The Use of Offshore Structures by British Football Clubs to Conceal Ownership & Avoid Taxes

In 2010, a report by Christian Aid disclosed that more than a dozen British football clubs, including Arsenal, Birmingham City, Blackburn Rovers, Bolton Wanderers, Crystal Palace, Derby County, Fulham, Glasgow Rangers, Ipswich Town, Leeds United, Portsmouth Town, Spurs, Sunderland, Watford, and Wolves, were owned in whole or in part through structures in offshore jurisdictions, including the Bahamas, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Jersey, Guernsey, and the Isle of Man. More recently, it was revealed that Glasgow Rangers FC had used Guernsey-administered Employee Benefit Trusts to pay salaries to employees under the guise of loans.

This session will look at the widespread use of offshore structures by British football clubs and its potential impact on the game.