A few days ago a friend posted on Facebook: “Brazil is changing its rules to allow for foreign investment into their local soccer clubs. They hope this will lead to further commercialisation of the game in the soccer-mad nation, saving many of their debt-ridden teams from going bankrupt.

“Is this perhaps the route SA will eventually follow? Although here, unlike in Brazil, there are no explicit rules forbidding majority foreign ownership of soccer clubs, the league appears reluctant to allow such moves, presumably because they want to protect local clubs from being taken over by foreigners with deep pockets. ..