Sports
‘Premier League clubs lost £600m in season before virus’
Premier League clubs made a combined loss of £600 million in the 2018/19 season, even before suffering the financial pain of the coronavirus pandemic, a report revealed on yesterday.
Analysis from football finance experts Vysyble shows the 20 clubs in the English top-flight combined to post the huge loss despite record revenues of £5.15 billion ($6.6 billion)
The financial impact of COVID-19 is set to have a huge impact on the Premier League, even if plans to complete the current season behind closed doors go smoothly.
Premier League sides face paying a reported £330 million to broadcasters in rebates as matches could not be completed on schedule.
An estimated £126 million could also be lost in match-day income from gate receipts and hospitality.
“The COVID-19 virus is not the cause of football’s financial distress. It is merely the accelerant on what our data has very clearly and very correctly identified as a much longer-term problem,” said Vysyble director Roger Bell.
“The 2018/19 numbers are a disturbing and profoundly worrying financial outcome from England’s senior football divisions and is symptomatic of the deeper issues with the overall financial model.”
Wage costs for Premier League clubs have risen to £3.12 billion.
Everton posted alarming losses of £111 million, while Chelsea’s failure to qualify for the Champions League saw the Blues lose £96 million.
Yet the most worrying sign for the future financial health of the league may come from Tottenham.
Spurs posted a league-high profit of £68.6 million for the 2018/19 season on the back of a run to the Champions League final.
But the London club announced last week they had borrowed £175 million from the Bank of England.
They fear they could lose £200 million over the next year due to the loss of matchday income, cancellation of non-football events such as NFL matches and concerts and rebates owed to broadcasters.
“Our data has consistently demonstrated that football has been the master of its own misfortune with an over-reliance on TV revenues, staff cost-to-revenue ratios regularly in excess of safe operating limits (UEFA guidance recommends 70 per cent) and a failure to recognise key financial dynamics and trends,” added Bell.
The economic outlook for the Championship is also bleak.
Four Championship clubs have yet to release their full 2019 accounts, but the second tier of English football has so far combined for economic losses of £307 million.
The final economic loss total for all 24 EFL Championship clubs is expected to be at least £350 million. – worldfootball.net
Management of Asempa FM has issued a public apology to the Minister of Youth and Sports, Mr. Kofi Adams, after wrongly quoting him in a recent publication about the selection of players for the Black Stars.
In a statement released by the station’s management, Asempa FM admitted that a quote card shared after Kofi Adams’ interview on Ultimate Sports Show on 13th October 2025 misrepresented his actual remarks.
According to the station, the error created a wrong impression that the Sports Minister was directly involved in selecting players for the national team ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
“The wording on the artwork may have created a misleading impression. For clarity, the Honorable Minister stated that the final decision on player selection rests solely with the technical team, and he emphasized the importance of transparency and merit-based selection,” the statement said.
Asempa FM expressed deep regret for the misrepresentation and apologized to Kofi Adams and the Ministry of Youth and Sports.
The management further assured the public that the station would take steps to ensure greater accuracy and care in its future communications.
“We hold Kofi Adams and his office in the highest regard and deeply regret any inconvenience or misunderstanding caused,” the statement concluded.
By: Jacob Aggrey
When Otto Addo took charge, Ghana sat fourth in Group I with just three points from two matches — a situation that seemed daunting for even the most optimistic fans. But what followed was one of the most remarkable turnarounds in African World Cup qualifying history.
Addo’s arrival brought renewed tactical clarity and belief. He restructured the team’s shape, redefined roles, and instilled discipline in both defense and attack. The results began to flow as Ghana went on an astonishing run of victories.
The coach’s calm leadership was crucial in restoring confidence to key players who had lost form. Veterans found new motivation, while youngsters flourished under his guidance, creating a perfect blend of maturity and energy.
Each win became a statement of intent — that Ghana was back. The team’s comeback victories over tough opponents like Mali and Central African Republic showed resilience and mental fortitude.
By the end of the campaign, the Black Stars had climbed from fourth to first, topping the group with 25 points and a +17-goal difference — a clear testament to Otto Addo’s transformational leadership.
This turnaround will go down in Ghana’s football annals as a story of hope, determination, and tactical brilliance that brought the nation back to the world stage.
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