Sports
Texas Adds World Junior Record Holder and British Sprint Champion, Eva Okaro, for 2025
Fitter and Faster Swim Camps is the proud sponsor of SwimSwam’s College Recruiting Channel and all commitment news. For many, swimming in college is a lifelong dream that is pursued with dedication and determination. Fitter and Faster is proud to honor these athletes and those who supported them on their journey. British Olympian Eva Okaro […]
Fitter and Faster Swim Camps is the proud sponsor of SwimSwam’s College Recruiting Channel and all commitment news. For many, swimming in college is a lifelong dream that is pursued with dedication and determination. Fitter and Faster is proud to honor these athletes and those who supported them on their journey.
British Olympian Eva Okaro has signed with the University of Texas and will head to Austin next fall to join the women’s swimming and diving team. At the time of her verbal commitment, she wrote:
“I am so excited to announce my verbal commitment to the University of Texas where I will continue my athletic and academic career. I am super grateful for this opportunity, looking forward to seeing what the future holds. HOOK EM’🤘🔥”
Okaro specializes in sprint free and fly. She is currently competing at the Aquatics GB Swimming Championships 2025, taking place this week in London, and has so far won national titles in the 50 free (24.48) and 50 fly (26.19), both with lifetime bests. She’ll swim the 100 fly on Saturday and the 100 free on Sunday.
She is the reigning World Junior Record-holder in the SCM 50 free, having taken down Anastasyia Shkurdai’s previous WJR mark (23.69) with 23.66 in the final at 2024 Short Course World Championships in Budapest last December. Okaro finished just off the podium in fourth place behind Gretchen Walsh (22.83 World Record), Kate Douglass (23.05), and Kasia Wasick (23.37). She became the second-fastest British swimmer of all time with the swim, trailing only Fran Halsall who clocked a 23.44 in 2009.
Okaro was featured in British Vogue when she became the first black woman to represent Team GB in the swimming pool at the Olympics last summer in Paris. She swam a leg on Great Britain’s women’s 4×100 free relay in both the prelims and the final, splitting 53.84 and 53.75, respectively. She first broke onto the international scene at age 14 when she represented Team GB at the 2021 LEN European Junior Championships in Rome and took home a bronze medal in the 50 free with 25.45, after going 25.33 in the semi-finals.
Okaro and her twin sister Izzy Okaro grew up in Kent. Both elite swimmers, they now board at Repton School in Derby, about 3 hours to the north.
Best times (converted):
| SCM | LCM | |
| 50 free | 23.66 (21.31) | 24.48 (21.33) |
| 100 free | 54.01 (48.65) | 54.45 (47.61) |
| 50 fly | 25.83 (23.27) | 26.19 (22.96) |
| 100 fly | 1:00.07 (54.11) | 59.44 (52.28) |
The Longhorns finished third in the team standings at the 2025 NCAA Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships, getting edged by Stanford, 417-394, for second place. Okaro’s best converted 50 free time would have landed her in the A final, where she would have placed 5th. She also would have been a welcome addition to Texas’s sprint relays. She will begin next fall with the other members of the class of 2029: Haley McDonald, Avery Collins, Sarah Rodrigues, Ella Mongenel, and Nikolett Padar.
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Sports
Owls prepare for pivotal conference schedule this season – UNIVERSITY PRESS
Florida Atlantic’s women’s volleyball team released its 2025-26 season schedule, set to begin on Aug. 23, marking the program’s third season in the American Conference. The Owls aim to build their momentum and challenge for a top spot after an 18-13 season and a first-time run to the AAC Championship match. While the momentum from […]
Florida Atlantic’s women’s volleyball team released its 2025-26 season schedule, set to begin on Aug. 23, marking the program’s third season in the American Conference.
The Owls aim to build their momentum and challenge for a top spot after an 18-13 season and a first-time run to the AAC Championship match.
While the momentum from last season remains, the Owls now face a schedule that brings newfound pressure; FAU needs to stay consistent if it hopes to return to the conference championship and this time, come out on top.
An asterisk (*) indicates a duplicate game.
Sep. 24 at University of South Florida Bulls
The Owls will travel to the Corral to face their in-state rival, South Florida. The Owls are 5-17 all-time against the Bulls but have gone 5-5 in the last 10 meetings.
Last season, the Owls split the series, 1-1, winning the first match at home, 3-1, handing USF its first conference loss before dropping the rematch on the road, 10 days later, 3-1.
