Sports law

The sports sector has evolved into a thriving multi-billion-dollar industry. Sporting events are increasingly commercialized, professional player departments are often spun off into corporate entities, the phenomenon of multi-club ownership by investors is gaining traction, and new revenue streams – such as in the field of eSports – are continuously being developed.

Manchester City Football Club (City or the Club) and the Premier League are embroiled in a dispute involving 115 alleged breaches of the Premier League Rules (the Rule or Rules). These charges predominantly concern Manchester City’s financial reporting. In this article, we explain the relationship between the Premier League and its member clubs; the progress of the arbitration proceedings and the implications of the tribunal’s impending decision on the parties, other clubs and other stakeholders.

Have you ever broken your nose from a cricket ball that bounced unexpectedly due to poor outfield conditions?

On 27 August 2024, the NFL announced that it would permit Private Equity (PE) investors to invest in its teams, having been the last of the major sports leagues in the US to prohibit its involvement.

The King’s Speech contains the much anticipated announcement of a Football Governance Bill. This new bill, principally focused on helping ensure the financial sustainability of football clubs across England, is intended to ensure greater sustainability in the game and strengthen protections for fans.

The landscape of Australian sport has experienced a successful period in the wake of the challenging COVID-19 pandemic, spurred on by a series of record broadcasting deals fuelled by increasing viewership for both domestic and international sporting events.

As pre-Olympics momentum builds, World Athletics’ (WA) recent decision to introduce more stringent Out-of-Competition (OOC) testing for athletes from Brazil, Ecuador, Peru and Portugal demonstrates the willingness of global sporting administrators to ensure that the reputation of Paris 2024 remains untainted by doping scandal.

In late 2023, the High Court heard an application for a Group Litigation Order (GLO) involving claims being brought against World Rugby Limited, Welsh Rugby Union Limited and Rugby Football Union (the Application).

It was recently announced that FIFA and UEFA would appear before the Commercial Court of Madrid to discuss how to implement the ruling made on 21 December 2023 by the European Court of Justice (CJEU) in relation to the European Super League (ESL).

The 2026 World Cup's North American hosts should generate benefits across the construction, entertainment and tourism industries.