Africa-Press – Kenya. While controversy continues to grow around the multi-club ownership model, UEFA appears ready to ease its stance. According to The Guardian, European football’s governing body plans to grant clubs more time to comply with ownership regulations if two teams under the same control qualify for European competitions. The current deadline of March 1 would be extended to June, allowing time for clubs to restructure or place one entity in a temporary trust.
This decision follows the uproar sparked by Crystal Palace’s exclusion from the Europa Conference League last summer due to shared ownership links with Olympique Lyonnais. Many within the football community saw the sanction as overly rigid and detached from sporting realities. By advocating flexibility, UEFA hopes to avoid similar controversies in the future.
However, critics fear that the move will deepen football’s financial inequalities and blur ethical lines. Experts like Jean-Baptiste Guégan warn that the sport could “turn into a competition of holding companies,” where strategies serve investors rather than fans.
Others point to risks tied to political influence and conflicts of interest, especially as foreign investment grows. Despite UEFA’s intent to adapt to modern football economics, this reform risks widening the gap between the sport’s elite and the rest.
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