Matt Slater
@mjslater.bsky.social
I cover the business/politics of football & other global sports for The Athletic. In other words, I mainly do bad news. 🔗 https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/author/matt-slater/
Are Charlton going to have new owners again so soon? 🤷♂️ Brener & Friedman have been looking for help/an exit for ages. They’ve got a new broker👇. They’re looking for £50m+ but there are lots of comparable clubs on market (that don’t involve dealing w/ Duchatelet!). Non-binding bids due next week.
🎙️ A belated plug for yesterday’s pod on what Gianni Infantino really needs: a critical friend. Any volunteers? Feat. @adamleventhal.bsky.social @jameshorncastle.bsky.social & @adamcrafton.bsky.social, w/ a cameo from UEFA VP Laura McAllister. We would do it but GI won’t talk to us. pod.fo/e/4ee18c
The Athletic FC Podcast: Is Infantino's exit now inevitable?
Adam Leventhal is joined by The Athletic’s Matt Slater, Adam Crafton, and James Horncastle to unpack a week that shook global football. The panel dissects how Gianni Infantino’s multi-billion-d...
pod.fo
Back at it on @theathleticfc.bsky.social pod with @mjslater.bsky.social @adamcrafton.bsky.social & @jameshorncastle.bsky.social plus UEFA VP Laura McAllister on the future of FIFA’s big cheese. Watch here youtu.be/zmnPMFAuVvg
Is Infantino's exit now inevitable?
YouTube video by The Athletic FC Podcast
youtu.be
Been a lot of sports news of late, so features have struggled for eyeballs. Even with JJ Watt himself, the work he’s done for Burnley has been overshadowed by his CBS promotion. But I think this as a nice interview with a celeb co-owner who “gets it”. www.nytimes.com/athletic/747...
JJ Watt on Burnley, kit design and the World Cup: ‘This is a passion project’ (Gift Article)
NFL-great-turned-Burnley-investor discusses Nicky Hayen's arrival as head coach and targeting Premier League promotion
nytimes.com
The Russian Ice Hockey Federation will not be permitted to field any teams in 2027, the International Ice Hockey Federation Disciplinary Board announced. Russia has been barred from international ice hockey competitions since 2022. nyti.ms/4fL0Oov
FIFA want to set up a new subsidiary, shift the World Cup there...then sell off a chunk of it for billions and give all of it to member associations. But what are they actually proposing? Is it akin to other sports? And...why?! Analysis @theathleticfc.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/athletic/747...
Breaking down FIFA’s stake sale, how it compares to other sports and whether it’s necessary (Gift Article)
The intention is to raise $4.2billion from outside investors, which led to the narrative that FIFA wants to sell (part of) the World Cup
nytimes.com
One for the John Textor completists. Iconic, one of the funds that invested in Eagle, has won its row with him in London’s commercial courts. Textor owes Iconic $99.6m, plus daily interest of $22,602.74! Iconic: “The time has come for him to honour his contractual obligations.”
Here’s our go at an FAQ document on Gianni Infantino’s latest wheeze: 💰 Who’s going to invest in this & why? 🤑 Who’s Joshua Kushner? 👑 Why does Infantino want this? ⚽️ What’s all this cash for? 🇪🇺 Who can stop this…& will they? Unlike FIFA, this one’s free… www.nytimes.com/athletic/747...
FIFA’s $4.2bn World Cup stake sale: Who will invest? Who is the money for? Who could stop this? (Gift Article)
World football's governing body could sell a percentage of a new subsidiary that "consolidates FIFA's commercial and event operations"
nytimes.com
Here’s our go at an FAQ document on Gianni Infantino’s latest wheeze: 💰 Who’s going to invest in this & why? 🤑 Who’s Joshua Kushner? 👑 Why does Infantino want this? ⚽️ What’s all this cash for? 🇪🇺 Who can stop this…& will they? Unlike FIFA, this one’s free… www.nytimes.com/athletic/747...
