Governing Bodies
Factbox: Timeline of Chelsea’s sale
Following is a timeline on the sale of Premier League soccer club Chelsea, who have been sold by Roman Abramovich to a consortium led by LA Dodgers part-owner Todd Boehly and backed by Clearlake Capital.
Feb. 24
Abramovich is named in Parliament as Prime Minister Boris Johnson unveiled Britain’s largest-ever package of sanctions against Russia after the country invaded Ukraine.
Feb. 26
Abramovich gives trustees of Chelsea’s foundation stewardship of the club amid calls in Britain that the Russian be sanctioned over Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
March 2
Abramovich says he has decided to sell Chelsea and promised to donate money from the sale to help victims of the war in Ukraine as clamour for sanctions grows, but adds the sale will not be fast-tracked.
March 4
A consortium led by American Boehly and Swiss business tycoon Hansjoerg Wyss enters the fray to make a bid for Chelsea.
March 10
Britain halts planned sale of Chelsea and imposes sanctions on Abramovich, effectively placing the club under government control.
The team is allowed to carry on playing but the government said it was open to selling the club as long as Abramovich himself did not benefit.
March 11
Potential buyers for Chelsea told to approach the government. The club is permitted to operate under strict conditions which prevent transfer deals and new ticket sales while club merchandise store is closed.
March 12
The Premier League board disqualifies Abramovich as a director at the club after he was sanctioned by the government.
March 13
British property developer Nick Candy says he will give Chelsea fans a seat on the board if he buys the club and also provide short-term funding.
March 16
The owners of U.S. baseball outfit the Chicago Cubs team up with Citadel founder Ken Griffin to work on a bid to buy Chelsea.
March 19
Former British Airways chairman Martin Broughton says his consortium bidding for Chelsea comprises wealthy investors from around the world. World Athletics President Sebastian Coe joins the consortium.
March 24
British government amends Chelsea’s special licence to allow the club to sell tickets to fans for away games, with all revenue going to competition organisers.
March 25
U.S. Bank Raine Group, overseeing the club’s sale, adds Boehly’s group, the Ricketts family and Broughton’s group to the shortlist of bidders.
April 12-13
American investor Stephen Pagliuca hints at being prepared to divest his interest in Italian club Atalanta to buy Chelsea as he prepares to submit a bid.
NBA chairman Larry Tanenbaum and former Chelsea captain John Terry join Pagliuca’s bid.
April 15
The Ricketts family pulls out of the running to buy Chelsea citing “unusual dynamics around the sales process”.
April 21
Former tennis world number one Serena Williams and seven-times Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton join Broughton’s bid to buy Chelsea.
April 29
The consortium led by Boehly is in exclusive negotiations to buy Chelsea for $3 billion.
Pagliuca’s group is told they are not the ‘preferred bidder’ and are out of the running but British businessman Jim Ratcliffe says he made a late bid to buy Chelsea.
May 5
Abramovich denies media reports that he has asked for his loan to Chelsea — reported to total 1.5 billion pounds ($1.90 billion) — to be repaid.
Ratcliffe says he is not giving up a bid to buy Chelsea despite apparent rejection from Raine.
May 7
A consortium led by Boehly and backed by Clearlake Capital wins the bid to acquire Chelsea in a deal worth 4.25 billion pounds ($5.38 billion).
The proposal is sent to the government and Premier League for approval.
May 24
The Boehly-Clearlake consortium passes the Premier League Owners’ and Directors’ Test, paving the way for the club’s takeover.
May 25
The British government issues a licence that permits the sale of Chelsea to the Boehly-led consortium.
May 26
Portugal gives Abramovich the green light to sell Chelsea. The Russian-born billionaire became a Portuguese citizen last year and is under European Union sanctions.
May 28
Chelsea strike a final agreement to sell the club to the Boehly-led consortium.
May 30
Abramovich completes sale of Chelsea and related companies to an investment group led by Boehly and Clearlake Capital, who will share joint control and equal governance of the club. Chelsea say Boehly will serve as chairman of the holding company.
Reuters
The FIFA Museum in Zurich has launched a new special exhibition titled Innovation in Action: Football Technologies on and off the Pitch, offering visitors an unprecedented glimpse into how innovation is transforming the world’s most popular sport.
Opened on Monday, October 1, 2025, the immersive showcase was developed in collaboration with the FIFA Innovation Team and other departments within world football’s governing body. It explores how cutting-edge technology supports players, referees, and fans—enhancing performance, ensuring fairness, and enriching the overall football experience—while preserving the game’s passion and human spirit.
