for the European Championships, and that he felt the current 24 team composition was “not ideal.”

Last month, various Middle Eastern media reported that Saudi Arabia and Egypt were looking to co-host the event with one or more European partners potentially leading to a tournament across three confederations.

However, there has long been strong backing for an Iberian 2030 bid in Europe, with the Home Nations and Italy seemingly stepping aside from a challenge in favour of Spain-Portugal.

“It's very simple. I see it as a winning bid,” Čeferin said via video link. “We will do whatever we can to help the bid. It's time for Europe to host the World Cup.”

“Both countries are passionate about football. You feel you smell football in Spain and Portugal. Infrastructure is great, so we have some plans how to help.

“We should be honest: I think, and I'm sure, that we will have the World Cup in 2030 in Spain and Portugal.”

Retaining Euros value

Čeferin also confirmed that UEFA was reassessing the format for future editions of the European Championships and that a working group met this week to discuss it. He said that the organization had a duty to ensure that the qualifying tournament retained value, and that he didn’t foresee expanding the tournament to have more matches.

“I think 24 is not the ideal format. Maybe 32 or 16 is better. But the problem is, and that's why I'm not sure if we can change it very soon, is that then the qualifiers lose the value if first and second team in the group qualify automatically. Then the competition is not as appealing as it should be,” he said.

“There are many challenges if you want to change a competition like that. For sure, we wouldn't have more matches in any case, even if it would be more teams, there will never be more matches at the Euros because the calendar is precious.”

 

PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi calls for rules to prevent clubs from falling into too much debt

Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi has called for rules to prevent football clubs from taking on too much debt, which he described as “a danger.”

Spanish daily sports newspaper Marca reports that the Qatari, who is also chairman of the European Club Association (ECA), made a veiled criticism of FC Barcelona for their large debts.

Speaking via video link during Football Talks, a conference at the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) HQ in Oeiras, Lisbon, he said that "during the pandemic, football survived because of the investment that was made" and that "in the opposite case, it would not have managed to overcome the situation as it did".

However, he pointed out that "many clubs lost a lot", which led to them being "deeply in debt", and noted that there are teams that are €1.8 billion in debt –without naming names – and that "this is a danger" for the sport.

It was noted that Al-Khelaifi failed to acknowledge the large injections of funds PSG have received from their owners Qatar Sports Investments,a subsidiary of the Qatari state-run sovereign wealth fund, to keep them afloat.

“Rules that protect clubs”

Al-Khelaifi declared that it is necessary to "create rules that protect European football clubs" from getting into high levels of debt. He also argued that if football does not attract investment it will go to other sports.

In addition, the beIN Media Groupchairman reinforced his rejection of the European Super League and defended the new Champions League format, which, in his view, "is a success".

 

Manchester United £3.75 billion price tag could ‘tempt interest from Dubai’

A Dubai state-run fund could be tempted to table a bid to buy Manchester United and follow others in Middle Eastern states who have acquired Premier League teams, according to The Daily Mail.

It is understood that an offer of around £3.75 billion would be enough to prise United from the Glazer family, but it remains to be seen whether such a figure would be palatable to Britain’s richest man Jim Ratcliffe.

Last month, a spokesperson for Ratcliffe said he wants to buy a stake in United, with a view to taking full control if the Glazers put the club up for sale. The Ineos chemicals group chairman, who is a United supporter, failed with a recent bid for Chelsea.

Asking price within range

However, the asking price for United may well be within the range of a sovereign wealth fund such as Dubai, which is rumoured be a contender.

The Emirate is yet to follow Abu Dhabi (Manchester City) and Saudi Arabia (Newcastle United) in adding a top-flight club to its portfolio.

 

SPFL £30 million-a-year TV deal thrown into doubt over Rangers’ lack of response

The board of the Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) is to hold emergency talks after a new £30 million-a-year broadcasting deal with Sky Sports was thrown into doubt.

The Daily Mail reports that 12 clubs from the Scottish Premiership were granted 28 days to vote on a resolution recommending an extension to the current contract.

They were also asked to provide a letter of waiver agreeing to let Sky increase the number of home games they show from each ground each season from four to five.

