Legal issues in football - essential reading for football lawyers and agents
We have pulled together over 200 articles, videos and podcasts that help explain the key legal issues in football and provide practical advice on how to deal with these legal issues as they arise.
We hope these articles will be a helpful resource for those involved in football. However, we appreciate there may be some areas that you would like to know more about that we haven't covered. Therefore if you do have any feedback or comments please email
We will be periodically updating this coalition with new articles as they are published.
The LAST UPDATE was on the 1 September 2023.
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PRESENTATIONS & PANEL DISCUSSIONS FROM OUR PREVIOUS FOOTBALL LAW CONFERENCES
2022
- Legal Implications And Application Of NFTs & Fan Tokens
- Managing And Responding To Fan Behaviour
- The Future Of Football Club Governance & Independent Regulator
- Financial Regulation, Sustainability & Investment
- Agents Regulation And Education For Working With Young People
- Players Contracts, Image Rights And Tax
- Player Contracts, Transfers, Training Compensation And Solidarity Payments
2021
- Fans Representation And Club Ownership
- Football Governance: Ensuring Effective Regulations Of Owners, Directors & Officials
- Safeguarding/Guardians: Developments In Safeguarding
- Discrimination: How Are Football Regulations Evolving To Deal With Racism?
- Betting: Who Has The Right To Real-Time Sports Data?
- Finance - Legal Consideration When Financing Clubs
- Corruption: How Is Football Responding To Increasingly Sophisticated Bad Actors
- Player Injuries: Who Is Liable For Injuries To Players - Olympics & COVID
- Players Contracts: Who Has The Rights & Ability To Amend Agency & Playing Contracts
- Agents: Legal Considerations & Regulatory Update
- Succession Of Clubs: The Legal Issues From Clubs Financial Crisis & CAS Decisions
- Betting: Reconciling Commercialisation & Regulation Of Sports Betting In Football
- Financial Solidarity: Financial Fair Play, Salary Caps, & Competitive Balance
- In-House Counsel: How To Build An Effective Legal Team In A Football
- Media Rights: Negotiating & Drafting Of Media Rights Agreements - An International Perspective
- Commercialising Digital Assets: Opportunities & Threats From New Digital Revenue Streams - NFTs
- FIFA Regulatory Update
- Academies: Legal Considerations For Football Academies
2020
- Regulating and Educating Football Agents
- Manager and Backroom Staff Contracts
- Key changes to FIFA Regulations
- Player Rights: Duty of Care and Return to Play
- Match-Fixing in Football
- Safeguarding Players and Staff
- Taxation and Player Transfers
- Dealing with Racism in Football
- Reputation Management
- Sponsorship Developments
- Developments in Media Rights and the Gambling Industry
- Brand Protection Workshop
- In-House Counsel Forum
- Women’s Football - What Does The Future Hold?
- The WADA Code and Football
- Financing Football Clubs
- Financial Control and Regulation of Football Clubs
- Player Contracts: Transfer of Players, Sell-on Clauses and Solidarity Payments
- Liquidation and Administration in Football
- Investing in Technology in Football
2019
- Moving players: Immigration & tax update
- Dispute Resolution: Football case law update
- Are agents a necessity in modern football? (Debate)
- Financing, buying and running football clubs
- Governance & regional development of football
- Transfer of minors & safe sport - finding the right balance
- Creating inclusive football- what steps need to be taken
- Integrity Update: match-fixing & doping
- Running and maintaining club & player foundations-charities
- Developments in player & managers contracts
- Insurance: Liability for injury to players and loss of income to club
- Stadium development: Planning for domestic and international requirements for stadium safety
- How to build an in-house legal team within clubs
- Investigation Update
- Media rights: Cross comparison of buying, selling and distribution across for clubs, leagues and federations
FOOTBALL TRANSFERS
Meta's Record-Breaking Fine And The Future Of International Data Transfers: What Does It Mean For Sport?
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By Emma Erskine-Fox
Football Transfers: Buy-Back Clauses Explained
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By Daniel Geey, Alex Harvey
When Is A Football 'Sell On Clause' Triggered? CAS Decides In Malaga V Brighton
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By John Shea
A Guide For Football Clubs On How FIFA Clearing House Will Process Training Rewards
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By Luca Pastore, James Mungavin
Can Clubs Shift The Financial Burden Of FIFA's Solidarity Contribution For Player Transfers
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By Maximilian Wegge
How To Use 'Variable Sell-On Clauses' In Football Transfers After Arsenal's Win At CAS
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By Jason Shardlow-Wrest
How Football Clubs "Transfer" Coaching Staff - Insights From Spain, France, Italy, UK & USA
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By Christophe Bertrand, Josep F. Vandellos Alamilla, John Shea, Stella Riberti, Andrew Visnovsky
Player Loans Turned Transfers: How Changes To FIFA RSTP Impacted Solidarity Payments
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By Álvaro Gómez de la Vega
A Review Of FIFA's Minor Application Guide For U18 International Transfers
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By Enric Ripoll González
Tackling Bridge Transfers In Football: An Important Ruling From The Royal Spanish Football Federation
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By Toni Roca, Xavi Fernández
FIFA's Proposed Solidarity Mechanism Reforms - An Effective Solution Or A Lost Opportunity?
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By Toni Roca
How The Brazilian Football Association Has Regulated Bridge Transfers
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By Felipe Amaral Pestana, Rafael Terreiro Fachada
Tapping-Up In Football: Complying With Domestic And International Transfers Rules
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By Sean O'Toole
IMAGE RIGHTS
Taxation of image rights agreements – vital lessons for football clubs and players from the Hull City Tigers v HMRC decision
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By Akash Nawbatt QC and Sebastian Purnell
Managing athletes image rights in Italy: Key considerations for structuring and accounting under the new tax regime
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By Elio Andrea Palmitessa
Image rights and international footballers: the curious case of Mohamed Salah and the Egypt Football Association.
