<p>Following an 18-point penalty and relegation, Dutch club Vitesse has been pushed to the brink of bankruptcy. This has only forced supporters to pitch in for survival.</p>



<p>This season was the first time in 35 years that <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/vitesse-tv-schedule-for-us-viewers/">Vitesse</a> had been demoted from the top division. The Dutch Football Association <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/dutch-giants-relegated-for-ties-to-ex-chelsea-owner-abramovich/">docked them 18 points</a> for willful and repeated violations of their license terms; and for giving the authorities false information.</p>



<p>Thus, the team is now in a mad dash to save their professional license for next season; especially after deciding not to appeal the suspension. According to <a href="https://www.gelderlander.nl/vitesse/vitesse-en-stadioneigenaar-verwachten-snel-een-deal-te-sluiten-nu-knvb-dreigt-met-intrekken-proflicentie~a20344cb/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dutch news reports</a>, they have until May 17, the next licensing committee meeting, to pay off their $20.3 million in debt.</p>



<p>While the exact sum is not necessary, the club must demonstrate that they have a long-term strategy. If not, a possible dissolution and revocation of the football club’s professional license is imminent.</p>



<p>Within two weeks, the Arnhem club must prove to the KNVB licensing committee that they are financially healthy enough to play next season or beyond. Fail to do so, and they will be deemed bankrupt.</p>



<h2>Many ex-players come to rescue for Vitesse in face of bankruptcy</h2>



<p>As a result, a campaign called “For Yellow-Black” has been started on the club’s website, and it asks fans to provide large amounts of money to ensure the club’s survival.</p>



<p>“Donations are coming in from every nook and cranny,” Vitesse captain Marco van Ginkel told the club’s website. “Of course, we as a group cannot lag behind. That is why we have all decided to make a salary sacrifice to the club. We also hope to make a nice contribution. On to the two million!”</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="1200" height="670" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/full/WST_20240503_WST_504994_Vitesse-struggles-1200x670_bc10942b.webp&amp;width=1200&amp;height=670" alt="" class="wp-image-505005" srcset="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/05/Vitesse-struggles-1200x670.jpg 1200w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/05/Vitesse-struggles-300x168.jpg 300w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/05/Vitesse-struggles-768x429.jpg 768w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/05/Vitesse-struggles.jpg 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px"></figure></figure>



<p>Some of the people who helped out with the crowdfunding effort include Guram Kashia, Wilfried Bony, Roy Makaay, Ronald Koeman, Leo Beenhakker, and Henk ten Cate, among others. The crowdfunding campaign was formally launched by John van den Brom, a former player and the new manager of Vitesse.</p>



<p>His announcement as head coach came just this week, but he already has a message up on the crowdfunding website pleading for supporters to chip in.</p>



<p>“With this, we hope to show everyone and everything in the Netherlands that Vitesse is alive. We also really need the revenue. This is the time to support the club!”, he said.</p>



<h2>How close were Vitesse and Chelsea in their relationship?</h2>



<p>Also, a number of ex-<a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/chelsea-tv-schedule/">Chelsea</a> players have chipped in to help salvage their struggling old club via the crowdfunding initiative. The Standard reports that Matt Miazga and Lewis Baker, both of whom were members of the Blues Academy, donated monetarily to the initiative.</p>



<p>Because of their penchant for signing Chelsea loanees, the former Eredivisie club gained fame outside of the Netherlands. They were even known as “Chelsea B” at one point because of the large number of Blues players loaned out to the Dutch club. The list even includes luminaries like Armando Broja and Mason Mount.</p>



<p>The two sides had a great working relationship during Roman Abramovich’s ownership of Chelsea. A number of the club’s younger players had productive loan stints. Players such as Baker, Miazga, as well as Dominic Solanke were members of the club.<br><br>On loan from Stamford Bridge, Vitesse received 29 players over a whole decade. Former Real Madrid player Martin Odegaard also played for the Arnhem outfit on a season-long loan in 2018-19.</p>



<p><em>PHOTOS: IMAGO</em></p>

Vitesse to go bankrupt? Ex-Chelsea players donate to save club

Following an 18-point penalty and relegation, Dutch club Vitesse has been pushed to the brink of bankruptcy.


<p>Canada Soccer is struggling to stay afloat, and bankruptcy is now a real threat to the Federation. With the Canadian teams competing in the Gold Cup and Women’s World Cup in July, the financial situation continues to weaken. A lack of profitable media rights and friendlies depleted the cash reserves of Canada Soccer.</p>



<p>In an interview with TSN, interim general secretary Jason de Vos said the possibility of bankruptcy is real, and it is something he and the rest of the Federation discussed. </p>



<p>[Bankruptcy has] been discussed more from my own perspective to learn about it,” de Vos told <a href="https://www.tsn.ca/westhead-interim-general-secretary-jason-devos-paints-grim-picture-of-canada-soccer-s-finances-1.1977583" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">TSN</a>. “It is absolutely the last option that I want to consider or even think about. But I would be remiss if I didn’t do my due diligence on this.”</p>



<p>Canada Soccer’s cash reserves sat at just $2.4 million at the end of 2022. One year earlier, it was at $7.1 million. This is despite federal funding pumping a large quantity of cash into the Federation. Canadian parliament provided Canada Soccer with $5 million in 2022. However, the situation is dire. On the way back from the side’s Nations League defeat against the United States, members of the men’s national team were sitting in coach class on an Air Canada flight. </p>



<p>At the same time, men’s Head Coach John Herdman vented his frustrations about the financial situation up north and how Canada is not <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/canada-coach-says-federation-is-not-serious-about-world-cup-20230619-WST-438544.html">serious about winning the World Cup</a>.</p>



<p>“I think it’s not a secret the organization has been suffering financially even through the World Cup qualification. You had coaches raising money to make sure we’ve got charter flights, security on those charter flights.”</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<div class="ck-twitter"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">John Herdman&apos;s comments Sunday night on Canada Soccer&apos;s funding issues. <br>He said during the lead up to last year&apos;s World Cup, men&apos;s national team coaches had to raise money privately to pay for charter flights. <a href="https://t.co/T7iNSMTToj">pic.twitter.com/T7iNSMTToj</a></p>— Rick Westhead (@rwesthead) <a href="https://twitter.com/rwesthead/status/1670842285242855424?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 19, 2023</a></blockquote></div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



<h2>Canada Soccer may file for bankruptcy after missed opportunities</h2>



<p>Canadian output on the field has suffered as a result of the financial woes. On one hand, both the men’s and women’s teams are doing well. The men qualified for the second men’s World Cup in the Federation’s history. Before then, Canada picked up a gold medal in women’s soccer at the 2020 Olympics.</p>



<p>Regardless, Canada has missed out on potential friendlies because it simply could not afford them. Canada had potential friendlies against South Korea and Saudi Arabia ahead of the 2022 World Cup. Yet, despite Saudi Arabia offering Canada $500,000 for the friendly, Canada did not pay the $200,000 for the entirety of the trip to Europe for the games. </p>



<p>This fall, the men’s and women’s teams may not have international camps. TSN estimated playing two matches and running a camp in a single window can cost between $500,000 and $1 million&nbsp;per team. Based solely on the cash reserves, that may be too much for the Federation. As a result, these two promising and developing teams could miss out on key games.</p>



<p><em>PHOTO: IMAGO &amp; Agencia-MexSport</em></p>


Canada Soccer is struggling to stay afloat, and bankruptcy is now a real threat to the Federation despite recent successes.

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Vitesse to go bankrupt? Ex-Chelsea players donate to save club

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Canada Soccer contemplates filing for bankruptcy