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Good morning. The Premier League will allow the broadcast of audio between players and referees this season, Chelsea’s owners are looking to sell their stake in the club, and everything else you need to know.
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TOP TALKING POINTS
On-Field Audio Allowed
The Premier League will allow on-field audio conversations between players and referees to be used during live broadcasts for the first time ever. This move is part of an expansion of the RefCam system, which became a permanent part of top-flight coverage last season.
While RefCam does capture audio, broadcasters previously weren't allowed to use it until several days after each match. Now, the rules will be relaxed so that, while the audio won’t be broadcast live due to restrictions in place by football’s lawmakers, Ifab, it will be made available as part of near-live instant replays. Notably, the audio will be available only for matches that feature RefCam, with the number of TV games featuring it expected to increase from 20 to roughly 45.
The Premier League and the referees’ body are reportedly lobbying Ifab to allow live audio broadcasts in future.
Chelsea Owners Sell-Off
Chelsea FC owners Todd Boehly and Mark Walter are in talks to sell their stakes in the football club to majority owner Clearlake Capital, sources have told The Financial Times. Reports suggest that, since taking over the West London club in a £4.25bn deal in 2022 from Roman Abramovich, who was sanctioned during the sale process, Boehly and Walter have clashed over strategy with Clearlake, which owns more than 60% of the club.
While these talks have been ongoing for some time, the investigations into Walter’s businesses have added fresh impetus. Walter has sold his controlling stake in the LA Lakers in a $12.5bn deal, amid federal and SEC investigations into transactions involving insurance companies he controls. Walter and his businesses have not been accused of any crimes.
The sale of their stakes could value the club at £5.5bn, just a few years after the consortium purchased it. Some analysts, though, don’t think the move would impact Chelsea’s day-to-day running, since Clearlake’s Behdad Eghbali took over the club’s operations from Boehly. Others believe it’s a sign that Clearlake see Chelsea as an increasingly valuable asset and wants even more of the club.
Infantino Block Requested
Human rights group FairSquare has called on Fifa to block Gianni Infantino from seeking re-election, arguing that he has already served the maximum three presidential terms allowed under the governing body’s statutes. Infantino, who first took office in 2016, is expected to stand again for the 2027-31 cycle next March.
The dispute centres on whether Infantino’s first spell in charge counts as a term. The Fifa Council confirmed in 2022 that the 2016-19 period, when he completed Sepp Blatter’s interrupted mandate, did not count. FairSquare says that interpretation has no basis in Fifa’s rules and would allow the organisation to effectively sidestep one of its key post-2015 governance reforms. It also claims the ruling, made in 2022, was not transparent because Fifa did not publish the committee’s reasoning.
The challenge adds to growing pressure on Infantino. Uefa, the AFC and Concacaf last week called for a review of his conduct over Fifa’s proposed $20bn commercial subsidiary, while the Scottish FA said on Monday that it would not support his re-election. Reuters reports, though, that Infantino still has the backing of the African and South American confederations.
Note: Our Editor, Tarik, wrote more on this topic in our first-ever Weekend Edition. He covers Fifa’s evolution from Blatter to Infantino, and where the governing body is headed. Read it here.
ON THE BALL
Europe
• FIFA have sacked chief operating officer, Kevin Lamour, who went public with criticism of Infantino’s World Cup sell-off plan (More); conflicting reports say he has left (More)
• Manchester City are in advanced talks with Lille to sign Morocco midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi for a reported £85m (More) | Manchester United reportedly will reject any bid for captain Bruno Fernandes, with interest from Turkish side Galatasaray rumoured (More)
• The final seven places in the league phase of the Champions League will be decided in the play-off round; three matches take place on Tuesday (August 18); see every upcoming play-off fixture (More)
• Baller League, the six-a-side competition, will no longer be broadcast by Sky Sports next season; it is now seeking a new broadcaster (More)
• Former Barcelona midfielder Sergio Busquets has become an assistant coach for the Catalan club’s reserve team (More)
Americas
• Neymar’s handshake was rejected by Vasco da Gama player Thiago Mendes, reigniting a feud dating back to 2020 in Ligue 1 (More); Neymar also became the first player in Brazil’s Serie A to be forced off the field for a minute with new rules aimed at curbing goalkeeper time-wasting (More)
• Vancouver Whitecaps dealt Seattle Sounders a club-record seventh straight defeat in MLS with a 2-0 win (More); see the MLS Conference Standings (More)
• The Conmebol Libertadores Round of 16 second legs continue, with Independiente vs. Fluminense (agg. 0-0) taking place on Tuesday (August 18) (More)
Rest of the World
• A top-flight club in India has been sold for $1 by Tata Steel, two weeks after the conglomerate said it was pulling out of the Indian Super League (More)
ROUTERS’ VOICE
Yesterday’s Poll: Which team will win this season's Premier League title?
🟩 🟩 🟩 🟩 🟩 ⬜️ 🔫 Arsenal (53%)
🟨 ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ 🔵 Manchester City (9%)
🟨 🟨 ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ 🔴 Liverpool (15%)
🟨 🟨 ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ 👹 Manchester United (15%)
🟨 ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ✍️ Other (8%)
Your punditry takes:
🔫 K.S: “Arsenal have even more depth than last season. Their second team could challenge for the title (as long as Raya plays, too). They will be strong contenders in all competitions this season.”
🔴 T.P: “Liverpool. Because of their performances last season, people are already writing off the likes of Isak and Wirtz. If they find their form, I don’t think any other side has more raw talent going forward.”
👹 P.A.B: “Manchester United. Just a hunch that they will continue on how they played the final half of the season last year. They clawed their way into 3rd place. They are due for an entire good season! Here's hoping!!!”
✍️ D.F: “Rekindling memories of Leicester 10 years ago, I think Brentford have a chance as dark horses this year. They have the strongest squad they've ever had, with cover for all positions, and with a bit of luck could pull off what would be an even bigger shock than Leicester was, given their relative budgets.”
EXTRA TIME
The referee’s World Cup final view. (ref cam)
Ranking the top 50 Premier League players.
Messi gains plus-three rating on EA FC 27 after World Cup.
Thomas Muller’s indirect free-kick goal.
What will Mourinho’s Real Madrid starting XI look like?
A look at the world’s first football club’s new kits...
… and MLS launch iteration kits with Adidas.
The failed attempt to bring a Premier League club to Ireland.
Playing for FC Barcelona is a dream. [We will win] the Champions League and everything that comes our way.