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.

After over one year of being away, Football Law is back - your go-to resource for overviews of football’s institutions and procedures, and analysis of the latest football law news and decisions.

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 11 March 2021 the FA announced that an FA Regulatory Commission had sanctioned referee Darren Drysdale with a four-match backdated suspension for an incident involving Ipswich Town FC’s Alan Judge during an EFL League One match. This article summarises and explains the FA Regulatory Commission’s decision and considers whether Alan Judge could also face a charge in respect of the same incident.

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.

On 12 February 2021 the FA Regulatory Commission’s decision on the sanction imposed on Nathaniel Mendez-Laing for a breach of the FA’s Anti-Doping Regulations (“FAADR”) was announced. This article explains how the lex mitior principle applied to this breach of the FAADR and allowed Mr Mendez-Laing to avoid a potential two-year suspension.

On 31 December 2020 it was announced that Edinson Cavani had admitted a charge of an Aggravated Breach of the FA Rules, rule E3.1 in respect of an Instagram story post. A FA Regulatory Commission subsequently sanctioned Cavani with a three-match suspension, a £100,000 fine, and attendance at an education programme. This article explains why that sanction was appropriate.

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.