Off The Pitch

More than 70 Members of the European Parliament have called on the 27 European Union football associations to seek an investigation into FIFA and its president, Gianni Infantino, over the governing body's handling of the suspension of Folarin Balogun's one-match ban and its commitment to political neutrality, The Athletic reports. The move follows FIFA's decision to allow the United States forward to play against Belgium after an independent disciplinary committee suspended his automat

UEFA has criticised FIFA’s decision to suspend the one-match ban imposed on United States forward Folarin Balogun following his red card against Bosnia and Herzegovina, describing the move as having “crossed a red line”. The decision means Balogun remains eligible to face Belgium in the World Cup round of 16 despite receiving a straight red card in the previous match. In a statement, UEFA said the automatic one-match suspension following a red card was mandatory under FIFA’s own

Volkswagen are considering selling their minority stakes in FC Bayern Munich and VfB Stuttgart as part of a review of football-related investments, according to local media organisation Correctiv. The carmaker are assessing holdings owned through subsidiaries Audi and Porsche while carrying out a wider restructuring programme. Volkswagen are reviewing Audi’s 8.3 per cent stake in Bayern Munich and Porsche’s 10.4 per cent holding in Stuttgart, alongside other football sponsorship agreem

Clara Vista Investment Partners, a shareholder in Ipswich Town, have completed the acquisition of an 80 per cent stake in Serie A club Frosinone Calcio. The transaction was confirmed at a Frosinone press conference, where president Maurizio Stirpe said the US investment group had injected liquidity into the club as part of the deal. Stirpe said he would retain a 20 per cent shareholding and remain president for the next two years, while Rosario Zoino will continue as chief executive. H

UEFA have sanctioned 14 clubs after concluding their financial sustainability assessments for the 2025/26 season, with Chelsea, Newcastle United, Aston Villa and Juventus among those fined for breaches of its regulations. UEFA assessed compliance with the football earnings rule and the squad cost rule. Newcastle United, Juventus, OGC Nice, Santa Clara, FC Astana and FK Partizan were found to have breached the football earnings rule, assessed for the first time over a three-year period

An arbitration tribunal has ruled that DAZN must pay 85 per cent of the contractually agreed fee for the Belgian professional football media rights during the coming season, according to Nieuwsblad. The decision is an interim measure while a final ruling in the dispute between DAZN and the Pro League is pending. DAZN terminated its agreement with the Pro League in November, arguing that it had been unable to secure a viable commercial arrangement with Belgium’s telecom operators. The P

AC Milan have appointed Massimo Calvelli as chief executive officer, with the executive taking over the role previously held by Giorgio Furlani as RedBird Capital Partners strengthens its direct involvement in the club's management. The appointment was announced by AC Milan, with Calvelli also retaining his positions as CEO International of RedBird Development Group and Operating Partner at RedBird Capital Partners. Calvelli joined AC Milan's board of directors last year. Founder

The family of billionaire Joe Lewis are preparing to inject at least £100 million into ENIC Sports, the holding company that owns a majority stake in Tottenham Hotspur, according to Bloomberg. The Lewis family own just over 70 per cent of ENIC Sports, while former Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy and members of his family hold the remaining shares. The investment could also dilute Levy’s minority stake in the company. Relations between Levy and the Lewis family have deteriorated i

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has defended the mandatory hydration breaks introduced at the 2026 World Cup, saying the measure has benefited players and could be retained at future tournaments. He also rejected suggestions that football’s governing body is generating additional income from the stoppages. According to FIFA, the three-minute breaks, held midway through each half, were introduced to help players cope with the high temperatures during the tournament. However, the

Back to overview IMAGO | Celtic not only closed the gap to Hearts and secured the championship on the final matchday, but also claimed the title of Europe’s most sustainable club. The Recap Off The Pitch's updated ranking of Europe's most financially sustainable clubs is topped by Celtic, who rise from eighth to first.