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By Jake Cohen
Image Rights Companies In Football – Where Are We Now?
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By Pete Hackleton
Why Spain’s approach to taxing image rights and agency income is discouraging overseas footballers
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By Carlos Carnero and Eduardo Montejo
Case review: US Soccer Federation v National Players Association (use of player likenesses)
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By Jake Cohen and Carol Couse
PLAYER CONTRACTS
5 Things Football Players Should Consider Before Signing A Playing Contract
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By John Shea
Can Football Contracts Be Changed Or Varied Mid-Term? If So, What Can Players Do About It?
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By Jonathan Rennie, Sam Foley
Determining Compensation For Out Of Contract Footballers: The Nathan Ferguson & Luca Murphy Cases
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By Liz Coley, Daniel Lowen
How COVID-19 is Impacting Commercial Sports Contracts
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By Chris Bond
How Footballers transferring to Italy can benefit from the country’s new income tax regime for sportsperson
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By Dr Mario Tenore
A Review of FIFA’s Minor Application Guide For U18 International Transfers
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By Enric Ripoll González
The football transfer that wasn’t to be – the unfortunate case of Mauricio Pinilla and the importance of having sports-specific legal solutions.
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By Pablo Mettroz Holley
Unlucky Article 13 – the difficulties facing junior UAE footballers when signing their first professional contract.
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By Daniel Magdi Louis, Adam Powell
Unilateral extension options in football contracts: Are they valid and enforceable?
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By Tiran Gunawardena.
Tapping-up in football: Complying with domestic and international transfers rules.
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By Sean O'Toole
When does a buy-out clause trigger a “transfer” under FIFA Regulations?
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By Alfonso León Lleó
What are the obligations on footballers to conduct media activities? Comparing the rules in UK, USA, Spain, Belgium & Italy.
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By Alistair McHenry, Michael Rueda, Josep F. Vandellos Alamilla, Gauthier Bouchat, Stella Riberti, Tommaso Soragni
FIFA’s proposed solidarity mechanism reforms – an effective solution or a lost opportunity?
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By Toni Roca.
The transfer of minors and the need for legal certainty - Analysis of the Barcelona, Real Madrid & Atletico Madrid CAS awards.
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By Enric Ripoll González.
International transfer of minors in football - key takeaways and procedural issues from Chelsea & The FA v. FIFA.
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By Despina Mavromati, Jake Cohen
A case for ending football’s mid-season transfer window.
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By Rustam Sethna.
FIFA’s April 2018 amendments to its Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players (RSTP).
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By Tiran Gunawardena.
Key resources to better understand transfer costs in football.
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By Jake Cohen
Key resources to better understand the football transfer system.
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By Jake Cohen
Young and in demand: The legality of buy-out clauses in Spanish football contracts.
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By Lloyd Thomas
Who has jurisdiction over international football transfer disputes?
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By John Mehrzad
Player contracts: How contractual stability can override a liquidated damages clause.
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By Dr. Lucien W. Valloni Stéphanie Oneyser
A review of the updates to FIFA’s Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players.
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By Andrew Smith
The challenges of enforcing FIFA's rules on overdue payables: The Iranian cases of Esteghlal FC & Traktor Sazi FC.
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By Amir Arsalan Eskandari
Can football players unilaterally retire from international duty? The Joël Matip & Allan Nyom cases.
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By Andrew Smith
Initial thoughts on Real Madrid’s transfer ban being partially upheld by CAS.
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By John Shea
Resolving failed last minute football transfer deals: lessons from the De Gea case.
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By Luca Ferrari
The business of transferring minors in football - can more be done to protect young footballers?
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By Matt Rogers
Analysis of the legal arguments in FIFPro’s challenge to FIFA's football transfer system.
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By Angelique Bret
How Spain’s "Real Decreto" impacts football player transfers and solidarity contributions under FIFA Regulations.
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By Alfonso León Lleó
Six key points for footballers to consider when signing their first professional contract.
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By Thomas Barnard
Are England’s current Home Grown Player requirements sufficient to produce an elite national team?
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By Phil Bonner
The FA’s new work permit system & proposal for new “home grown” rules.
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By Carol Couse and Tiran Gunawardena
The legality of fixed-term employment contracts in European professional football – The Müller case and beyond.
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By Sven Demeulemeester and Alexander Vantyghem
A brief review of China’s new 100% ‘transfer tax’ on footballers.
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By Lloyd Thomas
The current legal status of image rights companies in football
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By Pete Hackleton
Top of the league: How football clubs protect and exploit their brands in a global marketplace.
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By Rebecca O'Kelly-Gillard & Chris Lavey
The importance of trade marks in football – controlling brand value & avoiding own goals
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By Sean Corbett
Registering an EU trade mark in bad faith: lessons from the “NEYMAR” decision.
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By Gavin Stenton, Jaya Bajaj
The dangers of copyright disputes arising from the use of football club badges.
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By Lloyd Thomas
How the ban on emergency loans in English football will affect clubs and players
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By John Shea
How is social media is sport professionalising its “Twitterati”? Morality clauses, regulation and enforcement.
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By Patricia Leonard
Termination of football employment contracts without just cause: A review of Hakan Çalhanoglu v Trabzonspor FC.
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By Lloyd Thomas
Tips for football clubs on navigating complex employment negotiations.
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By Nick Hawkins, Naomi Latham
What are the additional costs and taxes involved in when buying a player from Argentina?
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By Ariel Reck
Delayed Entry: the FA’s “highest calibre” standard for non-EU footballers
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By Jake Cohen
Why Football Federation Australia’s new salary cap proposals may be unlawful.
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By Francis Awaritefe
Fiduciary duties, football, and the fundamental importance of the contractual relationship.
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By Thomas Croxford and Nick De Marco
A guide to fiduciary duties owed by football club directors and remedies for breach of duty.
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By Nicholas Siddall
Determining the level of compensation for out of contract football players: The PFCC Danny Ings award.
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By Daniel Lowen and Liz Coley
How MLS’ single entity status works and its relationship with antitrust law.
