Sheffield United could be hit with a 12-point deduction in the Championship following a row over payment between former owner United World and current owners Helmy Eltoukhy and Steven Rosen, who are accused of owing more than £35million.
United World, the investment arm of former Blades owner Saudi Arabian Prince Abdullah Bin Mosaad Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, is attempting to wind up the company the Americans used to purchase the club. The investment firm claims Eltoukhy and Rosen transferred their shares to a new company in June in "what appears to be an attempt to avoid paying creditors," leaving the debtor company with no assets to pay the £35m debt.
A hearing on the winding-up petition is listed for Wednesday, 19 August, at the High Court in London. In a statement outlining its position, United World said: "In short, they are trying to take the club without paying for it."
A winding-up petition is a formal legal procedure in England where a creditor asks the High Court to liquidate a company that cannot pay its debts. Heard at the Insolvency and Companies List in London, the process requires creditors to prove that an outstanding debt remains unpaid before a judge will order liquidation to recover assets.
United World warned of severe governance consequences under English Football League regulations if the court rules in its favour on 19 August. "If the winding-up petition is granted on 19 August, as we expect, EFL Regulation 2.1.16 provides that Rosen must be disqualified from being a controlling owner and director of SUFC," the statement read. "He will no longer be able to be chairman, or a director, he will no longer be able to exercise any control over the club and will have to sell a significant proportion of his controlling interest in the club."
EFL Regulation 2.1.16 forms part of the league rules governing club ownership and corporate solvency, disqualifying officers who are subject to court liquidation orders.
The statement added: "In addition, we understand that, once investigations are completed, there is a real prospect that the EFL may have to impose a 12-point deduction on SUFC under EFL Regulation 12.3, in order to 'protect the integrity and continuity of the League Competition' and 'the reputation of The League.'"
EFL Regulation 12.3 provides the legal framework for sporting sanctions, allowing the league to deduct points from clubs involved in insolvency proceedings or financial misconduct to maintain competitive fairness.
Owners Dismiss Winding-Up Petition
Sources close to Eltoukhy and Rosen responded by dismissing United World's claims as a "publicity stunt" in an escalating dispute between the past and present leadership of the club.
"We are disappointed Prince Abdullah is trying to hurt the club and its supporters with publicity stunts," an insider said. "The deal between sophisticated parties in 2024 was well advised by his financial advisors."
The insider added: "Sheffield United is financially healthy, unlike under Prince Abdullah when the Club incurred a points deduction for missing payments to football creditors."
"Nonetheless, Helmy Eltoukhy and Steven Rosen invited Abdullah to re-invest in the club and join the ownership of Sheffield United and to help use his skills to support our promotion efforts," the insider continued. "Helmy and Steve are focused on the sustainability of the club and the season ahead."
Sheffield United, nicknamed the Blades, were founded in 1889 and play at Bramall Lane in South Yorkshire. The team competes in the EFL Championship, the second division of English football, where clubs compete for promotion to the Premier League.
