OpenLegislation

Football Governance Act 2025

2025 c. 21 · Enacted 21 July 2025 · Extends to England and Wales

Up to date with all changes known to legislation.gov.uk, revised to 1 November 2026.

An Act to establish the Independent Football Regulator; to make provision for the licensing of football clubs; to make provision about the distribution of revenue received by organisers of football competitions; and for connected purposes.

[21st July 2025]

Be it enacted by the King’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—

Contents

  1. Part 1: Purpose, overview and key definitions
  2. 1Purpose and overview
  3. 2Key definitions
  4. 3Meaning of “owner” etc
  5. 4Meanings of “officer” and “senior manager” etc
  6. Part 2: The Independent Football Regulator
  7. The Independent Football Regulator
  8. 5Establishment of the IFR
  9. 6The IFR’s objectives
  10. 7The IFR’s general duties etc
  11. 8The IFR’s regulatory principles
  12. 9Transfer schemes
  13. Reports, statements and guidance
  14. 10State of the game report
  15. 11Football governance statement
  16. 12Guidance published by the IFR
  17. 13Guidance published by the Secretary of State
  18. 14Annual report
  19. Part 3: Operating licences
  20. Operating licences
  21. 15Operating licences
  22. 16Application for provisional operating licence
  23. 17Grant of provisional operating licence
  24. 18Grant of full operating licence
  25. 19Revocation and cessation of operating licence
  26. Licence conditions
  27. 20Mandatory licence conditions
  28. 21Discretionary licence conditions
  29. 22Scope of powers to attach or vary discretionary licence conditions
  30. 23Procedure for attaching or varying financial discretionary licence conditions
  31. 24Commitments in lieu of financial discretionary licence conditions
  32. 25Procedure for attaching or varying other discretionary licence conditions
  33. Part 4: Owners and officers of regulated clubs: suitability etc
  34. Introductory
  35. 26Part 4: overview and interpretation
  36. Persons who become owners or officers of regulated clubs
  37. 27Duties to notify IFR of prospective new owner or officer
  38. 28Determination of suitability required for new owner
  39. 29Determination of suitability required for new officer
  40. 30Becoming an owner or officer without a determination
  41. 31Opportunity to make representations about proposed negative determinations
  42. 32Determinations under sections 28 and 29: time limits
  43. Determinations relating to incumbent owners and officers
  44. 33Duties to notify IFR of change in circumstances relating to incumbent owner or officer
  45. 34Incumbent owners
  46. 35Incumbent officers
  47. 36Opportunity to make representations about proposed negative findings
  48. Further provision about determinations
  49. 37Matters relevant to determinations
  50. Disqualification orders and enforcement
  51. 38Disqualification orders
  52. 39Removal directions: owners
  53. 40Removal directions: officers
  54. 41Directions relating to unsuitable owners and officers
  55. 42Orders and directions effecting alternative officer arrangements
  56. 43Ownership removal orders
  57. 44Orders under section 43: procedure, costs and liabilities
  58. Part 5: Duties on clubs and competition organisers etc
  59. Duties on regulated clubs and formerly regulated clubs etc
  60. 45Duty not to operate a team in relation to a prohibited competition
  61. 46Duty not to dispose etc of home ground without approval
  62. 47Duty not to appoint administrator without approval
  63. Duties on regulated clubs
  64. 48Duty not to relocate without approval
  65. 49Duty not to change crest, home shirt colours or name without approval
  66. 50Duty to notify of changes in circumstances relevant to the IFR’s functions
  67. 51Duty to keep fans informed of insolvency proceedings
  68. Duties on licensed clubs
  69. 52Duty to publish a personnel statement
  70. 53Duty to pay a levy
  71. 54Section 53: consultation and publication
  72. Duties on specified competition organisers
  73. 55Duties to notify and consult the IFR
