sports law

The recent change in visa rules for talented young overseas footballers provide a significant opportunity for Premier League and English Football League (EFL) clubs. Other European leagues have taken advantage of England’s stricter visa rules, particularly since Brexit, to sign and develop talented young players who then end up moving and attracting substantial transfer fees […]

National law firm Freeths has advised professional boxer Chris Eubank Jr on his rematch with Liam Smith, announced today (Tuesday 25 April). Following their initial fight in Manchester at the beginning of the year, Chris Eubank Jr will be returning to the ring, on 17 June, against opponent Liam Smith after lengthy rematch negotiations. A […]

National law firm Freeths has advised City of Birmingham Rockets’ and England Under-14 Ziah Francis on his multi-year deal with Serie A side Aquila Basket Trento, becoming the second UK youth ever to sign with the Italian team. Transferring to Trento in August, this move follows record seasons for the 6’6″ 13-year-old having played for […]

Freeths is delighted to have advised Richard Reilly, the ultimate beneficial owner of QPR Newco LLC, on the purchase of a stake in QPR Holdings Limited (the owner of Queens Park Rangers Football & Athletic Club Limited). Freeths Sports Law Team led the transaction, together with a multi-disciplinary group of specialist lawyers across the firm […]

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 […]

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 […]

COVID-19 (better known as Coronavirus) has been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation. The situation is developing on an almost hourly basis. Unfortunately, many football clubs may have to consider means of downsizing their workforce to get through the crisis. This note briefly looks at some of the options available to a club […]