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/
🔗 https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/author/matt-slater/
John Textor’s week:
🇧🇷 Court unpicks attempt to shield Botafogo from Eagle in wake of Lyon meltdown, uneasy ceasefire with Ares continues
🇺🇸 Loses jurisdiction fight in Iconic row
🇨🇭 CAS hearing in late transfer fee battle with Atlanta Utd
🇬🇧 Loses application to stop Iconic case; full hearing next year
🇧🇷 Court unpicks attempt to shield Botafogo from Eagle in wake of Lyon meltdown, uneasy ceasefire with Ares continues
🇺🇸 Loses jurisdiction fight in Iconic row
🇨🇭 CAS hearing in late transfer fee battle with Atlanta Utd
🇬🇧 Loses application to stop Iconic case; full hearing next year
October 18, 2025 at 2:20 PM
John Textor’s week:
🇧🇷 Court unpicks attempt to shield Botafogo from Eagle in wake of Lyon meltdown, uneasy ceasefire with Ares continues
🇺🇸 Loses jurisdiction fight in Iconic row
🇨🇭 CAS hearing in late transfer fee battle with Atlanta Utd
🇬🇧 Loses application to stop Iconic case; full hearing next year
🇧🇷 Court unpicks attempt to shield Botafogo from Eagle in wake of Lyon meltdown, uneasy ceasefire with Ares continues
🇺🇸 Loses jurisdiction fight in Iconic row
🇨🇭 CAS hearing in late transfer fee battle with Atlanta Utd
🇬🇧 Loses application to stop Iconic case; full hearing next year
Remember when the government was going to bin the independent football regulator? Well, they didn’t & this week we’ve had the formal appointments to the board & now a CEO, ex-EY partner Richard Monks (below). His regulatory know-how should combine well with David Kogan’s media rights expertise.
October 7, 2025 at 6:27 PM
Remember when the government was going to bin the independent football regulator? Well, they didn’t & this week we’ve had the formal appointments to the board & now a CEO, ex-EY partner Richard Monks (below). His regulatory know-how should combine well with David Kogan’s media rights expertise.
Despite my efforts to get off the John Textor train, people keep sending “he’s really blown it now” stories from Rio. They may be getting warmer but this week’s crisis is because EFH independent director Chris Mallon has quit. Job done. Ares can nominate a new one but Textor has final say.
October 7, 2025 at 6:09 PM
Despite my efforts to get off the John Textor train, people keep sending “he’s really blown it now” stories from Rio. They may be getting warmer but this week’s crisis is because EFH independent director Chris Mallon has quit. Job done. Ares can nominate a new one but Textor has final say.
No going back now, Rob Mac. You’ve PSC04-ed it.
September 30, 2025 at 10:14 AM
No going back now, Rob Mac. You’ve PSC04-ed it.
Inflation really is getting out of control.
£8 for a pint, £106.5m for a Newcastle United share.
£8 for a pint, £106.5m for a Newcastle United share.
September 26, 2025 at 11:41 AM
Inflation really is getting out of control.
£8 for a pint, £106.5m for a Newcastle United share.
£8 for a pint, £106.5m for a Newcastle United share.
Lisa Nandy was asked about Sheffield Wednesday during her DCMS select committee appearance. Said she’s “extremely concerned” by Chansiri’s refusal to invest in club or sell it. Strongly hinted regulator will seize club & force a sale if not resolved. From 11:09…
www.parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/...
www.parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/...
September 10, 2025 at 12:50 PM
Lisa Nandy was asked about Sheffield Wednesday during her DCMS select committee appearance. Said she’s “extremely concerned” by Chansiri’s refusal to invest in club or sell it. Strongly hinted regulator will seize club & force a sale if not resolved. From 11:09…
www.parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/...
www.parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/...
20,000 holiday-makers get what they paid for the Estádio Algarve tonight: a Ronny hatty. I think João Felix has had three assists, too. It’s Al Nassr 4, Rio Ave 0.
August 7, 2025 at 8:37 PM
20,000 holiday-makers get what they paid for the Estádio Algarve tonight: a Ronny hatty. I think João Felix has had three assists, too. It’s Al Nassr 4, Rio Ave 0.
