Manchester City and PSG’s strange alliance illustrates the biggest problem with modern football

Miguel Delaney argues that the alliance between Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain highlights the unchecked dangers of state ownership in modern football. Ahead of their Champions League meeting at the Etihad, PSG president and European Football Clubs chair Nasser Al-Khelaifi publicly defended City and CEO Ferran Soriano against cheating accusations. Delaney asserts that football authorities have been dangerously slow to address how geopolitical rivalries and soft-power strategies from Abu Dhabi and Qatar influence the sport.

The piece contrasts Abu Dhabi's aggressive, combative posture regarding Manchester City's legal battles with Qatar's diplomatic maneuvering to build institutional power within UEFA and FIFA. Delaney contends that governing bodies have failed to safeguard football's integrity, questioning whether English football should officially ban state ownership as geopolitical interests continue to dominate the game's governance.