Impact assessment

Football Governance Bill (2024): supporting documents

Supporting documents for legislation which introduces an independent football regulator for professional men's clubs in the English football pyramid.

From:
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
Published
24 October 2024
Last updated
11 June 2025 — See all updates

Applies to England and Wales

Documents

Impact assessment: regulation of English men’s professional football

PDF, 2.06 MB, 76 pages

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RPC Opinion - Football Governance Bill (Green rated)

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-football-governance-bill-regulation-of-english-mens-professional-football-rpc-opinion-green-rated

Football Governance Bill - ECHR memorandum

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Fact sheet: Football Governance Bill - overview

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Fact sheet: Football Governance Bill - changes from the previous Football Governance Bill

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Fact sheet: Football Governance Bill - the Independent Football Regulator (IFR)

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Fact sheet: Football Governance Bill - licensing regime

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Fact sheet: Football Governance Bill - owners and directors of regulated clubs

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Fact sheet: Football Governance Bill - duties on clubs and competition organisers

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Fact sheet: Football Governance Bill - financial distribution backstop mechanism

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Fact sheet: Football Governance Bill - investigations, enforcements and appeals

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Fact sheet; Football Governance Bill - government amendments at Lords Report stage

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Fact sheet: Football Governance Bill - Government amendments at Commons Committee Stage explainer

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Details

The Football Governance Bill will establish an independent football regulator (IFR) to ensure that English football is financially sustainable for the benefit of fans and local communities. The Regulator’s primary purpose will be to protect and promote the sustainability of English football. 

The Bill delivers on the Government’s manifesto commitment to reform football governance and to give fans a greater say in the way their clubs are run. The new Bill is generally in line with the Bill introduced in March 2024 by the previous government, which built on the recommendations from the Fan-Led Review of Football Governance. However some of the measures in the Bill have since been changed.

The legislation will provide greater protections to club heritage and set new standards for fan engagement in decision-making. It will ensure responsible owners for these community assets by creating a new owners’ and directors’ test. It will also mean that clubs can’t be syphoned off from the English football pyramid to set up closed-shop and breakaway leagues.

The Impact Assessment has been reviewed by the Regulatory Policy Committee and assessed as fit for purpose. Read details of their assessment: RPC Opinion - Football Governance Bill - Regulation of English men’s professional football.

Updates to this page

Published 24 October 2024
Last updated 11 June 2025 show all updates

  1. Impact Assessment updated to address minor inconsistencies on figures used for compliance and operational costs.

  2. Added Fact sheet: Football Governance Bill - Government amendments at Commons Committee Stage explainer

  3. ECHR memo updated following the Bill's completion in the House of Lords and introduction to the House of Commons

  4. New fact sheet added detailing government amendments at the Lords Report stage. Other fact sheets updated to reflect these government amendments.

  5. Document added: Impact Assessment

  6. First published.

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