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By Terry Brennan
When can a club oblige a player to undertake an individual training plan? A review of the Sebino Plaku case.
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By Marcin Kwiecien
How the collective sale of broadcasting rights works in Turkish football.
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By Emin Ozkurt
TRAINING COMPENSATION
Why FIFA should reform Football Training Compensation Regulations
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By Toni Roca, Xavi Fernández
Training Compensation and Solidarity Payment - FIFA activates Article 13 to help clubs fast-track disputes
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By Toni Roca
FIFA’s Solidarity Mechanism and Problems Arising on Exchange of Players (The Ante Rebic Case)
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By Xavi Fernández
A legal guide to solidarity payments in football under the FIFA Regulations.
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By Andrew Smith
A guide to how FIFA’s training compensation and solidarity payment regimes work.
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By Andrew Smith
A dispute over training compensation in US Soccer: Youth Soccer Clubs v USSF, MLS & MLSPU.
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By Andrew Visnovsky
FIFA Clearing House: The Future of Solidarity Mechanism & Training Compensation
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By Toni Roca
Key case law on attempts to circumvent FIFA’s training compensation system.
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By Markus Manninen
AGENTS/INTERMEDIARIES
A Guide To The New FIFA Agent Regulations For Football Agents & Clubs
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By Carol Couse, Rustam Sethna, Mark Dennis
Would FIFA’s newly proposed Agent’s Regulations comply with German & EU Law?
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By Dr. Philipp Wehler , Matthias Greulich
How do Football Lawyers differ to Football Agents? An Interview with Daniel Geey
Watch Interview
By Sean Cottrell
Payments to Football Agents: What Clubs & Players need to know about HMRC’s New Guidance
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By By Michelle Sloane, Alexis Armitage
A guide to The FA’s new Intermediaries Regulations 2019-2020.
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By Nick De Marco QC
Rethinking Agents’ Regulations: Why Clubs & Players Should Take More Responsibility
By Toni Roca and Xavi Fernández
Belgian Football Association’s New National Clearing House and Intermediaries’ Regulations
By Alexander Vantyghem, Niels Verbogh and Jens Westerwoudt
An Overview of FIFA’s ‘Phase 2’ reforms - agents, loans and clearing house
By Tiran Gunawardena and Rustam Sethna
Re-regulating football agents: would FIFA’s proposed commission cap and prohibition on dual representation work in practice?
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By Serhat Yilmaz
Important changes to The FA’s Regulations on Intermediaries.
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By Nick De Marco
Key points from The F.A. -v- Massimo Cellino case on unauthorised agents and the disciplinary process.
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By Nick De Marco
A guide for young footballers on how on to choose an agent.
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By Daniel Lowen
Italy’s new football intermediaries’ law – a testing regime.
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By Lucio Mazzei
How football Intermediaries are regulated in the Netherlands: The role of ProAgent.
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By Roberto Carlos Branco Martins and Mathew Graham
Case note: McGill v. The Sports and Entertainment Media Group and Others.
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By Sam Stevens
What effects have FIFA’s Intermediaries Regulations had on player representation and commission levels?
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By Zane Shihab
A quick guide to the statutory and common law duties on sports agents.
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By Andrew Nixon
A guide to the Portuguese Regulations of Intermediaries.
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By Hugo Vaz Serra
Will the new regulations create a “wild west” or usher in a “brave new world”?
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By John Mehrzad KC and Grahame Anderson
Top 10 tips to understand the Football Association’s new Intermediary Regulations.
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By Daniel Geey
The new FA Intermediaries Regulations & disputes likely to arise
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By Nick DeMarco
THIRD PARTY OWNERSHIP
How the Brazilian Football Association has regulated bridge transfers
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By Felipe Amaral Pestana, Rafael Terreiro Fachada
A review of FIFA’s TPO ban and alternative financing models for clubs.
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By Luis Villas-Boas Pires
What are the early effects of the TPO ban in Brazil?
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By Marian Rosignoli
Third party ownership of players in Argentina.
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By Daniel Geey
What has the Marcos Rojo case taught us about third party investment in footballers?
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By Luis Villas-Boas Pires
MANAGERIAL CONTRACTS
Will The FA score with its adoption of the Rooney Rule?
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By Nick Tsatsas
Should managers be required by regulation to pick full-strength sides?
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By Lloyd Thomas
Football manager contracts of employment – key clauses for clubs to consider – Part 1.
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By Nick Tsatsas
Football manager contracts of employment – key clauses for clubs to consider – Part 2.
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By Nick Tsatsas
PLAYER WELFARE
Argentine Football Association and Players Union reach Agreement on Pregnancy Rights for Players
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By Ariel Reck
What can Football Clubs do when medical treatment given to a Player by a Third Party goes wrong?
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By Oonagh Webster
Win-win: A Progressive Approach to Maternity & Paternity Rights for Professional Athletes
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By Jonathan Rennie and Nicky Beach
SAFEGUARDING
No hands…and no heads: An argument to end heading in soccer at all levels.
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By Jeremi Duru
A review of the current inquiries & investigations into abuse in UK football.
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By Chris Hurlston & Neerali Madhvani
Top 10 tips for safeguarding children and vulnerable adults in sports.
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By Alice Cave
FIFA Guardians and Why International Federations Should Play a Greater Role in Safeguarding Sport
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By Richard Bush
Best practice for handling child abuse investigations in sport.
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By Richard Spafford, Carolyn Pepper, Casey Ryan
Sports Safety: Should it be Mandatory to Report Child Protection & Safeguarding Concerns?
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By Richard Bush
FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT
The financial life cycle of a professional footballer - The early years.
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By Sam Sloma, Anna Moore and Robin Charrot
The financial life cycle of a professional footballer - Planning for retirement.