While 11 top-flight clubs agreed to the request by the deadline of midnight on Sunday the league received no response from Rangers and the resolution collapsed.

An issue which would normally require an 8-4 majority of Premiership clubs, all 12 teams were required to grant their consent to the change of rule on how many games Sky could show from every stadium.

Increase from 48 to 60

Under the terms of the proposed agreement the broadcaster would be entitled to increase the maximum number of games they show from 48 to 60 a season from season 2024/25.

In return Sky is prepared to increase annual payments to Premiership clubs from the current figure of £25 million to £30 million by 2028/29.

UEFA have confirmed that Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus are among eight clubs that competed in its competitions last season to be fined for breaches of Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules.

PSG have been ordered to pay an unconditional fine of €10 million and another €55 million if they fail to break even, while Juventus have been hit with a €3.5 million fine to be paid up front, and a further €19.5 million if they don’t comply with the break-even requirements.

The other clubs to be sanctioned are AS Roma (€5m unconditional fine, €30m conditional fine), Inter Milan (€4m, €22m), AC Milan (€2m, €13m), Beşiktaş (€0.6m, €3.4m), AS Monaco (€0.3m, €1.7m), and Olympique de Marseille (€0.3m, €1.7m).

19 clubs on watchlist

The analysis covered the period from 2018 to 2022. No clubs from either LaLiga or the Premier League were found to have breached the regulations.

However, UEFA also stated that 19 clubs – Borussia Dortmund, Chelsea, FC Barcelona, Basel, Union Berlin, Fenerbahce, Feyenoord, Leicester City, Manchester City, Lyon, Rangers, Real Betis, Royal Antwerp, Sevilla, Lazio, Napoli, Trabzonspor, Wolfsburg and West Ham United – have been placed on a watchlist.

UEFA said these clubs were “able to technically fulfil the break-even requirement thanks to the application of the Covid-19 emergency measures and/or because they benefited from historical positive break-even results.”

The governing body added that the clubs were “asked for additional financial information and will be monitored closely in the upcoming period.”

 

Premier League transfer spend matches other top four European leagues combined

Premier League clubs spent as much as the other four top European tiers combined after smashing their own transfer window record from 2017.

This summer, Premier League clubs have spent €2.25 billion - La Liga, Serie A, the Bundesliga and Ligue 1 spent a combined €2.29 billion.

The net spend is even more remarkable: €1.35 billion for Premier League clubs, with La Liga and Serie A a distant second and third on €52.4 million and €3.4 million respectively. The Bundesliga and Ligue 1 have a positive transfer balance.

Another striking figure is that Nottingham Forest have spent more than every Championship and Brazilian club combined - €162 million vs €152 million.

Biggest transfer in the summer window is Antony to Manchester United at €95 million.

 

FIFA and UEFA condemn attack on Turkish Football Federation building

FIFA and UEFA have issued a joint statement condemning the attack on the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) building that occurred in Istanbul last Thursday night.

A board of directors meeting was taking place when gunshots were fired at the building during the armed attack. Interior minister Suleyman Soylu said there were 11 shots fired in total, five of which hit the building.

The minister added that “the bullets passed very close to us.” He said there were two suspects involved and claimed that they were both "drunk".

The TFF confirmed in a statement that there were no injuries and that the perpetrators had been caught. "We have no doubt that the Turkish justice system will give those responsible for the incident the punishment they deserve,” it said.

“Horrific act”

In their joint statement, FIFA and UEFA described the incident as “a horrific act of gun violence against the people and property of the TTF.”

They added: “As much as we are relieved that these acts resulted in no injuries, we regret that there are still people capable of such crimes with no respect for human life or safety.

“FIFA and UEFA jointly condemn this violent act and express our full support for the TFF and its staff at this difficult time. Violence is a disease that cannot be tolerated in any form.”

Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus are among ten clubs set to escape with fines for UEFA Financial Fair Play (FFP) breaches in the 2020/21 season, The Times reports.

UEFA are expected to announce a series of FFP settlements with clubs on Friday. The clubs will be warned of more severe sanctions if they breach break-even rules again within a fixed period.

