House of Commons · Written Ministerial Statement
Football Governance Act: Statutory Instrument on Specified Competitions
13 October 2025 · Department for Culture, Media and Sport
Proposed by Stephanie Peacock Lab Barnsley South
Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.
At a glance
Key points
- The Football Governance Act 2025 (Specified Competitions) Regulations 2025 are introduced and will be debated in Parliament.
- The regulations set the scope of the Independent Football Regulator to cover the top five professional leagues in English football.
- Women's football is recommended to self-regulate due to its rapid growth and is excluded from the regulator's scope.
Issue summary
The statement addresses the introduction of The Football Governance Act 2025 (Specified Competitions) Regulations 2025.
Action requested
The regulations are subject to the draft affirmative procedure for secondary legislation and will be debated in Parliament. They set the scope of the Independent Football Regulator to cover the top five professional leagues in English football, excluding women's football which is recommended to self-regulate due to its rapid growth.
Key facts
- The Football Governance Act 2025 provides powers for these regulations.
- The scope includes the Premier League, Championship, and Leagues One, Two, and Three.
- The rationale focuses on financialisation issues in top leagues.
- Women’s football will not be regulated by the IFR due to its self-regulation recommendation.