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By Sam Sloma, Anna Moore and Robin Charrot
FINANCIAL FAIR PLAY (FFP) AND BROADCASTING
A Full Review of Man City v UEFA CAS Award - Why this is not the end of FFP
By Christoper Flanagan
Profit & Sustainability in the EFL: Decisions against Sheffield Wednesday, Wigan &
Birmingham
By John Mehrzad KC and Bianca Balmelli
UEFA and Financial Fair Play: A review of the AC Milan decision and 2018 changes to the regulations.
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By Laura McCallum, Philippa Lombardi
What is the "black-out" rule in football and is it lawful?
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By Alex Haffner, Thomas Edwards and Daniel King
From Rags to Riches: What Next For Salary Caps in Football
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By Will Bordell
Financial Fair Play: How clubs justify spending & related party transactions.
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By Joseph Richmond
A Guide to Financial Fair Play and the Ability of European Football Clubs to Raise Finance (Part 1)
By Micheal Savva and Stuart Bolton
Manchester City’s Financial Fair Play Ban: The Legal Questions and Consequences
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By Christopher Flanagan
A Guide to Financial Fair Play and the Ability of European Football Clubs to Raise Finance (Part 2)
Micheal Savva and Stuart Bolton
Manchester City’s Financial Fair Play Ban: The Legal Questions and Consequences
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By Christopher Flanagan
An update on Financial Fair Play - Case study: the Neymar Transfer.
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By Michael Savva
Copyright protections prevent publicans using foreign decoders to show Premier League matches: Luxton case review.
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By Alex Haffner
What Ofcom’s settlement with the Premier League means for the sale of UK football broadcasting rights. By Alex Haffner
How the Premier League is conquering global markets.
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By Austin Houlihan
Why are Premier League clubs attracting savvy global investors?
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By Paul Rawnsley
Why the Premier League's TV rights deal reduces the risk of disruption to the existing rights model.
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By Austin Houlihan
KPMG Analysis of football clubs and the Stock Exchange in 2016.
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By Andrea Sartori
How the Bundesliga’s new “no single buyer” rule has increased the broadcasting revenue for German football.
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By Christian Keidel and Alexander Engelhard
UEFA Financial Fair Play: an overview of the clubs’ settlements.
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By Daniel Geey
How financial regulation affects competition across Europe’s big five football leagues.
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By Natalie St Cyr Clarke
Find out why the Middle East is of growing importance to the global football market.
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By Alex Thorpe
State aid in European football: A review of the EC’s ruling on Real Madrid, FC Barcelona and Valencia CF.
Read article.
By Benoît Keane
COMMERCIAL AGREEMENTS
Protecting Exclusivity in Sports Data Rights: Are Courtsiding Spotters a Step too far for UK Football Fans?
By Julian Moore
What it takes to sponsor Liverpool Football Club (why New Balance failed to match Nike’s offer)
By Tomás Nolan
COVID-19: The Impact on Players’ Contractual Rights & Obligations (Key Principles from Case Law)
By Luka Milanovic and Dr. Vesna Bergant Rakocevic
Cash is King: COVID-19 Leaves Sports Clubs Scrutinising Their Business in Pursuit of Cash Flow
By Anand Patel and Mark Warren
Covid-19: The Challenges and Opportunities Facing Spain’s Sports Industry
By Ricardo Oliveras
How to Choose, Protect and Enforce Trade Marks as a Professional Athlete: The View from Germany
By Dr. Philipp Wehler
COVID-19: Practical Guidance for those Affected by Cancelled Sports Events in Germany
By Dr. Philipp Wehler and Victoria Thusing
State Aid in Spanish Football - EU General Court annuls European Commission Decision on Valencia CF & Elche CF
By Marianne Clayton and Maria J. Segura Catalán
COVID-19: Switzerland Plans Financial Support to Help International Sports Federations
By Phillipe Vladimir Boss, Ph.D
Why Nigeria’s New Crowdfunding Rules May Prove an Attractive Option for Sports Teams Faces in the Crowd: Legal Considerations for Use of Facial Recognition Technology at Sports Arenas
By Chiemeka F. Nwosu
Covid-19: the challenges and opportunities facing Spain's sports industry
By Ricardo Oliveras
How Would A Private Equity Firm Invest In The English Football League?
By Sam Georgevic
M&A in Sports: Has COVID-19 Moved the Goalposts?
By Anand Patel, Tash Barrington, Matthew Taylor and Thomas Geraghty
Why Long-Term Private Equity Capital in Sport is a Potential Game Changer
By Peter Hanton and Greg Scott
The Legality of Geo-Blocking: Could Sky’s recent commitments in the “Pay-TV” case impact European Sports Broadcasting?
Key Trends In Sports Broadcasting: Does The Model Really Need To Change?
By Chris Bond
Claiming Commission On Football Sponsorship Deals: Lessons for Agencies & Clubs from Winlink v Liverpool FC
By Theo Barclay
Special Purpose Acquisition Companies: Are Football Clubs Going (Back) To The Stock Market?
By Jeffrey Cohen, Pierre-Emmanuel Perais, Tom Thorne and Mark Warren
Sports Stadia Development & The Dangers of Restrictive Covenants: Lessons From The Bath Rugby Club Case
By Christopher Pike and Laura Woodward
Game Theory & The Beautiful Game: Ibrahimovic, EA Sports and Collective Bargaining of Image Rights
By Mark Kramer and Richard Millington
Football kit supplier deals – lessons for clubs on “matching rights” from the Sports Direct v Rangers FC case.
Read article.
By Andrew Reid
How The French Professional Football League Is Evolving Its Broadcasting Rights Structure
By Nathanaël Caillard
Taxation of Image Rights Agreements - Vital Lessons for Football Clubs and Players from the Hull City Tigers v HMRC Decision
By Akash Nawbatt KC, Sebastian Purnell
Fantasy Premier League: Do Footballers Have An Obligation To Protect Team News?
By Conor Daly
French Sports Fans have image rights too: Balancing Personal Privacy against the Public’s Right to be Informed
Key commercial issues when negotiating a new official kit supplier agreement.
