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Game-changing advice from the heart of the action.

Mishcon de Reya’s Sports Group delivers winning strategies for the world’s biggest sporting moments. We’ve handled some of the most high-profile sports cases in recent years, combining deep legal expertise with real-world sports experience. Our multi-disciplinary team advises on everything from complex disputes (between clubs, players, agents, and regulators) to commercial contracts, intellectual property protection and exploitation, data regulation, and governance — all with a global outlook, as over 70% of our work spans international borders.

We act on some of the biggest sports mandates, including for and against Premier League and Championship football clubs, and various F1 teams (including a claim against McLaren for three-time IndyCar champion Álex Palou, recognised by The Lawyer as one of the Top 20 Cases for 2025), and on the establishment of the Rage on the Red Sea World Heavyweight Championship in Jeddah. Our expertise includes financial fair play, multi-club ownership, sponsorship and endorsements, image rights, brand protection, sports data, and cutting-edge sports tech solutions. We’ve also led major investments into football clubs, Formula 1 teams, and sporting leagues. Our team also assists with some of the most thorny and confidential internal investigations, working on extremely sensitive issues with teams and regulators.

From football and motorsport to esports and boxing, our clients include governing bodies, elite athletes, professional gamers, and leading investors. Whether resolving disputes, securing commercial deals, exploiting and defending valuable rights, or navigating regulatory challenges, we are more than just legal advisors — we’re trusted partners.

If you’re looking to stay ahead of the game, get in touch — we’d love to talk.

Our key services

Disputes, Regulatory & Compliance

Our dispute resolution specialists handle the highest profile disputes in global sports across the sports sector, from contractual disagreements to regulatory challenges. Providing expert advice in dealing with the complex regulatory landscape of the sports industry. We specialise in financial fair play, multi-club ownership, overdue payables, and third-party ownership.
- Regulatory framework advisory
- Compliance with Financial Fair Play
- Claims between clubs, players, sponsors and governing bodies
- Disciplinary and governance support
- Representation before disciplinary bodies
- Employment contracts disputes
- Health and safety regulations
- Investigations: internal as well as regulatory investigations
- Kavan Bakhda
  People
- Peter Nunn
  People
Commercial & Intellectual Property

We offer comprehensive legal support for commercial transactions and intellectual property matters, ensuring your brand and assets are protected and fully utilised.
- Sponsorship and endorsement agreements
- Image rights, licensing and advertising clearance
- Brand management including advice on the creation and protection of assets
- Commercial contracts and negotiations including brand ambassador agreements
- Employment contracts and player transfers
Corporate & Transactional

We assist with major investments, acquisitions, and corporate transactions within the sports industry, ensuring compliance and strategic alignment.
- Mergers and acquisitions of sports assets
- Corporate structuring and finance
- Tax advisory for sports transactions
- Investment into sports technology and start-ups
- Real Estate and planning matters

Work highlights

Work highlight

Top level leagues, agents and players

Representing top level leagues, agents and players on a range of dispute and regulatory-related work.

Work highlight

Formula One

Successfully defended the Former Joint Administrators of the Force India Formula One Team in major High Court litigation, as well as advising them on the sale of the business.

Work highlight

European football clubs

Advising leading European football clubs on compliance with a range of financial fair play and related rules.

Work highlight

Middle East Sports Advice

Drafting and advising serveral Saudi and other clients in emerging markets on a range of sports-related investments - including providing extensive legal support around the the Rage on the Red Sea World Heavyweight Championship bout between Oleksandr Usyk and Anthony Joshua in Saudi Arabia.

Work highlight

Azeem Rafiq

Representing former professional cricketer, Azeem Rafiq, in connection with proceedings before the England and Wales Cricket Board.

Work highlight

Leading social media technology company

Acting for one of the world's fastest growing social media technology platforms on a range of IP and sports rights-related queries arising from its launch of a bespoke sports offering.

Work highlight

Sports-tech businesses

Advising several fast-growing sports-tech businesses and established sports brands on a range of NFT, fan token and crypto-related matters - including working for one of the leading bidders on the recent Premier League digital collectibles RFP.

Work highlight

International Federations

Advising several International Federations and National Governing Bodies on disciplinary and governance structures, as well as related regulatory matters.

Mishcon de Reya grasped the nuances of our situation. Client service and budgeting is an area where they truly stand out for me. For a high-end brand, they really have a personal touch.
Chambers and Partners, 2025

They were proactive in foreseeing future problems that could be solved in the agreement. They always give strong commercial advice.
Chambers and Partners, 2025

Mishcon de Reya has excellent lawyers who are able to handle complex and sophisticated matters with ease. They are always responsive, helpful and pleasant to work with.
Chambers and Partners, 2025

Mischon de Reya clearly only hire the best lawyers in their field and I have always been impressed with the support and mentoring that younger solicitors receive from their senior partners.
Chambers and Partners, 2025

Mishcon's support has consistently exhibited an exemplary level of proficiency in contractual negotiations, and attention to detail in drafting and their approach to navigating regulatory frameworks.
Chambers and Partners, 2025

Their advice is user-friendly, up to date and comprehensive.
Legal 500, 2025

The individual I worked with cared. He was proactive, kept me constantly informed, and went above and beyond his remit to ensure I had the best outcome.
Legal 500, 2025

Exceptionally responsive, articulate, fair and communicative.
Legal 500, 2025

Always available, with a strong knowledge base and understanding.
Chambers and Partners, 2024

The team is highly experienced and the advice is well delivered, commercial and relatable.
Chambers and Partners, 2024

Mishcon de Reya has a highly experienced team.
Chambers and Partners, 2024

A really outstanding media team, with sports, tech and media at its focus. One of my favourite firms to work with.
Chambers and Partners, 2024

The strategic guidance MdR provides to clients is outstanding – they seem to know very well what needs to be done, and when to be aggressive or hold still and wait, which I believe comes from the vast experience across the entire team
Chambers and Partners, 2024