HMRC investigations into footballers jump dramatically in 2019/20

Issues surrounding image rights

Hannah Godfrey
clock • 2 min read

The tax affairs of 246 footballers were investigated by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) in the 2019/2020 tax year, nearly trebling year-on-year, according to research by accountancy network UHY Hacker Young.

The number of footballers being investigated by the taxman rose dramatically in 2019/20, up from 87 individuals in the previous year. The number of investigations into the tax affairs of football agents also rose dramatically, more than doubling from 23 in 2018/19 to 55 in 2019/20. The number of players under investigation is the equivalent of nearly ten 25-man squads. According to UHY Hacker Young, the increase tallies with greater interest in the image rights regularly negotiated by players as an extension to their salary. Image rights allow a club to use the name and likeness of...

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