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By Joe Tompkins
Negotiating new kit sponsorship deals: Nike & Chelsea “Just Do It”.
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By Charles Maurice
FOOTBALL GOVERNANCE AND OWNERSHIP
An Overview of FIFA’s New Data Protection Regulations
By Jonathan Bellamy
Freedom! Should Scotland Revoke the ‘Gentlemen’s Agreement’ Limiting the Eligibility of Home Nation Footballers? (Part 1)
By Gavin Brogan
Freedom! Should Scotland Revoke the ‘Gentlemen’s Agreement’ Limiting the Eligibility of Home Nation Footballers? (Part 2)
By Gavin Brogan
Broadcasting ‘Listed’ Sports Events in the UK: What Changes on the Horizon?
By Alex Haffner and Thomas Edwards
COVID-19: Ensuring Participant & Spectator Safety as Sports Activities Resume (UK Guidance & Legal Duties)
By Professor Mark James
Hedging Your Bets: How To Regulate brazil’s Multi-Billion-Dollar Sports Betting Market
By Udo Seckelmann
A Review of DSN v Blackpool FC and Its Implications for Sexual Abuse Claims in English Football
By James Counsell KC
Indian Football’s Roadmap to Reform: How the ISL and I-League will work together
By Saksham Samarth
Stop Stand Still - Why Regulating Football Agents is More Than Just A Cap on Fees
By Gareth Farrelly
The 2020 Changes to FIFA’s Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players
By Toni Roca and Xavi Fernández
COVID-19: A Legal Perspective on FIFA’s Guiding Principles for National Football Associations
Frans De Weger and Arne Al
How Public Procurement Law Applies To Sports Governing Bodies: The CJEU’s Ruling On The Italian Football Federation
By Sînziana Ianc and Matilde Faglia
Conflicts Of Interest In Football Governance - Are More Independent Directors The Solution?
By Joshua McLeod
Fighting Corruption in Sport: An Introduction to Match Manipulation
By Abhinav Shrivastava and Shashank Atreya
Political Protest in Football - Is It Time for a (Legal) Debate? Analysing FIFA’s Regulations and Recent Actions in the Bundesliga
Maximilian Wegge and David Menz
Insolvency in the EFL - The Football Creditors Rule and Laws Protecting Players & Staff
By Jeremy Lewis
Italian Tax: The Continuing Investigations into Agents’ Fees Paid by Football Clubs (2020 Update)
By Dr. Mario Tenore
Switching Nations: Why FIFA’s Definition of ‘Nationality’ is Causing Confusion
By Jonathan Collins
Safeguarding Children from Racism and Creating an Anti-Racist Culture in Sports Organisations
By Katie Fudakowski and Laura Bennett
Athlete Activism Demands Systemic Change - Not Just Words and Applause
By Brendan Shwab
Can Disgruntled Football Clubs Challenge Project Restart? Exploring the Duty of ‘Utmost Good Faith’ in the EFL & Premier League
Ashley Cukier and Anirudh Mathur
Artificial Intelligence in Sports - The Legal and Ethical Issues at Play
By Michiel Fierens and Jan De Bryune
Why WADA 2021’s New ‘Substances of Abuse’ Regime Urgent Clarity
By Louis Weston
The Curious Case of Wigan Athletic and the English Football League’s Owners & Directors Test
By Wayne Barnes and Edmund Gross
A Guide to the US Models for Major League Soccer and United Soccer League
By Mohsen Parsa
A Guide To FIFA’s Eligibility Regulations For International Football
By Jonathan Collins
COVID-19 and Its Impact on Football - A Sports Law and Policy Centre and LawInSport Joint Survey - 4th Edition
What Schools Need To Know About Head Injuries Caused By Contact Sports
By Katie Fudakowski and Sophie Beesley
Discrimination In Football: A Guide To The FA’s New Charging Policies and Sanctioning Guidelines
By Nick De Marco KC
Cyber Threats To Sports Organisations (And Key Steps To Reduce Exposure)
By Jon Bartley, Stuart Harris and Joseph Akwaboa
Why Football’s New Handball Rule Is Proving So Controversial
By George Cottle
The Relationship Between Data Protection and Referee Reports in English Football
By Jonathan McDonald and Rahim Hirji
FIFA’s Normalisation Committees - What Are They and How Do They Work
By Hannah Kent
When Football Administrators End Up In Prison - The Ongoing Case of Racing Santander’s Former Managers
By Álvaro Gómez De La Vega
Bury Beware: Lessons on the Importance of Good Governance from Bury F.C.’s Football League Expulsion
By Tom Bruce, Jack Verdan
Brexit Means Brexit, But What Does It Mean For The Premier League and Its Players?
By Justin Humpries
A Guide To the New Immigration For Players Coming to the Premier League and EFL
By Stephen O’Flaherty
Analysis of FIFA’s Regulatory Changes - Female Players, Coaches, Brexit and More
By Tiran Gunawardena and Rustam Sethna
By Marianne Clayton and Maria J. Segura Catalán
Gender Equality In Football - How We Negotiated Equal Rights For The Matildas & Socceroos
By John Didulica, Kathryn Gill
Tackling Match-Fixing in Switzerland: The New Duties on International Sports Federations to monitor & report suspected Match Manipulations
By Philippe Vladimir Boss, Ph. D.
Tackling Football Violence In Cyprus: How Controversial Fan ID Cards Have Impacted The Game
How Europe’s Major Football leagues are Regulating Fixtures & Sanctioning Clubs for Outbreaks of Covid-19
By Gavin Brogan
An overview of the new FIFA Disciplinary Code.
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By Tiran Gunawardena, Rustam Sethna
Blackpool FC’s appointment of a receiver: the background, regulatory framework and what comes next for club & fans.
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By Matthew Astley, James Robbins
Changing the game: Dissecting the landmark reforms endorsed by the FIFA Football Stakeholders Committee.
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By Tiran Gunawardena and Rustam Sethna
An overview of the regulations on pitch invasions in Spanish football.