FAU hasn’t won at the Corral since 2010, when they swept USF 3-0 on the second day of the Hilton Garden Inn Classic despite the recent drought. The Owls will look to open conference play by making history and snapping a 14-year drought in Tampa.
Sep. 28 vs. East Carolina University Pirates
FAU opens conference play at home against East Carolina. The all-time series is tied at 3-3. In their most recent meeting, the Owls defeated the Pirates 3-2 in the AAC Tournament, marking FAU’s first postseason win since 2019.
While the Owls broke the Pirates’ hearts in the tournament, the Pirates swept the Owls in the regular season, where FAU went 0-2, with a 1-3 loss at home and a 0-3 loss on the road.
The Owls look to keep the momentum from last year’s postseason and start off winning their conference schedule on a good note.
Oct. 3 vs. University of North Texas Mean Green
FAU remains at home to face North Texas. The Owls are 6-13 all-time against the Mean Green, including a 3-5 record in home matches. North Texas has won the last three meetings in Boca Raton.
Last season, the Owls did win on the road 3-1 and got their first win in Denton, Texas, since 2018. The Mean Green did struggle last season, going 10-18 and only 7-9 in conference play, but overall, they have had the Owls’ number during the previous four matchups.
The Owls look to start a newer, better streak against the Mean Green this season.
Oct. 5 at Temple University Owls
After two games at home, the Owls return on the road against the Temple Owls. FAU has taken two out of the four games against Temple in program history. In a short period, these games have been nothing short of unpredictable, with either team winning by two or more sets.
Last season, FAU went 1-1 against Temple, taking a 0-3 loss on the road and nearly a month later, winning 3-0 at home. Sienna Paige Conaghan, a sports editor for Temple News, said, “I think it’s too early to tell what match is going to look like until both teams have a couple of matches under their belt.”
Both teams lost key players last season and are now looking to see how they perform at full strength. “A key thing to look out for is if Temple has its lineup set and is consistent with it,” Conaghan adds.
Staying healthy remains a focus for both teams, but FAU looks to gain its first win at McGonigle Hall.
Oct. 10 at Charlotte 49ers
The Owls, after the 5-day break, face the Charlotte 49ers. The Owls have dominated this matchup having a 19-7 record all-time and have won five of the last six against the 49ers.
Last season, FAU went 2-0 against Charlotte, with a 3-0 win at home and a 3-1 victory on the road. The Owls took control in both games when the time was right, keeping the 49ers on their heels.
FAU looks to extend its road winning streak against Charlotte to four straight matches and get its 11th win in Halton Arena.
*Oct. 12 at East Carolina Pirates
*Oct. 17 vs. Temple University Owls
*Oct. 19 vs. Charlotte 49ers
Oct. 24 at University of Memphis Tigers
The Owls then face the Memphis Tigers on the road, where they will play at the Larry O. Finch Center for the first time in program history. The Tigers have a win against the Owls, which came in 2004 in the UNC Greensboro Tournament, since the Owls have won three straight against the Tigers.
The Owls swept the Tigers in their only matchup last season, dominating each set. Since 2023, the Owls have dominated the Tigers at home.
Oct. 26 at University of Alabama at Birmingham Blazers
The Owls stay on the road to play the UAB Blazers. All-time, the Owls have taken eight out of twelve matches, but have lost the last three out of four games.
Last season, the Owls fell to UAB at home in four sets, with the first three decided by just two points. FAU took only one of those tight sets before the Blazers pulled away in the fourth to close the match.
The Owls look to take back control of this matchup with a win on the road.
Oct. 31 vs. Wichita State University Shockers
The Owls face the Wichita State Shockers up next. With a 1-2 record against the Shockers all-time, the history may be short, but meaningful.
Last season, the Shockers defeated the Owls 2-3 and ended the Owls’ impressive run in the AAC Championship in a 0-3 loss. The only match the Owls have defeated the Shockers in was at home, 3-2.
The Owls look to turn the page from last season’s struggles against the Shockers.
Nov. 2 vs. University of Tulsa Golden Hurricane
The Owls stay at home to play the Golden Hurricane. The Hurricanes have the edge all-time with a 1-2 record against the Owls, but their first win came back in 2013, since both teams have taken one a piece.
Last season, the Owls fell to Tulsa in a 1-3 loss on the road, a game in which they couldn’t figure out how to contain the Golden Hurricanes’ offense. The last win against the Gold Hurricane came back in 2023 at home, 3-1.
The Owls look to stay undefeated at home against the Golden Hurricane.