“What makes this exhibition truly special is that we can give visitors a never-before-seen behind-the-scenes look that allows them to step inside football innovation, experiencing it hands-on rather than just reading about it,” said Marco Fazzone, Managing Director of the FIFA Museum. “We offer a glimpse at technologies and tools that fans don’t normally get to experience up close, while also showing how innovation has evolved over almost 100 years of FIFA World Cup history.”
Organised around five themed sections — Broadcasting & Media, Intelligent Data, Refereeing & Fair Play, Staging the Game, and the Innovation Lab — the exhibition blends rare artefacts with interactive displays. Visitors can relive football’s broadcast evolution, from the black-and-white footage of the 1954 World Cup to today’s ultra-slow motion 4K replays, and even step into a virtual referee booth to experience the pressures of officiating in real time.
Among the standout features is the FIFA Player App, which allows fans to explore Chelsea star Cole Palmer’s performance statistics from the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Final, illustrating how data helps players refine their craft.
Another exhibit showcases Canada goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan’s water bottle from the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 — marked with opponents’ penalty data — revealing how analytics influence critical moments.
Visitors can also view a referee body camera used at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, giving a fresh perspective on decision-making from the official’s point of view.
The exhibition invites visitors to engage directly with football technology. They can test their reflexes and judgment as referees, operate goal-line technology systems, or assume the role of a broadcast director managing live match feeds. Data enthusiasts can analyse player movements, while aspiring innovators can design their own football tech concepts inside the Innovation Lab.
Innovation in Action runs until 31 March 2026 at the FIFA Museum in Zurich. Entry is included with a standard museum ticket.
With its rich mix of storytelling, interactivity, and history, the exhibition promises to be a must-see experience for anyone passionate about the future of the beautiful game.
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FIFA President Gianni Infantino said on Thursday that football could not solve conflicts, but it must carry a message of peace and unity as Israel’s military operation in Gaza and other global tensions fuel calls for the sport to take a stand.
“At FIFA, we are committed to using the power of football to bring people together in a divided world,” Infantino told a FIFA Council meeting in Zurich where he met Palestinian federation president Jibril Rajoub.
“Our thoughts are with those who are suffering in the many conflicts that exist around the world today, and the most important message that football can convey right now is one of peace and unity.”
Infantino said world football’s governing body could not solve geopolitical crises, but “it can and must promote football around the world by harnessing its unifying, educational, cultural and humanitarian values.”
“I met Palestinian Football Association (PFA) President Jibril Rajoub today at the Home of FIFA in Zurich to discuss the ongoing situation in the Middle East region,” Infantino later wrote on Instagram.
“I commend President Rajoub and the PFA for their resilience at this time and I reiterated to him FIFA’s commitment to using the power of football to bring people together in a divided world.”
FIFA has faced repeated calls to act over the war in Gaza, with Palestinian officials pressing for Israel to be suspended from international football.
The issue has been under review by FIFA for months, but no decision has been taken. Infantino has consistently said such matters require consensus with the confederations and must be handled with caution.
The comments came a day after FIFA Vice President Victor Montagliani noted that any decision over Israel’s participation in European competitions, including World Cup qualifiers, was a matter for UEFA to decide, effectively putting the onus on the European body.
“First and foremost, it (Israel) is a member of UEFA, no different than I have to deal with a member of my region for whatever reason… They have to deal with that,” Montagliani told reporters at the Leaders sports business conference on Wednesday.
Israel are third in Europe’s Group I of the qualifying stage for next year’s World Cup in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Amnesty International on Wednesday sent a letter to FIFA and UEFA calling on them to suspend the Israel Football Association.
-Reuters
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The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has dismissed reports suggesting that its Statutes will be amended at this year’s Annual General Assembly (AGA), insisting that no such plans are on the table for the September 27 meeting.
In a statement, the Federation stressed that the ongoing conversation around its Statutes remains at a preliminary stage and that suggestions of imminent changes are unfounded.
Ahead of the AGA, the NFF will host a workshop on September 26, bringing together representatives of its members, as well as officials from FIFA and CAF. According to the Federation, the forum is strictly consultative, designed to deliberate on proposals for new Statutes in line with the principles of good governance and international best practices.
The NFF explained that only after consensus is reached with its members will a separate General Assembly be convened to formally consider and adopt any proposed Statute changes.
“The NFF remains committed to due process, transparency, and working hand-in-hand with its General Assembly Members, FIFA, and CAF,” the statement read.
“The ultimate goal is to establish enduring Statutes that will strengthen governance, broaden representation, and promote inclusivity within Nigerian football.”
The Federation added that the long-term reform framework is aimed at ensuring stability and progress across its structures and enhancing the participation of all stakeholders in the country’s football administration.
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