UEFA Sanctions Marseille with $11.5M Fine and One-Year European Ban Threat

American-owned French soccer club Marseille has been threatened with a one-year ban from European competitions and fined 10 million euros ($11.5 million) by UEFA's expert panel for failing to meet agreed financial targets. The club, majority-owned by Frank McCourt, the former Los Angeles Dodgers owner, was impacted by a significant and unexpected collapse in domestic broadcasting revenues, UEFA acknowledged. However, the financial monitoring system determined that these external factors did not excuse the shortfall.

Marseille will be barred from the next European competition it qualifies for unless the club meets its football earnings target in the 2026-27 season. The sanction comes after a turbulent season in which the club finished fifth in Ligue 1, missing Champions League qualification. The season saw the departure of coach Roberto de Zerbi, the resignation of president Pablo Longoria, and fan protests over the club's direction. Marseille, the 1993 European champion, had been expected to compete in next season's Europa League, though the prize money from that competition would be roughly half the 50-60 million euros earned from Champions League participation in the current season.

Beyond the fine and ban threat, UEFA imposed an additional penalty reducing the quota of senior players Marseille can register in its Europa League squad. The sanctions were issued under UEFA's financial monitoring system, formerly known as Financial Fair Play, which oversees clubs that participate in UEFA competitions.

In a separate but related enforcement action, UEFA fined AS Roma 6 million euros ($6.9 million) for also missing financial targets in previous settlement talks. Roma is also owned by Americans, the Friedkin family. The enforcement actions highlight ongoing challenges for European clubs, particularly Italian Serie A teams, in maintaining financial parity with wealthier rivals, especially those in England's Premier League.