Nov. 7 at Tulane University Green Wave
The Owls will travel to face the Green Wave in New Orleans. The Owls hold a 4-3 advantage over the Green Wave all-time, and their most recent matchups are 2-0.
Last season, the Owls defeated the Green Wave 3-1 at home on Senior Night. Tulane hasn’t won a game against the Owls since 2016; the last time they lost on their home floor was in 2011 in a 0-3 loss.
Nov. 9 at Rice University Owls
FAU will face Rice in a battle of the Owls. FAU is 5-8 all-time against Rice, but has won three straight matches, with one coming in the AAC Tournament.
Last season, FAU swept Rice in the regular season. The first came home in a sweep, and the next came in the semifinals, where history was made. Rice started 2-0, but FAU came back and won the match 3-2.
FAU hasn’t played well on the road against Rice, going 1-6 in program history.
*Nov 12 vs. University of South Florida Bulls
Nov. 14 vs. University of Texas at San Antonio Roadrunners
The Owls wrap up the season against the Roadrunners. FAU is 1-11 all-time against the Roadrunners, with their lone win coming in 2019.
Last season, the Roadrunners defeated the Owls 0-3 on the road. The Owls just couldn’t find an answer for their offense. The Owls are 0-6 against the Roadrunners on the road.
The Owls will be playing at home, where they are 1-3 against the Roadrunners. The Owls are looking to find a spark and change the theme of this matchup.
Anthony Ortiz is a Contributing Writer for the University Press. Email him at [email protected] or contact him on Instagram @ajortiz_38 for information regarding this or other stories.
Sports
Volleyball Heads To CofC For Exhibition Match
CONWAY, S.C. – After an encouraging first three weeks of practice, Coastal Carolina will finally play somebody else on Friday, Aug. 22, in a road exhibition match at the College of Charleston. The first serve is scheduled for 7 p.m. at TD Arena. The Chanticleers are looking for a bounce-back season after finishing outside the […]
The Chanticleers are looking for a bounce-back season after finishing outside the top two in the Sun Belt East Division for the first time, tying for third with a 7-9 league record while posting a 13-17 overall mark.
College of Charleston was picked to repeat as CAA champions, edging Hofstra by two points in the preseason coaches’ poll. The Cougars swept the CAA regular season and tournament titles a year ago and compiled a 25-9 overall record.
Coastal was picked third in the East Division in the annual Sun Belt preseason coaches’ poll, while junior Jalyn Stout was named preseason Player of the Year.
Stout earned First Team All-Sun Belt honors in 2024, ranking third in the Sun Belt in points (457.5) and total kills (402), sixth in kills per set (3.41), and 11th in digs (392). She posted double-digit assists in 29 of 30 matches, digs in 26 matches, and kills in 21 matches. Stout reset her NCAA record for most triple-doubles in a season with 20.
Coastal returns seven letterwinners, including two of its three top outside hitters, Emily Fowler and Emma Van Elslande. Fowler finished third on the team in kills last season with 250 and had the most blocks of any returning player, 61. Van Elslande played in 84 sets and registered 143 kills, fifth-most on the team.
Senior defensive specialist Bailee Earnhardt appeared in 28 matches and collected 183 digs. Junior setter Ava Wallis played in just 11 matches but posted an average of 5.07 assists per set, while junior libero Anna Smith is the only returning player other than Stout to see action in all 30 matches.
The Chanticleers welcome eight newcomers to the 2025 squad, including a foursome of transfers: graduate middle blocker Kibi Jae’ Huggins, graduate libero Becca Micelle, junior middle blocker Anna Rita, and sophomore outside hitter Anzley Rinard, and four freshmen: Elin Andersson, Kayla Channell, Bella Loeswick, and Julia Rose Rivera.
Coastal Carolina opens its regular season Labor Day weekend as the Chants host Maryland and North Carolina. CCU will face the Terrapins on Friday, Aug. 29, at 6 p.m. and the Tar Heels on Sunday, Aug. 31, at 1 p.m.
Sports
2025 MIAC Volleyball Season Preview
Story Links BLOOMINGTON, Minn. – Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) volleyball teams are back on the court and ready for the 2025 season. The fall season officially gets underway on Friday, August 29, with nearly two dozen non-conference matches. While a handful of MIAC squads will stay home to host contests […]
The fall season officially gets underway on Friday, August 29, with nearly two dozen non-conference matches. While a handful of MIAC squads will stay home to host contests next weekend, others will log travel time, with matches as close as Iowa and Wisconsin and as far as California, Georgia, and Washington. Conference play gets underway the week of September 22. The regular season will run through Saturday, November 8.
