Supporting documents for legislation which introduces an
independent football regulator for professional men's clubs in
the English football pyramid.
From: Department for Culture,
Media and Sport
Published 24 October 2024
Last updated 11 June 2025 — See all updates
Documents
Impact assessment: regulation of
English men's professional football
PDF, 2.06
MB, 76 pages
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RPC Opinion - Football
Governance Bill (Green rated)
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-football-governance-bill-regulation-of-english-mens-professional-football-rpc-opinion-green-rated
Football Governance Bill - ECHR
memorandum
HTML
Fact sheet: Football Governance
Bill - overview
HTML
Fact sheet: Football Governance
Bill - changes from the previous Football Governance
Bill
HTML
Fact sheet: Football Governance
Bill - the Independent Football Regulator (IFR)
HTML
Fact sheet: Football Governance
Bill - licensing regime
HTML
Fact sheet: Football Governance
Bill - owners and directors of regulated clubs
HTML
Fact sheet: Football Governance
Bill - duties on clubs and competition organisers
HTML
Fact sheet: Football Governance
Bill - financial distribution backstop mechanism
HTML
Fact sheet: Football Governance
Bill - investigations, enforcements and appeals
HTML
Fact sheet; Football Governance
Bill - government amendments at Lords Report stage
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Fact sheet: Football Governance
Bill - Government amendments at Commons Committee Stage
explainer
HTML
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.
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