Government to lay out plans for men’s football reform; central to plans will be the establishment of an independent regulator established with statutory backing; announcement follows the news an in-depth review of domestic women’s football will be launched this summer.
The Government will today set out its plans to deliver a major reform of men’s football in England.
In doing so, they will deliver on the manifesto commitment to fans to ensure a sustainable future for the national game.
The announcement comes two days after the news that an in-depth review of women’s football in UK will be launched this summer.
The Government will endorse the 10 key strategic recommendations set out in its fan-led review of football governance, published by Tracey Crouch MP in November 2021, which will improve financial sustainability and corporate governance across our national game, and place fans squarely at the heart of decision-making.
An independent regulator will be backed by primary legislation to provide it with the statutory powers to license and sanction clubs as part of its remit to tackle the most pressing issues throughout the football pyramid.
It comes as an independent study commissioned by the Government to be published today will highlight the widespread culture of clubs operating unsustainable financial practices, placing the pursuit of success over sound financial management. This includes an overreliance on owner funding which can leave clubs dangerously exposed if owners decide to pull the plug on cash injections.