Minister for Sport (): Today I am updating the
House to confirm that, following Royal Assent in July of the
Football Governance Act 2025, the Government has laid before
Parliament a draft of the Statutory Guidance on the meaning of
“Significant Influence or Control” under Schedule 1 to the Act.
As per the Act, the draft guidance is laid in Parliament for 40
days during which either House may resolve not to approve it; if
no such resolution is made, the Secretary of State may publish
the guidance.
As set out in the Act, the Independent Football Regulator (IFR)
will operate a new suitability and approval regime for owners,
directors and senior executives of regulated clubs. The guidance
supports the Schedule 1 definition of an “owner” by providing
interpretative detail on "significant influence and control”. Its
purpose is to help ensure that fans can identify the real persons
exercising control of their clubs, notwithstanding any opaque or
complex ownership structures. This will give fans the much needed
transparency they deserve.
In developing the draft, we have drawn on the approach used in
the Companies Act “Persons with Significant Control” regime, to
ensure we are aligned with current precedent. We have included
industry specific examples, which have been tested with the
football industry to make the concept more tangible for all who
will have to interpret it, especially clubs, and to ensure the
guidance is suited to the regulated industry.
In both Houses, we committed to laying this draft guidance before
clubs are required to identify their owners in their personnel
statements. Laying the draft now delivers on that commitment and
provides clarity for clubs in advance of the regime for testing
owners commencing.
The laying of this draft guidance is a key step in implementing
the Football Governance Act 2025. This delivers the Government's
election promises to combat poor governance and financial
mismanagement of football clubs in this country, and to put fans
back at the heart of English Football.
