football

National law firm Freeths, has advised EFL League 2 football club Barrow A.F.C. on the signing of Mark Cooper as the Club’s first team manager. Paul Hornby, Club Chairman, said “I am delighted that we have completed the signing of our new manager, Mark Cooper. I would like to thank Geoff Cunningham and his team […]

The English Football League (“EFL”) will commence a COVID-19 testing programme (twice-weekly) for all 72 EFL clubs, commencing on Monday 11 January 2021. The Professional Footballers’ Association (“PFA”) has agreed to fund the programme. This is a welcome advancement for EFL Clubs and it will help to reduce the risk to players, whilst enabling the […]

UK Immigration rules are due to significantly change on 1 January 2021 as the Brexit transition period ends on 31 December 2020. The Immigration and Social Security Co-ordination (EU Withdrawal) Bill will end rights to freedom of movement of persons under retained EU law. Further information on this can be found here. EEA nationals (includes […]

Following the approval of the new World Anti-Doping Authority Code (“WADA Code”) in November 2019, FIFA has revised the FIFA Anti-Doping Regulations (“FIFA ADR”) with the revised version due to come in to force on 1 January 2021. FIFA is a signatory of the WADA Code and so is obliged to incorporate the new rules […]

The 2019/20 Premier League and Championship seasons have now reached their successful conclusion following the shutdown imposed in March as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. This return to competitive action followed a carefully phased return to contact training in accordance with Government guidance issued to make elite sport “COVID secure”. That included measures such […]

Following initial guidance published on 7 April 2020 (which addressed some of the football regulatory issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic), FIFA has issued further guidance following extensive consultation which makes further temporary changes to the FIFA Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players. There are also further temporary changes to the Rules Governing […]