July 22 – The UK Government has confirmed the creation of an Independent Football Regulator (IFR) after the Football Governance Act received Royal Assent on Monday, completing its passage into law.
The regulator is set to begin work later this year, bringing a new level of scrutiny and control to the top five tiers of the men’s professional game in England. Its mandate is to ensure clubs are run in a financially sustainable manner, make them more accountable to fans, and put owners and directors through statutory tests designed to prevent mismanagement.
The road to this point was paved by a fan-led review in 2021, established after a spate of financial collapses — headlined by Bury and Macclesfield — and the public outcry that followed the botched attempt to form a breakaway European Super League. The message from fans was clear: enough was enough.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) heralded the move as “a landmark moment for the game” and “the biggest reform to football governance in a generation.”
Prime Minister Keir Starmer, a lifelong football fan himself, didn’t hold back on the significance.
“This is a proud and defining moment for English football,” he said.
“As someone who has loved the game all my life, I know just how deeply it runs through our communities. It’s where memories are made, and generations come together. Our landmark Football Governance Act delivers on the promise we made to fans. It will protect the clubs they cherish, and the vital role they play in our economy. Through our ‘Plan for Change’, we are ushering in a stronger, fairer future for the game we all love.”
The regulator will enforce minimum standards for fan engagement in key club decisions and will have the authority to ban clubs from joining closed-shop competitions or breakaway leagues. In addition, it will hold ‘backstop powers’ to intervene if a fair financial distribution between leagues cannot be agreed voluntarily.
On top of this, it will have the ability to protect important elements of club heritage, such as stadium locations, team colours, and club badges.
Lisa Nandy, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pointed to the historic role of fans: “Football clubs have been built and sustained by fans for generations, but too often they have had nowhere to turn when their clubs have faced crisis. Today that changes as this act will give hope and assurance to people, with the regulator working to protect clubs in towns and cities all over the country, where football clubs mean so much, to so many.”
The Football Supporters’ Association (FSA), which was instrumental in pushing for reform, welcomed the news.
“This is an historic moment for football in this country,” said chief executive Kevin Miles.
“We are very proud that the FSA was at the heart of change, helping to bring in laws which can help protect the clubs we love from the worst excesses of owners throughout the professional game.”
UEFA, however, raised concerns last September that the regulator could amount to government interference, potentially infringing on the FA’s autonomy and violating European football’s own governance rules.
Despite the warning, the UK government has pressed ahead, positioning the regulator as a necessary safeguard to protect the long-term future of clubs, fans, and the game’s financial integrity.
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at moc.l1753209090labto1753209090ofdlr1753209090owedi1753209090sni@g1753209090niwe.1753209090yrrah1753209090