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By Josep F. Vandellos Alamilla
Can football players delegate their anti-doping responsibilities to their club? The case of Shir Tzedek.
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By Boaz Sity
Gender equality in football - how much does FIFA “value” the women’s game?
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By Angela Collins
A Rreview of FIFA’s Code of Ethics 2018.
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By Lydia Banerjee
A Gguide to the Owners' and Directors' Test in English football.
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By Richard Barham
FIFA’s evolving stance on commemorative symbols: The poppy appeal case.
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By Neeraj Thomas
The FA’s strict stance on political messages: A review of Pep Guardiola’s yellow ribbon case.
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By John Shea
FIFA’s normalisation committees – what are they and how do they work?
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By Hannah Kent
How is the Premier League Rulebook drafted? An Interview with Jane Purdon, former Director of Governance of the Premier League.*** could not trace - will revisit
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By Sean Cottrell
The use of betting evidence to combat match-fixing: A review of the Joseph Lamptey decision.
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By Adam Brickell
The global development of women’s football – a review of the strategies being implemented by FIFA, UEFA and in Italy.
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By Lucio Mazzei
The rise of women’s football in Mexico – The creation of LIGA MX Femenil.
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By Jonathan Rangel
Qatar 2022 World Cup - Law, Changes and Legacy Benefits.
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By Roberto Lusardi
The challenges of privatising Saudi Arabia’s football clubs - An update in 2018.
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By Steve Bainbridge, Andrew Moroney
An interview with Ornella Desirée Bellia, Head of Legal Affairs at EPFL
By Sean Cottrell
Football's greatest threat: Why technology & stakeholder collaboration are key to combating global match-fixing.
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By Henry Goldschmidt
Corporate criminal liability: How the Criminal Finances Act 2017 presents a fresh challenge for English football clubs.
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By Simon Pentol
Sexism in football & the independence of disciplinary panels: Issues from the David Moyes case.
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By Graham Gilbert
How a change in approach could help tackle racism in football – The Jonjo Shelvey case.
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By Lydia Banerjee
Bribery in football and corruption at the IAAF – How does the Bribery Act 2010 apply?
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By Neil Swift, Gareth Farrelly, Craig Hogg
An overview of “PROFUT” – Brazil’s new sports law.
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By Roberto de Palma Barracco
An overview of the restructure of Argentine football following years of uncertainty.
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By Ariel Reck
“Football for Sale” - What is the problem, and what are the solutions?
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By Nick De Marco
Clarifying The FA’s prohibition on betting activities: an analysis of the 3 decision.
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By Alice McDonald
The legal status of fantasy football in Great Britain.
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By Beth French
Football’s zero tolerance rule on betting bites once again - Wayne Shaw pie eating case.
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By Phil Bonner
Betting in football – Was The FA’s decision on Joey Barton a fair one?
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By Philip Hutchinson and Tiran Gunawardena
Betting and football’s ticking time bomb: Joey Barton v The FA.
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By Nick De Marco
Common ownership of sports teams: Gloucester RFC case confirms the principles from "ENIC" decision.
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By Phil Bonner
A legal analysis of FIFA’s governance reforms: do they meet the standards of best global practice?
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By Chris Baird
An overview of key case law relating to negligent liability for sports injuries (Part 1).
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By Laura McCallum
Football club ownership in Germany – less romantic than you might think.
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By Christian Keideln and Alexander Engelhard
A guide to the legal due diligence process when buying a football club.
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By Richard Barham
An overview of how the match-day policing works in English football.
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By Chris Davies
How crowd disorder will be governed and policed at Euro 2016.
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By Grahame Anderson and Chimi Shakohoxha
How do we address inconsistent pitch invasion sanctions? The FA v. Reading FC.
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By Nick de Marco
How homophobic football chants are addressed under the FIFA Disciplinary Code.
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By Elaine Banton
Gutierrez v Newcastle Utd disability discrimination case: the wider implications for sport.
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By Carol Couse and Richard Santy
Stand up for seating: why all-seated football stadia should be reconsidered.
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By Marcus Keppel-Palmer
How football clubs must change to meet the needs of disabled fans.
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By Libby Payne and Andy Carruthers
How FIFA TMS's Global Player Exchange is changing how football clubs conduct international transfers.
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By Dr. Jasser Kassab
How FIFA TMS investigations increase transparency and accountability in international football transfers.
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By Kimberly Morris and Barry Lysaght
A guide to FIFA’S Transfer Matching System.
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By Adam Thatcher
The FA v Jake Livermore – Proportionality trumps mandatory doping sanction in exceptional circumstances.
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By Tom Mountford
How to measure the performance of football clubs’ youth development academies.
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By Richard Battle
How the Premier League gives back to the community.
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By Timothy Bridge
The growth of football in China: internal reform and overseas ambition.
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By Richard Barham
Copa America Centenario – The challenges of organising a new inter-continental football tournament.
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By Ricardo de Buen Rodríguez
DISPUTE RESOLUTION
Football in Portugal: A Player’s Right to Terminate Their Sporting Link to a Club Without Proving Just Cause
By João Paulo Marques
The Power to End the Football Season: Lessons from the Decision in South Shields FC v The FA
By Nick De Marco KC
COVID-19: Sport and the Law of Frustration and Force Majeure
By Nick De Marco KC
Riza v Turkey: European Court of Human Rights Gives Further Guidance on Establishing Independent Arbitral Tribunals
By Dr. Despina Mavromati
The Problems Facing Footballers & Coaches When Signing with Asian Clubs (and how FIFA is Trying to Help)
By Susanag Ng
The Commercialisation of TV Rights in Spain: A Key Decision from the Spanish Supreme Court (LaLiga v Mediaset)
By Álvaro Gómez de la Vega
A Guide to FIFA’s COVID-19 Guidelines and their Effects on Indian Football Clubs
By Eshwar Ramachandran and Nihal Zachariah
UEFA’s 2020/21 Competition Eligibility Guidelines and Possible Legal Challenges by Clubs
By Christian Keidel and Dr. Paul Fischer
São Paulo FC Score Victory in Chilean Trademark Infringement Case
Eduardo Lobos
Fighting Relegation in Scottish Football - To Arbitration We Must Go! (Hearts & Patrick Thistle v SPFL)
By Gavin Brogan
What is an Independent and Duly Constituted National Dispute Resolution Chamber in Football?