Along with PSG and Juventus, other clubs who have made settlements are believed to include AC Milan, Roma, Inter Milan, Marseille and Monaco, with none from the English Premier League.

It is understood that FC Barcelona are not among the clubs that have agreed settlements but they are expected to be in breach of FFP limits for last season after making heavy losses over the past two years.

New system

UEFA’s rules allow only €30 million of losses over three years, but Covid-related losses, depreciation and “healthy” spending on areas such as women’s and academy football can be written off by clubs against that figure.

This season will be the last under the existing FFP rules. From 2023 UEFA is bringing in a new system, where clubs will be limited to spending a percentage of their revenue in a calendar year on players’ wages, transfers and agents’ fees.

 

Brazilian top-flight clubs face Ministry of Justice investigation into betting sponsor deals

A number of Brazil’s biggest football clubs are to be part of an investigation by the country’s Ministry of Justice into sponsorship deals held by sports teams and media owners with online betting firms.

The Brasileiro Série A teams Corinthians, Atlético Mineiro, Flamengo, Fluminense, São Paulo, Cruzeiro, Palmeiras and Santos have all been ordered to provide information, according to media reports.

The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) is also understood to have been asked to explain why it allowed clubs to participate in deals with unlicensed bookmakers.

The investigation follows concerns by SENACON – the National Consumer Secretariat – that such deals were agreed without the country having finalised the laws and standards that will be applied to its pending federal sports betting regime.

World Cup coverage

SENACON will also place Rede Globo, Brazil’s largest media owner, under the spotlight after agreeing partnerships with Pixbet and Betnacional as lead sponsors of its FIFA Qatar 2022 World Cup coverage.

SENACON believes that several deals involving sports clubs and media owners have been determined ‘outside of Brazil’, bypassing existing national laws.

 

FIFA set date for Chile appeal over Ecuador’s World Cup place

FIFA will hold an appeal hearing on 15th September over Chile’s claim they should be at the 2022 World Cup instead of Ecuador due to the alleged use of an ineligible player during qualification matches.

On 10th June FIFA dismissed the Chilean FA’s complaint that Ecuador’s Byron Castillo was born in Tumaco, Colombia in 1995 and not in the Ecuadorean city of General Villamil Playas in 1998, as stated on his official documents.

The Chilean FA appealed the decision on 1st July and recently urged FIFA to speed up the process.

Eduardo Carlezzo, the lawyer representing the Football Federation of Chile in its FIFA appeal, told Reuters in an email that the governing body had called Castillo himself to testify.

Ecuador denial

Castillo played in eight of Ecuador’s 18 qualifying games for the Qatar World Cup. Ecuador have denied that the player was ineligible.

Ecuador picked up 14 of their 26 points in matches Castillo played. If they had lost points for the games in which Castillo appeared, they would have missed out on a place in Qatar.

 

Hearts fan group funds given to club since 2013 reach £14 million

The funds given to Scottish Premiership club Heart of Midlothian by the Foundation of Hearts fan group has reached£14 million, Scottish newspaper The National reports.

The FoH became Hearts’ majority shareholder last August, and supporters have been putting money into the FoH since just before the club entered administration in 2013. The group helped the club recover together with current chair Ann Budge.

FoH chairman Gerry Mallon said: “A few days ago, the monthly transfer of funds from the Foundation to the club went through.

“It marked another significant milestone. Incredibly, unbelievably, the total raised through pledges from Heart of Midlothian supporters and friends has now reached more than £14 million.”

Highest pledger numbers

He added: “In the midst of challenging financial times all round, the monthly pledges have been sustained. Indeed, pledger numbers now are around the highest they have ever been.”

Mallon said the money has helped fund a number of projects, including the club’s new main stand and other stadium improvements, and the development of the academy, B team and women’s squad.

The New York Yankees baseball team and a Los Angeles investment fund are reported to be among a number of new investors in AC Milan as the US private equity group RedBird Capital Partners closes in on its takeover of the club.

The Financial Times understands that the New York Yankees, owned by the Steinbrenner family, and the LA-based fund Main Street Advisors will both become shareholders in the Serie A champions. 

RedBird’s founder Gerry Cardinale has worked with the New York Yankees for decades, and it is understood the baseball franchise will work closely with AC Milan as part of efforts to increase the club’s revenues and on-field success. 

