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 27 October 2022 the written reasons of the EFL Disciplinary Commission were published in a case concerning an acquisition of shares in Rochdale AFC in July 2021. The acquisition had been completed without compliance with the EFL’s Owners’ and Directors’ Test and resulted in sanctions being imposed on Rochdale AFC and certain individuals involved with the acquisition.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.