Governing Bodies
ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE CLUBS LOBBY PLAYERS TO TAKE 30% PAY HIT
English Premier League clubs will ask players to take a combination of pay cuts and deferrals amounting to 30 per cent of their annual salary due to the financial crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the league said in a statement on Friday (April 3).
The English top flight’s highly paid stars have come under increasing pressure from government officials in recent days to take pay cuts, after four clubs said they would use public money to subsidise pay for non-playing staff.
Health secretary Matt Hancock said on Thursday that footballers should “take a pay cut and play their part”.
Tottenham, Newcastle, Norwich and Bournemouth plan to use the British government’s furlough scheme to pay 80 per cent of wages of non-playing staff up to a maximum of £2,500 (S$4,410) a month.
The average salary for a Premier League player is £3 million a year, according to the latest Global Sports Salaries survey.
“Premier League clubs unanimously agreed to consult their players regarding a combination of conditional reductions and deferrals amounting to 30 per cent of total annual remuneration,” the Premier League said in a statement.
The Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) will meet league and club officials to discuss the proposal on Saturday.
A meeting between the league’s 20 clubs also agreed to indefinitely extend the suspension of the season until it is “safe and appropriate” for football to return.
The clubs are desperate for the season to be finished if possible to avoid the potential of having to reimburse broadcasters a reported £760 million if they fail to fulfil fixtures for television contracts.
Furlough controversy
However, despite reports of creative ways to finish the campaign with matches behind closed doors and players quarantined in World Cup-style training camps, the clubs insist they will follow government advice on when it is safe for matches to return.
“There is a combined objective for all remaining domestic league and cup matches to be played, enabling us to maintain the integrity of each competition,” the statement added.
“However, any return to play will only be with the full support of government and when medical guidance allows.”
Despite their own financial troubles, Premier League clubs agreed to provide a £125 million fund for the English Football League and National League to help those further down the football pyramid.
A £20 million charitable donation will also be provided to help those affected by coronavirus.
Liverpool skipper Jordan Henderson has reportedly led a meeting of Premier League captains to arrange an extra charity fighting fund for the National Health Service (NHS) made up of player donations on top of any wage cuts or deferrals agreed with the PFA.
The PFA believes players should not be used as scapegoats for clubs who have chosen to furlough non-playing staff despite having the means to continue paying them their full salary.
Tottenham’s decision to furlough 550 staff on Tuesday came on the same day it was revealed that chairman Daniel Levy was paid £7 million last season.
“We are aware of the public sentiment that the players should pay non-playing staff’s salaries. However, our current position is that – as businesses – if clubs can afford to pay their players and staff, they should,” the PFA said in a statement.
-AFP
World football governing body, FIFA, today clocks its 122nd anniversary, celebrating more than a century of overseeing and expanding the global game.
Founded on May 21, 1904, in Paris, France, FIFA began with just seven member associations — France, Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
From that modest beginning, the organisation has grown into the most influential sports governing body in the world, with 211 member associations spread across all continents.
Over the decades, FIFA has transformed football into a truly global phenomenon through competitions such as the FIFA World Cup, Women’s World Cup, Club World Cup, youth tournaments, and developmental programmes aimed at growing the game worldwide.
The organisation has also witnessed remarkable milestones, including the expansion of the men’s World Cup from 13 teams in 1930 to 48 teams beginning from the 2026 edition to be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
FIFA’s journey has equally reflected football’s growing influence beyond sport, with the game becoming a major tool for diplomacy, social inclusion, youth empowerment, and economic development across the world.
As FIFA celebrates 122 years of existence, attention is now focused on the future of the game, technological innovations, expanded competitions, women’s football growth, and the continued globalisation of football.
Visit the Sports Village Square Channel:
UEFA has issued a lifetime ban to Petr Vlachovsky, a Czech women’s soccer coach who secretly filmed his players, the governing body announced on Tuesday.
Czech media reported that the coach was convicted in May 2025 and initially received a suspended one-year prison sentence and a five-year domestic coaching ban for filming FC Slovacko’s players in changing rooms, the youngest of whom was 17.
In a statement, UEFA’s Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body (CEDB) said it had decided to ban Vlachovsky “from exercising any football-related activity for life” following the appointment of an Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector to investigate allegations of potential misconduct.
“The CEDB further decided to request FIFA to extend the abovementioned ban on a worldwide level and to order the Football Association of the Czech Republic to revoke Mr Petr Vlachovsky’s coaching licence,” the statement added.
