Supporters of Olympique de Marseille could well drink the chalice to the dregs. Because Habib Beye’s men may have won a consolation prize thanks to the Europa League, it is not certain that OM will be there for the European Cups next season. The fault lies in a financial situation which could earn him heavy sanctions from UEFA, up to and including exclusion from the European Cups.
Sanctioned with a first fine of two million euros (including 1.7 million suspended) in 2022 for its economic difficulties, OM then agreed with UEFA on a “settlement agreement” which required it to reduce its deficit in order to get closer to the 60 million euros in losses over three years authorized by UEFA.
Alas, the situation has in no way improved but has on the contrary worsened. While losses were 12.7 million euros in the 2022-2023 season, they increased to 105 million last season. The deficit over the last three years amounts to nearly 157 million euros and the TV rights crisis in France cannot explain everything.
UEFA could strike hard
And while OM is expected this Tuesday before the UEFA club financial control committee, the worst is to be feared according to The Team. So much so that some Olympian leaders are openly talking about possible exclusion from European competitions.
“If the club fails to fulfill the primary purpose of the settlement agreement, it is in breach of the settlement agreement. The First Chamber of the CFCB may then apply one of the following measures, depending on the importance of the violation: fine, limitation of the number of players for the 2026-2027 season, ban on registering new players for the 2026-2027 season, exclusion from the next UEFA club competition for which the club would otherwise be qualified, for the following three seasons starting from the 2026-2027 season.
anticipated the agreement concluded in 2022.
