Pierre-Alain SEIBERT’s Post

The UEFA House is on fire ♨ ♨ ♨ 🚒 🚒 🚒 (Part 22) It now seems obvious, given the mounting evidence, that: 1- UEFA hides behind an #ideological discourse and posture to mask its true intention: preserving its #monopoly over #European #football to continue accumulating billions of euros 💶 and thus allow its leaders an indecent salary and lifestyle; all of this in a more or LESS legal way (#corruption). 2- #UEFA (and FIFA) try to justify their #monopoly by claiming it is "natural"; which is totally false. To demonstrate this, we must pick up where we left off in post 20, that is, at the end of the 1990s. While Silvio BERLUSCONI's attempt seems to have failed in the short term, it planted the seeds of a slow and deadly agony for #UEFA. Indeed, the best European #clubs, following this historic episode, became perfectly aware of their significant weight in this #market; a weight that is not reflected in football #governance. The reason is simple: they are divided and each defends its own interests alone. This situation would then change in September 2000 with the creation of G14. This group (G) gathered, until 2002, 14 of the biggest #European #clubs. In 2002, this group would expand to 18 members. #UEFA would react, as usual, in 2 stages: 1- Ignorance and rejection: #UEFA refused to officially recognize the existence of this group; which would lead to a direct confrontation via the Cour de justice de l'Union européenne. 2- Integration and control: #UEFA would negotiate the dissolution of G14 to officially integrate, within its bodies, a new association: that of #European #clubs (those licensed by #UEFA participating in its competitions) = European Club Association (ECA). In my next posts, we will see: -How G14 forced #UEFA's recognition through the OULMERS case; -How UEFA's machiavellianism led to the creation of ECA; -How the initial G14 members didn't actually lose their influence and plotted, in an open secret, the creation of a dissident #European #football #league which would culminate in the attempt to create the European SuperLeague (ESL) officially announced on April 18, 2021. Link to posts 1 and 21 👉 In comments. If you're interested in this topic, I'll tell you everything in my upcoming book 📖 "Towards a new organization of football and sport in Europe" 😁 .

During this European Championship, national football associations have been fined over €1.2 million by UEFA. The total fines amount to €1,293,645 (£1,097,328; $1,635,123), primarily due to the behavior of supporters during the matches. Host nation Germany was fined twice for failing to protect the playing area, specifically when supporters entered the pitch during Portugal’s group stage matches against Turkey and Georgia. Eight teams — Hungary, Switzerland, Croatia, Albania, Poland, Serbia, Romania, and Belgium — were fined for their fans’ behavior during all three of their respective group-stage matches. In total, 21 out of the 24 participating nations were fined at least once during the group stages, with only France, Spain, and Slovakia avoiding fines from UEFA. As a football fan, it is disappointing to see such significant fines imposed on national associations due to the misconduct of supporters. While the passion of fans is a fundamental part of the sport, I believe it is crucial for that passion to be expressed responsibly. The incidents of fans entering the pitch and causing disruptions not only tarnish the reputation of their nations but also pose safety risks. It's commendable that UEFA is taking a firm stance to maintain order and uphold the integrity of the tournament. However, it is also essential for national associations to work closely with their supporters to foster a culture of respect and sportsmanship, ensuring that the beautiful game remains enjoyable and safe for everyone involved. As a Slovak, I am particularly proud that Slovakia was one of the three nations not fined during the group stages. This demonstrates the respectful and responsible behavior of Slovak fans, setting a positive example for others. Is it a testament to our national spirit and the importance we place on fair play and respect in football? Or? Who knows?

