Southampton owner Solak steps up £170m fight with London fund June 26, 2025 Billionaire Southampton FC owner Dragan Solak has escalated a legal battle with London-based private equity fund BC Partners, which he says owes him and his business partners £170m. Solak has asked Dutch authorities to investigate what he calls a “serious governance crisis” at United Group, the telecoms and media business he founded but which is [...]
FA accused of stalling brain damage lawsuit from former players June 26, 2025 Football chiefs have been accused of “deliberately stalling” a landmark lawsuit brought by former players who suffered “life-altering” brain damage as the legal battle resumes today. The Football Association, English Football League and FA of Wales are the defendants in a case brought by 30 former players and their families who say the game’s authorities [...]
CVC Capital Partners hire former EE boss to new sports arm June 26, 2025 CVC SportsCo, a new entity created by private equity giants CVC Capital Partners, has been bolstered by the hire of former mobile phone network EE boss Marc Allera. Allera will take a the role central to the firm’s sporting portfolio, which once owned Formula 1. The current CVC Capital Partners portfolio includes stakes in Premiership [...]
Barcelona score financial boost with Camp Nou reopening date June 25, 2025 FC Barcelona have announced they will stage their first match at the rebuilt £1.25bn Camp Nou in August, in a significant boost to the financially constrained European giants. The reigning Spanish champions have had to play their home games at Barcelona’s former Olympic stadium for the last two seasons, heavily denting their ticketing income. But [...]
Rangers takeover: 49ers promise to attract better sponsors and signings June 24, 2025 The San Francisco 49ers will lend a “global gravitas and awareness” to Rangers that helps them attract more lucrative commercial deals and better signings, says the Scottish club’s new vice-chairman Paraag Marathe. A US consortium spearheaded by private healthcare businessman Andrew Cavenagh and 49ers Enterprises, the investment arm of the NFL franchise which also owns [...]
Chelsea fans slam club’s ‘exploitative’ new ticket policies June 24, 2025 Chelsea fans have blasted a controversial new ticket pricing strategy, accusing the ownership of “exploiting the loyalty of those people who are the lifeblood of the club”. The Chelsea Supporters’ Trust says season ticket prices have increased by an average of 17 per cent in the last two years and that polling of its members [...]
John Textor plans to buy another English club after £175m Crystal Palace sale June 23, 2025 Crystal Palace co-owner John Textor plans to buy another English club after agreeing to sell his stake in the Premier League side to fellow American Woody Johnson. Textor has signed a legally binding deal to sell his 43 per cent stake in Crystal Palace to Johnson, the former US ambassador to the UK who owns [...]
Tesco sorry after Lionesses promotion own goal in Welsh stores June 20, 2025 Tesco has been forced to apologise after shoppers in Wales complained about in-store promotion of the Lionesses, their group rivals at the upcoming Women’s Euros. Customers in Cardiff called the large stand, which showcased Lucozade’s support of the England team and offered a chance to meet the Lionesses, “disgraceful” and “deeply offensive”. Defending champions England [...]
Southampton chairman: Saints not for sale June 19, 2025 Southampton chairman Dragan Solak has insisted the club that were relegated from the Premier League this year is not for sale. Solak and his Sport Republic group purchased a controlling stake in the Saints in 2022 and have seen the St Mary’s club promoted and relegated from the Premier League in that time. He became [...]
PSG enjoy record shirt sales after Champions League victory June 19, 2025 Winning the Champions League has turbocharged shirt sales to record highs for Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). Sales figures for the first week since their new Nike shirt went on sale are higher than any other season sales for a similar time span. The 2024/25 figures are up 37 per cent on the previous club home record [...]