Football Governance Act 2025

7 The IFR’s general duties etc

(1) The IFR must, so far as reasonably practicable, exercise its functions under this Act in a way that—

(a) is compatible with the purpose of this Act (see section 1), and

(b) advances one or more of the IFR’s objectives (see section 6).

(2) The IFR must have regard to the desirability of exercising those functions in a way that avoids any—

(a) effects on the sporting competitiveness of any regulated club against another regulated club;

(b) adverse effects on the competitiveness of regulated clubs against other clubs;

(c) adverse effects on the financial growth of, or financial investment in, English football.

(3) In exercising those functions, the IFR must also have regard to the following (so far as they are relevant to the exercise of those functions)—

(a) its regulatory principles (see section 8);

(b) its most recent state of the game report (see section 10);

(c) the most recent football governance statement published by the Secretary of State (see section 11);

(d) any guidance published by it (see section 12);

(e) any guidance published by the Secretary of State (see section 13).

(4) The IFR must keep under review the extent to which persons are complying with obligations imposed on them under or by virtue of this Act.