On 8 April 2024, it was announced that a Premier League Commission had sanctioned Everton FC (“EFC”) with an immediate two-point deduction for EFC’s breach of the Premier League’s Profitability and Sustainability Rules (“PSR”). This article considers the Commission’s approach to sanction and how this affects the general approach to sanction for a breach of the PSR upper loss threshold.

On 18 March 2024, it was announced that a Premier League Commission had sanctioned Nottingham Forest Football Club with an immediate four-point deduction following a breach of the Premier League’s Profitability and Sustainability Rules (“PSR”). This article considers the Commission’s decision, which provides further clarity on how to approach sanction for a breach of the PSR.

On 6 March 2024 it was announced that a decision by the Championship Financial Review Panel (“the CFRP”) determined that Leicester City Football Club (“LCFC”) was not required to submit a business plan to demonstrate how it planned to comply with the EFL’s Championship Profitability and Sustainability Rules. This article explains the CFRP’s decision and indicates what the future holds for LCFC.

On 26 February 2024, it was announced that Everton Football Club (“EFC”) had succeeded in its appeal against a Premier League Commission’s decision to sanction EFC with an immediate ten-point deduction for EFC’s breach of the Premier League’s Profitability and Sustainability Rules. The Appeal Board’s decision provides valuable guidance on how to approach sanction in such cases.

On 17 November 2023, it was announced that a Premier League Commission had found that Everton Football Club had breached the Premier League’s Profitability and Sustainability Rules and sanctioned EFC with an immediate ten-point deduction. This article considers the Commission’s approach to that sanction.

At the end of a hotly contested Premier League match between Chelsea FC and Tottenham Hotspur FC on 14 August 2022, Thomas Tuchel and Antonio Conte shook hands and an incident followed. Both managers were charged with a breach of rule E3.1 of The FA Rules and were sanctioned by an FA Regulatory Commission. Mr Tuchel received a more severe sanction and then unsuccessfully appealed against the same to an FA Appeal Board. This article explains both decisions.

There has been an increase in the use of flares and smoke bombs at football matches over the last year. A recent decision from an FA Regulatory Commission dealt with Richarlison de Andrade’s throwing of a flare back into the stands at Goodison Park, and there have been increased efforts to stamp down on their use generally. This articles explains the Regulatory Commission’s decision and considers those efforts.

On Sunday 18 April the European Super League (“ESL”) issued a press release stating that ‘Twelve of Europe’s leading football clubs today come together to announce they have agreed to establish a new mid-week competition, the Super League, governed by its Founding Clubs’. This article considers what challenges the ESL and its Founding Clubs face in seeking to create its proposed new mid-week competition, and whether the ESL could oppose those challenges.

This article explains when compensation is payable in respect of academy players moving from one club to another, the role of the Professional Football Compensation Committee in respect of the same, and considers the record amount of compensation awarded recently for Harvey Elliott’s move from Fulham FC to Liverpool FC.

On 5 March 2021 two judgments from HHJ Pelling QC were handed down that concerned the ongoing arbitral proceedings between Newcastle United FC and the FA Premier League. This article explains those decisions and considers how they fit with the ongoing arbitral proceedings between the parties.

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.

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.

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.

The supposed, reported takeover of Newcastle United FC by Amanda Staveley, Reuben Brothers, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (“KSA PIF”) has brought the FA Premier League’s Owners’ and Directors’ Test (“ODT”) into the spotlight. Will the KSA PIF pass the ODT?