UEFA financial sustainability and club licensing bulletin reviews latest monitoring activities of the CFCB
Friday, January 19, 2024
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UEFA Compliance and Investigation Activity Report 2021-23.
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The UEFA Compliance and Investigation Activity Report 2021–23, published this week and available here on UEFA.com, reviews another two seasons of club licensing and financial monitoring by UEFA.
The seventh edition of this comprehensive report reviews in detail the monitoring activities performed by the newly established First Chamber of the UEFA Club Financial Control Body (CFCB) during the 2021/22 and 2022/23 seasons. Created in 2021/22 within the new structure of the CFCB, the First Chamber has full decision-making powers on all club licensing, financial sustainability and multi-club ownership matters, while the Appeals Chamber reviews appeals against decisions of the First Chamber.
Altogether, the First Chamber took 75 decisions during the two seasons under review. Out of the 45 cases (43 with clubs and two with licensors) that were found to be in breach of the UEFA regulatory framework, 11 clubs and the two licensors concluded a settlement agreement. The remaining 32 cases resulted in disciplinary measures by the First Chamber. Seven appeals were lodged with the Appeals Chamber (six overdue payables cases and one break-even case), which resulted in two decisions being partially upheld and five decisions fully upheld by the appeals chamber.
Sunil Gulati, chair of the First Chamber of the CFCB
“This edition of the bulletin is marked by a series of important decisions made by the First Chamber. Throughout the two seasons under review, we have undertaken a rigorous examination of clubs’ financial situations, ensuring compliance with UEFA’s regulatory framework. The First Chamber has demonstrated its commitment to fostering financial stability and discipline within European club football through a number of noteworthy decisions, addressing instances of financial irregularities and upholding the highest standards of accountability.”
Topics covered in the 2023 bulletin:
- Structure, jurisdiction and decision-making process of the restructured CFCB;
- Overview of all CFCB decisions during the period under review related to:
- Compliance with the club licensing system,
- First monitoring of the enhanced overdue payables requirements,
- Last assessment of the break-even requirement before the implementation of the new financial sustainability criteria, and
- Latest cases related to clubs’ eligibility for UEFA competitions and their compliance with the multi-club ownership rule;
- Summary of the content of settlement agreements concluded between the CFCB First Chamber and clubs or, if applicable, licensors;
- Key considerations of the CFCB brought to the attention of licensors and clubs in the application of certain provisions of the UEFA regulatory framework.
Pablo Rodriguez, UEFA chief of financial monitoring and compliance
“We hope that this seventh bulletin will offer valuable insights into the First Chamber’s compliance and monitoring activities during the course of the last two seasons and that it will also serve as a source of guidance for the future.”