Saudi summers are so hot their football teams go on pre-season to…the Algarve. Decent crowd in for Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr. Evangelos Marinakis’s Rio Ave are playing the Washington Generals role. The great man - Ronaldo, not Evangelos - has just produced a good save from a free kick.
August 7, 2025 at 7:15 PM
Saudi summers are so hot their football teams go on pre-season to…the Algarve. Decent crowd in for Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr. Evangelos Marinakis’s Rio Ave are playing the Washington Generals role. The great man - Ronaldo, not Evangelos - has just produced a good save from a free kick.
Crystal Palace, all fair-minded neutrals & the spirit of the law vs UEFA, Forest, Lyon, soulless bureaucrats & the letter of the law in Lausanne on August 8. A result on August 11.
July 30, 2025 at 4:01 PM
Crystal Palace, all fair-minded neutrals & the spirit of the law vs UEFA, Forest, Lyon, soulless bureaucrats & the letter of the law in Lausanne on August 8. A result on August 11.
The new football season starts in England….tonight?!?! We’ve not had the 5th Test yet, most of us haven’t been on holiday & we’re in music festival season! But with so many PL clubs in Europe, plus the extra league-phase games, it’s the only way to get PL clubs into League Cup.
July 29, 2025 at 2:27 PM
The new football season starts in England….tonight?!?! We’ve not had the 5th Test yet, most of us haven’t been on holiday & we’re in music festival season! But with so many PL clubs in Europe, plus the extra league-phase games, it’s the only way to get PL clubs into League Cup.
If funky fields are your thing…
July 27, 2025 at 3:30 PM
If funky fields are your thing…
Lyon are having an interesting transfer window. Needs must, I guess. Get your bids in for Fofana, folks. Everything must go.
July 26, 2025 at 7:20 PM
Lyon are having an interesting transfer window. Needs must, I guess. Get your bids in for Fofana, folks. Everything must go.
Six years after Bury were booted out of the EFL, five years after Macc Town went bust & four years after the Big Six joined a closed-shop European Super League, the Football Governance Bill, sorry, Act becomes law today. English football is now subject to independent regulation.
July 21, 2025 at 2:35 PM
Six years after Bury were booted out of the EFL, five years after Macc Town went bust & four years after the Big Six joined a closed-shop European Super League, the Football Governance Bill, sorry, Act becomes law today. English football is now subject to independent regulation.
If you’re near Macc 2moro & you like postcard scenes, beer, music & average cricket (all for a top cause), get to Pott Shrigley CC at 1pm.
🗞️ derbyshiretimes.co.uk/arts-and-cultu…
If you want to support NW Air Ambulance, here’s the skipper’s JustGiving page
�� justgiving.com/page/andrew-ja�a…
🗞️ derbyshiretimes.co.uk/arts-and-cultu…
If you want to support NW Air Ambulance, here’s the skipper’s JustGiving page
�� justgiving.com/page/andrew-ja�a…
June 21, 2025 at 9:34 PM
If you’re near Macc 2moro & you like postcard scenes, beer, music & average cricket (all for a top cause), get to Pott Shrigley CC at 1pm.
🗞️ derbyshiretimes.co.uk/arts-and-cultu…
If you want to support NW Air Ambulance, here’s the skipper’s JustGiving page
�� justgiving.com/page/andrew-ja�a…
🗞️ derbyshiretimes.co.uk/arts-and-cultu…
If you want to support NW Air Ambulance, here’s the skipper’s JustGiving page
�� justgiving.com/page/andrew-ja�a…
No need to send them food parcels (& don’t send tuna) but the wealth of Sheffield Wednesday owner Dejphon Chansiri’s family is in freefall. They own 18.3% of Thai Union, world’s top tuna co, but its share price has tanked 23% in 2025 & 35% in a year. Their stake is worth £1.7bn.
June 11, 2025 at 9:56 PM
No need to send them food parcels (& don’t send tuna) but the wealth of Sheffield Wednesday owner Dejphon Chansiri’s family is in freefall. They own 18.3% of Thai Union, world’s top tuna co, but its share price has tanked 23% in 2025 & 35% in a year. Their stake is worth £1.7bn.
A Lazarus-like financial recovery for Man Utd, a company forced to cull staff & perks a few months ago or die. It’s almost like Sir Jim was forced to justify something he had done dozens of times before at companies nobody cares about & just over-egged it a bit.
