LONDON, August 19, 2026 — Sheffield United have been pulled into a major ownership and financial dispute after the High Court in London granted a winding-up petition against COH Sports Bidco Limited (CSBL), the company used by the club’s current owners to acquire Sheffield United in 2024.
The petition was brought by United World Holding Limited, led by former Sheffield United owner Prince Abdullah bin Mosaad bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, over an alleged £35 million ($47.4 million) unpaid debt connected to the takeover.
The court’s decision marks a dramatic escalation in the dispute—but it is important to stress that the winding-up order applies to CSBL, not directly to Sheffield United Football Club.
A club spokesperson told Reuters that the High Court decision was “not a Sheffield United Football Club issue.”
Why the £35 Million Dispute Matters
COH Sports, led by American businessmen Steven Rosen and Helmy Eltoukhy, completed its takeover of Sheffield United in December 2024.
The consortium acquired 100% of Blades Leisure Ltd, the club’s parent company, from United World Holdings. Sheffield United confirmed the takeover at the time, describing COH Sports as a group committed to long-term investment in the club.
However, United World later claimed that approximately £35 million remained unpaid from the transaction.
The dispute intensified after Sheffield United announced in June 2026 that 1919 Partners LLC had become the club’s parent company. United World has argued that the restructuring appears designed to avoid responsibility for the outstanding debt.
COH Sports has disputed the characterization of the situation and has maintained that Sheffield United itself remains financially healthy.
Could Sheffield United Really Lose 12 Points?
This is where the situation becomes particularly serious for supporters.
United World has warned that there is a “real prospect” of the English Football League (EFL) imposing a 12-point deduction if the ownership structure ultimately results in an insolvency event that falls under EFL regulations.
But there is currently no confirmed 12-point deduction against Sheffield United.
The EFL had been examining the ownership dispute following allegations that the club’s ownership structure was changed while money remained outstanding to the former owner. The league had not immediately commented on Wednesday’s High Court decision, according to Reuters.
That distinction is crucial. A winding-up order against a company connected to a football club does not automatically mean the club itself is immediately punished.
Whether Sheffield United face sporting sanctions will depend on how the EFL interprets the ownership and insolvency circumstances and whether its regulations are triggered.
From £105 Million Takeover to Courtroom Battle
The current crisis is a striking development from the optimism surrounding Sheffield United’s takeover less than two years ago.
COH Sports completed its acquisition in December 2024 in a deal widely reported at around £105 million. Rosen and Eltoukhy became co-chairmen, while the deal included the men’s and women’s teams, the Bramall Lane hotel and the club’s real estate.
At the time, the new owners promised to build Sheffield United into a sustainable Premier League club.
Now, the ownership group faces a major legal dispute with the very people from whom it bought the club.
United World Says It Will Keep Fighting
Prince Abdullah’s United World has made clear that Wednesday’s court ruling is not the end of the matter.
The former owners said they had continued trying to reach a solution before the hearing but would now pursue recovery of the money through “every legal avenue available.”
For United World, the issue is not simply about recovering £35 million. It argues that allowing football clubs to be acquired without full payment could undermine the EFL’s financial and ownership rules.
Sheffield United Rejects the Idea That the Club Is in Crisis
The current ownership’s position is sharply different.
COH Sports has rejected the allegations surrounding the club’s finances and has previously described claims that Sheffield United could face an immediate sporting crisis as misleading.
The club’s position is that the legal dispute involves the corporate structure behind the takeover rather than Sheffield United Football Club itself.
That distinction could become critical in the coming weeks as the EFL considers whether its regulations have been breached.
What Happens Next?
The immediate legal battle now shifts beyond the High Court ruling.
The key questions are:
- Will the £35 million debt ultimately be paid?
- What happens to COH Sports Bidco Limited following the winding-up order?
- Will the EFL determine that an insolvency event has occurred under its regulations?
- Could Sheffield United actually receive a 12-point deduction?
- What impact, if any, will the 1919 Partners restructuring have on the club’s ownership status?
For now, Sheffield United have not been handed a 12-point deduction.
But the court ruling has transformed what was already a bitter ownership dispute into a potentially consequential football-governance case.
And that is why the next move from the EFL could matter just as much as the High Court ruling itself.
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