Bahrain, Qatar and the Arabian Gulf Cup Football Federation
26 September 2026

Bahrain’s protest over Qatar midfielder Assim Madibo’s eligibility in Gulf Cup 27 has been rejected after Bahrain missed the disciplinary regulations’ two-hour deadline for filing a challenge following Qatar’s 2-0 group-stage victory on Thursday evening.

The report says Bahrain questioned Madibo’s availability because of a five-match World Cup suspension. Qatar had obtained FIFA clearance before the tournament and presented the correspondence to the Gulf federation, which had already approved his participation.

Celtic, Rangers and the Scottish FA
25 September 2026

Celtic and Rangers have appealed Scottish FA sanctions requiring both clubs to play their next home Scottish Cup ties behind closed doors. Each club is also challenging a £100,000 fine following supporter clashes after last season’s quarter-final at Ibrox.

Appeal hearings are scheduled for 26 October. Both clubs had admitted the original charges, which followed a post-match pitch confrontation that led to 43 arrests and injuries to officers and stewards, while further misconduct could trigger another closed-door match.

Manchester City and Premier League clubs
25 September 2026

BBC Sport reports that an independent panel has found Manchester City guilty of a majority of the Premier League financial charges, with the club expected to appeal. Several rival clubs have already sought legal advice over possible compensation claims.

The Premier League has not yet publicly released the judgment or sanctions. City maintain their position that they did nothing wrong, while possible penalties include fines, points deductions or removal from the league, and compensation cases could follow separately.

Humphrey Ker and Wrexham
25 September 2026

Humphrey Ker has stepped down from Wrexham’s board and relinquished his role as a trustee of the Wrexham AFC Foundation. Ker was instrumental in bringing Rob Mac and Ryan Reynolds to the club before their 2021 takeover.

Ker had already stepped away from day-to-day club involvement in 2024 and said Wrexham’s evolving structure made it increasingly difficult for him to contribute positively. Mac and Reynolds credited him as a key part of the club’s transformation.

Aberdeen and the SPFL
25 September 2026

Aberdeen’s allocation for their Premier Sports Cup semi-final against Rangers has been reduced by 500 tickets. The SPFL sanction follows a pitch invasion and pyrotechnics display by supporters after Aberdeen’s previous-round victory over Kilmarnock.

Aberdeen had secured about 17,000 Hampden tickets and must now cover the cost of the seats removed from their allocation. The club warned supporters that further incidents could bring additional sanctions and affect other fans attending matches.

Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga, Serie A and FIFA
25 September 2026

Four of Europe’s leading domestic leagues have jointly called for fundamental reform of FIFA’s governance. Their statement seeks greater transparency, stronger checks on presidential power and a more meaningful role for leagues, clubs and players in major decisions.

The leagues proposed a permanent stakeholder body, independent impact assessments for major proposals and safeguards separating FIFA’s regulatory and commercial functions. Their intervention follows the withdrawal of FIFA Forward Enterprise and Gianni Infantino’s proposal for an external governance review.

Scottish Premiership clubs and supporters
25 September 2026

Scottish Premiership attendance exceeded four million for the first time during the 2025-26 season. Total crowds reached 4.1m and average gates rose 3% to 17,903, while Scotland retained Europe’s highest per-capita attendance rate.

UEFA figures show close to 20 top-flight attendees per 1,000 Scottish residents, almost double second-placed Norway. Celtic surpassed one million home league spectators, while around six million supporters attended men’s football across Scotland when other competitions were included.

Chelsea and the Football Association
25 September 2026

Chelsea have been charged by the Football Association over alleged discriminatory supporter behaviour during their 3-2 Premier League win at Fulham on 24 August. The FA alleges chanting included an express or implied reference to religion or belief.

Chelsea had already acknowledged receiving multiple reports of sectarian chanting from a small section of supporters after the match. The club said discriminatory chants are not tolerated and supporters found responsible would face the strongest possible action.

Manchester United
24 September 2026

Manchester United’s overall debt has risen to £1.15bn after the club borrowed a net £90m following 30 June. A detailed New York Stock Exchange filing also confirmed £191.7m was spent on new players during the summer.

United drew £120m from their revolving credit facility across July and August before repaying £30m in September. The £1.15bn total includes £578m of historic debt, £200m on the credit facility and £375m in outstanding transfer fees.

Premier League and English Football League
24 September 2026

The Premier League is seeking agreement with the EFL on a 10-year funding package that would provide an additional £1.8bn to the 72 lower-league clubs. The proposal would double solidarity payments, but the EFL has not accepted it.

The package is expected to be funded partly through a higher Premier League transfer levy and would also require removing the second leg of Carabao Cup semi-finals. Talks continue with the Independent Football Regulator able to impose a solution if necessary.