Government Is Not Budging On Plans To Set Up An Independent Football Regulator
3 min read
The new Labour Government is preparing to face down opposition to its plans to introduce an independent football regulator.
A bill designed to significantly reform how football is governed was introduced by the previous Conservative government and enjoyed cross-party support before it was dropped by then prime minister Rishi Sunak in May ahead of the General Election.
Labour is taking the plans forward now the party is in power, but Government sources are braced for resistance from elements of the game who have voiced concerns about the proposals. It is one of 40 pieces of legislation included in the Government's King's Speech in July.
At the heart of the legislation is the granting of powers to a new independent regulator. This regulator would oversee the top five leagues of English football with the core aims of improving financial sustainability of football and protecting the heritage of clubs.
Last week, the Sunday Times reported that UEFA, Europe's most senior footballing body, had written to the Keir Starmer Government warning that plans for an independent regulator could amount undue government interference in football.
Theodore Theodoridis, general secretary of UEFA, said in a leaked letter there are “specific rules” which “guard against” the state or politicians interfering in sport. “The ultimate sanction for which would be excluding the federation from UEFA and teams from competition,” the letter read.
PoliticsHome reported in April that ministers had been warned the plans could risk England’s participation in international competitions and the country's elite clubs from taking part in Europe's most prestigious club competition, the Champions League. Both FIFA and UEFA’s constitution prevent any country from direct government involvement within football.
A formal Government response to the UEFA letter is expected soon, PoliticsHome understands. The Government has rejected the claim that the new regulator will impact English participation in UEFA competitions, or the England national team's future qualification for EURO 2028.
Government figures say the new Labour administration has strong relationship with UEFA and feel assured after conversations with officials that its proposed plans will not breach rules.
Starmer last week said the Government was "talking" to UEFA about the plans but added, "I’m confident that our rules are perfectly consistent, and that the regulator is truly independent".
Clive Betts, Labour MP for Sheffield South East, and the Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Football, said it was important Labour introduced a regulator which had the power to genuinely reform the game and not a "token" regulator.
“The towns and areas in our country, which feel they've been a bit neglected in recent years have got football clubs in the outside the Premier League who are struggling,” he told PoliticsHome.
“They're important to their community, and it's really important that we get a regulatory regime which seems sees a fairer distribution of the riches of football to help those clubs. The last thing we want is a token regulator without the wherewithal to achieve results.”
Clive Efford, Eltham and Chislehurst, and a former member of the culture, media and sport committee, told said a regulator was needed to protect English football from outside sources breaking it up.
“We constantly remind ourselves of why we got to where we are, and that is because we had the breakaway Super League, and it wasn't the officials in UEFA or anywhere else that stopped that it was fans,” he said.
“That's why we've got legislation before us to implement the findings of that review.”
Niall Couper, CEO of FairGame, said the legislation represented a make of break moment for football.
“What is important is that the government stays laser focused on delivering a regulator that actually has teeth and can help transform the game as we know it. The number one priority has to be sorting out football's financial flow.”
A Government spokesperson told PoliticsHome: “The Football Governance Bill will establish a new Independent Football Regulator that will tackle the fundamental governance problems in the game, protect club heritage, empower fans and improve financial sustainability to ensure that English football remains a global success story.
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