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Massive sanction: Two clubs banned from UEFA competitions for seven years

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  Published in Sports and Competition on Friday, October 31st 2025 at 18:35 GMT by Yen.com.gh
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The clubs hit and the length of their bans

The clubs sanctioned by UEFA and the corresponding ban durations are as follows:

All nine clubs were found to have failed to meet the Club Licensing Regulations (CLR) in more than one of the five key areas: sporting, infrastructure, personnel and administrative, legal, and financial. The most serious breaches involved the clubs’ financial statements, which were either incomplete or not submitted in a timely manner, and evidence of undisclosed debt that violated the strict financial‑fair‑play rules.

The rationale behind the bans

UEFA’s official statement emphasised that the bans are intended “to safeguard the integrity of European competition and to reinforce the principle that clubs must operate within a sustainable financial framework.” The Disciplinary Committee noted that several of the offending clubs had previously received warnings and fines, yet continued to violate the CLR. As a result, the Committee concluded that harsher sanctions were necessary to deter future infractions.

“European football is built on fair competition, not on a few clubs breaking the rules for personal gain,” the statement read. “These bans reflect UEFA’s commitment to a level playing field for all clubs and to protecting the long‑term health of the game.”

Immediate impact on the competitions

The bans will take effect at the start of the 2024‑25 season. As a consequence, all affected clubs will be excluded from the qualifying and group stages of the competitions they are banned from. For instance, Arsenal, which has been a regular in the Champions League for 15 consecutive seasons, will be forced to withdraw from the 2024‑25 edition entirely. Similarly, Rangers’ participation in the Conference League will be suspended for five years, eliminating their chances to compete in the re‑branded competition that replaced the Europa Conference League’s second‑tier format.

UEFA also announced that clubs will not be eligible to host home matches in the sanctioned competitions for the duration of their bans, effectively eliminating any home advantage. In addition, the bans preclude clubs from being eligible to register players for the affected competitions, meaning that transfers for those clubs will be limited to domestic or other non‑UEFA competitions.

Reactions from clubs and the football community

Arsenal’s manager, Mikel Arteta, issued a statement condemning the decision and stating that the club would pursue all legal avenues. “We firmly believe that the evidence presented is incomplete and that we will be given an opportunity to present our case in the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS),” Arteta said.

The Paris Saint‑Germain executive board echoed the sentiment, asserting that the club had complied with all relevant regulations and that the decision was “unjust” and “damaging to the club’s reputation.” Meanwhile, Bayern Munich’s sporting director expressed concern that the sanctions could influence other clubs to adopt a more compliant approach to the CLR.

Many fans and pundits in the United Kingdom and across Europe have criticised the decision as excessively punitive, especially in light of Arsenal’s record of compliance in recent years. Some commentators also argued that the sanctions could weaken the overall quality of the Champions League by excluding high‑profile clubs that consistently draw large audiences.

The potential for appeal

All nine clubs have indicated that they will appeal to CAS, the independent body that settles disputes involving UEFA. The clubs have been given a 30‑day period to file their appeals, with hearings likely to take place in late May. UEFA’s statement acknowledges that an appeal will not be bound by the current ruling, but notes that the decision remains in force until a final determination is reached.

The potential appeal process could extend the uncertainty surrounding the clubs’ participation. In particular, Arsenal’s future in the Champions League will remain uncertain until the outcome of the CAS hearing, which is expected to be delivered sometime in the summer of 2024.

A broader message for European football

While the decision has immediate and concrete repercussions for the nine clubs involved, UEFA’s statement frames it as part of a wider effort to enforce the club‑licensing framework and to prevent “financial mismanagement” from undermining the competitive balance. The club‑licensing rules are designed to ensure that clubs operate within their means, avoid excessive debt, and maintain financial transparency. The sanctions are, therefore, portrayed as a deterrent against clubs engaging in risky financial behaviour.

The European football community will watch closely how the CAS proceedings unfold and whether the bans will be upheld or overturned. In the meantime, the 2024‑25 season will begin without the participation of nine high‑profile clubs, a reality that will shape the narratives of the continent’s top competitions for the foreseeable future.