Several teams had proceedings opened against them over fears of breaking UEFA’s multi-club ownership guidelines, but Europe’s governing body has cleared them to play on the continent next season.
Multi-Club Ownership Conversation Reignited
UEFA’s Club Financial Control Body (CFCB) has informed several clubs that they will be able to compete in Europe next year, after investigators were hired to look into three separate cases of potential breaches of their multi-club ownership rules.
These cases include ties between Aston Villa and Vitoria Sport Clube – owners Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens have a stake in Vitoria, Brighton & Hove Albion and Royal Union Saint-Gilloise – Tony Bloom owns part of the latter, plus AC Milan and Toulouse – majority owned by RedBird Capital Partners.
The conversation over multi-club ownership models have intensified in recent years, with an influx of investors diversifying their portfolios by purchasing multiple stakes in different clubs across the globe.
In particular, the Qatari-backed bid for controlling ownership over Manchester United has garnered significant attention. Many have questioned whether funds all come directly from the nation’s sovereign wealth fund, which is used by PSG’s Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani who also has a minority stake at Braga.
UEFA’s multi-club ownership rules, devised 25 years ago, state that clubs are barred from playing in the same competition if owners have “decisive influence” over them.
This has of course been seemingly tested to the absolute maximum by the Red Bull Group, with two of their clubs – Leipzig and Salzburg – both competing in the Champions League back in 2017.
Nevertheless, European debutants Brighton have been cleared to play despite Tony Bloom’s links with Union Saint-Gilloise, who have qualified for the Europa League qualifying round. Bloom was deemed not to have a controlling influence by UEFA’s panel.
Toulouse were investigated for having significant ties with American investment firm RedBird Capital Partners, who also own a controlling stake in AC Milan.
Aston Villa’s owners actually reduced their stake just last week in Portuguese club Vitória Guimarães, with both teams now entering the Europa Conference League.
Despite all cases being cleared of any wrongdoing, UEFA announced that they have placed limitations on each of the clubs.
“The clubs will not transfer players to each other, whether permanently or on loan, directly or indirectly, until September 2024,” UEFA said in a statement, while also confirming they will not be allowed to share scouting databases.
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