Morning, Tuesday, 14th January 2025
Online
This conference will focus on the future for football governance and regulation in England.
It is bringing together stakeholders and policymakers to discuss priorities and next steps in light of the Government reintroducing the Football Governance Bill, which aims to establish an Independent Football Regulator (IFR) and support the financial sustainability of football clubs in England’s top five leagues.
The agenda includes a focus on the expected scope of the regulator, with discussion on the safeguarding of club assets, backstop powers to intervene in revenue distribution, operation of a licensing system and increased fan engagement in daily operations. Delegates will assess the powers of the IFR, with Ministers in September reportedly examining options for oversight of parachute payments, as well as potential intervention in ticket prices and kick-off times.
Sessions will bring out latest thinking on club ownership and governance, alongside priorities for improving the Owners’ and Directors’ Tests and the potential impact on future investment in English football. We also expect discussion on the scope and direction of policy relating to the proposed Football Club Corporate Governance Code, including the way forward for mandating compliance and annual reporting, as well as the potential for introducing standards around equality, diversity and inclusion, athlete welfare, and environmental sustainability.
Delegates will examine issues around the remit and role of the independent regulator and its relationships and coordination with existing league, national and international football governing bodies, after UEFA warned ministers in September against what they termed government interference in sporting competition. Priorities for ensuring independence and regulatory transparency will be discussed, as well as regulatory intervention in the suitability of new club owners.
Further sessions focus on the operation of the so-called shadow regulator - the body established by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport to lay the groundwork for the IFR - including what will be needed to ensure a smooth transition to full regulation and the expectations of key stakeholders in engaging with preparatory work.
It will also be an opportunity to consider approaches to financial sustainability in women’s football and the priorities for the newly established Women's Professional League Ltd running the top two leagues in England.
We are pleased to be able to include keynote sessions with: Martyn Henderson, Interim Chief Operating Officer, Shadow Regulator; Clare Sumner CBE, Chief Policy and Corporate Affairs Officer, Premier League; Jean-Marc Mickeler, Chairman, Professional Club Control Commission, Direction Nationale du Contrôle de Gestion; and a senior speaker confirmed from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
Overall, areas for discussion include:
- regulatory powers:
- assessing provisions expected in the Football Governance Bill - implementation of a club licensing system
- key considerations for proportionality - thresholds for financial and non-financial penalties - examining powers to protect community assets
- financial sustainability:
- the way forward for parachute payments - assessing expected backstop powers to intervene in revenue distribution
- scope for the financial regulation of the women’s game
- club ownership:
- assessing changes to the Owners’ and Directors’ Tests - expectations for current and future owners - the way forward for fan engagement in ownership models
- implications for future investment in English football
- international interoperability:
- alignment with existing UEFA and FIFA regulations - concerns over government interference in sporting competition - priorities for independence and transparency
- corporate governance:
- assessing the design and adoption of a Football Club Corporate Governance Code - requirements for annual reporting and mandating compliance
- options for widening the scope - women’s football, considerations around athletes’ rights and welfare, environmental sustainability, and commitments to equality, diversity and inclusion
- shadow regulator:
- priorities for preparatory work - expectations of key stakeholders in engaging with the regulator - scope and operation - achieving a smooth transition to full regulation
All delegates will be able to contribute to the output of the conference, which will be shared with parliamentary, ministerial, departmental and regulatory offices, and more widely. This includes the full proceedings and additional articles submitted by delegates.
