Independent regulation of men’s elite football in England took a step closer with the publication of the Football Governance Bill and its introduction to Parliament this week.
The Bill aims “to put fans back at the heart of the game” and proposes the formation of an Independent Football Regulator (IFR), a standalone body that would be independent of both the Government and the football authorities, and would have three core objectives as explained in the manifesto: “to improve financial sustainability of clubs, ensure financial resilience across the leagues, and to safeguard the heritage of English football.”
Under the proposals, the IFR would be given powers to fine clubs up to 10% of turnover for non-compliance, strengthen existing testing of potential owners’ and directors’ suitability to run domestic clubs, and possess “backstop powers to impose a ‘new deal’ on financial distributions” on revenue down the football pyramid.
The IFR would also operate a licensing system covering the top five tiers of English football, with the power to demand up-to-the-minute financial information from both clubs and owners, the ability to enforce the sale of shares for non co-operation and require all clubs to meet basic requirements on fan engagement, including consultation of supporters on key off-field decisions.
The Bill, which had its first reading in the House of Commons today, is the result of the Fan-Led Review of Football Governance initiated by Tracey Crouch CBE MP following the controversial attempt by six Premier League clubs to join the breakaway European Super League in 2021.
It has been lent greater urgency by the controversy over the points sanctions handed down to Everton and Nottingham Forest in recent months, a number of other cases that have threatened the collapse of more clubs like Bury who were wound up four years ago, and the recent stalling of a new framework for disbursing money from the Premier League to the English Football League.
According to MailOnline, the so-called “Big Six” would be required to pay a larger share of the IFR’s estimated £10m-a-year running costs.