London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Aug 30, 2025

Britain to consider independent regulator for football

Britain to consider independent regulator for football

The creation of an independent regulator is on the agenda for a British government review of football which will also look into whether the much criticised Owner's and Director's Test is fit for purpose.
The review, which will be led by Member of Parliament and former sports minister Tracy Crouch, has been brought forward following the uproar over six leading English clubs joining a failed attempt to create a breakaway Super League with top Italian and Spanish clubs.

The government released the terms of reference on Thursday which are focused on the "potential for changes to ownership models, governance, how finance flows through the game and how to give supporters a greater say in the running of the game".

The British government played a key role in pressurising the six English clubs to withdraw from the breakaway fronted by Real Madrid president Florentino Perez, after widespread and intense fan opposition.

"Football begins and ends with fans and we have seen that passionately displayed this week. It must be a watershed moment in our national game," said sports minister Nigel Huddleston.

"We must capitalise on this momentum. Clubs are the beating heart of their local communities and this important review will help put football on a surer footing for the future where supporters voices are heard.”

The review, which the government says is "fan led" will make final recommendations on what steps can and should be taken, and how they should be implemented which could include legislation.

There have been increasing calls for an independent regulator following the row over Project Big Picture, an attempt by the "Big Six" in the Premier League to gain greater control over the game and this week's Super League proposal.

The government said Crouch "will assess the need for an independent football regulator, charged with implementing regulation and compliance, and how that might work within the existing framework provided by the Football Association, Premier League and English Football League".

It will also look at the merit of different ownership models, including the 50+1 system in Germany which ensures majority ownership for club members or fans rather than private investors.

The financial problems facing several lower division clubs, including the collapse of one of England's oldest clubs Bury in 2019, have raised questions about whether the Owners and Directors Test is effective at keeping unsuitable investors out of the game.

The game's financial arrangements, including parachute payments for relegated teams, solidarity money and broadcasting revenue will be assessed along with ways of protecting club identities, stopping them moving location and changing their crests against the wishes of fans.

Of the 12 European clubs that looked to form a closed European competition, six were from England's Premier League -- Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Corporate America Cuts Middle Management as Bosses Take On Triple the Workload
Parents Sue OpenAI After Teen’s Death, Alleging ChatGPT Encouraged Suicide
Amazon Faces Lawsuit Over 'Buy' Label on Digital Streaming Content
Federal Reserve Independence Questioned Amid Trump’s Push to Reshape Central Bank
British Politics Faces Tumultuous Autumn After Summer of Rebellions and Rising Farage Momentum
US Appeals Court Rules Against Most Trump-Era Tariffs
UK Sought Broad Access to Apple Users’ Data, Court Filing Reveals
UK Bank Shares Dive Over Potential Tax on Sector
Germany’s Auto Industry Sheds 51,500 Jobs in First Half of 2025 Amid Deepening Crisis
Bruce Willis Relocated Due to Advanced Dementia
French and Korean Nuclear Majors Clash As EU Launches Foreign Subsidy Probe
EU Stands Firm on Digital Rules as Trump Warns of Retaliation
Getting Ready for the 3rd Time in Its History, Germany Approves Voluntary Military Service for Teenagers
Argentine President Javier Milei Evacuated After Stones Thrown During Campaign Event
Denmark Confronts U.S. Diplomat Over Covert Trump-Linked Influence in Greenland
Starmer Should Back Away from ECHR, Says Jack Straw
Trump Demands RICO Charges Against George Soros and Son for Funding Violent Protests
Taylor Swift Announces Engagement to NFL Star Travis Kelce
France May Need IMF Bailout, Warns Finance Minister
Chinese AI Chipmaker Cambricon Posts Record Profit as Beijing Pushes Pivot from Nvidia
After the Shock of Defeat, Iranians Yearn for Change
Ukraine Finally Allows Young Men Aged Eighteen to Twenty-Two to Leave the Country
The Porn Remains, Privacy Disappears: How Britain Broke the Internet in Ten Days
YouTube Altered Content by Artificial Intelligence – Without Permission
Welcome to The Definition of Insanity: Germany Edition
Just a reminder, this is Michael Jackson's daughter, Paris.
Spotify’s Strange Move: The Feature Nobody Asked For – Returns
Manhunt in Australia: Armed Anti-Government Suspect Kills Police Officers Sent to Arrest Him
China Launches World’s Most Powerful Neutrino Detector
How Beijing-Linked Networks Shape Elections in New York City
Ukrainian Refugee Iryna Zarutska Fled War To US, Stabbed To Death
Elon Musk Sues Apple and OpenAI Over Alleged App Store Monopoly
2 Australian Police Shot Dead In Encounter In Rural Victoria State
Vietnam Evacuates Hundreds of Thousands as Typhoon Kajiki Strikes; China’s Sanya Shuts Down
UK Government Delays Decision on China’s Proposed London Embassy Amid Concerns Over Redacted Plans
A 150-Year Tradition to Be Abolished? Uproar Over the Popular Central Park Attraction
A new faith called Robotheism claims artificial intelligence isn’t just smart but actually God itself
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner Purchases Third Property Amid Housing Tax Reforms Debate
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Italian Facebook Group Sharing Intimate Images Without Consent Shut Down Amid Police Investigation
Dutch Foreign Minister Resigns Amid Deadlock Over Israel Sanctions
Trump and Allies Send Messages of Support to Ukraine on Independence Day Amid Ongoing Conflict
China Reels as Telegram Chat Group Shares Hidden-Camera Footage of Women and Children
Sam Nicoresti becomes first transgender comedian to win Edinburgh Comedy Award
Builders uncover historic human remains in Lancashire house renovation
Australia Wants to Tax Your Empty Bedrooms
MotoGP Cameraman Narrowly Avoids Pedro Acosta Crash at Hungarian Grand Prix
FBI Investigates John Bolton Over Classified Documents in High-Profile Raids
Report reveals OpenAI pitched national ChatGPT Plus subscription to UK ministers
×