Full coverage: Football

Gary Owens became interim CEO of the FAI after the turmoil of the John Delaney era. In a major interview, he discusses the association's relationship with banks, sponsors, government and League of Ireland clubs – and his vision for the future.

The League of Ireland was struggling before Covid-19, and the pandemic has made a bad situation worse. There are too many clubs, not enough spectators and now there is frustration at proposals to play matches behind closed doors. Could an All-Island league salvage domestic football?

In 2007, Athlone Town FC unveiled a state-of-the-art stadium built with lottery funds and a mystery donor. Then the row over ownership began - and it continues to work its way through the courts. Just how did it come to this? And what happens next?

To understand why the FAI has a financial black hole, you need to follow the actual cash. Our analysis of the company’s cash flows shows that while it was showing healthy profits, the association was actually struggling to break even.

Reeling from a 29 per cent drop in ratings from 2015 to 2017 threatening the value of TV rights, the Premier League has vowed to stop illegal streams. In affidavits seen by The Currency, it shows how piracy undermines its business.

How did an obscure company in Dublin 4 become part of a global asset hunt? And what happens next? Confidential documents, court judgements, affidavits and international filings reveal the real story behind the collapse of MP & Silva, and the role of Ireland in its operations.