The latest developments
Sport
UEFA has confirmed it received documents from Real Madrid on Barcelona's €7.3 million payments between 2001 and 2018 to former refereeing official José María Enríquez Negreira and his son. The Spanish criminal investigation is expected to close by the end of 2026, with a trial likely in 2027, and UEFA is expected to wait for the court's ruling before deciding on any sanction.
M&A
The FT reports that BT has opened talks with the government about a possible takeover of TalkTalk. As the UK's largest broadband provider, BT would normally face an in-depth competition review for a deal like this. BT is reportedly working with Clifford Chance's antitrust lawyers.
Finance
The Financial Policy Committee said risks have risen since July, pointing to energy prices, government borrowing costs, risky lending and AI financing. It kept the countercyclical capital buffer at 2% and plans to consult on bank leverage reforms in early 2027.
Sport
An independent commission found City used sham sponsorship deals as part of a disguised funding scheme, where sponsors only paid part of the fees. Sanctions will be decided at a separate hearing and City has until Friday 2 October to appeal.