  74. Part 6: Distribution of revenue
  75. Introduction
  76. 56Part 6: overview and interpretation
  77. Applications for resolution process to be triggered
  78. 57Applications for resolution process to be triggered
  79. 58Applications under section 57: procedural and other requirements
  80. 59Decisions by the IFR on applications under section 57
  81. Resolution process
  82. 60The mediation stage
  83. 61Proposal stage
  84. 62Distribution orders
  85. 63Duration and revocation of distribution orders
  86. Miscellaneous
  87. 64Review of distribution orders, payment of costs, etc
  88. Part 7: Investigatory powers etc
  89. Information gathering
  90. 65Power to require information
  91. 66Reports on clubs by expert reporters
  92. Investigations into relevant infringements
  93. 67Meaning of “relevant infringement”
  94. 68Investigations
  95. 69Outcomes of investigations
  96. 70Commitments in lieu of investigations
  97. 71Section 70: supplementary
  98. 72Duty to preserve information
  99. General
  100. 73Privileged communications
  101. 74Requirement to publish certain notices etc
  102. Part 8: Enforcement
  103. Sanctions and offences etc
  104. 75Sanctions
  105. 76Warning notices
  106. 77Decision notices
  107. 78Offences
  108. Urgent directions
  109. 79Urgent directions
  110. Publication
  111. 80Requirement to publish certain notices etc
  112. Part 9: Reviews and appeals
  113. 81Reviewable decisions etc
  114. 82Request for internal review
  115. 83Internal reviews
  116. 84Appeals to the Competition Appeal Tribunal
  117. 85Proceedings before the Competition Appeal Tribunal
  118. Part 10: General
  119. Disclosure of information
  120. 86Disclosure of information by the IFR
  121. 87Disclosure of information to the IFR etc
  122. 88Restrictions on the disclosure of information
  123. 89Information offences
  124. Rules and regulations
  125. 90Rules
  126. 91Regulations
  127. Definitions etc
  128. 92Minor definitions etc
  129. 93Index of defined terms
  130. General
  131. 94Pre-commencement consultation
  132. 95Offences by officers of clubs and bodies corporate
  133. 96Review of Act
  134. 97Payments into the Consolidated Fund
  135. 98Minor and consequential amendments
  136. 99Extent
  137. 100Commencement
  138. 101Short title
  139. Schedule 1: Meaning of “owner”
  140. Part 1: Conditions for being an owner
  141. 1Conditions for being an owner
  142. 2Conditions for being an owner
  143. Part 2: Interpretation
  144. 3Interpretation
  145. 4Joint interests
  146. 5Joint arrangements
  147. 6Calculating shareholdings
  148. 7Voting rights
  149. 8Voting rights
  150. 9Shares or rights held “indirectly”
  151. 10Shares held by nominees
  152. 11Rights treated as held by person who controls their exercise
  153. 12Rights treated as held by person who controls their exercise
  154. 13Rights exercisable only in certain circumstances etc
  155. 14Rights attached to shares held by way of security
  156. 15Significant influence or control over the activities of a club, trust or other body
  157. Part 3: Power to amend thresholds etc
  158. 16Paragraph 16
  159. Schedule 2: The Independent Football Regulator
  160. Part 1: Constitution of the IFR
  161. 1Constitution of the IFR
  162. Part 2: The Board
  163. 2Membership
  164. 3Appointments to the Board
  165. 4Appointments to the Board
  166. 5Appointments to the Board
  167. 6Appointments to the Board
  168. 7Declaration and registration of interests of members of the Board
  169. 8Tenure and remuneration of non-executive members
  170. 9Tenure and remuneration of non-executive members
  171. 10Tenure and remuneration of non-executive members
  172. 11Tenure etc and remuneration of members of the IFR’s staff (including executive members)
  173. 12Tenure etc and remuneration of members of the IFR’s staff (including executive members)
  174. 13Tenure etc and remuneration of members of the IFR’s staff (including executive members)
  175. 14Exercise of functions by the Board
  176. 15Committees and procedure of the Board
  177. 16Committees and procedure of the Board
