The Principle of Sporting Succession: From a Judicially Created Concept to a Codified Tool Against Football Clubs’ Avoidance of Mandatory Financial Responsibilities’’

This thesis analyses the principle of sporting succession in football, tracing its development from a CAS-created concept to its later codification in FIFA regulations. It examines how sporting succession has been used to prevent clubs from avoiding mandatory financial obligations through insolvency, restructuring, liquidation or the creation of new entities that preserve the sporting identity of the original club.

Through detailed analysis of key CAS awards, including Politehnica Timișoara, Rangers de Talca, Újpest, Tammeka, CSKA Sofia and Yeni Mersin, the thesis explores the criteria used to identify continuity between an old and a new club, including sporting identity, assets, federation rights, supporters, name, colours, stadium and conduct of the parties. It concludes that sporting succession remains a highly relevant but not fully settled principle within lex sportiva, requiring careful assessment of both objective and subjective elements, as well as the role of creditors’ due diligence in national insolvency proceedings.