Part of the collaboration could include AC Milan programming on the YES Network, a regional sports network owned by a consortium of the Yankees, Amazon, RedBird and Sinclair Broadcast Group. 

The Yankees are co-owners, with the City Football Group, of the MLS club New York City FC.

Main Street Advisors counts among its investors basketball star LeBron James, music producer Jimmy Iovine and rapper Drake, although all three are understood to be passive investors in Milan through the fund and have not taken direct stakes. 

Miami FC president and co-owner

Meanwhile, Calcio e Finanza reports that the Italian entrepreneur Riccardo Silva, who is president and co-owner of US second-tier football club Miami FC, will also be investing in AC Milan along with RedBird.

It is understood that Silva will not have operational tasks at the club, but was brought in to provide an Italian and Milanese presence in the takeover deal. 

Calcio e Finanza understands that other partners in the acquisition of the club include Ramzi Musallam and Hugh Evans from American private equity fund Veritas Capital, who are said to have invested personally in the takeover.

The Italian website said they are joined by US medical giant Kaiser Permanente and Los Angeles County pension fund LACERA, although sources close to RedBird denied the involvement of either of those two organisations.

According to The Financial Times, RedBird is set to announce the entry of its new partners as early as Wednesday, when it is expected to officially take control of the club from its current owner, US hedge fund Elliott Management.
 

Premier League clubs set for spending restrictions under new squad cost rules

Premier League clubs are set to face spending restrictions on transfers and wages for the first time as the English top-flight plans to follow UEFA’s new financial rules, The Times reports.

Under UEFA’s new squad cost rule clubs will be limited to spending 70 per cent of their revenue in a calendar year on player wages, transfers and agents fees, although any income from selling players will allow clubs to spend more.

UEFA has already said it will phase the new limit in – with 90 per cent the cap for the calendar year 2023, 80 per cent for 2024 and 70 per cent from 2025.

The Premier League is looking to bring in a similar rule, but with a higher percentage so clubs can invest more in competing to get into Europe.

Fines and points deductions

UEFA’s model will lead to fines and points deductions imposed for breaches, with the sanction determined by the size of the breach. It is understood the Premier League has yet to make any detailed proposals to clubs around sanctions.

Insiders told The Times that the first step is for the principle to be agreed by the member clubs and then to set out a phased introduction. The ‘Big Six’ clubs – Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and the two Manchester teams – are believed to be broadly supportive of the plans.

Future of Bundesliga’s ‘50+1’ rule remains in doubt as cartel office investigation drags on

The future of the Bundesliga’s ‘50+1’ ownership rule remains unclear as an investigation by Germany’s federal competition authority into the rule continues to drag on, Kicker reports.

The Bundeskartellamt delivered a preliminary evaluation of the 50+1 ownership rule, which bars big investors from taking over clubs, back in May 2021 after the DFL had requested it for reasons of legal clarity.

The cartel office declared that the rule was not in breach of anti-trust laws. However, it warned that it considered the exceptions to the rule to be problematic, and said efforts should be made for implementation across the league.

The Bundeskartellamt's president Andreas Mundt said this week that it has now heard a "broad picture" of views, having spoken with clubs, the league and investors. But he suggested that further crucial talks will be held over the next few months.

Speaking on Tuesday at the presentation of the Bundeskartellamt's annual report, Mundt said: "It would not be expedient to comment on this now, at a stage where the whole thing is really in conversation with us. This is not the easiest issue. I hope that we are heading for good solutions, with the DFL, with the clubs."

Factory-owned clubs

Under DFL rules clubs are not allowed to play in the Bundesliga if commercial investors have more than a 49 per cent stake, meaning private investors cannot take over control.

There are some exceptions, such as factory-owned clubs Bayer Leverkusen and VfL Wolfsburg. Under current rules investors with an interest in the club for 20 years or more can apply for an exemption from the 50+1 rule.
 

Como unveil Thierry Henry as new shareholder

France and Arsenal legend Thierry Henry has been unveiled as a new shareholder of Italian Serie B side Como, the BBC reports.

