Sheffield United are facing a potential 12-point deduction after the company used by its owners to buy the club was hit with a High Court winding up order.
Blades fans now face an anxious wait while the English Football League (EFL) investigates whether there has been a potentially damaging breach of its rules.
United World, the investment arm of former owner Saudi Arabian Prince Abdullah Bin Mosaad Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, took COH Sports Bidco to the High Court, claiming it was owed £35million from the sale, which took place in 2024.
United World argued that current custodians of the Championship side, American duo Helmy Eltoukhy and Steven Rosen, had effectively attempted to take the club without paying for it, after they transferred their shares in United to a new company.
While the American duo dismissed the move as a "publicity stunt", a judge issued the winding up order and the EFL will now decide whether to take further action.
Unpaid Sale Debt and Ownership Dispute
A United World spokesman said it had "made every effort to resolve the matter amicably" and had tried to do so again this morning "to give the owners a final opportunity to spare Sheffield United the consequences of their actions".
"It appears that Helmy Eltoukhy and Steven Rosen are simply not concerned about what this means for the club," the spokesman added.
"What happens now is the result of their choices. United World will continue to pursue the full sums."
Sheffield United and EFL Responses
A Sheffield United spokesman said: "Sheffield United Football Club is aware of today’s hearing at the High Court. This is a matter between the current owners and former owner."
"The Football Club is in contact with the EFL and the day-to-day operations at Sheffield United are unaffected," the club spokesman added.
Meanwhile, an EFL spokesman said: "The EFL notes the High Court’s decision to issue a winding up order on COH Sports Bidco Limited. The League will consider the implications of that development in line with its Regulations, including whether any further action is required."
"In addition, the EFL continues to consider other regulatory matters following changes to the club’s ownership structure and developments within the wider group," the EFL spokesman added. "As these issues remain ongoing, the EFL will make no further comment at this stage."
Regulatory Background and Club Context
Under English Football League regulations, clubs face potential point deductions if entity structures involved in club ownership face formal insolvency processes or winding up orders. Sheffield United, founded in 1889 and based at Bramall Lane in South Yorkshire, currently play in the EFL Championship, the second tier of English football.
Prince Abdullah Bin Mosaad Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud previously controlled Sheffield United through United World before selling the club to Helmy Eltoukhy and Steven Rosen in 2024. The EFL investigation will determine whether financial penalties or sporting sanctions are applied to the Championship side.
