What's in the Football Governance Act?

— 3 minute read

Our good friends at the Football Supporters' Association have put together an excellent run down and detailed summary of the Football Governance Act that has just passed into law, you can read it here: https://thefsa.org.uk/news/whats-in-the-football-governance-bill/

You can also read the entire Football Governance Act, here: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2025/21/contents/enacted

But we also thought a top-level summary for Robins Trust members and Cheltenham Town fans would help everyone get up to speed with the new footballing world in which we now live.

The Football Governance Act

Purpose:

  • To protect and promote the sustainability of English football
  • So that it continues to serve the interests of fans and contribute to the economic or social well-being of the local communities served by football clubs

It covers the Premier League, the EFL and the National League.

The Act establishes:

the Independent Football Regulator (IFR)

The IFR's main objectives are:

  • (a) to protect and promote the financial soundness of regulated clubs
  • (b) to protect and promote the financial resilience of English football
  • (c) to safeguard the heritage of English football

State of the game report

The IFR must publish

  • a report on the state of English football including an overview of the main issues affecting the game
  • within 18 months of the Act passing and then at five year intervals.

Operating licences

A core function of the IFR is a licensing system.

Clubs must identify the club’s ultimate owner and senior officials.

Prospective owners must provide information on:

  • proposed operation of the club
  • estimated costs
  • how those costs are to be funded
  • source of funding

In extreme examples the IFR has the power to bring about a change in club ownership.

Prohibited competitions

Prevents clubs from taking part in “prohibited competitions.”

The IFR must look at whether the competition is:

  • merit-based
  • operates on the basis of fair and open competition
  • jeopardises relevant competitions
  • or harms the heritage of English football

Before prohibiting a competition the IFR must also “take reasonable steps to determine the views of fans in England and Wales of regulated clubs”.

Heritage protections

  • Restricts owners from using grounds as security for a loan or other liability
  • Offers some protection regarding ground relocation
  • Stops clubs from changing their emblem or crest or predominant home shirt colours without taking reasonable steps to establish that those changes are supported by a majority of the club’s fans in England and Wales.

Changes to club names require the approval of the FA, which has rules requiring fan consultation.

Revenue distribution

If competition organisers fail to agree on revenue distribution the IFR can intervene.

(This puts parachute payments into the scope of the Act).

There is a complex mediation process to work through before IFR intervention and this process would be triggered by a competition organiser rather than the IFR.

Offences

The IFR can conduct investigations where it has reasonable grounds for suspecting that a person has committed an infringement.

Makes it a criminal offence to destroy or falsify information, punishable by fines and up to two years imprisonment.

Fan engagement

To secure a full operating licence a club must consult its fans and take those views – including “persons elected by the club’s fans” – into account on relevant matters.

“Relevant matters” refers to:

  • Strategic direction
  • Business priorities
  • Match-day issues (including ticket pricing) and club heritage.

(club’s home ground, crest and home shirt colours and the name of the club)