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 scope of the regulator, with discussion on the safeguarding of club assets, the expansion of backstop powers to intervene in revenue distribution and parachute payments, and operation of a licensing system. Delegates will assess strengthened provisions for increased fan engagement, including requirements for consultation on matters such as ticket prices, strategic direction and club heritage.
Sessions will bring out latest thinking on club ownership and governance, alongside priorities for the operation of new 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 assessing new requirements for clubs to publish equality, diversity and inclusion reports.
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 for 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 preparatory work for the publishing of the State of the Game report.
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 running the top two leagues in England.
We are pleased to be able to include keynote sessions with: Ben Dean, Director, Sport and Gambling, DCMS; Martyn Henderson, Interim Chief Operating Officer, Shadow Regulator; Clare Sumner CBE, Chief Policy and Social Impact Officer, Premier League; Mark Ives, CEO, The National League; and Jean-Marc Mickeler, Chairman, Professional Club Control Commission, Direction Nationale du Contrôle de Gestion.
Overall, areas for discussion include:
- regulatory powers:
- assessing provisions 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
- strengthened fan engagement - provisions for consultations on ticket prices
- financial sustainability:
- inclusion of parachute payments in the IFR’s remit - assessing backstop powers to intervene in revenue distribution
- scope for future 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
- equality, diversity and inclusion reporting - options for widening its scope - women’s football - considerations around athletes’ rights and welfare - environmental sustainability
- shadow regulator:
- State of the Game report - expectations of key stakeholders in engaging with the regulator - scope and operation - achieving a smooth transition to full regulation
- Board and Expert Panel appointments
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. As well as key stakeholders, those due to attend include parliamentary pass-holders from both Houses of Parliament and officials from DCMS; DBT; DSIT; DfT; HoC Library; NCA; and The Scottish Government.
