Football Governance Act 2025

19 Revocation and cessation of operating licence

(1) The IFR may revoke a club’s provisional operating licence if—

(a) the full licence test (as defined in section 18(3)) is not met in relation to the club, and

(b) the IFR considers that—

(i) the club has persistently and without reasonable excuse failed to take such steps as are reasonable for that test to be met in relation to the club, and

(ii) there is no reasonable prospect of the test being met in relation to the club within a reasonable period even if the club were given more time for the test to be met.

(2) For the purposes of subsection (1)(b)(i), a club’s failure is persistent if the failure has occurred on a sufficient number of occasions for it to be clear that it represents a pattern of behaviour or practice.

(3) Where the IFR revokes a club’s provisional operating licence under subsection (1) the IFR must give the club a notice—

(a) stating that it is revoking the club’s provisional operating licence from a date specified in the notice, and

(b) explaining why it is revoking the club’s licence.

(4) Where a notice under subsection (3) is given during a football season, the date specified for the purposes of subsection (3)(a) may not be a date before the end of that season.

(5) See paragraphs 8 and 9 of Schedule 9 for further provision about the circumstances in which the IFR can revoke a club’s operating licence.

(6) An operating licence ceases to have effect if the club holding the licence ceases to operate a relevant team.