Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment the Department has made of the adequacy of existing safeguards to protect the financial sustainability, ownership suitability, fan engagement and heritage of football clubs outside the scope of the Independent Football Regulator, particularly those with overseas owners.

Too many football fans have had to fight to protect their club’s future, identity and heritage, so we established the Independent Football Regulator to better protect clubs, empower fans and keep clubs at the heart of their communities. The IFR’s recently published State of the Game report highlights the perilous state of football’s finances across the entire pyramid.

The IFR has a tightly defined scope focused on the top five tiers of English men’s football. We do not believe extending the scope beyond the top five tiers would be proportionate to the burden on clubs below the National League. As soon as a club moves up to the National League’s first tier, it would need to meet IFR requirements. The State of the Game report calls for action to be taken at National League level to ensure football governance matches up to the risk within the game.

The scope of the IFR will be kept under review and the Football Governance Act 2025 commits the Secretary of State to publish a report reviewing the operation and effect of the Act within five years of the regime being operational, which will include consideration of whether the appropriate competitions have been specified.