European football confirms new ‘financial sustainability regulations’ to replace FFP April 7, 2022 European football’s governing body Uefa has confirmed the adoption of new “financial sustainability regulations” to replace its controversial financial fair play rules (FFP). The biggest change under the new system will see clubs’ spending on wages, transfers and agents capped at 70 per cent of revenue. The financial sustainability regulations will apply to all teams [...]
Spanish football’s LaLiga backs financial fair play shake-up as “major step forwards” March 29, 2022 Spanish football chiefs LaLiga have welcomed the proposed overhaul of European football’s financial fair play rules. New regulations set to be phased in from next year will see clubs’ spending on wages, transfers and agents’ fees capped at 70 per cent of their income but a greater tolerance for loss-making clubs. LaLiga, which represents the [...]
Why Spain’s LaLiga believes Uefa and other leagues should follow its lead October 1, 2021 Spain has a long and rich tradition of shaping how football is played. It has given us the great Real Madrid sides of the 1950s; Pep Guardiola and his all-conquering Barcelona; the national team who swept all major men’s international tournaments from 2008 to 2012; tiki-taka. Britain may be the birthplace of the game but [...]
Why a salary cap and luxury tax are unlikely to succeed where Financial Fair Play failed and make European football more competitive August 21, 2021 It feels symbolic that two of the biggest football transfers of the summer should precede the death knell for Financial Fair Play, the rules designed to rein in spending that now look set to be replaced with a salary cap and luxury tax. Paris Saint-Germain’s signing of Lionel Messi and Manchester City’s Premier League record [...]
Sports law in 2021: Data disputes, the evolution of esports, all eyes on Premier League TV rights, and rules tighten for clubs and agents December 31, 2020 While there may not have been as much action on the pitch in 2020, this year has been an eventful one for sports lawyers off the pitch to say the least. Coronavirus has acted as a magnifying glass, intensifying the financial and legal pressures that those in the sports ecosystem face. But how is 2021 [...]
Did Football Leaks kill financial fair play? Where breakaway threats and claims of systematic cheating have left Uefa’s rules December 6, 2018 Credibility has always been hard to come by for Uefa’s financial fair play rules, but a series of recent claims involving some of the sport’s richest and most powerful clubs has made the European governing body’s attempts at regulation look weak at best and, at worst, doomed. Central to the current crisis surrounding FFP is [...]
Summer transfer 2015 window in five graphs – Manchester City enjoy FFP easing, Southampton come out quids in, Manchester United biggest sellers September 2, 2015 Deadline day came and went with as much talk about players' errant tweets and superclubs' tardiness as any big money moves even if the Premier League continued to increase its spending. In total clubs spent around £820m* on 158 new players this summer. But where did the money go and how was it spent? Here's [...]
What would Fifa under wannabe president Michel Platini look like? Sepp Blatter’s potential successor on the Qatar World Cup, FFP, goal-line technology and sin bin punishments July 29, 2015 Michel Platini is the bookies' favourite to replace Sepp Blatter as Fifa president after the current Uefa boss confirmed his intention to stand as a candidate in next year's election. Read more: Uefa boss Michel Platini will run to replace Sepp Blatter A legendary player, Platini has been more divisive in his role as a football [...]
Bullish Uefa declares victory in legal fight over FFP future July 22, 2015 European football’s governing body Uefa believes it is close to defeating a legal challenge to financial fair play (FFP) and ending a long-running debate over the legitimacy of the controversial rules. Opponents of FFP suffered a blow last week when the European Court of Justice (ECJ) refused to rule on whether the rules ought [...]
Financial fair play rules under attack: Defiant Uefa questions court after ruling threatens to extinguish FFP June 23, 2015 European football chiefs Uefa insist they will press on with financial fair play (FFP), despite a Belgian court taking a significant step towards having the controversial rules deemed illegal. Read more: Uefa FFP rules: Why Arsenal and Liverpool are "losers" while Manchester City and Chelsea are "winners" The Court of First Instance in Brussels delivered a [...]