Alibaba lands UEFA partnership covering EURO 2028 and men’s club competitions - Alibaba Group has struck a multi-year partnership with UEFA and UC3 to supply AI, cloud and e-commerce capabilities across UEFA EURO 2028 and UEFA’s men’s club competitions, tightening the link between technology infrastructure, fan engagement and commercial delivery. By Chris Brown
Riquelme pledges 20,000-seat Alfredo Di Stéfano upgrade in Real Madrid bid - Enrique Riquelme has put stadium investment at the centre of his Real Madrid election bid, pledging a 20,000-seat upgrade for the Alfredo Di Stéfano Stadium as part of a wider members-led redevelopment plan. By Chris Brown
Arsenal return to top five in Football Benchmark valuations - Arsenal’s Premier League title has helped lift their enterprise value to €4.93bn and pushed them back into the world’s top five most valuable football clubs, according to Football Benchmark. By Chris Brown
American consortium tables €2bn Napoli offer - An Underdog Global Partners-led American consortium has tabled an offer of about €2bn for Napoli as the De Laurentiis family resists selling despite months of talks. By Chris Brown
SAFA and Chiliz launch $SAFA fan token for Bafana Bafana - The South African Football Association (SAFA) has partnered with Chiliz to launch the Bafana Bafana $SAFA Fan Token as a new fan engagement and digital revenue platform ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026. By Chris Brown
Podolski takes majority control of Górnik Zabrze - Lukas Podolski has become majority owner of Górnik Zabrze after buying the city’s stake in a landmark privatisation for one of Poland’s best-known clubs. By Chris Brown
THE·TEAM takes significant stake in GG11 - THE·TEAM has acquired a significant stake in Italian football representation firm GG11 as it continues to consolidate talent services across Europe. By Chris Brown
Western United denied A-League licence as club prepares appeal - Football Australia has refused Western United an A-League licence for 2026–27, leaving the club facing a second straight season outside the competition unless an appeal succeeds. By Chris Brown
Courtois joins CD Extremadura ownership via NXTPLAY - Thibaut Courtois has taken a stake in CD Extremadura via NXTPLAY as the fast-rising Spanish club looks to convert four straight promotions into a more sustainable professional push. By Chris Brown
Alyssa Mitchell takes majority stake in Calgary Wild FC - Alyssa Mitchell has bought a 41% stake in Calgary Wild FC, becoming the Northern Super League club’s majority owner and largest independent investor as the team targets stronger commercial momentum in its second season. By Chris Brown
Botafogo transfer bans intensify as FIFA deadline and Lyon claim add pressure - Botafogo’s financial restructuring is now colliding with FIFA enforcement and an intra-group dispute with Lyon, creating immediate squad-planning limits and a wider credit signal for counterparties trading with clubs in judicial recovery. By Chris Brown
Bond Sports partners with TOCA to unify facility operations - Bond Sports has struck a strategic partnership with TOCA Football to run a unified registration and facility management platform across TOCA’s US training centres. By Chris Brown
Piqué fined €200,000 in Spain insider trading case - Gerard Piqué has been fined €200,000 by Spain’s market regulator for insider trading linked to a short-term share trade in Aspy Global Services. By Chris Brown
V Sports closes in on controlling stake in FC Annecy - Aston Villa’s owners V Sports are moving towards a controlling stake in FC Annecy as they look to formalise a Ligue 2 pathway inside their multi-club model. By Chris Brown
Exeter Chiefs back Bournemouth owners takeover talks - Exeter Chiefs’ members and shareholders have approved takeover talks with AFC Bournemouth’s owners Black Knight, clearing the way for due diligence ahead of a potential full buyout of the Premiership Rugby club. By Chris Brown
Sheffield Wednesday takeover triggers EFL insolvency review - Sheffield Wednesday’s sale to US-led Arise Capital Partners has pulled the club out of administration without an extra 15-point penalty, but it is already prompting a wider EFL review of insolvency enforcement. By Chris Brown
LAFC owners open door to Grasshoppers sale after fan backlash - LAFC’s ownership group has said they are open to selling part or all of Grasshopper Club Zürich after escalating fan protests, raising fresh questions over the club’s multi-club model and funding plan. By Chris Brown
Everton line up CMC Markets as next shirt sponsor - Everton are closing in on a deal with trading group CMC Markets to take the club’s front-of-shirt sponsorship from next season as Premier League clubs prepare for the upcoming ban on gambling brands in that inventory. By Chris Brown
Creditor challenge at Botafogo tests control of SAF governance - A creditor-backed shareholder challenge has forced an arbitration-led leadership change at Botafogo’s SAF, turning the club’s judicial recovery strategy into an immediate test of governance control and counterparty risk. By Christopher Brown
Barcelona extend WhiteBIT crypto deal until 2030 - FC Barcelona have extended their partnership with WhiteBIT until 2030, keeping the crypto exchange as a global partner as the club continues to build commercial relationships in digital finance and fan engagement. By Chris Brown
Corpay Cross-Border lands Toulouse FC FX supplier deal - Corpay’s Cross-Border unit has signed with Toulouse FC as the club’s official foreign exchange supplier, extending the payments company’s push into football-facing financial services partnerships. By Chris Brown
Spike Lee fronts Arsenal launch film for Airwallex - A Spike Lee-directed short film for Arsenal and Airwallex is using supporter culture to introduce the fintech brand and sharpen Arsenal’s commercial storytelling around the “business of football”. By Chris Brown