The top six teams in the conference standings at the end of the regular season will move on to the 2025 MIAC Volleyball Playoffs. The conference tournament will begin with two quarterfinal contests on Tuesday, November 11, followed by a pair of semifinal matches on Thursday, November 13. The 2025 MIAC Volleyball Playoff Championship is set for Saturday, November 15, with the winner securing the conference’s automatic qualifier to the NCAA Tournament. The 2025 NCAA Division III Women’s Volleyball Championship is scheduled for December 3-6, 2025, at the Shirk Center Arena in Bloomington, Illinois.
The bracket for the national tournament will be unveiled during the Selection Show on Monday, November 17. After the automatic qualifiers have been awarded to conference champions across Division III, the remaining NCAA Tournament qualifiers will be selected “at-large” via the NCAA Power Index (NPI). The Women’s Volleyball NPI will calculate winning percentage, strength of schedule, home-away results, and quality wins to rank teams for at-large postseason consideration.
2024 FINAL STANDINGS
Gustavus (20-10, 11-0)*
Bethel (20-9, 9-2)
St. Catherine (20-9, 9-2)
Saint Benedict (15-12, 8-3)#%
Augsburg (16-14, 7-4)
St. Olaf (19-10, 6-5)
Macalester (13-15, 5-6)
Carleton (13-13, 4-7)
St. Scholastica (13-16, 3-8)
Hamline (9-19, 2-9)
Concordia (2-25, 2-9)
Saint Mary’s (7-21, 0-11)
*MIAC Regular Season Champion
#MIAC Playoff Champion
%NCAA Championship Participant
The NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel (PROP) reviewed and approved a handful of rule changes last year for implementation during the 2024 and 2025 seasons. Among those items was a rule that allows referees to issue a red card to the host team if a spectator enters the designated player area. PROP also clarified rules on uniforms and accessories, creating logo standards for uniform bottoms, allowing for snug-fitting nose rings and ear cuffs to be worn during matches, and requiring that headbands be a single color.
Teams were also allowed two libero designations for each set beginning last season, and a successive contact rule was put into place to limit controversy created by judgment calls. On a team’s second hit, contacting the ball more than once in a single attempt to play the ball is not a fault if the ball is next contacted by a teammate. The rule change was made to promote better consistency and match flow for players and fans.
In the MIAC, volleyball coaches approved a pre-match protocol similar to the NCAA Championship format to ensure clarity and consistency throughout the conference.
The MIAC Sports Network powered by Hudl returns as the streaming home of all MIAC-hosted games, events, and championships. The MIAC Sports Network is available on the web (https://miacsportsnetwork.com/) along with streaming apps for television and mobile devices, including Android TV, Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Roku (TV), iOS, Android (mobile), and Amazon Fire Tablet. The app can be found and installed free of charge by searching for the MIAC Sports Network.
The 2025 MIAC Volleyball Playoffs will be streamed live on the MIAC Sports Network in a pay-per-view format. Individual playoff contests will be streamed for $10 each. A $25 “playoff pass” to stream all five matches will also be available for purchase. Details and information on purchasing pay-per-view access will be made available in advance of the conference playoffs. Access and availability of regular-season match streams will not be impacted by this policy change.
AWARD WATCH
The 2025 MIAC Volleyball All-Conference honors will be voted on by MIAC coaches after the regular season. In addition to a 22-player All-MIAC squad, coaches will also vote on individual awards for the MIAC Offensive, Defensive, Rookie, and Coach of the Year.
Throughout the regular season, the MIAC will recognize top individual performances with the MIAC Volleyball Offensive and Specialist (Defensive/Setter) of the Week awards. Athlete of the Week awards will begin on Tuesday, September 2, and be announced each Monday following through the end of the regular season. During the week following the MIAC Playoffs, participating coaches will also select a nine-player All-Playoff Team in recognition of outstanding performances throughout the conference tournament.
Sports
Pilots Fall to Titans 1-0
Next Game: Long Beach State 8/24/2025 | 1:00 PM ESPN+ Aug. 24 (Sun) / 1:00 PM Long Beach State PORTLAND, Ore. — The Portland Pilots fell in their home opener against Cal State Fullerton Titans 1-0. The Pilots fall to 0-1-1 on the season. How it Happened The […]
PORTLAND, Ore. — The Portland Pilots fell in their home opener against Cal State Fullerton Titans 1-0. The Pilots fall to 0-1-1 on the season.
