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Tariq Panja @tariqpanja.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

So after years of insisting to the point of demanding corrections of anyone saying Manchester City is owned by the UAE and not a private investment of “his highness” sheikh Mansour, City will now insist in its appeal that City is actually owned by the UAE. Riiiggghhht then. 🥸

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Tariq Panja @tariqpanja.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Some interesting surrogates in the media in this Man City case, some for the club and some for individuals associated with it. Fascinating to see it play out. Good case study for media studies students.

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Tariq Panja @tariqpanja.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Looking at details in Man City verdict, other cases and leaked emails, it’s astonishing how brazen and straightforward this scheme was without anyone at the PL noticing. It took a computer hack and then leaks to bring it out into open. The oversight clearly couldn’t discover such an obvious scheme.

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Tariq Panja @tariqpanja.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

If, according to the panel, Manchester City cheated and witnesses told mistruths about Abu Dhabi sponsorships why wouldn’t those self same companies and those connected with them also not be in exactly the same situation? They are part of the scheme.

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Tariq Panja @tariqpanja.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Andy Burnham's comments today expose the situation of selling national football teams to foreign states. He's taking a view, at least in one reading of his comments, that corrupting the national game is not as big an issue as potentially losing foreign investment in Manchester.

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Tariq Panja @tariqpanja.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

If you’re wondering why the European Football Clubs chairman Nasser al Khelaifi came out in defence of City’s ceo Ferran Soriano last night. This might offer one clue… www.nytimes.com/2019/07/24/s...

google.com

In P.S.G. Case, Documents Show UEFA Surrendered Without a Fight (Published 2019)

Disputed facts and an investigator’s calculations raise questions about European soccer’s commitment to enforcing its financial fair-play rules.

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Tariq Panja @tariqpanja.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Manchester City's auditor BDO who signed off the accounts during the years in which an Independent Panel found the club cheated the Premier League rules on -- what can only be described as -- an industrial scale: "We remain bound by confidentiality so cannot comment on this occasion."

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Tariq Panja @tariqpanja.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

😳 Pep before cheats verdict: “If you lie to me, the day after I am not here. I will be out and I will not be your friend anymore.” Pep after verdict: “I am, always have been, always will, be behind my club, my owner, my chairman, Ferran, the players staff, Enzo and you, our unique supporters.”

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Tariq Panja @tariqpanja.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Perhaps the most damning document in English football history. resources.premierleague.pulselive.com/premierleagu...

resources.premierleague.pulselive.com

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Tariq Panja @tariqpanja.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Maybe a bit early to discuss the process whatever the outcome may be here. But Man City investigation started in 2018. The club was charged more than 3 years ago. In that time, the team has continued unmolested, recruiting at incredible fees, winning at great frequency. The PL still can’t comment.

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Tariq Panja @tariqpanja.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

P. Guardiola 7 May, 2022: "If you lie to me, the day after I am not here. I will be out and I will not be your friend anymore. I put my faith in you because I believe you 100% from day one."

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Tariq Panja @tariqpanja.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

They do everything bigger. Even the number of charges they have got for allegedly cheating dwarfs everything else we’ve seen. (They deny the charges)

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FairSquare @fairsqprojects.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Reform UK's funding has made headlines this year. But its ties to the UAE have largely flown under the radar. Our new report maps how an oil-rich Gulf state with no elections has built links to Farage et al, and into the wider UK far right, including Tommy Robinson. fairsq.org/petropopulis...

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Tariq Panja @tariqpanja.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Can someone explain the valuation of 5bn pounds for Chelsea in a sensible way? Wondering how after all the hiccups, messes, massive losses and lack of stadium project the club can be worth more? And at a time both sellers are under massive pressure and scrutiny to raise funds.

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Tariq Panja @tariqpanja.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

The NBA in a year has investigated and adjudicated an off book payment allegation and issued sanctions against the key figures at the Clippers. The Premier League’s case against Man City remains unresolved having started 8 years ago.

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Tariq Panja @tariqpanja.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

Manchester City, still awaiting a verdict on charges they broke Premier League rules for a decade, have equalled the British transfer record by signing Enzo Fernandez for 125m pounds. They've now spent more than 300m pounds on three new midfielders this window. Man City deny wrongdoing.

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Tariq Panja @tariqpanja.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

Saudi Arabia, which received 2034 World Cup following curious and opaque process, gives its backing to Infantino while acknowledging FIFA’s need to strengthen “governance and addressing the challenges in a united and transparent manner.” 😵‍💫 Another example replacing president alone isn’t enough

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Tariq Panja @tariqpanja.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

Funny news cycle. Everyone has same story after that interview with headlines all saying a version of “Ceferin rules himself out of replacing Infantino”. When was he ever ruled in to replace Infantino?

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Tariq Panja @tariqpanja.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

Chelsea felt overpriced at £2.5bn when these lads arrived. Hard to see how it’s anywhere near valuation of £5bn which Boehly/Walter people are pushing given horrible balance sheet full of losses and debt. Perversely Clearlake can’t pay low price because it would crystallise value of its stake too

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Tariq Panja @tariqpanja.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

What is the difference between “full agreement” and “agreement”? The evolution of transfer language continues.

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Tariq Panja @tariqpanja.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

Scottish FA joins the group of European FAs to say it won't be supporting Gianni Infantino in his bid to be re-elected FIFA president. Awkward for Scottish FA president Mike Mulraney who is the chairman of the FIFA financial committee and among the group that decides Infantino's pay and bonuses.

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Tariq Panja @tariqpanja.bsky.social · 15/08/2026

That Nasser al Khelaifi is a major player in the middle of this crisis for global football is something that requires more than a shrug of indifference. The most conflicted person in the game at the heart of a discussion of a global governance crisis seems absurd. Which hat is most important to him?

