Sheffield United owners COH Sports are to be wound up with the club still facing the threat of a 12 point deduction.
Ex-owner United World said that they’re owed £35million, with it since confirmed that COH Sports – the company set up by Sheffield United chairmen Steve Rosen and Helmy Eltoukhy to buy the club in December 2024 – placed into liquidation.
Now it is down to the EFL and the IFR on a decision to take action or not, be it a points deduction or forcing co-owner Steve Rosen to resign.
Sheffield United owners COH Sports have been wound up in the High Court. We have all the very latest on our live blog below ⬇️#SUFC #TwitterBladeshttps://t.co/IAaWKEE67R
— The Star, SUFC (@TheStarBlades) August 19, 2026
Earlier this week, United World, said to Sky Sports, said: “As the former owners of SUFC, United World does not want to see SUFC facing months of uncertainty that will follow the winding-up order being granted on 19 August.
“But in the absence of Eltoukhy and Rosen, both billionaires, agreeing to pay what they owe, we have no alternative but to take all legal steps to protect our interests.
“We understand that the EFL and the Independent Football Regulator (the IFR) are aware of this situation.
“But so far, we are not aware of any intervention by either.
“United World has issued this public statement in the hope that it is possible to avoid the potential consequences the club may face if this is not resolved before 19 August, after which we shall have no control over those consequences.”
Sources close to the the club ownership said: “We are disappointed Prince Abdullah is trying to hurt the club and its supporters with publicity stunts.
“The deal between sophisticated parties in 2024 was well-advised by his financial advisors.
“Sheffield United is financially healthy, unlike under Prince Abdullah when the club incurred a points deduction for missing payments to football creditors.
“Nonetheless, Helmy Eltoukhy and Steven Rosen invited Abdullah to reinvest in the club and join the ownership of Sheffield United and to help use his skills to support our promotion efforts.
“Helmy and Steve are focused on the sustainability of the club and the season ahead.”
United World responded on Tuesday, “sophisticated and well-advised parties pay the price they agreed”.
“An offer of shares in the company that was sold, instead of the money owed for it, was not part of the agreed deal and is not payment,” it added.
“If Sheffield United is as financially healthy as its owners claim, and the owners themselves have the means they are widely reported to have, then the money can be paid.
“Paying it would answer all questions about the club’s situation at once. Instead, the owners are running a club they have not paid for and the club’s financial health, such as it is, is the result of the owners’ scheme to avoid paying for the club.”
Geraint Hughes of Sky Sports said on Wednesday: “The owners of Sheffield United face a winding up petition in the High Court, this is slightly complicated but the first thing to make clear that is that Sheffield United are not being wound up, they are not in court, it is a company of which the co-chairman of Sheffield United, Helmy Eltoukhy and Steven Rosen are involved with, COH Sports Bidco Limited.
“The winding up order has been against them because CSBL bought Sheffield United from a previous owner, a previous company called United World, there was a sale agreement of around £100 million.
“United World have bought this petition in the High Court, this winding up order because they say they are still owed around £35million for the sale of Sheffield United.
“So even slightly more complicated is that all the shares that were in Sheffield United that were in CSBL have been transferred to another company, a parent company as well,
“So even if CSBL were wound up in the High Court today, it begs the question of what the EFL do here, they are very aware of the situation.
“But with their rules and regulations, how and if they do become involved, and if they do become involved, there is a potential points deduction for Sheffield United of up to 12 points.
“They are aware of the situation at the EFL, they’re monitoring it, as is the Independent Football Regulator and I think once the there has been a judgement made by the High Court on the winding up petition, it’s then when the EFL will decide what is their next move.”
🗣️ “They’re not doing it for, you know, the cost of a Big Issue per hour, are they? They’re gonna be serious lawyers at serious money levels.”
Football finance expert Kieran Maguire on the on-going situation at Bramall Lane.
Listen in full 👉https://t.co/wVpQmnUlpH#SUFC pic.twitter.com/M6oVBBwSa0
— Football Heaven (@footballheaven) August 18, 2026
Football finance expert Kieran Maguire meanwhile said to BBC Radio Sheffield on Tuesday: “I think that (a winding up) is the worse-case scenario. Clearly United World are serious in the sense that they are entitled to be paid and the instalments that were due, there’s no justification in those being missed by the new owners of Sheffield United.
“I’ve seen a lot of winding up orders relating to football clubs over the years. The vast majority are either settled on the court room steps before it goes into court, or the defending team will ask for some sort of postponement. I think it’s unlikely that the company will be wound up on Wednesday.”
Then on Wednesday, after the hearing, Christian Smith (@TheLawyerCSmith) tweeted: “Former Sheffield United owner COH Sports Bidco has been placed into liquidation. No lawyers appeared for the club’s new owners at today’s hearing. It’s now up to the Official Receiver to take over the company.
“What that means is it will look into the company to see if there are any assets to pay creditors (i.e. Prince Abdullah). If not, the OR could potentially look to claw back Blades Leisure, the club’s parent company, from the new owners to help pay the allegedly owing £35m.
“It seems it is now up to the EFL and the IFR as to whether they take further action, including whether to dock the club 12 points and/or to force co-owner Steve Rosen to resign. They may wait to see how the liquidation plays out.”
Kieran Maguire added after the court hearing: “Looks as if COH Bidco (Sheffield United) winding up order application will take place this afternoon and at present no opposition from the company itself.
“Sheffield United former owners considering pursuing new owners at a personal level to recover the £35m unpaid debts owed following the original sale of the club.”
United World said in a statement on the situation on Wednesday: “The High Court today ordered the winding up of COH Sports Bidco Limited, the company Helmy Eltoukhy and Steven Rosen used to buy Sheffield United Football Club from United World. No defence was filed and the debt of more than £35 million was not disputed.
“United World made every effort to resolve this matter amicably and tried until the morning of the hearing to give the owners a final opportunity to find a solution and spare Sheffield United the consequences of their conduct. That approach, like every one before it, received no response. It appears that Helmy Eltoukhy and Steven Rosen are simply not concerned about what this means for the club.
“What happens to Sheffield United now is the result of their choices. United World will continue to pursue the full sums owed through every legal avenue available, including against those personally responsible, and will support the officeholders of COH Sports Bidco with their investigation.”
