Governing Bodies
SUPER LEAGUE BOSS THREATENS PREMIERSHIP ‘BIG SIX’ WITH FINE FOR LEAVING
The president of the controversial competition, which was met with a huge backlash when it was announced on Sunday, discussed teams U-turning, penalty fees for leaving, Jurgen Klopp and Chelsea supporters in a wide-ranging and, in places, bizarre interview.
Perez began by discussing the elephant in the room – the six Premier League clubs pulling out of the Super League and leaving the tournament in tatters.
And he claimed that there was a rotten apple in the bunch that ultimately infected the group.
Perez told the El Larguero radio station: “There was someone in the English six clubs who did not have much interest. That started to affect the others, there was fear. One of the English clubs was never really convinced.
“They are leaving due to UEFA putting on a show, which surprised me. I don’t want to get into it with the UEFA president, but he needs to be able to talk. It was like we had thrown an atomic bomb.
“They did not let us explain, as they did not want anything to change.”
On the protests in England, he appeared to suggest they had been orchestrated by a higher power, adding: “There were only 40 Chelsea fans, and I could tell who brought them.”
“Who brought those Chelsea fans to protest? Someone moved them.”
As the interview progressed the Real Madrid president also discussed finances and provided clarity on his motives.
“It cannot be that in England, the six lose money, and 14 make money. In Spain, the top three lose Following the decision of the Premier League big six to back out of the competition, La Liga giants Atletico Madrid and Serie A outfit Inter Milan did the same thing.
There are murmurs that Barcelona may soon follow suit, while AC Milan and Real Madrid are still standing firm.
Perez admits the Super League is looking less likely now, but is determined to still make it work, and believes there is a chance it can be altered with fewer teams in the competition.
He said: ”Juventus and Milan have not left. Barca are thinking about it. Maybe we can change it a bit – that the top four in England enter, the top four in Spain. The important thing is that the big teams play each other, so the kids will watch football.
“The founder clubs believed in this project. It is not dead. We will keep working.”
Another big question of the night was whether the clubs who have backed out of the competition are liable to fines.
“Nobody has yet paid the penalisation fee for leaving. We are almost all still in this, they have not left yet,” said Perez.
“All 12 founder clubs signed the same contract, not a comma more or less.”
money, and the others make money. It cannot continue – at the moment the rich are those who are losing money,” he said.
Perez doesn’t name the club, but it appears either Chelsea or Manchester City are the most likely candidate.
Murmurs Chelsea were getting cold feet emerged on Tuesday night before Manchester City became the first club to issue a statement saying they were backing out of the competition.
Perez went on to issue something of a threat to the clubs who confirmed they are leaving, reminding them why the plan for a Super League was hatched in the first place.
“There are people with privileges who do not want to lose them and are willing to run clubs, although when the clubs are ruined they will lose their privileges,” said Perez.
As unhappy as Perez is that the English teams pulled out of the competition and ruined its worth, he is somewhat sympathetic to their reason for doing so.
“The English clubs tried to do something, but they were being told they were killing football. But there is no other solution than the Super League. Or somebody invents something else,” added Perez.
They are leaving due to UEFA putting on a show, which surprised me. I don’t want to get into it with the UEFA president, but he needs to be able to talk. It was like we had thrown an atomic bomb.
“They did not let us explain, as they did not want anything to change.”
On the protests in England, he appeared to suggest they had been orchestrated by a higher power, adding: “There were only 40 Chelsea fans, and I could tell who brought them.”
“Who brought those Chelsea fans to protest? Someone moved them.”
As the interview progressed the Real Madrid president also discussed finances and provided clarity on his motives.
“It cannot be that in England, the six lose money, and 14 make money. In Spain, the top three lose money, and the others make money. It cannot continue – at the moment the rich are those who are losing money,” he said.
Perez has previously made it very clear that the 12 founding clubs all signed ‘binding contracts’, which prevents them from backing out of the competition should they get cold feet.
But Perez is remaining calm on this front.
He is yet to threaten any of the big six with a fine as – as far as he is concerned – the Premier League’s big six are still very much involved in the competition, despite their statements to the contrary.
“Nobody has yet paid the penalisation fee for leaving. We are almost all still in this, they have not left yet,” said Perez.
“All 12 founder clubs signed the same contract, not a comma more or less.”
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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