Details

The Football Governance Bill will establish an independent football regulator (IFR) to ensure that English football is financially sustainable for the benefit of fans and local communities. The Regulator’s primary purpose will be to protect and promote the sustainability of English football. 

The Bill delivers on the Government’s manifesto commitment to reform football governance and to give fans a greater say in the way their clubs are run. The new Bill is generally in line with the Bill introduced in March 2024 by the previous government, which built on the recommendations from the Fan-Led Review of Football Governance. However some of the measures in the Bill have since been changed.

The legislation will provide greater protections to club heritage and set new standards for fan engagement in decision-making. It will ensure responsible owners for these community assets by creating a new owners’ and directors’ test. It will also mean that clubs can’t be syphoned off from the English football pyramid to set up closed-shop and breakaway leagues.

The Impact Assessment has been reviewed by the Regulatory Policy Committee and assessed as fit for purpose. Read details of their assessment: RPC Opinion - Football Governance Bill - Regulation of English men’s professional football.