So UEFA has given green light to the new format proposed by Malta Premier League for the 24-25 season onwards. As you know, I don’t like this format and I think the flaws of the new competitions will overcome the strengths. Still, let’s wait till the official presentation to know all the details. In the article you can read about the future Winter Championship and Summer Championship. Two leagues in one, starting both from scratch. In terms of a league which lacks planning, scouting and sporting structures, adding more short term goals only will accentuate these problems. I guess the strongest argument to support this league is to have more meaningful games? My bet is that you will have less than with the more traditional formats. I hope I am wrong and this will be a change that benefits Maltese football but I think there are financial, sporting, sponsorship and visibility issues that need to be solved urgently. https://lnkd.in/d2yWRyMP

La Liga Asks FIFA To Cancel 2025 Club World Cup The president of the Spanish soccer league, Javier Tebas, today asked FIFA president Gianni Infantino to remove the 2025 Club World Cup from the international calendar “because it is not necessary for players and clubs”. Tebas considered that the new format of the Club World Cup, in which Benfica and FC Porto will take part, is not good, “not even for FIFA”, arguing that extending the competition to 32 teams “only serves to cause disorganization”.   “You know that you don't have the sponsorship you had anticipated and that the leagues and the players' union don't want this World Cup. Remove it [from the calendar] now,” demanded Tebas, who announced the body's return to the Association of European Leagues, from which it had withdrawn in March 2023 in protest at its inaction against FIFA rules. The La Liga president's announcement comes a day after the association, chaired by Portuguese Pedro Proença, lodged a formal complaint with the European Commission against FIFA, together with the International Federation of Professional Footballers (FIFPRO), over the overloaded international calendar. The two organizations accuse FIFA of “abuse of a dominant position” and the complaint filed in Brussels focuses directly on the expansion of international competitions, including the 2026 World Cup and the 2025 Club World Cup. “The complaint explains how FIFA's imposition of decisions on the international calendar constitutes an abuse of a dominant position and violates the laws of the European Union [EU],” the statement said, warning of the ‘conflict of interest’ between the functions of the sport's regulatory body and the organizer of competitions. The association led by the president of the Portuguese Professional Football League and the footballers' representative recall the decisions of the European courts in the cases of the Super League and former French international Lassana Diarra, which go against FIFA's claims. https://ift.tt/vIpVt5b

Manchester City and Manchester United Cleared to Compete in UEFA Competitions ⚽️ 🔄 UEFA has ruled that Manchester City and Girona, as well as Manchester United and Nice, can compete in the same European club competitions during the 2024-25 season. This decision follows UEFA's relaxation of its rules on multi-club ownership groups and a thorough investigation to ensure these clubs are separate entities. This move maintains the integrity of UEFA tournaments while allowing these clubs to participate without conflicts of interest. 🏆 🔍 City Football Group, owning a 47% stake in Girona, and INEOS, owning a minority stake in Manchester United, have made significant changes to comply with UEFA regulations. These changes ensure no single entity has control or decisive influence over more than one club. UEFA stated that the restructuring of ownership, governance, and financial support restricts investors' influence, aligning with the multi-club ownership rule for the 2024-25 season. 📊 🚫 To further ensure compliance, UEFA has mandated that these clubs cannot transfer players to each other, directly or indirectly, from July 2024 until September 2025, except for pre-existing agreements. This decision means that Manchester United, for instance, is unlikely to sign Nice centre-back Jean-Clair Todibo. The focus now shifts to the upcoming season, with Manchester United aiming for a strong performance in the Europa League. ⚽️ 📸: Jim Ratcliffe, the founder and chairman of INEOS and owner of FC Lausanne-Sport, OGC Nice, and co-owner Manchester United FC, at Old Trafford in Manchester, England, on March 17, 2023 / Peter Byrne / Getty Images #UEFA #ManchesterCity #ManchesterUnited #Girona #Nice #EuropeanFootball #FootballNews #SportsRegulations #MultiClubOwnership #ChampionsLeague #EuropaLeague