FIFA’s $4.2bn World Cup stake sale: Who will invest? Who is the money for? Who could stop this? (Gift Article)
World football's governing body could sell a percentage of a new subsidiary that "consolidates FIFA's commercial and event operations"
nytimes.com
Gianni Infantino has flooded the zone again. He wants to put all of the money-making bits of FIFA (ie the World Cup) into a new co & then sell 20% to investors. He thinks it will raise $10bn over next 4yrs. I think we can assume hydration breaks are staying. www.nytimes.com/athletic/747...
FIFA plans to sell a stake in the World Cup: How much for and why is Gianni Infantino doing it? (Gift Article)
The proposal has been widely criticized, with European soccer's governing body UEFA saying it "crosses a line."
nytimes.com
Is this why Pep took a managerial tactical timeout?* *Yes, yes, I know they’ve all tried it, was only a joke etc etc. www.nytimes.com/athletic/747...
Premier League, WSL, EFL to implement trial designed to stop ‘goalkeeper timeouts’ (Gift Article)
IFAB, global football's lawmaking body, has approved trials which are aimed at stamping out goalkeeper injury timeouts.
nytimes.com
Bhatia, Bezos, FSG & Liverpool. If you’re looking for certainty, sorry, can’t help you. Not sure anyone can. But if you want every scenario I can think of, some informed guesses & an intro to Bhatia, this may be of assistance. www.nytimes.com/athletic/746...
Amit Bhatia, Liverpool and the potential of India: Is this the beginning of something spectacular?
The Mittal family-backed consortium is in discussions with Fenway Sports Group to buy a minority stake in Liverpool, but may want more
nytimes.com
High-profile US sports exec Tim Leiweke has agreed a deal to buy a minority stake in Bolton…subject to regulatory approval. He also wants a seat on the board. That pardon he got from Donald Trump in December should be handy, then. Will it be enough? 🤷♂️ www.nytimes.com/athletic/746...
U.S. sports executive buys minority stake in second-tier Bolton after Donald Trump pardon (Gift Article)
The stake in the Championship club is Tim Leiweke's latest venture into sport since the Department of Justice accused him of corruption.
nytimes.com
Bhatia, Bezos, FSG & Liverpool. If you’re looking for certainty, sorry, can’t help you. Not sure anyone can. But if you want every scenario I can think of, some informed guesses & an intro to Bhatia, this may be of assistance. www.nytimes.com/athletic/746...
Amit Bhatia, Liverpool and the potential of India: Is this the beginning of something spectacular?
The Mittal family-backed consortium is in discussions with Fenway Sports Group to buy a minority stake in Liverpool, but may want more
nytimes.com
Another English football club sell their women’s team. This time it’s Watford & the buyer - subject to WSL approval - is Pitch15, an investment platform focused on women’s cricket, football & golf. Watford’s promotion to WSL2 was a factor, as costs up 4X. www.nytimes.com/athletic/746...
Watford owners set to sell women’s team to investment platform Pitch15 (Gift Article)
Watford FC Women were founded 12 years ago and won the National League South title last season to return to the WSL2
nytimes.com
A group led by Lakshmi Mittal’s son-in-law is in talks with FSG over a minority stake in Liverpool. FWIW, I suspect this is more a case of FSG de-risking/cashing in a few chips as opposed to the beginning of their exit. Nice position to be in. www.nytimes.com/athletic/746...
FSG in talks to sell Liverpool minority stake to consortium led by ex-QPR co-owner Amit Bhatia (Gift Article)
Amit Bhatia announced earlier on Tuesday he was stepping away from his role at English Championship club QPR.
nytimes.com
The ’94 World Cup influenced a generation of Americans. What will 2026’s impact be? “It’s been a terrific 39 days, but bringing the Cup to the U.S. has always been about: What does it do to accelerate the growth of the game? So it’s Monday that matters.” www.nytimes.com/athletic/745...
