The Gibraltar Football Association (“Gibraltar FA”) today confirms that the First Instance Board (“FIB”) of its Club Licensing Unit has issued a decision regarding Manchester 1962 FC, following a review of the Club’s compliance with the Gibraltar FA Domestic Club Licensing Regulations 2024/25 (which regulate Season 2025/26).
The Gibraltar FA has been aware of Manchester 1962 FC’s financial difficulties since July 2025 and, within the framework of its Club Licensing Regulations (the “Regulations”), has been working closely with the Club to try to resolve these issues. This has involved ongoing monitoring, reviews of the Club’s compliance status, and direct engagement to support the measures required under the Regulations. Despite these efforts, the Club has failed to meet the necessary obligations, leaving the FIB with no option but to impose a sanction.
The FIB found that the Club has failed to meet key financial and regulatory obligations, including:
As a result, Manchester 1962 FC has been sanctioned with a six (6) point deduction in the Gibraltar Football League, effective immediately.
The Club’s situation will be reviewed again at the next licensing monitoring deadline of 15 January 2026. By that date, Manchester 1962 FC must demonstrate that all outstanding amounts owed to players and staff have been settled in full and that it is compliant with all licensing obligations. If the Club has not regularised its position by then, the FIB may impose further disciplinary measures.
The FIB’s decision was communicated to the Club on 23 October 2025. The seven-day appeal window has now closed, with no appeal lodged, meaning the sanction is final and effective immediately.
The Gibraltar FA has also communicated directly with affected players to inform them of the mechanisms available to pursue wage-related claims, including through FIFA’s established processes, while continuing to strengthen local structures for player protection.
The Gibraltar FA emphasises that its objective is to protect players and staff, uphold the integrity of its competitions, and support Manchester 1962 FC in finding a sustainable path forward. As one of Gibraltar’s oldest football institutions, with over 60 years of history and a strong youth system, the Gibraltar FA is committed to working with the Club to explore solutions that can safeguard its future while ensuring compliance with the Regulations.
In-depth information on the Gibraltar FA’s Club Licensing rules and regulations, including explainers can be found on the Gibraltar FA’s website by following this link:
https://www.gibraltarfa.com/governance/Club-licensing
1: The players staged a sit-down protest on Monday. Did that influence this announcement?
No. The timing of this announcement has nothing to do with the players’ sit-down protest. The process has been running since July, when the Gibraltar FA first became aware of Manchester 1962 FC’s financial difficulties. The sanction itself was decided by the First Instance Board on 23 October, and the announcement was made today only because the seven-day appeal period expired yesterday with no appeal lodged.
The protest highlighted the frustration of the players, which we fully understand, but it did not trigger the decision or its timing. The sanction was already in place, and the outcome was inevitable under the regulations once the appeal window closed.
2: Why has the Gibraltar FA sanctioned Manchester 1962 FC at this time?
The Gibraltar FA’s First Instance Board, which is an independent decision-making body, determined that Manchester 1962 FC had failed to meet its obligations under the Domestic Club Licensing Regulations.
The chronology is as follows:
In addition, the Licensing Administration verified that the club:
Taken together, these breaches represent serious violations of the licensing framework. The six-point deduction reflects the gravity of the situation.
3: Why did the Gibraltar FA wait until now to announce the sanction?
The FIB decision was communicated to Manchester 1962 FC on 23 October 2025. Under the licensing regulations, the Club had a seven-day window to appeal. That period has now expired, and no appeal was lodged.
The Gibraltar FA therefore waited until the appeal process concluded before making the decision public to ensure due process and fairness to the Club.
4: Isn’t this punishing the Club when the real victims are the players?
The purpose of these sanctions is to protect players and staff. Allowing Clubs to continue competing while failing to pay wages would undermine fairness and place players in an unacceptable situation.
The Gibraltar FA has been aware of Manchester 1962 FC’s financial difficulties since July 2025 and has been working with the Club under the licensing framework to try to resolve them. This included facilitating discussions with the Income Tax Office, reviewing payment plans, monitoring compliance, and providing guidance. Despite these efforts, the Club repeatedly defaulted, leaving the FIB with no option but to impose sanctions.
5: What happens next for Manchester 1962 FC? Could they face further sanctions?
The FIB has set the next deadline of 15 January 2026 for Manchester 1962 FC to regularise its position, as this is the next date for the quarterly monitoring under our licensing process. Regularisation means Manchester 1962 FC must:
Failure to meet these requirements may lead to further sanctions.
6: Does this harm Gibraltar football’s reputation internationally?
On the contrary. UEFA and FIFA require national associations to enforce licensing rules consistently and fairly. Ignoring breaches would damage Gibraltar’s credibility. By applying sanctions, strengthening monitoring, and ensuring obligations such as tax compliance are enforced, the Gibraltar FA is showing that it is serious about governance, fairness, and protecting its players.
7: How does this link to the Gibraltar FA’s long-term strategy?
The Gibraltar FA has identified club sustainability as a central priority going forward. The aim is to ensure that Clubs can stand on their own two feet through stronger financial planning, governance, and support structures. Initial discussions with clubs have already begun, with a meeting scheduled for 10 November to take this work forward.
8: Is the Gibraltar FA trying to shut down Manchester 1962 FC with these sanctions?
No, quite the opposite. The Gibraltar FA does not want to see Manchester 1962 FC disappear. This Club has been part of Gibraltar football for more than 60 years, and its history and community significance are deeply valued.
Our priority is to ensure that players and staff are paid for their work, while at the same time devising a plan for the Club to come out of this crisis and survive. The Gibraltar FA will therefore continue to work with Manchester 1962 FC throughout this period to support a pathway to recovery, but that pathway must be built on compliance, accountability, and sustainability.
9: What can players do if they are not being paid?
The Gibraltar FA has communicated directly with affected players to explain the mechanisms available to them. Under FIFA’s global framework, players can submit claims to FIFA’s Dispute Resolution Chamber (DRC), which issues binding decisions on unpaid wages and contractual disputes. This is normal practice and has been used several times for disputes of this nature in Gibraltar.
At the same time, the Gibraltar FA has for several months been working to re-establish a National Dispute Resolution Chamber (NDRC) in Gibraltar. An NDRC was first introduced in 2021 but did not function effectively in practice. The new NDRC, aligned with FIFA’s updated framework, will provide a local mechanism for players and clubs to resolve employment-related disputes once it is operational, before the end of the year.
