THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER SHORTLISTED FOR FOOTBALL BOOK OF THE YEAR & BEST SPORTS WRITING
AWARD AT THE 2025 SPORTS BOOK AWARDS A TIMES SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR A TELEGRAPH BOOK OF THE
YEAR AN IRISH TIMES BOOK OF THE YEAR AN IRISH INDEPENDENT BOOK OF THE YEAR Fully updated to
cover Saudi Arabia's 2034 World Cup bid the Manchester City charges case and the events of the
2024 25 season. 'Important perfectly timed and hugely necessary.' The Guardian 'Football
needs this book. A monumental piece of investigative journalism.' Irish Times 'A must-read on
how modern football works.' Ian Wright 'Brave forensic and utterly gripping.' Tom Holland
______________________________ The definitive account of how capitalism and the world's elite
corrupted modern football. As the 2022 World Cup in Qatar drew to a close there was a bitter
undercurrent to Argentina's triumph. Throughout the tournament numerous allegations of
sportswashing and financial misconduct had been made against the state of Qatar moving what
had previously been a smaller conversation into the worldwide spotlight. The question had been
asked who really owns and runs football? Journeying from Abu Dhabi to Newcastle and onto
London Paris Moscow and New York journalist Miguel Delaney investigates the allegations of
sportswashing and misconduct in the beautiful game. The result is a gripping account of how
football has been taken over by the world's wealthiest businessmen state-backed corporations
media tycoons and oil-rich oligarchs. From Neymar's £198 million transfer to Paris
Saint-Germain and Abu Dhabi's construction empire in Manchester to failed Financial Fair Play
constraints and the dawn of the European Super League Miguel draws on exclusive interviews and
unprecedented access to key stakeholders to produce an all-encompassing exposé of modern
footballs highest echelons. Authoritative riveting and eye-opening States of Play reveals
how football has become a tool for the world's elite. ______________________________ 'T he
moral compass that the game needs.' Andy Brassell 'In this excellent investigation Delaney
reveals the ugly side of the beautiful game.' Oliver Bullough 'The most important football
book of its generation.' Jack Pitt-Brooke ' Tackles the major issues affecting football
today with fearlessness and forensic scrutiny. An important investigation for our times.'
Laurie Whitwell 'A majestic book. The essential guide to how the people's game has become
the plaything of the very rich and powerful.' Jonathan Wilson Miguel Delaney's STATES OF PLAY
was ranked in the Irish Times bestsellers list the weeks of 11th-18th November & 9th December
2024.