How it Happened
The Pilots and Titans clashed in the first half, playing a defensive battle that left both teams scoreless after the first 45. The goal for the Titans came in the 73rd minute when Isabella Cruz worked her way into the box for the shot and score. The Pilots searched for the equalizer, but came up just short.
Game Notes
- Sophia Hills recorded two saves for the Pilots out of six total Titans shots.
- Portland outshot the Titans seven to six.
- Two players made their Pilot debuts Thursday night: Talia Niebles-Webb and Adison Bosa.
Up Next
The Pilots stay home for their next match, taking on the Long Beach State Beach on Sunday, Aug. 24. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. Check PortlandPilots.com for tickets, live stats and video options.
Get Your Tickets Now!
Secure your spot now for any upcoming Portland Pilots ticketed home event by visiting PortlandPilots.com/Tickets or by downloading the Portland Pilots App. For group and fan experience package information, email pilotsboxoffice@up.edu.
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Sports
Why Chelsea and Aston Villa (and Arsenal) are wary of UEFA's financial rules
Contrary to popular belief, there is no overarching deadline for profit and sustainability rules (PSR). Particularly in the Premier League, eyes have been drawn to June 30 as a pseudo-transfer deadline day whereby desperate clubs must get business done or invoke the wrath of the authorities. In reality, the matter is more nuanced; five of […]
Contrary to popular belief, there is no overarching deadline for profit and sustainability rules (PSR).
Particularly in the Premier League, eyes have been drawn to June 30 as a pseudo-transfer deadline day whereby desperate clubs must get business done or invoke the wrath of the authorities. In reality, the matter is more nuanced; five of this season’s Premier League clubs work to a different accounting date.
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PSR isn’t a once-a-summer worry. While activity may heighten around those accounting dates, the rules are based across a full year’s worth — or rather, three years’ worth — of club finances. Decisions made across the season, and particularly during transfer windows, all dictate eventual compliance.
This season, the issue is compounded for nine top-tier sides. Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City, Newcastle United, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace have each qualified for UEFA competition in 2025-26: the first six in our list will play in the Champions League, Villa and Forest in the Europa League and Palace, controversially, will compete in the Conference League.
European competition brings with it further regulatory consequences. Alongside the loss limits imposed by Premier League PSR, those nine clubs will need to comply with UEFA’s ‘football earnings rule’. European football governing body also requires adherence to a ‘squad cost rule’, which, as the name suggests, directly limits how much clubs can spend on players. The rule has long been trailed domestically but is yet to come into force; the Premier League ran it in “shadow” format last season and will do so again this year.
Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal will play in the Champions League again this season (Stu Forster/Getty Images)
UEFA’s football earnings rules operates with the same foundational aim as Premier League PSR: limiting club losses. Under domestic rules, English top-flight clubs can lose on a pre-tax basis — after deductions for expenditure on infrastructure, youth and community development and the women’s team — up to £105million (around €120m/$141m at today’s rate) over a rolling three-year period. Clubs’ 2025-26 PSR calculations will include the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons as well.
The football earnings rule also runs over three seasons but is stricter, limiting clubs to just €60m in adjusted losses. That limit can be increased by €10m per season, for a total of €30m in a three-year assessment period, provided clubs comply with the financial conditions UEFA uses to assess whether or not they are in good health. Even if a club passes this, their loss limit under UEFA rules of €90m is around £27m lower than the amount allowed by the Premier League.
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Crucially, the final year of UEFA’s monitoring period for the football earnings rule is the accounting period that ends in the year the relevant European competition commences. For English clubs, whose accounting periods run to mid-year, that means clubs competing in 2025-26 are assessed across 2022-23, 2023-24 and 2024-25.
In other words, for football earnings purposes, nothing they do hereon, or since their 2024-25 accounting period ended earlier this summer, will impact their current season assessment (though it will impact next season’s, should they qualify for Europe again).
Separately, the squad cost rule moves away from the broader topic of loss limits and directly targets cost control. UEFA requires clubs to calculate their ‘squad cost ratio’, then limits those clubs to keeping that ratio at or below 70 per cent (it was 80 per cent in 2024, a limit both Chelsea and Villa exceeded). Trickily for outside analysis, the ratio is calculated on a calendar-year basis — this season’s assessment will look at 2025 as a whole — rather than the accounting period basis the football earnings rule uses.