  178. 17Disqualification from acting in relation to certain matters
  179. 18Delegation by the Board etc
  180. 19Delegation by the Board etc
  181. 20Delegation by the Board etc
  182. 21Delegation by the Board etc
  183. 22Records of proceedings
  184. Part 3: The Expert Panel
  185. 23Number of members
  186. 24Appointments to the Expert Panel
  187. 25Declaration and registration of interests of members of the Expert Panel
  188. 26Tenure and remuneration of Expert Panel members
  189. 27Committees and procedure of the Expert Panel
  190. 28Committees and procedure of the Expert Panel
  191. 29Committees and procedure of the Expert Panel
  192. 30Committees and procedure of the Expert Panel
  193. 31Disqualification from acting in relation to certain matters
  194. 32Records of Expert Panel committee proceedings
  195. Part 4: Other matters
  196. 33Appointment of observer
  197. 34Accounts and audit
  198. 35Seal and evidence
  199. 36Status
  200. 37Supplementary powers
  201. 38Financial assistance
  202. Schedule 3: Transfer schemes
  203. 1Transfer schemes
  204. 2Supplementary
  205. 3Interpretation
  206. Schedule 4: Threshold requirements
  207. 1Threshold requirements
  208. 2Financial resources
  209. 3Non-financial resources
  210. 4Fan engagement
  211. 5Interpretation
  212. Schedule 5: Mandatory licence conditions
  213. 1Introduction
  214. 2Financial plans
  215. 3Financial plans
  216. 4Corporate governance statement
  217. 5Corporate governance statement
  218. 6Corporate governance statement
  219. 7Corporate governance statement
  220. 8Fan consultation
  221. 9Fan consultation
  222. 10Annual declaration
  223. 11Annual declaration
  224. 12Interpretation
  225. Schedule 6: Commitments in lieu of financial discretionary licence conditions
  226. 1Application of Schedule
  227. 2Procedure for accepting a commitment or requested variation
  228. 3Procedure for accepting a commitment or requested variation
  229. 4Procedure for accepting a commitment or requested variation
  230. 5Procedure for releasing a specified competition organiser from a commitment
  231. 6Procedure for releasing a specified competition organiser from a commitment
  232. Schedule 7: Meaning of “relevant infringement”
  233. 1Introduction
  234. 2Relevant infringements committed by clubs
  235. 3Relevant infringements committed by owners of clubs
  236. 4Relevant infringements committed by officers of clubs
  237. 5Relevant infringements committed by senior managers of clubs
  238. 6Relevant infringements committed by specified competition organisers
  239. 7Relevant infringements committed by other persons
  240. Schedule 8: Investigatory powers
  241. 1Application of this Schedule
  242. 2Power to ask questions
  243. 3Power to enter business premises under a warrant
  244. 4Power to enter business premises under a warrant
  245. Schedule 9: Sanctions
  246. Part 1: Sanctions relating to information etc
  247. 1Introduction
  248. 2Censure statements
  249. 3Financial penalties
  250. Part 2: Sanctions relating to relevant infringements
  251. 4Censure statements
  252. 5Appointment of a skilled person
  253. 6Financial penalties
  254. 7Injunctive relief
  255. 8Suspension or revocation of operating licence
  256. 9Suspension or revocation of operating licence
  257. Part 3: Further provision about financial penalties
  258. 10Interpretation
  259. 11Penalties imposed by reference to a daily rate
  260. 12Revenue and remuneration
  261. 13Interest
  262. 14Recovery as a civil debt
  263. 15Power to amend figures
  264. Schedule 10Reviews
  265. Schedule 11Index of defined terms
  266. Schedule 12: Minor and consequential amendments
  267. 1Public Records Act 1958
  268. 2Parliamentary Commissioner Act 1967
  269. 3House of Commons Disqualification Act 1975
  270. 4Freedom of Information Act 2000
  271. 5Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001
  272. 6Enterprise Act 2002
  273. 7Enterprise Act 2002
  274. 8Enterprise Act 2002
  275. 9Equality Act 2010
  276. 10Competition Appeal Tribunal Rules 2015 (S.I. 2015/1648)