FC Slovacko did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.
Football players’ union FIFPRO welcomed the ban as well as UEFA’s request for world soccer governing body FIFA to impose an international ban on Vlachovsky.
“This outcome sends a strong and necessary message that abusive and inappropriate behaviour has no place in football and that safeguarding the well-being of players must remain a priority at every level of the game,” FIFPRO added in a statement.
Vlachovsky had also previously served as coach of the Czech women’s Under-19s team.
RELATED STORY: https://sportsvillagesquare.com/2026/04/08/outrage-as-male-coach-who-secretly-filmed-women-players-still-free-to-work-in-football/
-Reuters
Visit the Sports Village Square Channel:
https://www.whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
Southampton have been kicked out of the Championship playoff final after being found guilty of spying on semi-final opponents Middlesbrough, the English Football League said on Tuesday.
Middlesbrough, who lost 2-1 to Southampton on aggregate in the semi, have been reinstated and will face Hull City on Saturday in what is dubbed the world’s richest soccer match.
Promotion to the Premier League, even with an immediate relegation, is estimated to be worth in the region of 200 million pounds ($268.10 million) over three seasons.
Southampton, who admitted the charges, were also found guilty of filming training sessions involving Oxford United in December and Ipswich Town in April during the regular season.
They have also been deducted four points from the start of next season in England’s second tier.
“An Independent Disciplinary Commission has today expelled Southampton from the Championship play-offs after the club admitted multiple breaches of EFL regulations related to the unauthorised filming of other clubs’ training,” the EFL said.
“Southampton admitted breaches of Regulations requiring Clubs to act with the utmost good faith and prohibiting the observation of another Club’s training session within 72 hours of a scheduled match.
“The effect of today’s order is that Middlesbrough are reinstated into the 2026 play-offs and will proceed to the play-off final against Hull City. The final remains scheduled for Saturday 23 May, with the kick-off time to be confirmed.”
The EFL confirmed that Southampton could appeal against the decision and that “parties are working to try and resolve any appeal on Wednesday 20 May.
“Subject to the outcome, it could result in a further change to Saturday’s fixture,” the statement said.
‘BORO CALLED FOR SOUTHAMPTON EXPULSION
Middlesbrough had called for Southampton’s expulsion after having a training session at their Rockliffe Park site filmed 48 hours ahead of the first leg of their playoff semi-final with Southampton which ended 0-0.
The north-east club said they welcomed the decision.
“We believe this sends out a clear message for the future of our game regarding sporting integrity and conduct,” the north Middlesbrough said in a statement.
“As a club, we are now focused on our game against Hull City at Wembley on Saturday.”
Southampton were relegated from the Premier League last season and were struggling in the early part of this campaign until a storming finish in which they went unbeaten in 19 league games to finish fourth and enter the playoffs.
The south-coast club are the first to fall foul of the Football League’s regulation 127 — brought in after Leeds United were found guilty of spying on Derby County seven years ago, an offence for which they were fined 200,000 pounds.
-Reuters
Own Goals Emerging as an Unwanted Trend at World Cup 2026
Haaland’s Norway Face Stern Senegal Test
Messi Eyes History as Argentina Face Austria; Jordan Chase First Points Against Algeria
Breaking! Uzoho suspended from Super Eagles’ next match with Sierra Leone
No longer Super League as CAF changes name of its new clubs competition
NIGERIAN FOOTBALL CHIEF EXECUTIVE, SANUSI CHARGES NIGERIAN COACHES TO BE UPRIGHT, DILIGENT
- World Cup3 days ago
‘Most Oppressed Team’: Iran Set for FIFA Showdown Over Travel Rules
- World Cup19 hours ago
U.S. defends Iran World Cup travel restrictions, says discussions ongoing
- World Cup1 week ago
Atlas Lions Roar Again: Morocco Hold Five-Time Champions, Brazil In Another World Cup Statement
- World Cup7 days ago
Back in Canada After 39 Years: A Return to Where the Journey Began
- World Cup7 days ago
Doku Faces World Cup-or-Fatherhood Dilemma as Belgium Star Awaits First Child
- World Cup7 days ago
Tunisia Become Second African Casualty as Sweden Hit Five in World Cup Rout
- World Cup7 days ago
Salah Eyes Birthday Gift as Egypt Seek Historic World Cup Breakthrough Against Belgium
- World Cup1 week ago
Advocaat Set to Make World Cup History as Curaçao Face Germany