A FAIRER FUTURE IN FOOTBALL:
IT CAN BE DONE

With the advent of a Bill of legislation to appoint an Independent Football Regulator, now is the time to shape the future of the game we love.

The Bill for an Independent Football Regulator (IFR) has now been presented in Parliament  

WHAT THIS LEGISLATION DOES

    • A new regulator will be introduced and operate a licensing system for club.

    • The IFR will have the power to monitor and enforce compliance with requirements in financial regulation.

    • Research by Fair Game found that most Premier League and English Football League clubs are technically insolvent.

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    • The new measures strengthens the Test.

    • New powers will insist prospective owners provide business plans.

    • Stringent rulings will be in place on both financial suitability and on criminality.

    • However, the Bill makes reference to the IFR having "regard to the foreign and trade objectives" of the Government - this implies that it would not be truly free from vested interest.

    • To ensure that protects the sustainability of football clubs, the Bill must, therefore, also explicitly rule out state-ownership of football clubs which would instantly become vulnerable to the whims of the government of the day.

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    • The badge and club colours can only be changed with the agreement of fans.

    • However, the team name can be altered if the Football Association agrees, without fan consultation.

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    • There is a clear statement of intent within the draft Bill to prohibit licensed clubs from playing in non-sanctioned leagues.

    • Therefore, Premier League clubs would not be allowed to join any proposed European Super League.

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    • The new Bill puts forward plans for a new Governance Code, and a Code of Practice.

    • Both are a good step forward in an industry where there is almost no requirements on board procedure, behaviours and staffing, unlike almost any other sector.

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WHAT THIS LEGISLATION COULD DO

    • The IFR must have powers to approve any sale or relocation of a stadium to stop a repeat of the situation at Derby County and the relocation of Wimbledon FC to a town in Buckinghamshire — and crucially, the fans must have the final say.

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    • The Bill at present stops at the National League. That downplays the importance and depth of the English football pyramid. It is at the lower end of the league system where clubs go into administration.

    • Support and regulation needs to go far deeper into the grassroots of our national game.

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WHAT THIS LEGISLATION DOES NOT DO

    • A fairer future for football can only come with a fairer financial flow.

    • The current system is detrimental to a vast majority of clubs below the Premier League and has already led to the expulsion of clubs like Bury and Macclesfield from the Football League, while others like Bolton Wanderers, Derby County, and Wigan Athletic have faced financial crises.

    • The IFR needs to be the ultimate arbitrator when it comes to financial flow.

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    • The proposals in the Bill are essential to delivering realistic long-term sustainability in football.

    • But can only come into being by ensuring the necessary support for licensed clubs.

    • Clubs lower down the pyramid operate on skeleton staff (Accrington Stanley have only four full-time members of staff). Introducing rafts of new legislation could have a devastating effect on a club’s financial wellbeing and put at risk their very existence.

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    • The modern landscape of football requires a strong commitment to inclusivity at all levels.

    • Integrating EDI into the regulatory framework would ensure that football clubs reflect the diversity of their fan base and leverage the wide range of perspectives for better decision-making and community engagement.

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    • In light of global environmental challenges, integrating sustainability into the football industry is an ethical choice and a strategic necessity.

    • The Bill has absolutely no mention of environmental proposals or measures for the IFR.

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CONTACT YOUR MP

POTENTIAL TWEET FOR MPs

📢 Urging my MP [@YourMP'sHandle] to support @FairGameUK's crucial recommendations for the #IFR Bill 🏟️

  1. Stronger backstops for fair financial flow

  2. Comprehensive coverage of ALL the top 7 leagues

  3. Implement EDI & environmental sustainability

#FairGameUK #FootballReform