Skip to main content

Clubs agree at AGM to trial an alternative League-wide financial system next season on a non-binding basis

Clubs agree at AGM to trial an alternative League-wide financial system next season on a non-binding basis

At the Premier League’s Annual General Meeting today, clubs agreed to trial an alternative League-wide financial system next season (2024/25) on a non-binding basis. 

The existing Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSR) will remain in place, but clubs will trial Squad Cost Rules (SCR) and Top to Bottom Anchoring Rules (TBA) in shadow. 

This will enable the League and clubs to fully evaluate the system, including the operation of UEFA’s equivalent new financial regulations, and to complete its consultation with all relevant stakeholders.

The overall system aims to improve and preserve clubs’ financial sustainability and the competitive balance of the Premier League, promote aspiration of clubs, facilitate a workable alignment with other relevant competitions and support clubs’ competitiveness in UEFA club competitions, while providing certainty and clarity for clubs, fans and stakeholders.

SCR will regulate on-pitch spend to a proportion (85 per cent) of a club’s football revenue and net profit/loss on player sales.

TBA is a League-level anchor linked to football costs, based on a multiple of the forecast lowest central distribution for that season. It is designed to be a pre-emptive measure to protect the competitive balance of the Premier League. This protection is intended not to have an impact unless significant revenue divergence of clubs occurs.

Port Vale Fined For Crowd Control Misconduct

Port Vale Fined For Crowd Control Misconduct

Port Vale have been fined £25,000 for misconduct in relation to crowd control at their EFL League One game against Portsmouth on Saturday 27 January 2024. 

Port Vale admitted that they failed to ensure their spectators and/or supporters (and anyone purporting to be supporters or followers) conduct themselves in an orderly fashion; don’t behave in an improper, threatening or provocative way; or commit any form of pitch incursion. 

An independent Regulatory Commission imposed the club’s fine following a hearing and its written reasons can be read here.

Circular no. 1889 - Amendments to the FIFA Statutes, the Regulations Governing the Application of the Statutes and the Standing Orders of the Congress

Circular no. 1889 - Amendments to the FIFA Statutes, the Regulations Governing the Application of the Statutes and the Standing Orders of the Congress

TO THE MEMBER ASSOCIATIONS OF FIFA

Circular no. 1889

Zurich, 7 June 2024

Amendments to the FIFA Statutes, the Regulations Governing the Application of the Statutes and the Standing Orders of the Congress

Dear Sir or Madam,

The 74th FIFA Congress held in Bangkok on 17 May 2024 approved amendments to the FIFA Statutes, the Regulations Governing the Application of the Statutes and the Standing Orders of the Congress as proposed and shared with the member associations per circular no. 1882.

Those amendments align with FIFA’s overall strategic objectives, ensure that FIFA’s overall regulatory framework remains relevant and adapted to the changing circumstances within the global game and generally aim to protect the best of interests of football for the future.

These amendments are set out in the enclosed version of the FIFA Statutes, the Regulations Governing the Application of the Statutes and the Standing Orders of the Congress (May 2024 edition).

Entry into force

The new version of the FIFA Statutes will enter into force on 16 July 2024 (60 days after their approval at the 74th FIFA Congress), and will be available on legal.fifa.com and in the 2024 edition of the FIFA Legal Handbook.

We thank you for taking note of the above and please do not hesitate to contact Héctor Navarro Real, Head of Regulatory Governance and Compliance, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you have any questions in this regard.

Yours faithfully,

FÉDÉRATION INTERNATIONALE

DE FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION

The full Circular 1889 is available here.

FIFPRO member unions approve governance upgrades to enhance global player support

FIFPRO member unions approve governance upgrades to enhance global player support
  • Unions endorse key FIFPRO governance structure reforms and improvements

  • Organisational recommendations made following review by management consultancy Oliver Wyman

  • Changes include strengthening executive management, reducing board size and implementing term limits

FIFPRO’s member player unions have today approved by an overwhelming majority governance recommendations to enhance the global representation of professional footballers following a review by management consultancy Oliver Wyman.

The governance upgrades that will be introduced over the coming months will streamline how the global board and management operate, making FIFPRO more agile to support and empower players around the world. Member unions agreed to the changes at an extraordinary general assembly which is taking place at FIFPRO headquarters.

Among the recommendations approved were the strengthening of FIFPRO’s executive management team, a reduction in the size of the 18-person global board, and the introduction of a maximum of three term limits for global board members.

As part of the transition to the new governance structure, the current board has agreed to step down to facilitate the process and will be substituted by an interim board until a 12-person board is elected at a General Assembly in November 2024.

