Sports · Investment & Club M&A

Sports club & investment lawyer in the UAE

Gulf capital has become the defining force in world sport. Neo Legal advises investors, funds, owners and clubs on the legal side of that shift — club acquisitions, multi-club ownership structuring, sponsorship and media-rights deals, governance and disputes. M&A depth meets a real sports practice, partner-led and backed by Cornwalls, established 1891.

Speak to our sports-investment team → Athlete & individual sports law
Clubs & funds
Acts for major sporting clubs, AU & UAE
M&A + Sport
Corporate depth, sports specialism
FIFA · UEFA · CAS
Across the governing-body rules
Partner-led
Senior lawyers from day one

What a sports-investment lawyer does for you

A sports investment is an M&A deal wrapped in a regulatory rulebook. We cover both — the corporate transaction and the governing-body requirements that make or break it:

Who we act for

We work with investors and sovereign or private funds, club owners and boards, clubs, federations and sponsors — whether you are buying your first club, building a multi-club group, or commercialising the one you have.

Why Neo Legal for sports investment

We pair a serious M&A and corporate practice with a Sports & Entertainment practice that already acts for major sporting clubs across Australia and the UAE. Deals are led by senior partners including Levent Shevki, a Founding Partner with 17+ years across M&A, financial services and capital raisings. Partner-led, multilingual, and the UAE practice of Cornwalls (established 1891).

Sports club & investment lawyer — frequently asked questions

Can you help me buy a football or sports club?
Yes. We advise investors and funds on acquiring football and other sports clubs end to end: legal and regulatory due diligence, the acquisition structure and holding vehicles, the share purchase or asset agreement, financing, and the league, federation and ownership approvals — including the FIFA and confederation requirements that apply to club takeovers. We act on both buy-side and sell-side. See acquiring a football club.
What is multi-club ownership and can it be structured legally?
Multi-club ownership (MCO) is where one investor or group holds interests in more than one club, as with the City Football Group model. It is permitted but tightly regulated: FIFA and UEFA integrity rules restrict two commonly-owned clubs competing in the same competition, and there are disclosure and control tests. MCO can be structured — through ownership levels, control arrangements and, where needed, blind trusts or divestment — to satisfy those rules. See the MCO rules.
What ownership structure should a club investment use?
It depends on the league's ownership rules, tax, confidentiality and governance needs, and any multi-club considerations. Options range from direct holding to layered holding companies, SPVs and, in some cases, foundations. The structure must satisfy the target league's owners-and-directors or fit-and-proper tests and any control restrictions. We build the holding structure to be both compliant and efficient.
Do you advise on sponsorship and media-rights deals?
Yes. We advise clubs, owners and investors on sponsorship, naming-rights, kit and commercial-partner agreements, and on media and broadcast-rights arrangements — including how rights and commercial partnerships are pooled across a multi-club group. These are often the core value drivers of a sports investment.
Do you handle sports disputes?
Yes. We act in sports disputes including matters before the FIFA Dispute Resolution Chamber and the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), club and player contract disputes, and commercial and shareholder disputes arising from sports investments — coordinated with specialist sports-arbitration counsel where required.
Why Neo Legal for sports investment?
We combine a serious M&A and corporate practice with a Sports & Entertainment practice that already acts for major sporting clubs across Australia and the UAE. Deals are led by senior partners including Levent Shevki, a Founding Partner with 17+ years across M&A, financial services and capital raisings. Partner-led, multilingual, and the UAE practice of Cornwalls, established 1891.
Related reading
Acquiring a Football Club
The legal guide for Gulf investors — due diligence to approvals.
Multi-Club Ownership Rules
Structuring around the FIFA and UEFA integrity rules.
Sports Lawyer Dubai
Athletes, image rights, FIFA DRC and disputes.
M&A & Capital Markets
The corporate deal practice behind the sport.

Buying, building or commercialising a club?

Tell us about the deal. We will run the transaction and the governing-body approvals together — partner-led, from first call to completion.

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