Henry was introduced to the media at a press conference alongside the club’s CEO and former Chelsea captain Dennis Wise.

Como are owned by Indonesian tobacco giants Djarum and were last in Serie A in 2003. After bankruptcy in 2016, the club has risen from the fourth tier and finished 13th in Serie B last season.

The club signed Henry's former team-mate Cesc Fabregas earlier this month. Fabregas has also become a shareholder of the club.

Specifics of role unclear

"It's a new chapter in my life," Henry told reporters. "I know the love for football here.” Having retired from playing in 2015, Henry is now assistant manager of the Belgium national team but said he "will come as much as I can" to Como.

The specifics of Henry's role with the club remain unclear, with Wise saying: "Thierry is a shareholder and that's all I'm prepared to say. We want to understand his experiences and his ideas."

Cardiff City have lost their appeal against FIFA’s ruling that requires the EFL Championship club to pay the first instalment of Emiliano Sala's £15 million transfer fee to Nantes, of Ligue 1.

The Argentine striker died in a plane crash over the English channel in January 2019 while travelling from France to join his new club. A three-man panel at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) heard the appeal in Lausanne earlier this year. Cardiff must now pay the first instalment of £5.3 million to Nantes.

Cardiff respond to ruling

In response to the CAS ruling, Cardiff said they were “disappointed by the decision.” The club added: "The award fails to decide the crucial question of FC Nantes' (and its agents') liability for the crash, which will therefore have to be decided in another forum.

"Once the club's lawyers have digested the reasons for the decision we expect to appeal and will not be making any payments to FC Nantes in the meanwhile.

"If those appeals are unsuccessful and the club is liable to pay the transfer fee, the club will take legal action against those responsible for the crash for damages to recover its losses. This will include FC Nantes, and its agents.

"All our thoughts must continue to be with Emiliano's family, who are now supported financially by the trust the club put in place for them."

 

FC Barcelona consider legal action against LaLiga over FFP rules

FC Barcelona are considering taking legal action against LaLiga and its president Javier Tebas over the league’s Financial Fair Play regulations, Spanish media have reported.

Under the rules, each club is given a spending limit to cover gross salaries and amortised transfer fees for the entire squad over the course of a season.

The figure is obtained by subtracting the costs and debt from the club’s budgeted income.

Barcelona have been struggling to register their players in line with the regulations for the second summer in a row, after seeing club legend Lionel Messi depart last year.

During the latest window, the Catalan giants have spent around €150 million on new players. To help comply with LaLiga’s rules and register their new signings the club has sold future media rights income and stakes in their Barça Studios production house.

High wage bill

Barcelona are understood to be frustrated that the other four top leagues of Europe are not bound by regulations as strict as those imposed by LaLiga.

Several other Spanish clubs have also been experiencing player registration issues this summer, although Barça’s situation has been made particularly challenging by their high wage bill and big player contracts.

 

UEFA set to announce FFP sanctions for ten clubs

UEFA is preparing to announce sanctions in the next month for ten clubs who have breached Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules for the 2020/21 season.

The Times understands that FC Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, Marseille, Juventus, Inter Milan and Roma are among the clubs set to be punished.

Sanctions are expected to be handed out to PSG, Marseille, Inter Milan and Roma as part of agreed settlements with the clubs. These are expected to be fines for PSG and Marseille, and fines plus transfer restrictions for the Italian pair.

It is understood that Barcelona and Juventus have refused so far to enter into FFP negotiations with UEFA.

Arsenal on watchlist for 2021/22

Sources also told the newspaper that 20 clubs are on a UEFA watchlist of teams who may be in danger of breaching FFP for 2021/22, though final accounts for these clubs have still to be filed with the European governing body.

Arsenal are among the teams believed to be on this list. The Gunners have had among the highest losses in the Premier League over the past three years, with a total deficit of €242 million, including €144 million in 2020/21.

UEFA’s rules allow only €30 million losses over three years but Covid-related losses and “healthy” spending on areas such as women’s and academy football and depreciation can be written off against that.

 

UEFA under pressure over outcome of proceedings against PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi

Fears are growing that Paris Saint-Germain and its president Nasser Al-Khelaifi are avoiding appropriate punishment for breaches of UEFA rules due to a conflict of interest, The New York Times reports.