By Shane Wafer
Can Player Contracts Be Made Conditional on Passing a Medical Examination? Comparing the Approaches in Football and Basketball
By Boaz Sity
Tackling bridge Transfers in Football: An Important Ruling from the Royal Spanish Football Federation
By Toni Roca and Xavi Fernández
Sega’s Early Win Against Man Utd in Football Manager Trade Mark Case
By Jeremy Drew and Samuel Coppard
Can Sports Clubs Compel Players to Return to Play and Waive Health and Safety Liability?
by John Mehrzad KC and Joseph Bryan
Betting On Inside Information in Football: Lessons From The Trippier and Struggle Cases
By Alistair Campbell
The Duty to Cooperate - Questions Arising from the Man City v UEFA Decision
By Björn Hessert
From Milan To Miami: An International Trademark Battle
Jean-François Merdrignac
When Can Sports Organisations Dismiss Employees Without Fault?
By Jonathan Rennie and Fraser Vandal
Freedom Of Speech vs. Employment Obligations In Germany - The Cases of Joshiko Saibou & Jadon Sancho
By Ansgar Faßbender, Dwayne Bach and Prof. Dr. Martin Schimke
Who Is Competent To Decide Upon The “Sporting Successor” of a Football Club?
By Josep F. Vandellos Alamilla
Football Manager & Man United - How IP Connects the Virtual and Real Football Worlds
By Richard Millington and Mark Kramer
Sporting Investigations: The Risky Business of Deleting Phone Apps
By Ed Pearson, Andrea Baronti and Wayne Barnes
Trinidad and Tobago Football Association v FIFA - The Validity of Normalisation Committees and Exclusive Jurisdiction of CAS
By Dr. Despina Mavromati
Why The Competition Appeal Tribunal Refused Football DataCo’s Application To Transfer Sportradar’s Claim to the High Court
By Andrew Nixon
Creating A Level Playing Field? Athletes Turning To Courts To Protect Their Employment Law Rights
By Nick Marshall, Shubham Jain, Martin Zhou, Daniel Delimihalis, Marcelo Lopes, Andy Reynolds, Mathew Devey, Tim Werhann
Annual Review on Sports Dispute Resolution In China (2020)
By Guo Cai and Jeffery Benz
A Review of the FA’s Suspension of Peter Beardsley for Misconduct
By Stephanie David
Regulating Against Competition Manipulation In Sport
By Oliver Harland
Sanctioning Footballers For Social Media Posts: PSG & Neymar v UEFA
By Kevin Carpenter and Adam Pendlebury
2021 WADA Code - REduced Sanctions For Substances Of Abuse, Multiple Violations And Recreational Athletes
By Paul J. Greene and Mathew Kaiser
How Sports leagues & Federations Around The World Are Sanctioning Players Breaking Covid-19 Rules
By Rhodri Thomas, Matt Evans, Anne-Laure Vincent, Brayden Koslowsky, Gino Murugesan
Why FIFA needs to provide specific Regulatory Framework for Football Coaches (the difficulties in resolving club-coach disputes and the application of Swiss Law)
By Oonagh Webster
The FA v Nathaniel Mendez-Laing - A New Approach To Substances Of Abuse in Sport
By Phillip Hutchinson
Fighting Match Forfeits For Covid-19 Of St Mirren & Kilmarnock FC
By Gavin Brogan
Controversy in African Football: Why the 2019 Champions League final highlights fundamental concerns over due process at CAF
By Chris Bond and Farai Razano
State Aid in Spanish Football: EU General Court overrules European Commission on Barcelona and Real Madrid Decisions
By Benoît Keane
Newcastle United Takeover: Why The Premier League should Amend Its Rules On The Appointment & Challenge of Arbitrators
By Jonathan Bellamy
Third-Party influence in Player’s Transfer Agreement found to breach FIFA Regs: Palmeiras v FIFA
By Chirayato Barnejee
A Ccautionary Ttale for Aarbitrators in Ssports Llaw Ddisputes – Llessons from Fleetwood Wanderers v AFC Fylde.
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By Celia Rooney
The validity of FIFA’s arbitration clause and the independence of the CAS: A detailed review of the RFC Seraing cases.
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By Despina Mavromati
A review of the CAS Panel’s decision in AC Milan v. UEFA - The devil is in the (procedural) detail.
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By Despina Mavromati
The role of the UEFA Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector in disciplinary proceedings.
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By Miguel Liétard Fernández-Palacios
Can suspicious betting alerts prove match fixing? The case of KS Skënderbeu v UEFA.
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By Jamie Singer & Ross Brown
How CAS deals with excessive contractual penalties in football.
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By Despina Mavromati
Lessons from Suarez case: is it time for “universality” in football sanctions?
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By Kevin Carpenter
Freezing monies owed from UEFA to secure a debt claim: a case study.
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By Roy Levy
When is there a right to replay a football match? FIFA, UEFA and The FA laws on fielding an ineligible player.
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By Grahame Anderson
Regulating unruly football fans: the state of English law and proposed improvements.
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By Grahame Anderson and Lydia Banerjee
What constitutes an ‘Official Match’ under the FIFA Regulations? The case of Ben Arfa.
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By Lloyd Thomas
Dr. Eva Carneiro's claims against Chelsea and Jose Mourinho: breaking down the legal issues.
