Our law firm advised and represented before the UEFA Club Financial Control Body (CFCB) a European football club that had qualified on sporting merit for a UEFA club competition, in proceedings concerning compliance with the multi-club ownership (MCO) eligibility criteria.
UEFA had identified overlapping governance links between our client and another club, both ultimately connected through separate corporate and foundation structures to members of the same family, raising the question of whether “decisive influence” could be exercised over both clubs simultaneously in breach of the MCO rule.
We demonstrated that the structures in place, including a foundation separating economic entitlement from legal control, meant no individual held influence over our client’s governance. We also ensured prompt disclosure and cooperation, and implemented targeted governance changes to remove any residual perception of common control.
Following a hearing, the competent body accepted that our client complied with the applicable eligibility criteria and confirmed its admission to the relevant UEFA club competition for the following season.
This case illustrates the increasing regulatory scrutiny applied to multi-club ownership structures, and the value of proactive governance safeguards and transparent disclosure for clubs with group or family-linked ownership seeking to participate in UEFA competitions.