It is understood that concerns have increased following the outcome of the European governing body’s investigation into the dramatic scenes that followed PSG’s Champions League exit last season.

Back in March, UEFA announced it had begun disciplinary proceedings against Al-Khelaifi and the PSG sporting director Leonardo within 24 hours of their team being eliminated from the Champions League by Real Madrid.

After the match, referee Danny Makkelie wrote in a report seen by The New York Times that Al-Khelaifi and Leonardo “showed aggressive behaviour and tried to enter the dressing room of the referee.”

Even after Makkelie asked them to leave, Al-Khelaifi and Leonardo “blocked the door,” he wrote, adding that the president then “deliberately hit the flag of one of the assistants, breaking it.”

Ban for Leonardo but no mention of Al-Khelaifi

In June, more than three months after the incidents, UEFA listed the outcome of its proceedings within a six-page document covering recent disciplinary cases. It said it would ban Leonardo, who had since left PSG, for one game for violating “the basic rules of decent conduct.” However, there was no mention of Al-Khelaifi.

The Qatari businessman has become one of the most powerful men in European football over recent years. As well as holding a place on the UEFA Executive Committee, he is chairman of the European Club Association (ECA) and chairman of beIN Media Group, one of UEFA’s biggest broadcast partners.

UEFA declined to provide details of its investigation, or why Al-Khelaifi had avoided punishment. It said the delay could be explained, too, as it had prioritised investigations involving teams still competing in its competitions. PSG declined to comment.

 

My Career: "First ever case at CAS was the most challenging"

John Shea, Senior Associate in the Sports Business Group at Lewis Silkin.

What makes football law different from other careers?
"A unique aspect of “football law” is that it encompasses so many different legal disciplines. A lawyer working regularly in the football industry will have to deal with a such a broad range of legal work including commercial contracts, employment, disputes, tax and more. There are also football specific regulatory requirements which football lawyers need to be au fait with including FIFA and UEFA regulations and FA, PL and EFL regulations domestically. The work is also invariably high profile and highly pressurised thus demanding at times but at the same time incredibly exciting."

Who in this industry has inspired you the most?
"I wouldn’t say there is anyone in particular who has inspired me the most. The football industry is fortunate enough to have a large number of hugely talented, expertly qualified and highly successful people working within it and as lawyers I think it’s incredibly important to observe and take lessons from each and every person that we work with including lawyers, clients and other professionals within the football business."

What is the most complicated case you have been involved in and why?
"I would say my first ever case at CAS was the most challenging for two reasons. It involved a player who had terminated his contract with a club as a result of unpaid salaries and the club counterclaimed for compensation alleging that the player had no lawful grounds to terminate the contract. There was a lot of money at stake for the player and so I had a huge amount of responsibility to secure the right result for him. It was also my first CAS case whilst I was a junior lawyer with little experience looking to break into the industry and so I was eager from a professional perspective to make a good impression with my first big case. Fortunately, we were successful."

Which type of case can inspire you and make you feel highly motivated?
"For me helping clients with lots at stake personally and who have perhaps been treated unfairly is incredibly rewarding especially those who have limited means to afford legal representation. For example, I recently represented a football manager pro bono whose club had terminated his contract and refused to paying him the contractually agreed figure for compensation. This wasn’t a million pound PL manager’s contract but it was nevertheless a significant sum of money for someone who’s reliant on that money for day to day living. Apart from those types of cases, being a huge football fan, it is natural to always be excited to work on high profile football transfers notwithstanding the long hours and cancelled holidays!"

Looking into your crystal ball, which area of football law do you see growing in importance and relevance?
"It is always important for clubs, players and agents to keep up to speed with ever changing football regulations. FIFA’s new football agent regulations are due to come into force within the next 12 months and will likely radically change the way in which clubs and agents need to operate in the transfer market and so I would definitely say that’s one area for everyone to keep an eye on."

Everton have asked their front of shirt sponsor Stake.com to stop using the club’s imagery in an international promotion that offered a $10 free bet to anyone who wagered $5,000 in the past week.

