French Council of State cancels agreement between French Professional Football League and Monaco

The Council of State, the highest administrative body in France, has nullified the agreement reached in 2014 between the French Professional Football League and Monaco, which provided for the reduced-tax club to pay 50 million euros to compete in the French championship.

"The Council of State considers the transaction by which the FPFL committed in January 2014 to modify its regulations to allow Monaco to continue participating in the first or second division of French football without the obligation to move its headquarters to French territory irregular and unlawful," the body stated.

The highest administrative body in France understands that Monaco does not have to pay that amount nor move its headquarters to French soil, as it is not required by the French Sports Code and "cancels the modification of the administrative regulations of the League," it stated in a press release.

The decision will come into effect from October 1st and has no effect on the just-ended season, in which Monaco finished third in the standings, the Council of State clarified.

Seven clubs - Bordeaux, Lille, Lorient, Caen, Marseille, Montpellier, and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) - had appealed to the Council of State, considering that Monaco should pay more than 50 million euros.