Independent Football Regulator
The Independent Football Regulator (IFR) has been established to protect and promote the sustainability of English football, for the benefit of fans and the local communities that football clubs serve.
Applies to England and Wales
The Independent Football Regulator (IFR) has been created as a result of the Football Governance Act 2025.
The IFR’s core objectives will be to:
- protect and promote the financial soundness of regulated football clubs
- protect and promote financial resilience of English football
- safeguard the heritage of English football
It will have powers to operate a licensing regime, and to monitor and enforce compliance with requirements on financial regulation; fan engagement and club heritage. It will also introduce an enhanced club owners, directors and senior executives test.
The IFR will set corporate governance standards and have the power to prohibit clubs from joining competitions where they are not fair and meritocratic, and would threaten the heritage and sustainability of English football.
Establishing the IFR is expected to be complete in the autumn, when the organisation will have an independent Board comprising Executive and Non-executive Directors and a Chief Executive Officer.
This page will be updated periodically as the steps required for full IFR establishment are concluded.
News
IFR regime to shut out rogue owners and promote sound investment in football
Consultations
The IFR will consult on a number of key policy areas over the coming months as it builds its regulatory regime.
The Engage Independent Football Regulator provides clubs, competition owners, fans and other members of the public with an opportunity to share their views on our proposed policies. You can use it to access live consultations and to view past consultations.
Supporting documentation
Football Governance Act
The Bill that underpins the IFR’s future regulatory regime can be found on the Parliament website: Football Governance Act.
Hansard
You can search Hansard (the official report of all Parliamentary debates) for information on the Football Governance Bill.
Contact us
London
Independent Football Regulator
100 Parliament Street
Whitehall
SW1A 2BQ
Manchester
Independent Football Regulator
17 Marble Street
Manchester
M2 3AW
In the first instance, please contact ifrpressoffice@dcms.gov.uk. This email address is monitored Monday to Friday from 9am to 5:30pm.
If your query relates to the Football Governance Act, please contact the DCMS press office on 020 8080 3054.