Disclaimer

Read this one

Disclaimers are usually written for lawyers to quote later. This one is written for readers, because people act on football reporting: they buy a ticket or a flight on the strength of a fixture, they argue about a fee, they believe a signing is done, they read a suspension as settled. Where the responsibility of a news publication ends and where yours begins deserves to be spelled out somewhere everyone can find it, so FOOTBALL INSTANT puts it here rather than in small print.

Independent, and not the game’s authorities

FOOTBALL INSTANT is an independent publication. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by FIFA, UEFA, any confederation, any national association, any league or any club, and nothing on this site should be read as an official statement of any of them. Club and competition names, crests and badges are the trademarks of their owners, and we use them only to identify the teams and tournaments we report on, as any publication covering the sport must; no such use implies a relationship of any kind. We hold no broadcast or data rights, we represent no player, and we are not a governing body, a regulator or a dispute resolution service. Where an official document and our reporting disagree, tell us, because one of the two needs correcting, and until then treat the official document as authoritative.

Journalism, not betting

This needs saying plainly, because football sites attract the assumption. FOOTBALL INSTANT publishes journalism only. We are not a betting service, a tipster, an odds comparison site or a gambling affiliate. Nothing here is a betting tip, a prediction offered as guidance, a recommendation about any market, a stake suggestion or a statement of how likely any result is. Our previews describe form, availability and what is at stake in the competition; they are not selections. Our analysis of rules, money and decisions is explanatory reporting and nothing more. If you gamble, do so on your own judgement and within your own means, using the licensed operator and the support services available where you live. Any losses are yours, and a story on this site can never be a reason to stake money.

Transfers are reported, not promised

A large share of football news concerns moves that have not happened. We label each stage for what it is, and the labels matter. Interest is interest. Talks are talks. An agreement in principle is an agreement between clubs that can still collapse over medical results, personal terms, a work permit, a registration deadline or a change of mind. A completed transfer is one registered with the competent body and announced by the clubs. Nothing we report about an unregistered move is a promise that it will be completed, when it will be completed or on what terms. Fees are reported as clubs, leagues or accounts state them, and where only a range exists we publish the range; guaranteed sums, add-ons, sell-on shares and payment schedules can each move a headline figure by a wide margin. Agent briefings come from parties with an interest in the outcome, and we identify them as such under our editorial standards.

Scores, statistics, squads and fixtures

Results, scorelines, goalscorers, cards, minutes, official attendance figures and match data are reported as the competition and the officials record them at the time, and each of these can be amended afterwards. A goal can be reassigned, a card rescinded, an appearance corrected, an attendance restated and a result changed by a disciplinary or arbitration decision weeks later. Squad lists, registrations and injury statuses change without notice, and eligibility for one competition does not imply eligibility for another. Fixtures, kick-off times, venues and broadcast arrangements are moved by competitions, broadcasters and authorities regularly, so check with the competition or the venue before you book anything, buy a ticket or travel. We do not sell tickets and we can neither confirm nor guarantee anyone else’s.

Club finances are not financial advice

We report on club accounts, ownership filings, takeovers, sponsorship deals, prize money and the regulations that govern spending. A story about a set of accounts, a takeover or a holding company listed on any exchange is reporting, not investment advice, and it is not a view on any security, fan token or other instrument connected with a club. Accounts describe a period that has already closed, and the state of a business can change entirely between the balance sheet date and the day you read about it. Nothing here is investment, tax or legal advice, and reading it creates no adviser relationship. Where money is at stake, take advice from someone licensed to give it who knows your circumstances.

How long a story stays true

Our fact-checking policy governs what we check before publishing and our corrections policy governs what we fix afterwards, but neither allows us to promise that every page is complete, current and free of error. Freshness matters more on this beat than on most. Windows close, regulations are amended between seasons, sanctions are reduced on appeal, competition formats are reformed, and a rule quoted accurately in one season may not exist in the next. Every article carries its publication date and, where updated, the time of the update. Look at the date before you rely on anything, and read older pieces as a record of what was known when they were written rather than as a description of today.

Links, advertisements and the sum of it

Where we link to or quote external material, responsibility for it rests with its authors, and a link is a citation rather than an endorsement. Advertisements are the words of the advertisers, delivered through a third-party network under the conditions on our advertise page, and any dealing you have with an advertiser is between you and them. Sponsored content carries a label that keeps it visibly apart from reporting. Read this site to know what happened and what the documents say, not to be told what to do. For eligibility, fixtures and official records, rely on the competition. For money, rely on a licensed adviser. For mistakes in our reporting, rely on us: write to support@futbolalinstante.com and the record will be put right.