June 6, 2025 at 12:20 PM
A Lazarus-like financial recovery for Man Utd, a company forced to cull staff & perks a few months ago or die. It’s almost like Sir Jim was forced to justify something he had done dozens of times before at companies nobody cares about & just over-egged it a bit.
Dagenham & Redbridge fans might want to check their emails. Or maybe not. Chairman Dan Hall is out. To be replaced by…. Hmmm. Great content, I guess.
June 5, 2025 at 8:45 PM
Dagenham & Redbridge fans might want to check their emails. Or maybe not. Chairman Dan Hall is out. To be replaced by…. Hmmm. Great content, I guess.
New statement from @thenationalleague.bsky.social on disappointing Wembley ticket allocation for Oldham v Southend play-off final. Big efforts have been made to increase the allowed capacity but fair to say I’ve heard some conflicting definitions of “long before” & “short notice” this weekend.
May 26, 2025 at 10:14 AM
New statement from @thenationalleague.bsky.social on disappointing Wembley ticket allocation for Oldham v Southend play-off final. Big efforts have been made to increase the allowed capacity but fair to say I’ve heard some conflicting definitions of “long before” & “short notice” this weekend.
David Kogan clears another hurdle in his bid to become chair of English football’s 1st independent regulator. The @CommonsCMS committee has backed him. Its nod was non-binding (& he told them he was going to take the gig anyway) but it certainly helps.
🔗 publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5901/cm...
🔗 publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5901/cm...
May 9, 2025 at 9:20 AM
David Kogan clears another hurdle in his bid to become chair of English football’s 1st independent regulator. The @CommonsCMS committee has backed him. Its nod was non-binding (& he told them he was going to take the gig anyway) but it certainly helps.
🔗 publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5901/cm...
🔗 publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5901/cm...
1,755 Southend United fans went to Gateshead to see a 0-0 draw. And it was wonderful.
May 5, 2025 at 4:36 PM
1,755 Southend United fans went to Gateshead to see a 0-0 draw. And it was wonderful.
Palace are winning on flags, balloons, songs, flares, tackles, headers, recovery runs &, most importantly, goals. But this has been Villa’s best spell. Can they score before Palace hit them on the break?
April 26, 2025 at 5:51 PM
Palace are winning on flags, balloons, songs, flares, tackles, headers, recovery runs &, most importantly, goals. But this has been Villa’s best spell. Can they score before Palace hit them on the break?
Speaking at the UEFA Congress in Belgrade, FIFA boss Gianni Infantino says only one bid for 2031 Women’s World Cup from US/Concacaf & one for 2035 WWC from “Home Nations”. Also says FIFA wants to expand WWC to 48 teams from 2031 & wants 16 women’s teams at LA Olympics.
April 3, 2025 at 8:22 AM
Speaking at the UEFA Congress in Belgrade, FIFA boss Gianni Infantino says only one bid for 2031 Women’s World Cup from US/Concacaf & one for 2035 WWC from “Home Nations”. Also says FIFA wants to expand WWC to 48 teams from 2031 & wants 16 women’s teams at LA Olympics.
Champions League on the big screen, Football Governance Bill debate on the small screen. Both went to extra time. Colin Moynihan, Margaret Thatcher’s sports minister, proposed an amendment that would have stalled the bill for another year. It failed.
March 11, 2025 at 10:40 PM
Champions League on the big screen, Football Governance Bill debate on the small screen. Both went to extra time. Colin Moynihan, Margaret Thatcher’s sports minister, proposed an amendment that would have stalled the bill for another year. It failed.
Mission accomplished. 7yrs after Man City chair Khaldoon Al Mubarak said “he’d rather spend 30million on the 50 best lawyers in the world” than settle an FFP case, he’s done it. As of last summer (before last year’s big spending) the owner’s legal tab with CFG had passed £30m.
March 11, 2025 at 10:25 AM
Mission accomplished. 7yrs after Man City chair Khaldoon Al Mubarak said “he’d rather spend 30million on the 50 best lawyers in the world” than settle an FFP case, he’s done it. As of last summer (before last year’s big spending) the owner’s legal tab with CFG had passed £30m.