A club’s squad cost ratio, loosely put, is calculated by taking the sum of employment expenses relating to the players and manager, alongside the annual cost of amortising any fees incurred when signing them, including agent fees. Those combined costs are then divided by the sum of the club’s annual revenue (including other operating income, which often isn’t included in a club’s top-line revenue figure) and the club’s profit or loss on player sales.
All of the elements listed here are included on a calendar-year basis, except player sale profits or losses. Those are taken over the past three calendar years, then prorated to 12 months; that means clubs benefit from profits outside of the assessed calendar year, but only by a third of the value.
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Plainly, changes to squads made in the coming days will have a significant bearing on how clubs comply, especially with the squad cost rule. With ratios calculated across a calendar year, club figures are assessed up to December 31, meaning, unlike with other rules, there’s no scope to attend to problems in January or in that period between the season ending and the end of the accounting year. If you’re at risk of non-compliance with the squad cost rule, the summer window is pretty much your deadline for fixing things.
Of particular importance here is the impact of player sales. Domestic PSR and the football earnings rule include all of the profit booked on any departures, but the prorating method used for the squad cost ratio means only one-third of sales profits are included in that calculation.
In other words, Villa’s recent £39m sale of academy graduate Jacob Ramsey only contributes £13m to their squad cost denominator in the 2025 calculation. The flip side of that is they will be able to include £13m profit from Ramsey’s sale in their calculation in each of the next two seasons too, although that point will be moot if they aren’t in European competition then. It’s also of little comfort to any club involved in a present compliance battle, as Villa are.
Both the football earnings and squad cost rules apply to all clubs in Europe this season, but for Chelsea and Villa, there’s the added complication of the ‘settlement agreements’ they entered into with UEFA this summer, after breaching both of those rules. Alongside paying €42m in combined fines and agreeing to future financial measures, the pair also accepted a condition whereby their ‘List A transfer balance’ must be positive.
List A refers to the list of players clubs must register to compete in Europe before September 2, the day after the transfer window closes for most European leagues. In Chelsea and Villa’s case, they must ensure any changes between the List A they submit now and the one they submitted back in February, before last season’s knockout stages, result in a positive transfer balance.
That transfer balance is determined by taking the costs saved on players removed from the list and offsetting against costs introduced by adding new signings (or others) to it. Those costs basically comprise the annual hit to a club’s bottom line in fee amortisation and wages. In other words, Chelsea and Villa need to ensure the annual cost of their squad submitted next month is less than or equal to the annual cost of the squad submitted in February.
There is one caveat. The Athletic has confirmed with UEFA that, just like for the squad cost rule, the governing body allows clubs to include one-third of transfer profits for the transfer balance calculation.
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That’s significant for Chelsea, who have sold Noni Madueke, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Mathis Amougou for notable fees this summer, all of whom were on the previous List A submission. So too were Nicolas Jackson and Christopher Nkunku, both players who have spent the summer being linked with moves away from Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea could remove Jackson and Nkunku from List A and benefit from cost savings in their transfer balance calculation even without selling them (though their costs would still impact football earnings and squad cost rule figures), but a profitable sale would enhance Chelsea’s ability to add new signings to their List A. Other departures have already opened up some room: Lucas Bergstrom (released this summer), Marc Guiu (loaned to Sunderland) and Jadon Sancho (loan from Manchester United ended) were all on the previous List A, too.
In Villa’s case, selling Ramsey to Newcastle generated profit to help their transfer balance but also removed the only ‘club-trained player’ from their list. UEFA requires clubs to reserve eight spots in their 25-man List A squad for ‘locally trained players’, within which ‘association-trained players’ can only assume four of those eight spots. That means four must be occupied by club-trained players. Ramsey was the only such occupant in February, and Villa only submitted a 20-man squad. With his departure, they’re unlikely to fill all 25 spots again.
Ramsey isn’t the only departure from Villa’s List A, with several more freeing up space to add Evann Guessand and Marco Bizot for the coming Europa League campaign. Robin Olsen, who Bizot has replaced, left the club this summer, as did Marcus Rashford, Marco Asensio and Axel Disasi, who, despite being on loan for only half a season, added significant salary costs to the list when they were placed on it six months ago. Leon Bailey’s departure on loan to Roma constitutes further cost savings, as the Italian side will cover his wages in full. Nottingham Forest are exploring a move for Villa right-back Matty Cash, another List A member.
Of course, just meeting the transfer balance requirement doesn’t mean they — or Chelsea — will automatically comply with UEFA’s other rules without further action. As a reminder, both clubs exceeded an 80 per cent squad cost ratio last season, and the limit has fallen to 70 per cent this time.
