--- title: "Survival at any cost: how the custodians of Lithuanian football struggle to steer their ship" date: 2025-05-07T14:20:31Z lang: en author: "Mantas Aliukonis" canonical: https://balticfootballnews.com/survival-at-any-cost-how-the-custodians-of-lithuanian-football-struggle-to-steer-their-ship/ categories: ["Insights", "Lithuania"] --- # Survival at any cost: how the custodians of Lithuanian football struggle to steer their ship _by Mantas Aliukonis_ ![](https://i0.wp.com/balticfootballnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/492505861_1231155435683147_3205307725555258057_n.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&ssl=1)Photo: FK Riteriai **It’s been just over two months since the kickoff of the new A Lyga season, yet controversy still grips the corridors of Lithuanian football. At the heart of the storm are Vilnius’ _Riteriai_ — a club teetering dangerously on the brink of bankruptcy.** #### The Backstory The Lithuanian Football Federation (LFF) now finds itself scrambling to clean up a mess it helped create. Just before the season began, LFF approved an investment deal that brought Singaporean backers into _Riteriai_. What was supposed to be a lifeline turned into a slow-motion disaster: salaries started arriving late, and the relationship between longtime club owner Jan Nevoina and the new Asian investors quickly soured. The winter saw Singapore-based sports marketing and player management company _Red Card Global_ step in as _Riteriai_‘s new partial owners. According to insider information, the deal initially stipulated that _Red Card Global_ would acquire a 7-part share package. However, they failed to meet their financial obligations. As a safeguard, 3 of the 7 parts remained under Nevoina’s control until full payment was secured. LFF president Edgaras Stankevičius publicly admitted that the situation was grim: the club’s current handlers had lost interest in keeping the project afloat. To prevent _Riteriai_ — and the ten-team league — from collapsing entirely, the [LFF injected €50,000](https://balticfootballnews.com/?p=8160 "Red Card Global withdraw from Riteriai as LFF offer €50,000 bailout") into the club’s account in early April. Most of that money went straight to overdue salaries and player loan fees. #### A History of Precedents and Missteps Looking back, _Riteriai_‘s troubles are not unique. Lithuanian football has seen its fair share of clubs crash and burn midseason — and attempts by the LFF to shield the sport from dubious investors have not always succeeded. ##### The Fall of _Kruoja_ and _Klaipėdos Granitas_ In 2014, the LFF introduced new ownership rules requiring every A Lyga club to have at least three stakeholders and to disclose any changes in ownership in advance. Despite these efforts, the 2015 season saw _Kruoja_ (Pakruojis) and _Klaipėdos Granitas_ expelled after being caught manipulating match outcomes. Notably, _Kruoja_‘s attempt to onboard investors from Hong Kong was blocked by the LFF. ##### _MML City_: A Scandal in the First Division In 2023, controversy erupted again. Georgian and Ukrainian investors, along with controversial Lithuanian businessman Žydrūnas Buzas, took over _MML City_. By mid-year, unpaid salaries, mounting debts, and rumors of match-fixing plagued the club. That September, the LFF unanimously revoked _MML City’s_ license after match-fixing allegations exploded, annulling the results of their remaining fixtures. LFF president Stankevičius at the time blasted weak law enforcement and legislative loopholes, pointing out that young Lithuanian players were often the ones dragged into these murky dealings. ##### The Bankruptcy of _Kauno Stumbras_ Before its downfall in 2019, _Kauno Stumbras_ was seen as a promising project, boosted by Portuguese investors and coach-owner Mariano Barreto. In 2017, despite struggles, the club won the LFF Cup and earned a place in the UEFA Europa League qualifiers. But behind the scenes, warning signs emerged: in 2018, FIFPro issued damning reports about unpaid wages and exploitative contracts at _Stumbras_. The New York Times painted a bleak picture, suggesting the club’s main aim was to profit off player sales, calling Lithuania the “_bottom of the football development ecosystem_.” Despite some attempts at damage control, by 2019 financial chaos had consumed the club. Players left en masse, and _Stumbras_ lost its licenses for both the A Lyga and First League. Matches already played were allowed to stand, but the remaining games were forfeited 0–3. ##### An Even Older Precedent: _Romar_’s Collapse One of Lithuanian football’s earliest collapses happened during the 1995/96 season, when Mažeikiai’s _Romar_ folded after just four rounds. Financial troubles spiraled after club boss Romas Marcinkevičius left for the U.S., leading to the team’s disbandment. Vilnius’ youth-based team _Alsa_ filled the gap, finishing near the bottom of the league. Interestingly, that season introduced the 3-points-for-a-win system still used today. Among the young talents who emerged from _Alsa_ were future stars like Povilas Lukšys, Valdas Trakys, Deividas Šemberas, and Darius Žutautas. #### UEFA Money: A Safety Net? Fortunately, financial pressures may soon ease. Thanks to UEFA solidarity payments, Lithuanian clubs are set to receive generous allocations this year — nearly €3 million total, a significant bump from €1.6 million in 2023. For the 2024 season alone, each A Lyga club received around €250,000, with Pirma Lyga clubs picking up €45,000 each. If Lithuanian teams perform well in European tournaments this summer, the numbers for 2025 could rise even higher. It’s worth noting: while these funds traditionally must be spent on youth development, training camps, travel, and staff costs — and are subject to audits — they provide a vital cushion in an otherwise unpredictable football economy.