July 07, (THEWILL) – AC Milan, Aston Villa, and Brighton and Hove Albion have been given the green light by UEFA to participate in European competitions for the upcoming season.
The three clubs made significant changes to their ownership structures in order to comply with UEFA’s multi-club ownership rule and avoid potential conflicts. Milan and French Cup winners, Toulouse, share the same US owners, while Villa’s owners have a stake in Portuguese club, Vitoria Guimaraes. Brighton owner, Tony Bloom,w became the majority shareholder of Union Saint-Gilloise in 2018. UEFA conducted investigations into the ownership connections but determined that no single entity exerts control or decisive influence over more than one club in question.
These changes will restrict investors’ influence and decision-making power to ensure compliance with the multi-club ownership rule. The affected clubs will also be prohibited from transferring players to each other until September 2024. The Club Financial Control Body (CFCB) First Chamber, responsible for overseeing compliance with UEFA’s regulations, accepted the admission of AC Milan, Aston Villa, and Brighton to the UEFA club competitions for the 2023/24 season.
UEFA’s multi-club ownership rule aims to maintain the integrity of its competitions, particularly in cases where teams could potentially face each other. The rule prohibits clubs from holding shares or securities of another club participating in European competitions, and it prevents individuals from being simultaneously involved in the management, administration, or sporting performance of more than one club. Following the implementation of significant changes by the clubs and their investors, the CFCB determined that these adjustments brought the clubs into compliance with the multi-club ownership rule.
As a result of their compliance with UEFA’s regulations, AC Milan has secured a place in the prestigious Champions League, while Brighton, Union Saint-Gilloise, and Toulouse will participate in the Europa League. Aston Villa and Vitoria Guimaraes will compete in the qualifying rounds of the Conference League. However, the affected clubs will face restrictions on player transfers between them until September 2024.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
