Football Governance Act 2025
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
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
Part 10
General
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
Schedules
Schedule 1
Meaning of “owner”
Part 1
Conditions for being an owner
1
Conditions for being an owner
2
(1) Condition 1 is that the person has the right...
Part 2
Interpretation
3
Interpretation
4
Joint interests
5
Joint arrangements
6
Calculating shareholdings
7
Voting rights
8
In applying this Schedule, voting rights in a person held...
9
Shares or rights held “indirectly”
10
Shares held by nominees
11
Rights treated as held by person who controls their exercise
12
(1) For the purposes of this Schedule “arrangement” includes—
13
Rights exercisable only in certain circumstances etc
14
Rights attached to shares held by way of security
15
Significant influence or control over the activities of a club, trust or other body
Part 3
Power to amend thresholds etc
16
(1) The Secretary of State may by regulations amend this...
Schedule 2
The Independent Football Regulator
Part 1
Constitution of the IFR
1
Constitution of the IFR
Part 2
The Board
2
Membership
3
Appointments to the Board
4
(1) The chair may appoint any other non-executive member to...
5
(1) The Chief Executive Officer is to be appointed by...
6
(1) A person (“A”) may not be appointed as a...
7
Declaration and registration of interests of members of the Board
8
Tenure and remuneration of non-executive members
9
A non-executive member of the Board may be removed from...
10
(1) The IFR must pay its non-executive members such remuneration...
11
Tenure etc and remuneration of members of the IFR’s staff (including executive members)
12
(1) The terms on which executive members are, by virtue...
13
(1) A person may resign as an executive member by...
14
Exercise of functions by the Board
15
Committees and procedure of the Board
16
(1) The Board may determine its own procedure and the...
17
Disqualification from acting in relation to certain matters
18
Delegation by the Board etc
19
(1) Subject to paragraph 20, a committee established by the...
20
(1) The following functions of the Board may be delegated...
21
The delegation of a function by the Board under paragraph...
22
Records of proceedings
Part 3
The Expert Panel
23
Number of members
24
Appointments to the Expert Panel
25
Declaration and registration of interests of members of the Expert Panel
26
Tenure and remuneration of Expert Panel members
27
Committees and procedure of the Expert Panel
28
(1) The Chief Executive Officer must establish committees of the...
29
(1) The Expert Panel may determine its own procedure and...
30
(1) In exercising its functions, the Expert Panel must act...
31
Disqualification from acting in relation to certain matters
32
Records of Expert Panel committee proceedings
Part 4
Other matters
33
Appointment of observer
34
Accounts and audit
35
Seal and evidence
36
Status
37
Supplementary powers
38
Financial assistance
Schedule 3
Transfer schemes
1
Transfer schemes
2
Supplementary
3
Interpretation
Schedule 4
Threshold requirements
1
Threshold requirements
2
Financial resources
3
Non-financial resources
4
Fan engagement
5
Interpretation
Schedule 5
Mandatory licence conditions
1
Introduction
2
Financial plans
3
For the purposes of paragraph 2(a), the IFR—
4
Corporate governance statement
5
The condition must require— (a) the corporate governance statement to...
6
(1) The IFR must publish the latest corporate governance statement...
7
(1) The IFR must prepare and publish a code of...
8
Fan consultation
9
(1) The condition may require the consultation to take place...
10
Annual declaration
11
The condition must require the declaration to contain—
12
Interpretation
Schedule 6
Commitments in lieu of financial discretionary licence conditions
1
Application of Schedule
2
Procedure for accepting a commitment or requested variation
3
The IFR must, as soon as reasonably practicable after deciding...
4
Paragraph 2 does not apply in relation to a proposed...
5
Procedure for releasing a specified competition organiser from a commitment
6
The IFR must, as soon as reasonably practicable after deciding...
Schedule 7
Meaning of “relevant infringement”
1
Introduction
2
Relevant infringements committed by clubs
3
Relevant infringements committed by owners of clubs
4
Relevant infringements committed by officers of clubs
5
Relevant infringements committed by senior managers of clubs
6
Relevant infringements committed by specified competition organisers
7
Relevant infringements committed by other persons
Schedule 8
Investigatory powers
1
Application of this Schedule
2
Power to ask questions
3
Power to enter business premises under a warrant
4
(1) A warrant under paragraph 3 must describe—
Schedule 9
Sanctions
Part 1
Sanctions relating to information etc
1
Introduction
2
Censure statements
3
Financial penalties
Part 2
Sanctions relating to relevant infringements
4
Censure statements
5
Appointment of a skilled person
6
Financial penalties
7
Injunctive relief
8
Suspension or revocation of operating licence
9
(1) The IFR may— (a) suspend the club’s operating licence,...
Part 3
Further provision about financial penalties
10
Interpretation
11
Penalties imposed by reference to a daily rate
12
Revenue and remuneration
13
Interest
14
Recovery as a civil debt
15
Power to amend figures
Schedule 10
Reviews
Schedule 11
Index of defined terms
Schedule 12
Minor and consequential amendments
1
Public Records Act 1958
2
Parliamentary Commissioner Act 1967
3
House of Commons Disqualification Act 1975
4
Freedom of Information Act 2000
5
Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001
6
Enterprise Act 2002
7
(1) Paragraph 1A (enforcement of injunctions in England and Wales...
8
(1) Paragraph 10A (Tribunal rules: institution of proceedings) is amended...
9
Equality Act 2010
10
Competition Appeal Tribunal Rules 2015 (S.I. 2015/1648)

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:—