Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to help increase the role of football fans in decisions on (a) the running of clubs, (b) team names, (c) badges and (d) stadia.

The Government set out its position on these three questions in the White Paper on Football Governance on 23 February 2023. The independent’s regulator’s core focus will be to improve the financial resilience of clubs and the long-term sustainability of the football pyramid.

The Regulator will require every club to meet a minimum standard of fan engagement. It will also ensure fans are given veto rights over certain club heritage assets, including team names and badges, and will be consulted on any stadium sale.

Football clubs will only be able to participate in competitions which are approved by the Regulator against a set of published criteria. This will prevent English clubs from joining unapproved breakaway leagues such as the European Super League.