Top European Football Clubs Risk EU Sanctions Over Transfers With Russian Teams

Several of Europe's leading football clubs could be in breach of EU sanctions due to an increase in transfer deals with Russian teams, according to a recent investigation. The inquiry, conducted by investigative journalism outlet Follow The Money, revealed that 42 European clubs have completed transfer deals with Russian teams since Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

While authorities have not yet determined whether the clubs involved have violated sanctions, Follow The Money reported that most legal experts they consulted “suspect that clubs have risked doing so.” Sanctions for companies found guilty of breaching EU regulations can vary depending on the country, with fines ranging from 1% to 5% of global turnover, and specific penalties reaching up to €40 million.

One of the clubs facing potential sanction risks is Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), the reigning French champions. The club paid approximately €20 million to acquire goalkeeper Matvey Safonov from FK Krasnodar, a team located in southern Russia. PSG did not respond to inquiries from Follow The Money regarding potential breaches of sanctions.

Other prominent European teams involved in transfer dealings with Russian clubs include Parma, a Serie A club in Italy, and Panathinaikos, one of Greece’s most successful football teams. According to the investigation, there were 24 transfers between Russian and EU-based teams during the summer of 2024, up from 20 in the same period in 2023. None of the clubs responded to Follow The Money's requests for comment.

Clubs previously informed the publication that they had received approval from football governing bodies FIFA and UEFA to engage in transactions with Russian teams. However, Dutch sanctions lawyer Heleen over de Linden pointed out that EU sanctions rules supersede those set by football's regulatory bodies. “So it is not the case that if UEFA says: ‘These are our rules’, then suddenly sanctions do not apply,” she told Follow The Money.

As the investigation continues, it remains unclear whether any of the clubs involved will face penalties for their transfer activity with Russian teams.

By fLEXI tEAM