UEFA has announced a significant reduction in the maximum ticket prices for away supporters across its three men's club competitions, effective from the current season. This initiative is designed to improve accessibility and affordability for fans travelling to support their teams in European football. UEFA has introduced the following maximum ticket prices for away fans: - Champions League: €60 (£51.60) - Europa League: €40 (£34.40) - Conference League: €20 (£17.20) These new caps represent a substantial decrease compared to previous seasons, with the Champions League ticket price dropping by €10 from the previously planned amount. In a bid to further support travelling fans, UEFA has also outlined plans for additional price reductions in the 2025/26 season: - Champions League: €50 (£43.00) - Europa League: €35 (£30.10) - Conference League: €20 (£17.20) This gradual reduction will lead to a nearly 30% decrease in Champions League away ticket prices over the next two seasons. The decision has been welcomed by fan organisations and clubs alike. Ronan Evain, Executive Director of Football Supporters Europe (FSE), praised the move, stating, "These revised price caps are a further acknowledgment of the crucial role away fans play in creating the unique atmosphere of European club fixtures." UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin also underscored the importance of this initiative, commenting, "This represents another key step in UEFA's ongoing commitment to enhancing the matchday experience for all fans." This latest measure builds on UEFA's ongoing efforts to control ticket prices. The organisation first introduced price caps during the 2019/20 season following widespread protests over the high cost of tickets. The new reductions coincide with UEFA's plans to implement a new tournament format, featuring 36 teams in a single league, resulting in more matches. It’s important to note that these price caps apply exclusively to away supporters, and do not affect ticket prices for home fans. The decision was made after extensive consultation with the European Club Association (ECA) and Football Supporters Europe (FSE), reflecting a collaborative effort to enhance the overall fan experience. By prioritising fan-friendly policies, UEFA aims to maintain football as an inclusive sport, recognising and valuing the commitment of supporters who travel across Europe to follow their teams. This move is expected to play a significant role in sustaining the vibrant atmosphere that characterises European club competitions. https://lnkd.in/df7AQ4uB #FootballFinance #UEFA #AwayTickets

The UEFA House is on fire ♨ ♨ ♨ 🚒 🚒 🚒 (Part 15) Marcel LECLERC, who had proposed to UEFA the creation of a transnational #European #competition, grouping together Spanish, French, and Italian clubs, did not receive #authorization. The reason given: overloaded schedule (part 14 👉https://lnkd.in/eX68Rz9q). This #justification is, of course, an excuse to hide #UEFA's (and FIFA's) primary intention, which is to preserve its #monopoly by keeping potential #private #competitors out of the #European #football #market, and thus preserve the associated #political and #economic advantages. Due to LECLERC's insistence, #UEFA was forced to indicate certain conditions that he would have to respect for them to possibly approve the #organization of this #competition. However, it seems clear that #UEFA's #strategy is to #prohibit any #private #competition, without explicitly saying so. Indeed, UEFA simply retreated behind requirements that were almost impossible to satisfy, while delegating the responsibility of refusal to the concerned national #federations-#leagues. ➡ A #strategy that proved particularly #effective! Indeed, LECLERC's Latin Cup would never see the light of day. And, if it had, the project would have been so remodeled that this Latin Cup would no longer have been able to truly #compete with #UEFA #competitions. This historical episode is rich in lessons: 1-#UEFA will, each time, refuse to #approve #competitions organized by third parties that would #compete with its own flagship competitions and thus disrupt its #revenue sources. 2-#UEFA and #FIFA, as well as the national #federations concerned by this #competition, will have to give their #approval. 3-#UEFA and its member organizations will need to have a minimum of #control (presence of representatives in the tournament organizing committee) and will therefore receive a (significant) share of the #financial #revenues generated. These conditions being totally unacceptable, they will remain dissuasive until 1998, for 30 years! until the #legal and #economic environment evolves in such a way as to no longer negotiate with #UEFA, but to challenge it head-on. The attack will come from Silvio BERLUSCONI and his media-partner holding company. I'll tell you this story in my next post 😁 If this topic interests you, I'll tell you everything in my next book 📖 "Towards a new organization of football and sport in Europe" (HLSC Edition) 😁

As the 2023/24 European competitions are closer to their conclusion, let's look at the expected UEFA prize distribution for the ongoing season. 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝗮 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗳 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝗼𝗳 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗯𝘂𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗯𝘀: 🏆 Champions League: €2.002bn 🏆 Europa League: €465M 🏆 Conference League: €235M The amounts are divided into four main pillars: 1️⃣ 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗙𝗲𝗲𝘀: Fixed amount for qualifying teams 2️⃣ 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲-𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗙𝗶𝘅𝗲𝗱 𝗔𝗺𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝘀: Rewards based on wins and progression 3️⃣ 𝗖𝗼𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁-𝗕𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗔𝗺𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝘀: Calculated from club performances over ten years 4️⃣ 𝗩𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗔𝗺𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝘀 (𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝗣𝗼𝗼𝗹): Based on the proportional value of the TV market in clubs’ home countries (The percentage distribution among these pillars varies across each competition.) If you want to know how these amounts are broken down and to understand the differences between these competitions, check the latest post on my website. 👉 Here you may find the link: https://lnkd.in/gTSs2Qbm 𝘐𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶'𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘤, 𝘧𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸 𝘮𝘺 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘢𝘴 𝘐'𝘭𝘭 share 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘴𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘭 𝘧𝘰𝘰𝘵𝘣𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘴, 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘥𝘦𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘺. #UEFA #ChampionsLeague #EuropaLeague #EuropaConferenceLeague #FootballFinance #SportsBusiness