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Tariq Panja @tariqpanja.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

Was outside the London law firm in 2010 when RBS gave Liverpool to what’s now FSG for £300m in a deal the much-derided Tom Hicks described as “an epic steal” and unsuccessfully tried to block. 16 years later to get north of £1.5bn for just 30% is a huge net profit on total investment of just £515m

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Tariq Panja @tariqpanja.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

Josh Kushner, who negotiated with Infantino to buy the World Cup, has just completed a deal to buy the LA Lakers for $12bn. Insane number. How do you exit these investments when you might be the top of the market? Whose money is this? Do they care about returns? Vanity purchase?

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Tariq Panja @tariqpanja.bsky.social · 10/08/2026

Struggling to see what the news is in this LFC stake sale story. It was known these two groups are in talks, they still are and a deal could well be done. But didn’t we know all of this before? Isn’t it news when it actually happens or falls through?

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The Verge @theverge.com · 10/08/2026

Earlier this week, the Alaskan cruise ship Wilderness Legacy rescued a small skiff stranded near Farragut Bay after running out of fuel. But, according to tracking data reviewed by the Alaska Beacon and Halifax Shipping News, the closest vessel was actually Mark Zuckerberg’s super yacht, Launchpad.

theverge.com

Zuckerberg’s yacht was closer, but someone else saved a stranded boat

The small cruise ship Wilderness Legacy rescued the skiff that ran out of fuel.

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Tariq Panja @tariqpanja.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

‼️ ⚽️ Top FIFA officials including Matias Grafstrom, the CEO who made peace with Gianni Infantino, signed off on the plan to sell the World Cup after a secret meeting in New York the day before the World Cup final. www.nytimes.com/2026/08/06/b...

nytimes.com

FIFA Executives Were Given Ultimatum to Approve World Cup Privatization Plan (Gift Article)

The day before the World Cup final, key FIFA figures faced a stunning demand to sign off on a multibillion-dollar privatization project.

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Tariq Panja @tariqpanja.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

nytimes.com

FIFA Executives Were Given Ultimatum to Approve World Cup Privatization Plan (Gift Article)

The day before the World Cup final, key FIFA figures faced a stunning demand to sign off on a multibillion-dollar privatization project.

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Tariq Panja @tariqpanja.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

Nice to see that this from five years ago is finally confirmed. Sometimes, it takes a while for the other shoe to drop. Guardian piece yesterday details how involved FIFA was despite Infantino's criticism at the time. www.nytimes.com/2021/05/20/s...

nytimes.com

The Super League Thought It Had a Silent Partner: FIFA (Gift Article)

Publicly, soccer’s global governing body criticized a breakaway European Super League. Privately, it had held talks for months with the founders about endorsing the competition.

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Tariq Panja @tariqpanja.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

If you’re an influencer influencing on various platforms do try and source the material you are citing for your pieces. Someone has had to do the work to find this stuff out that you are monetising. So the right thing might be to tell your listeners/viewers where it has come from

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Tariq Panja @tariqpanja.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

He’s 💯 right here. Easy to focus on the horse race of who could be the next one, but the real fix is breaking apart the system that allows these guys to rise in the first place

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Tariq Panja @tariqpanja.bsky.social · 03/08/2026

I know he's just signed a new contract, but really cannot see Pochettino being the USA coach in four years time. Should have parted ways at the end of the World Cup. Strange decision on all sides.

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Tariq Panja @tariqpanja.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

And a Friday news dump for Chelsea’s two window ban for a decade of cheating during the Abramovich era. Swerved points deductions again. Well done everyone

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Tariq Panja @tariqpanja.bsky.social · 27/07/2026

Funny world football. statement from a club that has perhaps done more than any other to distort the global market: “The asking transfer fee and salary demands were completely disproportionate and distortive - and PSG will not break its principles of rational financial management and squad balance.”

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Tariq Panja @tariqpanja.bsky.social · 27/07/2026

What a strange and angry post from the FIFA president. While preaching “love” he has come across extremely thin skinned and while at the same time attempted to downplay what has happened to Iran, fans denied visas, Omar Artan and the Balogun situations as normal. Like in a parallel universe.

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Jim Pickard @pickardje.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

A betting account in the name of George Cottrell, the convicted fraudster who bankrolled Nigel Farage, received almost $9mn in cryptocurrency from unidentified sources while he was providing gifts to the Reform UK leader great work from @annasophiegross.bsky.social www.ft.com/content/b74c...

ft.com

Betting account in George Cottrell’s name received $9mn in crypto from unidentified sources

Deposits in Polymarket wallet came as convicted fraudster was providing gifts to Farage

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Tariq Panja @tariqpanja.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

There literally is no break from the noise of football. The World Cup, the biggest one, has hardly finished and we are neck deep in screechy transfer stuff at full volume. It’s like this part of the business has been clawing at the cage doors waiting to be unleashed.

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Guardian US @us.theguardian.com · 21/07/2026

An electric ice-cream maker was listed at just $17.99 at Amazon and Best Buy. Then it became unavailable at Best Buy, and more than tripled in price to $59.99 at Amazon. Here’s how it happened… 🧵

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Tariq Panja @tariqpanja.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

Salt Bae quite rightly attracted lot of attention for getting on the pitch and putting his mitts all over the World Cup trophy. FIFA’s rules explicit that only the winners can handle it. But floodgates for celebs to pile in open now. Should get rid of rule, but they want to pretend it has an aura

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Tariq Panja @tariqpanja.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

UEFA president earning headlines for his “boycott” of the final. But this is a figure that would also happily have skipped it. Not a tournament person but now gets to at least look heroic in the eyes of some people. What a strange world.

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