Governing Bodies
PREMIER LEAGUE CLUBS AND FA HEAD INTO MEETINGS AMID REFORM PLAN ROW
English Premier League clubs will break their silence over the much criticized proposals for major changes to the structure of England’s top flight when they meet this week amidst talk of a ‘civil war’ within the game.
The Football Association (FA) will also hold a scheduled council meeting on Thursday when the issue is also expected to be raised. As the governing body for English football, the FA itself holds a ‘golden share’ which would allow it to block major changes.
The FA has so far declined to comment on the proposals but its council is made up of representatives from all leagues, as well as county FAs, the grassroots and supporters representatives.
While no clubs have made public statements as yet on the plans, which Football League chairman Rick Parry says have been drawn up together with Liverpool and Manchester United, the fact that the league itself quickly issued a critical statement on Sunday indicates the likely mood of many teams.
Some British media has referred to a “civil war” within the Premier League over the proposals and the British government has criticised what it termed a “backroom deal”.
But Parry, who has been the only public face of ‘Project Big Picture’ so far, has insisted that he will push ahead with the plans in the face of opposition.
It is understood that the leading clubs, often referred to as the “Big Six”, have been discussing how to approach the upcoming meeting which is likely to be held on Wednesday or Thursday.
The proposals would give more power to the big Premier League clubs, reducing the top division from 20 teams to 18 for the 2022-23 season and scrapping the League Cup and Community Shield.
The plans would also see the Premier League commit to providing 25 per cent of the league’s revenue to EFL clubs and a £250 million (S$443.3 million) rescue fund to help with the immediate impact of the Covid-19 crisis.
A precise date has not been agreed for this week’s meeting of Premier League clubs, which will be online.
Any changes to the Premier League’s structure need the support of 14 of the 20 clubs.
The plans, outlined by Parry on Sunday, address the issue of those voting powers within the Premier League and propose giving the nine clubs with the longest consecutive presence in the top flight special voting rights.
However, the proposal states that only six of the nine would need to vote for a given policy meaning the “Big six” clubs would have the power to make changes in a number of key areas, without the support of other clubs.
Manchester United and Liverpool have not issued statements on the issue and other clubs have been keeping their opinions private and declining to comment.
- Reuters
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.
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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
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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
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