By Samindra Kunti
February 25 – Billions, billions and more billions. That seems to be a core part of Gianni Infantino’s modus operandi as supremo at FIFA. His latest trawl for cash has seen the world federation acquire the services of American financial firm Raine Group to seek the $1 billion the organisation will need to kick-start a revamped 24-team Club World Cup in 2021.
February 19 – Germany’s Bundesliga has reported record 2018/19 combined revenue for the 18 clubs in its top tier, breaking the €4 billion barrier for the first time, a 5.4% increase on the previous season.
By David Owen
February 18 – Wolverhampton Wanderers, the famous old Midlands club currently engaged on their first European campaign in almost four decades, have reported a rebound to profitability for their first season back in the Premier League.
February 17 – American investment company Pacific Media Group (PMG) has acquired a majority stake in struggling Belgian top-flight club KV Oostende.
February 14 – French champions Paris Saint Germain have leapfrogged Manchester City as football’s most financially powerful club, according to Soccerex’s annual Football Finance report.
February 13 – FC Barcelona have become the latest club to embrace blockchain technology with an agreement with Chiliz to launch a ‘Barca Fan Token’.
February 11 – Chelsea were the big financial winners in the summer 2019 and winter 2020 transfer market ending up their dealings €205 million ahead. In contrast Aston Villa showed a loss of €169 million, the second highest in Europe behind Real Madrid’s €181 million. Barcelona showed a €166 million loss.
February 11 – Belgium’s professional clubs suffered a combined record loss of €87 million in the 2018-19 season, the Belgian FA (KBVB) has revealed. Anderlecht incurred the lion’s share with €25 million.
By David Owen
February 10 – Watford, the Premier League club based in London’s commuter-belt and controlled by Gino Pozzo, have bounced back into profit after a 2018-19 season that saw them finish safely in mid-table and reach the final of the FA Cup.
February 7 – Major League Soccer and the MLS Players Association (MLSPA) have agreed a five-year collective bargaining agreement that will increase pay and improve conditions.
February 3 – Premier League clubs spent close to £25 million on the final day of the January transfer window, pushing their overall spending to a total of £230 million, £50 million more than last year but still well short of the £430 million record of 2018.
February 3 – Olympique Marseille are starring down the barrel of financial disaster again after the accounts of holding company Eric Soccer revealed a deficit of €91.5 million for the 2018-2019 season, surpassing the mammoth €78.5 million loss of the 2017-2018 financial year.
January 31 – Transfer spending by English Premier League clubs in January increased from last year’s winter window following two major deals on the penultimate day of business.
January 31 – The future of the embattled Irish Football Association (FAI) has been saved after the Irish Government agreed to double its funding and give the federation an interest free loan of €2.5 million annually for the next three years as part of a refinancing arrangement.
By David Owen
January 29 – West Ham United, the East London club battling to avoid Premier League relegation, have become the latest English top-tier outfit to post a loss for the 2018-19 season.