Former England international Shaun Wright-Phillips is facing a bankruptcy petition filed by HM Revenue & Customs at the High Court on Friday.
The 43-year-old ex-Manchester City and Chelsea winger could face financial ruin following the tax authority's legal action.
Wright-Phillips, who retired from professional football in 2019, has since established himself as a regular pundit across major broadcasters including the BBC, ITV, Sky Sports, TNT Sports, Amazon and talkSPORT.
He has served as a club ambassador for Manchester City since 2020.
Shaun Wright-Phillips is facing a bankruptcy petition filed by HMRC
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The petition was filed under his full name, Shaun Cameron Wright-Phillips, according to court records.
A representative for Wright-Phillips told Telegraph Sport: "Shaun is not aware of this and matters are already with his accountant who is fully versed in Shaun's affairs.
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"He is currently out of the country and the matter will be strenuously contested on his return."
The former winger was in Atlanta at the weekend as part of his ambassadorial duties for Manchester City.
He attended the club's 6-0 Club World Cup victory over Al Ain at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Saturday.
Wright-Phillips was participating in a Young Leaders Summit alongside fellow City ambassador and former teammate Joleon Lescott, which included a cultural walking tour of the city.
Wright-Phillips has a history of failed business ventures, including Maison d'IF, a luxury handbag retailer based in Mayfair that he established in July 2020.
The company maintained social media presence on Instagram and X before being wound up by court order in August 2023.
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Shaun Wright-Phillips has been director of multiple firms under his full name
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The handbag business collapsed shortly after filing annual accounts revealing net liabilities exceeding £200,000 for the year ending 30 June 2022.
Companies House records indicate Wright-Phillips has been director of multiple firms under his full name.
One venture was wound up through court proceedings as far back as 2013, demonstrating a pattern of business difficulties predating his current financial troubles.
Among his other business interests, Wright-Phillips established SWP29 LTD, a public relations and communications company, in January 2023.
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Shaun Wright-Phillips played for several Premier League clubs over his career including Man City, Chelsea and QPR
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The firm's first year accounts showed it owed £103,894 to creditors whilst being owed £102,268 itself.
Wright-Phillips joins a growing list of former footballers facing financial difficulties.
His former Manchester City teammate Trevor Sinclair was declared bankrupt earlier this month over a £36,000 tax debt relating to punditry work during the 2021-22 tax year.
A judge accused Sinclair, now coaching the Jamaica national team, of "burying his head in the sand" over the debt. The 52-year-old was declared bankrupt after failing to appear in court.
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