The Shortlist

By Tahoe Lillelund

Introduction

Welcome back to The Shortlist - your weekly briefing on five stories shaping the business of football. Each edition highlights what’s changing across ownership, media, and innovation, giving you a quick, curated look at the ideas and shifts shaping how the game is run.

This week’s theme is control and connection. From new models in women’s football investment to clubs acting like tech companies, the game’s power is shifting from capital to capability. The focus isn’t just who owns the clubs, it’s who owns the data, the fan relationship, and the tools that shape how football is experienced.

Here’s what’s happening this week:

1. The Business of Football Academies: How Clubs Create Value from Youth Development

The report shows how modern academies create value in different ways, from transfer revenue to long-term cost savings and cultural identity. They can also be expensive and unpredictable, with only a small percentage of players reaching elite level. Operating an academy well requires clear processes, patience, and alignment between youth development and the first team.

My Take: Not every club should try to be La Masia. That model works because Barcelona has decades of infrastructure, resources, and a defined playing identity. For many clubs, the smarter move is to reshape the academy model rather than copy it. Some clubs should narrow the pathway and focus on a smaller group of players, while others may get more value from later-stage recruitment or hybrid development models. The goal is to be honest about where your club can actually create value. The best academy strategy is the one that fits your identity and reality, not someone else’s blueprint.

Read on Social Football Summit→

2. The End of Family-Run Clubs in France

It feels like we’re watching the end of an era in club ownership. The days of the local businessman running the local club are almost gone. In France, families and small companies own Montpellier, Reims, Brest, Angers, and Nantes, but those examples are now the exception, not the rule. They’re being replaced by sovereign wealth funds, private equity groups, and multinational corporations.

My Take: The financial scale of modern football is so big that local businesses simply can’t compete. While new ownership often brings investment, it also risks breaking the cultural link between a club and its community. That’s what I think we’re losing most. The best new owners are the ones who take the time to understand the club’s identity and its supporters. Without that, buying a club becomes just buying an asset, and fan buy-in becomes almost impossible.

Read on Le Monde →

3. Implementation Is Football’s Hidden Competitive Advantage

Clubs are adding new tools every year, CRMs, ticketing systems, scouting platforms, analytics. But the real difference between success and frustration usually comes down to one thing: how the project is implemented. Clear goals, the right people involved, and a simple, repeatable process matter far more than any shiny feature a platform offers.

The Odoo approach is straightforward: keep the scope tight, avoid over-customizing, move in quick cycles, and get live early. When clubs follow that kind of structure, things just work better. The project moves faster, everyone learns quicker, and the club starts seeing value right away.

My take: Most “bad software” problems in football are actually implementation problems. The clubs that treat the rollout properly, not as an afterthought, gain a real edge.

Read on Odoo →

4. Football Club Takeovers: What Makes A Bid Successful In 2025?

Buying a football club in 2025 is no longer just a financial transaction. Clubs now expect bidders to pass regulatory, ethical, and cultural tests, and to present a long-term plan that aligns with the club’s identity. Regulators assess reputation and funding sources, while boards and fan groups look for credibility, transparency, and a clear footballing vision.

Successful bids now include detailed plans for squad building, academy investment, women’s football, and stadium development, not just a promise of capital. Fan trust has also become a deciding factor. Owners who engage supporters early and show respect for heritage tend to win backing even over higher financial offers.

My take: The modern takeover is closer to acquiring a tech company than a sports team. Money matters, but alignment, governance, and trust matter more. The strongest owners will be those who bring a long-term strategy, not just a balance sheet.

Read on fcbusiness →

5. MLS to align calendar with top leagues around the world

Beginning in 2027, MLS will move to a summer-to-spring schedule, aligning with the top leagues in Europe. This shift pulls MLS fully into the global football economy, transfers, recruitment cycles, budgeting, and preseason planning will all change immediately. The league highlighted several advantages: better participation in the global transfer market, improved integration of new signings, alignment with FIFA windows, and playoffs moved into a premium slot on the sports calendar. “The calendar shift is one of the most important decisions in our history,” said Commissioner Don Garber.

My take: This is a major strategic step for MLS and a clear move to make the league more competitive. For me, the biggest gain is the alignment with the European transfer market. Under the old schedule, summer arrivals rarely had a proper preseason, which slowed integration. Now, clubs can recruit when the world recruits, and fully prepare their squads before the season begins.

Read on MLS →

The Takeaway

This week’s stories highlight how football’s business edge is shifting from ownership and finance to operations, media, and fan connection. Clubs are learning to act like tech companies streamlining workflows, building owned platforms, and turning data into loyalty. Whether it’s UEFA testing global streaming models, Chelsea using its app to deepen engagement, or ScorePlay powering content automation, the message is the same: the future belongs to those who understand the fan as both audience and asset.