Football Governance Act 2025

Law of England

2025 c. 21

UK Public General Acts

Football Governance Act 2025

2025 CHAPTER 21

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:—

The purpose of this Act is to protect and promote the sustainability of English football.

Introductory Text

Part 1 Purpose, overview and key definitions
1.Purpose and overview

2.Key definitions

3.Meaning of “owner” etc

4.Meanings of “officer” and “senior manager” etc

Collapse -Part 2 The Independent Football Regulator
The Independent Football Regulator

5.Establishment of the IFR

6.The IFR’s objectives

7.The IFR’s general duties etc

8.The IFR’s regulatory principles

9.Transfer schemes

Reports, statements and guidance

10.State of the game report

11.Football governance statement

12.Guidance published by the IFR

13.Guidance published by the Secretary of State

14.Annual report

Part 3 Operating licences
Operating licences

15.Operating licences

16.Application for provisional operating licence

17.Grant of provisional operating licence

18.Grant of full operating licence

19.Revocation and cessation of operating licence

Licence conditions

20.Mandatory licence conditions

21.Discretionary licence conditions

22.Scope of powers to attach or vary discretionary licence conditions

23.Procedure for attaching or varying financial discretionary licence conditions

24.Commitments in lieu of financial discretionary licence conditions

25.Procedure for attaching or varying other discretionary licence conditions

Part 4 Owners and officers of regulated clubs: suitability etc
Introductory

26.Part 4: overview and interpretation

Persons who become owners or officers of regulated clubs

27.Duties to notify IFR of prospective new owner or officer

28.Determination of suitability required for new owner

29.Determination of suitability required for new officer

30.Becoming an owner or officer without a determination

31.Opportunity to make representations about proposed negative determinations

32.Determinations under sections 28 and 29: time limits

Determinations relating to incumbent owners and officers

33.Duties to notify IFR of change in circumstances relating to incumbent owner or officer

34.Incumbent owners

35.Incumbent officers

36.Opportunity to make representations about proposed negative findings

Further provision about determinations

37.Matters relevant to determinations

Disqualification orders and enforcement

38.Disqualification orders

39.Removal directions: owners

40.Removal directions: officers

41.Directions relating to unsuitable owners and officers

42.Orders and directions effecting alternative officer arrangements

43.Ownership removal orders

44.Orders under section 43: procedure, costs and liabilities

Part 5 Duties on clubs and competition organisers etc
Duties on regulated clubs and formerly regulated clubs etc

45.Duty not to operate a team in relation to a prohibited competition

46.Duty not to dispose etc of home ground without approval

47.Duty not to appoint administrator without approval

Duties on regulated clubs

48.Duty not to relocate without approval

49.Duty not to change crest, home shirt colours or name without approval

50.Duty to notify of changes in circumstances relevant to the IFR’s functions

51.Duty to keep fans informed of insolvency proceedings

Duties on licensed clubs

52.Duty to publish a personnel statement

53.Duty to pay a levy

54.Section 53: consultation and publication

Duties on specified competition organisers

55.Duties to notify and consult the IFR

Part 6 Distribution of revenue
Introduction

56.Part 6: overview and interpretation

Applications for resolution process to be triggered

57.Applications for resolution process to be triggered

58.Applications under section 57: procedural and other requirements

59.Decisions by the IFR on applications under section 57

Resolution process

60.The mediation stage

61.Proposal stage

62.Distribution orders

63.Duration and revocation of distribution orders

Miscellaneous

64.Review of distribution orders, payment of costs, etc

Part 7 Investigatory powers etc
Information gathering

65.Power to require information

66.Reports on clubs by expert reporters

Investigations into relevant infringements

67.Meaning of “relevant infringement”

68.Investigations

69.Outcomes of investigations

70.Commitments in lieu of investigations

71.Section 70: supplementary

72.Duty to preserve information

General

73.Privileged communications

74.Requirement to publish certain notices etc

Part 8 Enforcement
Sanctions and offences etc

75.Sanctions

76.Warning notices

77.Decision notices

78.Offences

Urgent directions

79.Urgent directions

Publication

80.Requirement to publish certain notices etc

Part 9 Reviews and appeals
81.Reviewable decisions etc

82.Request for internal review

83.Internal reviews

84.Appeals to the Competition Appeal Tribunal

85.Proceedings before the Competition Appeal Tribunal

Disclosure of information

86.Disclosure of information by the IFR

87.Disclosure of information to the IFR etc

88.Restrictions on the disclosure of information

89.Information offences

Rules and regulations

90.Rules

91.Regulations

Definitions etc

92.Minor definitions etc

93.Index of defined terms

General

94.Pre-commencement consultation

95.Offences by officers of clubs and bodies corporate

96.Review of Act

97.Payments into the Consolidated Fund

98.Minor and consequential amendments

99.Extent

100.Commencement

101.Short title

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Schedule 1Meaning of “owner”
Schedule 2The Independent Football Regulator
Schedule 3Transfer schemes
Schedule 4Threshold requirements
Schedule 5Mandatory licence conditions
Schedule 6Commitments in lieu of financial discretionary licence conditions
Schedule 7Meaning of “relevant infringement”
Schedule 8Investigatory powers
Schedule 9Sanctions
Schedule 10Reviews
Schedule 11Index of defined terms
Schedule 12Minor and consequential amendments

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