The offer was targeted at an international audience and was visible – but not available – to customers with a UK internet address. It was linked to the team’s results and used club branding.

The Guardian understands that Everton was not aware of the promotion before it was launched. The club is now understood to have told Stake.com not to use pictures of their players or shirts for the promotion, after the Guardian’s enquiries.

Petition calls for sponsor to be dropped

Football fans and campaign groups had criticised the marketing scheme and questioned Everton’s apparent involvement.

Ben Melvin, a recovering gambling addict and lifelong Everton fan who goes to home and away games, had already started a petition calling on Everton to ditch Stake.com as a sponsor, which has now garnered nearly 40,000 signatures.

 

AC Milan CEO Ivan Gazidis backs new owners and expects takeover to be completed on time

AC Milan CEO Ivan Gazidis has said he expects the takeover of the club by American investment firm RedBird Capital Partners to be completed next month on schedule and has expressed his confidence in the new owners.

Back in June, RedBird entered into a definitive agreement with current owners Elliott Management to acquire the club, who won last season’s Serie A title, in a €1.2 billion deal.

Speaking to La Repubblica, Gazidis said that “I do not see elements that would change the timing” around the completion of the process.

“Shared goal”

He added: “Elliott has great confidence in the value and expertise that RedBird can bring to the club, with the shared goal of bringing Milan back to the top of European football.

"RedBird has great skills in the sports business and a high international reputation. The message they have transmitted to us is the will to continue on the path that our virtuous management has started in recent years".

In July 2020 RedBird acquired a majority stake in French club Toulouse, who are playing in Ligue 1 this season after earning promotion from Ligue 2. And in March 2021 the US firm bought a stake of just over 10 per cent in Fenway Sports Group (FSG), Liverpool's owner for the last decade, for a reported $750 million.

 

Report: Brazilian clubs can close gap to Europe's elite through overseas investment

One year on from the passing of a law designed to encourage foreign investment in Brazil’s clubs, the country’s top-flight is poised to reduce the gap with Europe’s ‘Big Five’ leagues, according to a report by Reuters.

The legislation passed last August allows Brazilian clubs, which have historically been run as fan-owned operations closed to outside investors, to restructure as limited liability companies, overhaul ownership and modernise finances.

A number of clubs have since been sold, with top-flight side Botafogo joining the American businessman John Textor’s growing portfolio of clubs, and Vasco da Gama of the second-tier being sold to US investment firm 777 Partners.

The biggest deal yet is expected to be for a 51 per cent stake in Brazilian league champions Atletico Mineiro, which could fetch 1 billion reais ($200 million), according to Reuters, with the club having met with dozens of investors.

Higher fees for players

Guilherme Avila, sports investment banking partner at XP, a Brazilian broker, predicted that at least 10 fan-owned Brazilian clubs will become investor-owned organisations over the next two years.

He said that may allow Brazil the world's largest exporter of footballers – to keep its best players in the country longer and charge higher fees for talent that does move overseas.

With Brazil’s largest clubs also set to create a new league with centralised media rights and marketing deals, KPMG sports and media leader Francisco Clemente said annual revenues across Brazilian football could rise to $5 billion, up from $1.3 billion last year, closing the gap on elite European football.

 

Wolves manager Bruno Lage questions transfer window timings

Wolves manager Bruno Lage has questioned the timing of the transfer window amid frustration over the situation surrounding the club’s Ivorian defender Willy Boly, The Independent reports.

The centre back, who is understood to be close to a move to Nottingham Forest, failed to turn up for Wolves’ home game against Newcastle United on Sunday, despite being named in the squad.

While Lage expected Boly to remain professional, he insisted he has no issue with the player and understands his desire to move. However, he added that having the window, which closes this Thursday, still open at the start of the season is not helping.

“Hard to manage people”

Lage said: “When we want to discuss contracts we always want the best for us. These days, the big amount of money comes from TV and the transfer window stays open until late.

“It’s important to understand how long the transfer window can be. What is the time to end? Everything happens with agents and players and it’s so hard to manage people.”

FC Barcelona are facing significant additional costs from their media rights agreement with US investment firm Sixth Street due to the way the deals have been financed, according to Spanish media reports.