The 1994 World Cup influenced a generation of Americans. What will 2026’s impact be? (Gift Article)
There's no denying a landmark World Cup will leave an indelible mark on America. But what will be its legacy? And who will it galvanize?
nytimes.com
In a World Cup defined by chaotic games and big moments from the game’s biggest stars, the best team —emphasis on *team* — won. In praise of Spain, a counterpoint to what Arsene Wenger once called the “fast food” ethos of international football #worldcup #españa 🇪🇸 www.nytimes.com/athletic/745...
Spain are worthy World Cup winners. It’s a victory for method over madness (Gift Article)
In a World Cup that was so often illuminated by the game’s biggest stars, the greatest glory was claimed by its strongest collective
nytimes.com
NCAAs ✅ USPGA ✅ “FIFA” ✅ 250th ✅ ASG ✅ Philly has gone BIG on events in 2026 but will the cost/effort be worth it? What are the KPIs? Is Atlanta the model? How/when will Philadelphians know if it worked? I spoke to the folk who put this thing together to find out. www.nytimes.com/athletic/739...
Kylian Mbappe et amis worthy headliners for Philadelphia’s year of celebration (Gift Article)
Philadelphia is staging perhaps the greatest programme of elite sport any city can host without staging an Olympic Games
nytimes.com
These two are about to face one another in the 2026 World Cup final. Lionel Messi x Lamine Yamal. nyti.ms/4psDTTo
📢 As the 2026 FIFA Men’s #WorldCup comes to a close, the joy on display should not distract from the unprecedented exclusion, discrimination and misuse of power the U.S. government is conducting away from the spotlight. 🔗 Read the full statement: sportandrightsalliance.org/fifa-a-world...
"“Everyone is thinking and talking about Infantino, but nobody ever does anything...everyone looks at these issues through their own personal risk/benefit balance and then decides to do nothing.” @mjslater.bsky.social on what keeps Infantino in power www.nytimes.com/athletic/744...
What football really thinks of Gianni Infantino (and why he is more powerful than ever)
Despite a multitude of controversies at this World Cup, the FIFA president still seems impregnable
nytimes.com
Grim news out of Porto that Boavista has been ordered to cease activities after missed payments and hand over the keys to all its facilities by the end of the month. It looks like the end for the Chequered. Such a sad story. 🏁
One of Gianni Infantino’s critics asked me if he was wobbling from the “outrage” after the Balogun scandal. So I asked around. And the answer is whatever localised outrage there was has passed. Infantino will leave this World Cup feeling vindicated & invincible. www.nytimes.com/athletic/744...
What football really thinks of Gianni Infantino (and why he is more powerful than ever)
Despite a multitude of controversies at this World Cup, the FIFA president still seems impregnable
nytimes.com
Leeds United are taking legal action against Leicester City after being denied automatic promotion in 2023-24, when the latter broke financial rules. They feel they missed out on significant funds as a result of Leicester's PSR breach. #lufc w/ @mjslater.bsky.social
Leeds open legal proceedings against Leicester over financial rule breach (Gift Article)
Last month, Burnley were awarded £35m in a legal victory over Everton after the latter was found to have breached financial rules.
nytimes.com
A small but significant step. The IFR has sent a warning notice to Morecambe’s owners. Sadly, Morecambe got relegated, so are no longer under the IFR’s remit (over to you, FA) but this is the regulator’s first public intervention in the club game. 🔗 www.footballregulator.org.uk/enforcements...
The cover for this week’s issue is “The Beautiful Game,” by Lorenzo Mattotti. See what’s inside: newyorkermag.visitlink.me/k_3m7n
This latest World Cup performance should settle it: America is not built for the beautiful game. Men's soccer belongs to the world. We borrow it every few years, @candacedbuckner.bsky.social writes. Read for free: nyti.ms/4vUbqIv
This is absolutely shameful - from both Tice and the Telegraph