Chelsea and Villa have already broken UEFA rules recently, so the need to have them at the forefront of their thinking during the window is obvious. One other club doing the same might be less so.
Arsenal have not run afoul of any regulations, either at home or abroad, but the club’s heady recent spending has left them in a position of wariness around UEFA’s squad cost rule. That feeling has only been compounded by the imminent signing of Eberechi Eze. In amortisation alone, Crystal Palace playmaker Eze would add around £13m to £14m annually if he signs a five-year deal at the Emirates.
Arsenal are hoping to add Eze before the window closes (Julian Finney/Getty Images)
Arsenal have spent heavily in recent years without recouping that much in sales. Wages, naturally, have grown as performances at home and abroad have improved in recent years. Notable new contracts to 18-year-olds Miles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri have added to the substantial costs brought on board by signing Viktor Gyokeres, Martin Zubimendi and Madueke. The departures of Thomas Partey and Jorginho have helped offset costs but Arsenal have not shifted anyone of real note this summer.
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Arsenal hope to sell some players in the next 10 days or so. As reported in The Athletic’s DealSheet this week, Jakub Kiwior, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Fabio Vieira, Reiss Nelson, Karl Hein, and Albert Sambi Lokonga are candidates for exits.
Arsenal have none of the ‘transfer balance’ limitations of Chelsea and Villa, but selling either of Kiwior and Zinchenko would have the added benefit of freeing up further List A slots, something the departures of Partey and Jorginho also did. Any profitable sales at all would aid squad cost rule compliance, albeit with only a third of that profit counting towards the 2025 calculation.
Once the mayhem of the transfer window has subsided, before those competitions kicking off their group stages, The Athletic will take a deeper look at each club’s position within the rules beyond domestic borders.
For now, there remain plenty of moving parts. It is easy to see why at least three clubs will have an eye firmly on UEFA rules as the transfer deadline approaches.
(Top photos: Unai Emery and Enzo Maresca; Getty Images)
Sports
Women’s Volleyball vs University of Mobile (Ala.) on 8/21/2025 – Box Score
KU 1-0 [Makenzi Bennett] Kill by Emily Osborne (from Emma McPherson). [Makenzi Bennett] Kill by Emily Osborne (from Emma McPherson). 1 0 UM 1-1 [Gabby […]
KU
1-0
[Makenzi Bennett] Kill by Emily Osborne (from Emma McPherson).
1
0
1-1
[Gabby Sheffield] Kill by Cece Worsham (from Mallory Dills).
1
[Gabby Sheffield] Kill by Cece Worsham (from Mallory Dills).
1-2
[Frederica Silva] Attack error by Emily Osborne (block by Cece Worsham; Aubree Valcourt).
2
[Frederica Silva] Attack error by Emily Osborne (block by Cece Worsham; Aubree Valcourt).
1-3
[Frederica Silva] Attack error by Sophie Dorris.
3
[Frederica Silva] Attack error by Sophie Dorris.
2-3
[Frederica Silva] Kill by Peyton Frazer (from Emma McPherson).
2
3
2-4
[Frederica Silva] Kill by Cece Worsham (from Mallory Dills).
4
[Frederica Silva] Kill by Cece Worsham (from Mallory Dills).
2-5
[Frederica Silva] Service ace (Gabby Sheffield).
5
[Frederica Silva] Service ace (Gabby Sheffield).
2-6
[Frederica Silva] Attack error by Peyton Frazer.
6
[Frederica Silva] Attack error by Peyton Frazer.
3-6
[Frederica Silva] Kill by Peyton Frazer (from Emma McPherson).
3
6
4-6
[Jaci Drinnon] Attack error by Cece Worsham (block by Jennifer Cope; Sophie Dorris).
4
6
4-7
[Jaci Drinnon] Kill by Cece Worsham (from Mallory Dills).
7
[Jaci Drinnon] Kill by Cece Worsham (from Mallory Dills).
4-8
[Mallory Dills] Attack error by Sophie Dorris (block by Cece Worsham; Aubree Valcourt).
8
[Mallory Dills] Attack error by Sophie Dorris (block by Cece Worsham; Aubree Valcourt).
5-8
[Mallory Dills] Kill by Peyton Frazer (from Emma McPherson).
5
8
6-8
[Hannan Ellis] Kill by Jennifer Cope (from Peyton Frazer).
6
8
7-8
[Hannan Ellis] Service ace (Team).
