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Matt Slater

@mjslater.bsky.social

8.2K followers 1K following 280 posts

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/

www.nytimes.com

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Reposted by Matt Slater

The Athletic | Football @theathleticfc.bsky.social · 2d

On Friday night, Oslo will stage a vital World Cup qualifier.

But it is also a political powder keg after Norway called for opponents Israel to be thrown out of the competition due to their government’s actions in Gaza.

This is how a football game took on geopolitical significance.

How Norway vs Israel became football’s most controversial fixture

Explaining why the conflict in Gaza is providing an unsettling backdrop to a crucial World Cup qualifier

www.nytimes.com

Reposted by Matt Slater

The Athletic | Football @theathleticfc.bsky.social · 1d

Thousands of fans used the FIFA Collect platform to purchase digital collectibles that came with the 'right to buy' (RTB) actual World Cup tickets.

Now, after values of RTBs collapsed and details of how it all works emerged, many fans feel 'ripped off.'

✍️ @henrybushnell.bsky.social

Fans bought the ‘right to buy’ 2026 World Cup tickets. Now they feel ‘ripped off’

Fans were left disgruntled as details of the connection between FIFA collectibles and World Cup game tickets emerged

www.nytimes.com

Reposted by Matt Slater

The Athletic | Football @theathleticfc.bsky.social · 22h

The latest on the Manchester United ownership:

📱 How a tweet sparked speculation
❓ What are ‘drag-along’ rights?
🧐 Why could Glazers be tempted to sell?
💷 How much could the club cost?

@lauriewhitwell.bsky.social, @dansheldon.bsky.social, @cweatherspoon.bsky.social & @mjcritchley.bsky.social

Man Utd ownership latest: Turki Al-Sheikh’s tweet, ‘drag-along’ rights and who could be interested?

Explaining how one post by a Saudi Arabian official sparked a fresh wave of speculation over the club's future

www.nytimes.com

Matt Slater @mjslater.bsky.social · 2d

Reading between the lines, nobody thinks Villarreal-Barca in Miami & AC-Como in Perth can be stopped (even if the bosses wanted to). But the bosses don’t want chaos, either. The problem is there’s a broad range of outcomes between no games abroad & chaos.

www.nytimes.com/athletic/670...

Gianni Infantino warns league games abroad risk ‘free-for-all’ after La Liga, Serie A plans

Earlier this week, European football’s governing body UEFA “reluctantly” gave its approval for league games to be moved abroad.

www.nytimes.com

Matt Slater @mjslater.bsky.social · 2d

I suspect some of you may have already shot the messenger but I think Gianni Infantino makes a reasonable point here. Are “winter” World Cups so bad? It’s a global game. Not fair/smart to say it has to be June/July.

www.nytimes.com/athletic/670...

Gianni Infantino says football should be open-minded over World Cup calendar

Infantino said a global game cannot only play World Cups during the northern-hemisphere summer.

www.nytimes.com

Reposted by Matt Slater

Matt Slater @mjslater.bsky.social · 4d

It would be easier to list the English clubs NOT planning to upgrade/replace their stadiums. They know they must sell more tickets/pies/pints, & not just 25 times a year. Leyton Orient are the latest & some of what they want to do hasn’t been invented yet!

www.nytimes.com/athletic/669...

Leyton Orient stadium project aims to ‘get one million people through the gates every year’

Majority owner David Gandler wants the League One club to build one of the world’s “most technologically advanced” stadiums by 2031.

www.nytimes.com

Matt Slater @mjslater.bsky.social · 4d

There were reports that Truss, Sunak & then Starmer were going to scrap it. All wrong.

Reposted by Matt Slater

Matt Slater @mjslater.bsky.social · 4d

More bangers than Taylor’s latest…
🤝 Post-Diarra transfer market will hinge on clever release clauses
🏧 Late-pay disputes explode as clubs exploit Bank of FIFA
💸 America/AI dominate Leaders
🎗️ Tom Wagner’s plea to save poor ol’ PL
🇺🇸 MCO investor Paul Conway released

www.nytimes.com/athletic/668...

Business of Football: The future is release clauses, the Bank of FIFA, and Leaders takeaways

The football transfer market has a new issue to contend with after Lassana Diarra's landmark win over FIFA. Could this be a solution?

www.nytimes.com

Matt Slater @mjslater.bsky.social · 4d

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.

IFR CEO Richard Monks

Matt Slater @mjslater.bsky.social · 4d

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.

Eagle Football Holdings directors

Matt Slater @mjslater.bsky.social · 4d

It would be easier to list the English clubs NOT planning to upgrade/replace their stadiums. They know they must sell more tickets/pies/pints, & not just 25 times a year. Leyton Orient are the latest & some of what they want to do hasn’t been invented yet!

www.nytimes.com/athletic/669...

Leyton Orient stadium project aims to ‘get one million people through the gates every year’

Majority owner David Gandler wants the League One club to build one of the world’s “most technologically advanced” stadiums by 2031.

www.nytimes.com

Reposted by Matt Slater

The 42 @the42.ie · 4d

IRFU and leading unions release joint statement against proposed R360 league:

IRFU and leading unions release joint statement against proposed R360 league

The unions outline any players who join R360 would be deemed ineligible for international selection.