FIFPRO is the exclusive global representative of professional footballers and its 66 affiliated national unions between them represent more than 60,000 players.

Among recent achievements for players, FIFPRO negotiated the right for footballers to receive a guaranteed share of FIFA Women’s World Cup prize money and successfully pushed for the first maternity rules across professional football.

Besides supporting national unions and players in hundreds of employment tribunal cases each year, FIFPRO is leading a series of international initiatives for footballers, such as protecting their personal data rights and, at the pinnacle of the game, easing mounting match congestion.

Football Law Conference 2024 Panel Recordings Now Available to Purchase

Football Law Conference 2024 Panel Recordings Now Available to Purchase

The 7th edition of our Football Law Conference brought together 250+ attendees, 30+ expert speakers and 100+ sports organisations and professional services firms from club representatives, executives, players, agents and academia.

The conference featured two days of interactive panel discussions on the contemporary and important legal issues and developments facing the football industry, with opportunities for attendees to network and build relationships with industry professionals, and connect on important business matters.

All of the panel recordings are now available to purchase here. This will give you full access to all 9 panels from across the two days.

Topics & Speakers:

Football Governance Bill & the Independent Regulator for Football

  • Nick De Marco KC, King's Counsel Barrister, Blackstone Chambers
  • Sean Jones KC, King's Counsel Barrister, 11KBW
  • Karandeep Gill, Senior Policy Advisor, Football Regulation, Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS)
  • Kieran Maguire, Football Finance Lecturer, Award winning Price of Football Podcast Presenter, University of Liverpool Management School

Current developments impacting players & coaches 

  • Carol Couse, Head of Sports Entertainment and Media, Mills & Reeve LLP
  • Dr Alex Culvin, Head of Strategy and Research: Women’s Football, FIFPRO
  • Stella Riberti, Solicitor/Avvocato, Withers
  • Beryly Lubala, Professional Football Player, Wycombe Wanderers & Founder, BL Ballers
  • Lindsay Gordon, Director | In-House Lawyer, League Managers Association

Compliance and Risk Management in Clubs 

  • Philip Draper, Senior Governance, Ethics & Compliance Manager & Legal Counsel, Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team
  • Jonny Gray, Senior Managing Director - Sport, Ankura
  • Abi Ijasanmi, Former Chief Operations Officer, Confederation of African Football

Dealing with criminal investigations into player & coaches conduct & reputation management

  • Tom Rudkin, Partner, Farrer & Co LLP
  • Peter Csemiczky, Partner, Hickman & Rose
  • Jane Mulcahy KC, Barrister, Blackstone Chambers (moderator)

What does Multi-Club & Multi-Sport Ownership mean for the future of football? 

  • Paolo Lombardi, Founder and Managing Director, Lombardi Associates
  • Adam Lewis KC, Barrister, Blackstone Chambers
  • Tom Simpson, Senior Associate, Centrefield
  • Harriet Leach, Legal Director, Onside Law (moderator)

Key cases and update on dispute resolution

  • Frans de Weger, Partner, BMDW Advocaten, Chairman of the FIFA Dispute Resolution Chamber (DRC) & CAS Arbitrator
  • Thomas Horton, Barrister, 3 Hare Court

New trends and developments in the commercial models in football 

  • Chris Duffy, Company Secretary, Head of Legal at Celtic Football
  • Fiona Green, Founder and CEO, ProDataStack & Winners
  • Mike Llewellyn, Partner - Sports, Gambling and Commercial, Squire Patton Boggs
  • Paul Musa, Associate, Onside Law
  • Sarah Johnson, Associate, Charles Russell Speechlys (moderator)

The growing football landscape in Asia & Middle East

  • Takuya Yamazaki, Founder and Managing Partner, Field-R Law
  • Takao Toshishige, Former Regional Director, City Football Group Japan, & Former Executive Vice President, Rakuten
  • Daniel Geey, Partner, Sheridans

The life of an in-house football lawyer

  • Katie Reed, General Counsel, Tottenham Hotspur Football Club
  • Vicky Wilkes, Head of Legal, Aston Villa Football Club
  • Rob Hamblin, Associate General Counsel, Chelsea Football Club
  • James Hill, Legal and Governance Director. Norwich City Football Club
  • Dan Gorelov, Head of Risk and Operations, QPR (Moderator)

Pricing

  • Standard Members - £249
  • Plus/Corporate/Academic Members - £149 (Use code LISMEM at checkout)

If you bought a ticket to attend the conference, you should already have access to the recordings. If there are any issues please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Upcoming Events

Oct
07
Global Summit 2024 Global Summit 2024