HOW MAJOR TOURNAMENTS INFLUENCE A PLAYER'S VALUE ⚽🌍💰 The best European players hosted in Germany, with perhaps the best stadiums on the continent. 🇩🇪🏟️ This alone is a great reason to watch Euro 2024 live. I am excited to attend this competition, not only for the professional insights it offers but also to see how our national team defends the title we proudly hold. This year, Italy presents a renewed face; it's less identifiable by a dominant block from a single club, making it intriguing, different, and equally engaging. 🇮🇹 In modern football, do these major tournaments still have the ability to influence a player's market value? 📊🤔 It's not so much the appearances that elevate a player's value, but the potential impact. 💥 Clubs strategically hope that their players, whether market stars or considered surplus, make a significant impact. 🌟📈 From a scouting perspective, players participating in tournaments of this prestige are generally already well-known. 🔍👀 However, assessing young talents in their approach to games of this importance is very useful. For true discoveries, it's better to focus on Under 19 and Under 17 competitions. 🏆 In such a packed match schedule, for many players, it remains a significant achievement to play with their national team's jersey; for many, it is always an absolute priority. I bring up examples like the recent Champions League winners, Luka Modrić (39) and Toni Kroos (34). As long as this type of attachment to the flag, more than to the club, persists, UEFA and FIFA can rest easy; their major tournaments are secure. 🏳️🔒

The UEFA House is on fire ♨ ♨ ♨ 🚒 🚒 🚒 (Part 6) FIFA and UEFA can no longer legally deny #market access to "serious" #sports #competition organizers-operators (https://lnkd.in/gNYcQfe7). ➡ #FIFA has therefore decided to overload the calendar by creating and integrating a new competition: the #Club #World Cup; this despite the recurring opposition from the #players' #union FIFPro Division Europe. Indeed, since #FIFA first mentioned the creation of this #competition, this #union has regularly explicitly expressed its opposition to #FIFA regarding this overload of the summer calendar (mid-June - mid-July). In fact, when you add the preparation periods and travel, it adds 6 additional weeks of work! ➡ The possibility of a guaranteed annual break thus becomes virtually non-existent. The union believes: 1- that the objective of this new #competition is to increase the wealth and power of the world governing body of #football, without regard for the impact on the #players involved or on other stakeholders in #professional #football. 2- that in light of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruling in the "European SuperLeague" case, such unilateral and discretionary decisions (which are not the result of clear, objective, transparent, non-discriminatory and democratic legal frameworks) constitute "restrictions of #competition by object within the meaning of Article 101 of the TFEU". There is no sports #jurisprudence regarding this case. It is therefore difficult to anticipate with certainty the #verdict that will be rendered. Nevertheless, considering the jurisprudential analysis framework, #FIFA will have to prove that this is not a restriction "by object", that the organization of this competition, at this time of the year, is necessary for football as a whole, and that there are no other alternatives than depriving #players of their #right to annual vacation. FIFA has the means to pay for very good #lawyers, so this shouldn't be a problem 😉 It seems unlikely, however, that this case will go to #trial. Indeed, the OULMERS case reveals that #FIFA knows perfectly well when it is in its interest to reach an #arrangement; and this is the case here for 2 reasons: 1- #FIFA has no interest in entering into #conflict with the #players in the medium-long term. 2- FIFA's #strategy is already winning. You don't see why? ... I'll explain everything in my next post ✉ 😉 If this topic interests you, I'll tell you all about it in my upcoming book 📖 "Towards a new organization of football and sport in Europe" (HLSC Edition) 😁