Matt Slater @mjslater.bsky.social · 4d

More bangers than Taylor’s latest…
🤝 Post-Diarra transfer market will hinge on clever release clauses
🏧 Late-pay disputes explode as clubs exploit Bank of FIFA
💸 America/AI dominate Leaders
🎗️ Tom Wagner’s plea to save poor ol’ PL
🇺🇸 MCO investor Paul Conway released

www.nytimes.com/athletic/668...

Business of Football: The future is release clauses, the Bank of FIFA, and Leaders takeaways

The football transfer market has a new issue to contend with after Lassana Diarra's landmark win over FIFA. Could this be a solution?

www.nytimes.com

Matt Slater @mjslater.bsky.social · 5d

A cynic may say it’s very convenient that Ceferin doesn’t want leagues to play overseas but he’ll let them do it, just this once, well, twice. But I think he’s sincere in his doubts about the idea & Uefa’s ability to stop it. But what will he do about it?

www.nytimes.com/athletic/669...

UEFA ‘regrettably’ approves La Liga, Serie A requests to play league games abroad

UEFA president Ceferin said the decision is not "setting a precedent" and added that "league matches should be played on home soil".

www.nytimes.com

Reposted by Matt Slater

Henry Bushnell @henrybushnell.bsky.social · 10d

Ticket prices for the USMNT's World Cup opener in LA:

– Category 1: $2,735
– Category 2: $1,940
– Category 3: $1,120

Prices for the 2026 World Cup final:

– Category 1: $6,730
– Category 2: $4,210
– Category 3: $2,790

More prices and info here @theathletic.com:

World Cup ticket prices revealed as lucky few win right to buy first

Breaking down the earliest information as the first batch of fans gained the chance to buy tickets for next summer

www.nytimes.com

Matt Slater @mjslater.bsky.social · 9d

In another pop at FIFA for not listening to leagues on fixture congestion, PL boss Richard Masters says domestic leagues are locked in a “struggle” with the governing body for players’ time & fans’ attention. Mentions chaos theory. Gianni Infantino hits back.

www.nytimes.com/athletic/668...

Premier League chief Richard Masters outlines ‘struggle’ with FIFA over football calendar

Masters contrasted the growth in the number of games FIFA and UEFA now stage with a Premier League schedule that has not changed since 1994

www.nytimes.com

Matt Slater @mjslater.bsky.social · 9d

The world is round, folks, so when it is evening in America, it’s night time in Europe.

www.nytimes.com/athletic/667...

European teams not guaranteed broadcast-friendly 2026 World Cup kick-off times, FIFA vice-president says

High temperatures in North America affected players at the Club World Cup this summer and the 1994 World Cup.

www.nytimes.com

Matt Slater @mjslater.bsky.social · 11d

There has been a conscious uncoupling between Tottenham Hotspur & their financial advisor Rothschild & Co. This means the club are either a) trying really hard not to look like they’re for sale or b) they’re really not for sale. 🤷

www.nytimes.com/athletic/667...

Tottenham end relationship with Rothschild & Co as club ‘not for sale’

The Premier League club say they do not need the multinational merchant bank’s financial advice

www.nytimes.com

Matt Slater @mjslater.bsky.social · 11d

No going back now, Rob Mac. You’ve PSC04-ed it.

Rob Mac

Reposted by Matt Slater

Philippe Auclair @philippeauclair.bsky.social · 12d

Many migrant workers who came to Qatar to build the 2022 WC infrastructure found themselves jobless after the tournament. @josimarfootball.bsky.social reveals how some of them have been recruited by the Russian army, are fighting and die on the Ukrainian front.

josimarfootball.com/2025/09/25/t...

The migrant soldiers - josimarfootball.com

For months, the Russian army has secretly recruited hundreds, if not thousands, of jobless migrant workers in Qatar to fight on the frontline against Ukraine.

josimarfootball.com

Matt Slater @mjslater.bsky.social · 12d

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before but global players’ union study finds that top football stars are playing too many games, with too much travel & not enough time off.

www.nytimes.com/athletic/667...

Footballers not given enough time off between seasons, players’ union FIFPro says

"A minimum of four weeks is what you need (and) it should be closer to six," says Nottingham Forest and New Zealand striker Chris Wood.

www.nytimes.com

Matt Slater @mjslater.bsky.social · 15d

Inflation really is getting out of control.

£8 for a pint, £106.5m for a Newcastle United share.

Newcastle Utd shares allotted

Reposted by Matt Slater

The Athletic @theathletic.com · 16d

In 2019 as the Los Angeles Lakers tried to sign Kawhi Leonard, they were convinced the uncle doing his negotiating either hadn’t heard of any of the NBA’s rules or had just decided they didn’t apply.

And the impression he left was not a good one.

Reposted by Matt Slater

The Athletic | Football @theathleticfc.bsky.social · 16d

The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump says it will work to keep Israel from being banned from the 2026 men’s World Cup.

🔗 www.nytimes.com/athletic/665...

U.S. President Donald Trump greets Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as he arrives at the White House on April 07, 2025 in Washington, DC. President Trump is meeting with Netanyahu to discuss ongoing efforts to release Israeli hostages from Gaza and newly imposed U.S. tariffs.

Reposted by Matt Slater

The Athletic | Football @theathleticfc.bsky.social · 16d

Former Arsenal academy player Billy Vigar has died at the age of 21 after sustaining a “significant brain injury” during a match.

Former Arsenal academy forward Billy Vigar dies aged 21 after sustaining brain injury during match

Vigar sustained the injury while playing for Chichester City in the seventh tier of English football against Wingate & Finchley on Saturday.

www.nytimes.com