The club have struck two agreements with the American company for the sale of 25 per cent of their LaLiga TV rights income over the next 25 years, which according to Barcelona president Joan Laporta have brought €667.5 million into the club.

Rate of 6 per cent on loans

It is understood that Sixth Street has paid €519 million to secure the deal, with this amount taken into account by LaLiga for salary cap purposes.
However, Spanish media have reported that Barça have relied on banks to finance the deals, and will pay interest at a rate of 6 per cent on the required loans, entailing an extra cost of €60-80 million.

The item has therefore been given an accounting income of €667.5 million, enough to resolve the negative net worth situation. The move was approved by Barcelona’s new auditor, Grand Thornton, which has been brought in to replace EY.

 

Cardiff City lose appeal over Emiliano Sala payment dispute with Nantes

Cardiff City have lost their appeal against FIFA’s ruling that requires the EFL Championship club to pay the first instalment of Emiliano Sala's £15 million transfer fee to Nantes, of Ligue 1.

The Argentine striker died in a plane crash over the English channel in January 2019 while travelling from France to join his new club.
A three-man panel at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) heard the appeal in Lausanne earlier this year. Cardiff must now pay the first instalment of £5.3 million to Nantes.

Cardiff respond to ruling

In response to the CAS ruling, Cardiff said they were “disappointed by the decision.” The club added: "The award fails to decide the crucial question of FC Nantes' (and its agents') liability for the crash, which will therefore have to be decided in another forum.

"Once the club's lawyers have digested the reasons for the decision we expect to appeal and will not be making any payments to FC Nantes in the meanwhile.

"If those appeals are unsuccessful and the club is liable to pay the transfer fee, the club will take legal action against those responsible for the crash for damages to recover its losses. This will include FC Nantes, and its agents.

"All our thoughts must continue to be with Emiliano's family, who are now supported financially by the trust the club put in place for them."

 

European Club Association underlines support for UEFA’s new financial distribution model

The European Club Association (ECA) has reiterated its support for UEFA’s new financial distribution model and recent media rights agreements for the new-look Champions League that will begin from the 2024/25 season.

In a statement following a meeting of the ECA’s executive board in Istanbul last Thursday, the organisation noted that Paramount’s new six-year deal with UEFA to retain the US broadcast rights for the Champions League will drive growth of more than 150 per cent from the current cycle in financial terms.

The deal, reported to be worth $1.5 billion, was struck following the setting up a joint venture between the ECA and UEFA which aimed to identify marketing partners to sell commercial rights for European club competitions in the 2024-27 cycle.

In February, UEFA, along with the ECA, appointed TEAM Marketing and Relevent Sports Group as sales partners for men's club competitions.

Commenting on the Paramount deal, the ECA said: “This is the first UCC media rights deal in the US which will run across two cycles for six years from 2024 to 2030, providing increased returns and stability for European club football, as well as the opportunity to attract new fans in a growing market.”

Approval of model

The association also confirmed its approval of UEFA’s new financial distribution model due to come into effect from 2024.

“With 42 per cent of all revenues currently going to clubs and projects outside of the flagship UEFA Champions League, the Board noted the vital funds already going to all clubs in medium to small leagues thanks to ECA and UEFA – but with work to be done,” it said.

 

Chelsea’s move for Russian player Arsen Zakharyan could collapse due to FIFA rules

Chelsea’s attempt to sign Dinamo Moscow midfielder Arsen Zakharyan is facing possible collapse due to FIFA’s strict rules on the transfers of Russia or Ukraine-based players.

The 19-year-old Russian has a £12.6 million release clause in his contract, allowing him to leave for clubs in European competitions outside of his native Russia.

However, The Evening Standard reports that the deal could collapse due to the complex rules set by FIFA on the transfers of Russia or Ukraine-based players.

There are also concerns about acquiring a work permit and Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine makes actually paying for the transfer complicated.

Focus on young talent

Chelsea are looking to sign the player as part of their focus on recruiting youth talent. The club has already spent over £40 million on academy players and appear to be continuing that trend as this Thursday’s deadline day draws closer.

Zakharyan has been identified as the very top talent in Russian football and is keen to make the move to west London.