The Home Secretary and Culture Secretary have invited the
Football Association (FA), the Premier League, and the
English Football League to formalise the way in which they would
meet every year, before the summer transfer window, to agree
immigration criteria for clubs.
This collaboration will see football bodies advise government on
the best way to make sure clubs can access players from abroad
and ensure English football maintains its world leading
reputation.
As part of the initial process, the government has recommended
that the FAlaunches a
consultation of the football community to gauge its views.
The group of football authorities are being encouraged to follow
terms of reference aligned with the Home Office’s code of practice for
sports governing bodies, and would discuss and continually
improve the immigration criteria for transfer targets.
This closer collaboration would deliver a whole game solution
that maintains opportunities for young domestic players to
develop from the grassroots level upwards, supports the national
team, and ensures the Premier League can maintain its status as a
world-leading competition that attracts elite international
players.
Home Secretary said:
It is a privilege that we have men’s and women’s national teams
that continue to do the country proud, as well as world-leading
football leagues that are the most watched across the globe.
Millions of fans want to ensure England remains at the pinnacle
of global football. Home grown players must be able to develop
but we know promising and quality footballers also lie outside
the UK and we want to attract the very best for fans to watch
week in and week out.
By following these proposals, I’m confident that the football
authorities will ensure our domestic game continues to flourish
for fans across the country.
Culture Secretary said:
English football leagues are watched and loved by people all over
the world, and this government will do everything possible to
keep this success going long into the future.
Formalising how the football authorities reach criteria for
clubs’ access to players will help us ensure English football
remains one of the go to destinations for international talent,
while creating opportunities for homegrown players.
The International Sportsperson
route, for elite sportspeople to enter the UK, requires
footballers to obtain a Governing Body Endorsement (GBE), the criteria of which
is set by the FA as the
sports governing body for football before every season.
The GBE strikes a
fine balance between ensuring English players get the
opportunities to play, supporting the prospects of the national
team, while making sure our leagues remain competitive and
globally renowned.
Closer collaboration between the 3 bodies has led to the
announcement of additional criteria for clubs to obtain GBEs for
international players in this summer’s transfer window, with the
elite and significant contribution proposal. The proposals
announced today will guarantee this process continues.
