Football Governance Act 2025

56 Part 6: overview and interpretation

(1) This Part makes provision for a specified competition organiser to apply to the IFR for the triggering of a process under which—

(a) specified competition organisers are required to enter into mediation in connection with the distribution of relevant revenue received by one of the organisers, and

(b) if those organisers do not reach agreement during that process, the IFR may make an order as to the distribution of that revenue.

(2) In this Part, “relevant revenue” means revenue received by a specified competition organiser—

(a) as a result of the sale or acquisition of rights to exploit the broadcasting of football matches included in a competition organised by the specified competition organiser, or

(b) from any other source specified, or of a description specified, in regulations made by the Secretary of State.

(3) Before making regulations under subsection (2)(b), the Secretary of State must consult—

(a) the IFR,

(b) the Football Association, and

(c) each specified competition organiser.

(4) The Secretary of State may not make regulations under subsection (2)(b) unless there has been a material change in circumstances relating to the sources of relevant revenue received by a specified competition organiser since—

(a) the day on which this section came into force, or

(b) where regulations under subsection (2)(b) have been made, the day on which such regulations were last made.

(5) For the purposes of this Part—

• “distribution agreement” means an agreement between two specified competition organisers that provides for the distribution of relevant revenue received by one or both of those organisers (and includes an agreement entered into before the coming into force of any provision of this Part);

• “distribution order” has the meaning given by section 62(6);

• “qualifying football season”, in relation to an application under section 57, means—

  (a)

  either—

  (i)

  the football season during which the application is made, or

  (ii)

  where the application is not made during a football season, the next football season after the application is made, and

  (b)

  any subsequent football season up to and including the fifth subsequent season;

• “the resolution process” means the process set out in sections 60 to 62.

(6) For the purposes of this Part, a distribution agreement or a distribution order relates to a qualifying football season if the agreement or order provides for the distribution of relevant revenue in or in respect of that season.