Is the instruction of coaches a potential solution to the issues plaguing the management in football?
The world of English football is about to undergo a significant transformation, with the establishment of the Independent Football Regulator (IFR). This regulatory body, designed to protect and promote the financial soundness of clubs in the top five tiers of English football, has been outlined in the Football Governance Act 2025.
The IFR's responsibilities are far-reaching and crucial. It is tasked with establishing and policing comprehensive statutory regulation, ensuring financial sustainability and cultural propriety within the game. It will grant operating licenses to clubs, conducting rigorous tests to assess the fitness and propriety of current and prospective owners and officers.
One of the key roles of the IFR is the exercise of investigatory and enforcement powers. It can mandate revenue distribution among leagues, prohibit clubs from joining unauthorized or breakaway competitions, and protect key club heritage elements like home stadiums, badges, and colours. The IFR will also have regard to multiple statutory objectives and guiding principles, ensuring sporting competitiveness, adhering to proportionality, and engaging constructively with industry stakeholders.
Crucially, the IFR aims to promote fan engagement in club decision-making and protect football’s financial ecosystem by preventing reckless mismanagement and rogue ownership that have led to historic club failures. It is expected to strike a balance between being a collaborative, advocacy-first regulator and exercising firm enforcement powers where necessary, aiming for long-term sustainability and cultural integrity rather than punitive overreach.
A recent study has shed light on the current state of English football governance, revealing that there are 595 directors across 116 clubs in the top five layers of the football pyramid. The study also highlighted concerns about the lack of diversity in football boardrooms, with 91% of directors being male, and Premier League boards having no greater female representation than the average. Furthermore, the study found that some clubs have only one director, and 27% of directors at the Big Six clubs are aged over 70.
The recommendations from the study, reflected in the Act, advocate for the IFR to establish robust licensing and owner fitness standards, enforce financial and governance duties, protect the football pyramid's financial fairness, uphold heritage protections, empower fans, and maintain overall competitiveness and commercial viability of English football.
However, the establishment of the IFR has been a political initiative, and it remains unclear what the IFR will do to fulfil its ambitions. As we approach the implementation of these changes, it will be interesting to see how the IFR shapes the future of English football governance.
Meanwhile, in the world of sports, the World Aquatics Championships are currently underway in Singapore, and action can be streamed via the Aquatics GB website. The Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, with Finnie the unicorn as its mascot, will take place in 357 days, but tickets are not yet on sale. The hosting rights for the Games were handed over by Australia, with Scotland and Glasgow stepping in as new hosts. As for the broadcasting rights, the BBC may screen the Games, but may pay little for the privilege.
Ed Warner, the chair of GB Wheelchair Rugby, writes his sports column at sportinc.substack.com. GB Wheelchair Rugby is the governing body for the sport in Britain. The Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games will be a significant event for the sport, with the details yet to be announced.
In a separate development, nine clubs have no British directors at all, and 20% of all directors are from North America. This raises questions about the representation and diversity within football clubs, and the need for greater inclusivity in decision-making positions.
As we navigate these changes and developments in the world of sports, it is essential to maintain a clear and factual approach, focusing on the issues at hand and the potential impact on the sports we love.
The IFR, responsible for the financial and cultural wellbeing of English football, will also address concerns about representation and diversity within clubs, given that nine clubs have no British directors at all, and 20% of all directors are from North America. Meanwhile, political uncertainty surrounds the IFR's ability to fulfill its objectives as the World Aquatics Championships continue in Singapore, while the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, with Finnie as its mascot, approaches with tickets yet to go on sale.
