Nice (Europa League) and Girona (Champions League) will be able to compete in the European Cups next season. After deliberation, UEFA announced in a statement published on Friday that both teams will be able to participate in European competitions, despite the presence of clubs with the same owners as them, namely Manchester United and Manchester City, respectively.
The First Chamber of UEFA’s club financial control body had previously opened proceedings against the four clubs, who were required to make “significant changes”.
Constraints imposed on clubs
UEFA considers that they are now in compliance with its rules, thanks to a complex legal framework which should remove the direct control of the owners over Nice and Girona: “No one is involved in the simultaneous management, in the areas of management, administration and/or sporting performance, of more than one club taking part in European competitions” and “no one has control or decisive influence over more than one club taking part in European competitions”.
However, clubs are not able to transfer players between themselves until September 2025, to set up commercial cooperations or to share scouting databases.