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By James Williams and Nicola Holdsworth
PODCASTS & VIDEOS
Mediating Football Disputes: The New FIFA Mediation Guidelines
Click here to watch
Understanding FIFA's Agents Regulations
Click here to watch
Understanding The FIFA Clearing House
Click here to watch
Sporting Succession In Football
Click here to watch
The Future Of African Club Football - CAF Club Licensing System And Stadiums Regulations
Click here to watch
Interview with Nick De Marco KC - "Mr Football" - Episode 75.
Click here to listen.
By Sean Cottrell
Examining the new agreement between Football DataCo, Genius Sports and Perform Group.
Click here to listen.
By Sean Cottrell
Interview with Takuya Yamazaki - the challenges for football players rights in Asia.
Click here to listen.
By Sean Cottrell
Sports data, betting, governance & the law: Interview with Steven Burton, Genius Sports.
Click here to listen.
By Sean Cottrell
How does the transfer market influence the integrity of football?
Click here to listen.
By Sean Cottrell, CEO, LawInSport, Nick De Marco, Barrister, Blackstone Chambers, Nick Tsatsas, partner and Head of the Employment team, Fladgate LLP, and Richard Berry
Interview with Dimitrios Efstathiou, Vice President, Legal at Major League Soccer.
Click here to listen.
By Sean Cottrell, CEO, LawInSport, and Jake Cohen
Moving from exclusive to inclusive models of sport - Takuya Yamazaki - E93
By Sean Cottrell, CEO, LawInSport, and Takuya Yamazaki
Brent Nowicki, Head Of The CAS Anti-Doping Division - E92
By Sean Cottrell, CEO, LawInSport, and Brent Nowicki
Dr J Simon Rofe - How Sports Diplomacy Can Help The Sport Sector Respond To COVID19 Crisis - E91
By Sean Cottrell, CEO, LawInSport, and Dr J Simon Rofe
Gareth Farrelly - Lawyer, Arbitrator and Former Pro Football Player Episode 88
By Sean Cottrell, CEO, LawInSport, and Gareth Farrelly
Achta Mahamat Saleh, Director Of Legal Affairs & Compliance, CAF - E105
By Sean Cottrell, CEO, LawInSport, and Achta Mahamat Saleh
Expensive Mistakes: Why European Sports Need To Be On Top Of State Aid Law - Clayton & Segura – E104
By Sean Cottrell, CEO, LawInSport, Marianne Clayton and Maria Segura
Aahna Mehrotra, Founder & Principal Lawyer at AM Sports Law & Management Co - E103
By Sean Cottrell, CEO, LawInSport, and Aahna Mehrotra
Sports: Law & Practice - Q&A With Adam Lewis QC & Jonathan Taylor QC, Also Featuring A Conversation With Lord Sebastian Coe
By Sean Cottrell, CEO, LawInSport, Adam Lewis QC, Jonathan Taylor QC and Lord Sebastian Coe
Álvaro Gómez De La Vega Jiménez, Sports Legal Manager At RCD Espanyol De Barcelona S.A.D - E102
By Sean Cottrell, CEO, LawInSport, and Álvaro Gómez De La Vega Jiménez
10 Years Of LawInSport - Sean Cottrell - E100
By Sean Cottrell, CEO, LawInSport, and Gabriella Lowe, Operations Executive LawInSport
The Transfer Of Overseas Players Post Brexit With Stephen O'Flaherty - E99
By Sean Cottrell, CEO, LawInSport, and Stephen O’Flaherty
Sarah Solémalé, Senior Governance Services Manager At FIFA
By Sean Cottrell, CEO, LawInSport, and Sarah Solémalé
How To Become A Sports Lawyer With LawInSport, Founder, Sean Cottrell E97
By Sean Cottrell, CEO, LawInSport, and Gabriella Lowe, Operations Executive, LawInSport
The Premier League COVID-19 Testing - Legal & Logistical With Prenetics – E96
By Sean Cottrell, CEO, LawInSport, Andrew Steele and Stephen Taylor Heath
The European Super League & The Legal Fallout: Experts' Views - E106
By Sean Cottrell, CEO, LawInSport, Alexander Engelhard, Reyes Bellver, Stefania Genesis,Stella Riberti, Patricia Moyersoen, Graham Shear, Katarina Pijetlovic, Sean Jones QC, John Mehrzad QC, David Murray and Christopher Anderson
Josep F. Vandellos Alamilla, Founder/Partner at VANDELLOS SPORTS LAW - E109
By Sean Cottrell, CEO, LawInSport and Josep Vandellos
Alan Darfi, Chief Executive Officer, Herefordshire FA - E110
By Sean Cottrell, CEO, LawInSport and Alan Darfi
Erika Montemor Ferreira, Head of Players’ Status, FIFA - E114
By Sean Cottrell, CEO, LawInSport and Erika Montemor Ferreira
A Data Analysis of Outcomes in FA Betting Cases - Alastair Campbell, Partner, LEVEL - E117
By Sean Cottrell, CEO, LawInSport and Alastair Campbell
How To Approach Networking In The Sports Industry - Daniel Geey, Partner, Sheridans & Cynthia Mumbo, Founder & CEO, Sports Connect Africa - E121
By Sean Cottrell, CEO, LawInSport, Daniel Geey and Cynthia Mumbo
Oliver Hunt, Partner, Onside Law - E122
By Sean Cottrell, CEO, LawInSport and Oliver Hunt
Reyes Bellver, Founder, Bellver Sports Law- E125
By Sean Cottrell, CEO, LawInSport and Reyes Bellver
Representing Kevin De Bruyne & FIFA's Agent Regs - Daan Buylaert & Sven Demeulemeester - E129
By Sean Cottrell, CEO, LawInSport, Daan Buylaert and Sven Demeulemeester
The changing corporate structures of Brazilian football clubs: José Francisco Manssur & Tiago Gomes - E133
By Sean Cottrell, CEO, LawInSport, Jose Franciso Manssur and Tiago Gomes
Football, FIFA & Maradona - Paolo Lombardi - E137
By Sean Cottrell, CEO, LawInSport and Paolo Lombardi