7
8
8-8
[Hannan Ellis] Service ace (Cece Worsham).
8
8
Timeout Keiser.
8-9
[Hannan Ellis] Kill by Abby Lester (from Mallory Dills).
9
[Hannan Ellis] Kill by Abby Lester (from Mallory Dills).
8-10
[Cece Worsham] Service ace (Jaci Drinnon).
10
[Cece Worsham] Service ace (Jaci Drinnon).
9-10
[Cece Worsham] Kill by Jennifer Cope (from Hannan Ellis).
9
10
9-11
[Georgia Simmons] Kill by Aubree Valcourt (from Mallory Dills).
11
[Georgia Simmons] Kill by Aubree Valcourt (from Mallory Dills).
9-12
[Faith Marquis] Kill by Isabella Steffel (from Mallory Dills).
12
[Faith Marquis] Kill by Isabella Steffel (from Mallory Dills).
10-12
[Faith Marquis] Service error.
10
12
11-12
[Gabby Gordon] Attack error by Abby Lester (block by Corrina Porch-Maxey; Emily Osborne).
11
12
11-13
[Gabby Gordon] Kill by Makenzi Bennett (from Mallory Dills).
13
[Gabby Gordon] Kill by Makenzi Bennett (from Mallory Dills).
12-13
[Paryss Betts] Kill by Emma Hampton (from Hannan Ellis).
12
13
12-14
[Emma McPherson] Kill by Isabella Steffel (from Mallory Dills).
14
[Emma McPherson] Kill by Isabella Steffel (from Mallory Dills).
13-14
[Makenzi Bennett] Kill by Sophie Dorris (from Emma McPherson).
13
14
13-15
[Gabby Sheffield] Kill by Cece Worsham (from Mallory Dills).
15
[Gabby Sheffield] Kill by Cece Worsham (from Mallory Dills).
14-15
[Jaci Drinnon] Attack error by Cece Worsham (block by Peyton Frazer; Jennifer Cope).
14
15
15-15
[Jaci Drinnon] Attack error by Cece Worsham.
15
15
15-16
[Gabby Sheffield] Service error.
16
[Gabby Sheffield] Service error.
16-16
[Frederica Silva] Kill by Peyton Frazer (from Emma McPherson).
16
16
15-16
[Jaci Drinnon] Attack error by Cece Worsham (block by Jennifer Cope; Sophie Dorris).
16
16-16
[Jaci Drinnon] Attack error by Cece Worsham.
16
16
16-17
[Jaci Drinnon] Service error.
17
[Jaci Drinnon] Service error.
17-17
[Mallory Dills] Kill by Peyton Frazer (from Emma McPherson).
17
17
18-17
[Hannan Ellis] Kill by Jennifer Cope.
18
17
Timeout Keiser.
19-17
[Hannan Ellis] Attack error by Abby Lester (block by Peyton Frazer; Jennifer Cope).
19
17
20-17
[Hannan Ellis] Service ace (Makenzi Bennett).
20
17
20-18
[Hannan Ellis] Attack error by Peyton Frazer (block by Aubree Valcourt).
18
[Hannan Ellis] Attack error by Peyton Frazer (block by Aubree Valcourt).
21-18
[Hannan Ellis] Attack error by Abby Lester.
21
18
22-18
[Hannan Ellis] Kill by Peyton Frazer (from Hannan Ellis).
22
18
23-18
[Cece Worsham] Kill by Peyton Frazer (from Hannan Ellis).
23
18
23-19
[Georgia Simmons] Attack error by Emma Hampton.
19
[Georgia Simmons] Attack error by Emma Hampton.
24-19
[Faith Marquis] Kill by Corrina Porch-Maxey (from Hannan Ellis).
24
19
24-20
[Gabby Gordon] Kill by Isabella Steffel (from Mallory Dills).
20
[Gabby Gordon] Kill by Isabella Steffel (from Mallory Dills).
24-21
[Paryss Betts] Attack error by Emily Osborne (block by Isabella Steffel; Cece Worsham).
21
[Paryss Betts] Attack error by Emily Osborne (block by Isabella Steffel; Cece Worsham).
25-21
[Paryss Betts] Service error.
25
21
24-22
[Emma McPherson] Kill by Makenzi Bennett (from Mallory Dills).
22
[Emma McPherson] Kill by Makenzi Bennett (from Mallory Dills).
25-22
[Makenzi Bennett] Kill by Sophie Dorris (from Emma McPherson).
25
22
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