Kieran Trippier’s 10-week worldwide ban from all football related activity has come unstuck courtesy of Atlético. This article explains how The FA was unsuccessful in its application to vary the effective date of the 10-week suspension in an attempt to avoid the disruption caused by Atlético.

On 22 December 2020 it was announced that Kieran Trippier was sanctioned with a 10-week worldwide suspension from all football-related activity and a £70,000 fine. The sanction was imposed following proved charges against Trippier that he had provided inside information to others and which was then used by those others to place bets. This article explains how those charges were proved and why the sanction was imposed, and also considers the appropriateness of the sanction.

The FA has released its Governing Body Endorsement (“GBE”) criteria to be applied to all foreign players and coaches sought to be employed by football clubs in England once the Brexit implementation period ends on 31 December 2020. This article provides an explanation of the GBE criteria that applies when clubs are signing men’s players.

Recent decisions concerning a dispute between the TTFA and FIFA have demonstrated the foundational aspect of the FIFA Statutes to the laws of world football, and FIFA’s position at the apex of football’s governing bodies. This article explains those decisions and provides comments from Jonathan Walker, an attorney who represented FIFA throughout.

The Brexit implementation period ends on 31 December 2020, bringing an end to freedom of movement. Football clubs seeking to sign EEA nationals as players from 1 January 2021 will be required to comply with the Home Office's Points-Based System and The FA's Governing Body Endorsement criteria, which will have a negative impact on the number of European players entering the English game.

Football Law and Linklaters’ SportingLinks have linked up to produce a podcast. In this podcast Mark Warren, Kalin Ivanov and Jason Shardlow-Wrest of Linklaters and Thomas Horton discuss how football clubs playing in UEFA club competitions or the English Football League have grappled with those competitions’ financial fair play regulations this year.

Over the past year Macclesfield Town FC (“MTFC”) had been a regular recipient of charges from the English Football League (“EFL”) for breaches of the EFL Regulations, and subsequently of sanctions from Independent Disciplinary Commissions and League Arbitration Panels. Then, on 16 September 2020 it was announced that MTFC had been wound up. This article provides a chronology of MTFC over the past year to try and explain how MTFC came to be in this position, and explains what being wound up means for MTFC.

On 25 August 2020 the EFL’s announced that an Independent Disciplinary Commission had dismissed the charge brought by the EFL against Derby County FC in respect of the valuation associated with the sale of Pride Park in 2018. This article considers how the IDC reached that decision.

Between August 2018 and June 2020 Birmingham City FC entered a business plan with the EFL, was against the EFL in three hearings, was deducted nine points and was issued with a reprimand. Now all of that is behind BCFC and their financial health seems much improved, this article provides a summary of those three hearings to explain what exactly happened.

On 7 August 2020 the EFL announced that League One and League Two clubs had voted for the introduction of Squad Salary Caps. The PFA had already invited the EFL to an expedited arbitration in respect of the legality of the salary caps. This article explains the salary caps and considers the PFA’s arguments, and one additional argument, as to the legality of the same.

On 28 July 2020 the Court of Arbitration for Sport released its final award with reasons in Manchester City FC’s appeal against UEFA’s Club Financial Control Body’s decision that found MCFC to have overstated sponsorship revenue and not cooperated with the CFCB’s investigations. This article explains the CAS’s decision and considers the significance of the same.

Sheffield Wednesday FC and Derby County FC are awaiting the outcome of charges made against them by the EFL following each clubs' sale of their respective stadium in order to comply with the EFL Championship Profitability and Sustainability Rules. This article explains the background to those charges and considers the clubs' prospects of defending the same.

Wigan Athletic AFC Ltd (“WAFCL”) entered administration on 1 July 2020, just 27 days after a takeover had occurred. Rumours as to what caused WAFCL to enter administration abound. This article provides a complete timeline of events leading to WAFCL entering administration, and considers those events and what is next for WAFCL.

Hawk-Eye Innovations’ Goal Line Technology committed a ‘goal line incident’ in the Premier League match between Aston Villa FC and Sheffield United FC (“SUFC”) on 17 June 2020, which resulted in SUFC not being awarded a goal that should have been awarded. This article considers the applicable rules and law and whether SUFC and other clubs have a claim in respect of the incident.

On 16 June 2020 a Panel established by the WTO’s DSB released a report in respect of claims by Qatar against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (“KSA”) for KSA’s alleged breaches of the TRIPS Agreement. This article provides a summary of the report and also considers whether the report affects KSA PIF’s involvement with a reported takeover of Newcastle United FC.