Independent Football Regulator - Update
Please find below an update from Keith Morgan on the the present position of the IFR and how it affects the Club and the Trust moving
Executive Summary
The Football Governance Act 2025 introduces a new regulatory system to safeguard the financial stability, sustainability and heritage of men’s professional football clubs across the top five tiers in England and Wales.
Cardiff City Supporters’ Trust (CCST) played a direct and meaningful rolethroughout the development of the Act — working with the Football Supporters’ Association (FSA), engaging local and national politicians, and meeting with senior figures at the Independent Football Regulator (IFR).
The Act requires clubs to obtain an IFR licence and to demonstrate robust financial systems, suitable ownership, and — crucially — genuine, structured fan engagement. Clubs must consult supporters on strategic direction, business priorities, matchday operations, ticketing and heritage matters, and must show they have taken fan views into account.
In short: the Act strengthens supporter influence, and CCST’s long?term involvement helped ensure fans have a formal, enforceable voice in major decisions.
The Football Governance Act 2025 — What It Means for Fans
Background
After several years of development — with substantial involvement from supporters — the Football Governance Act 2025 was enacted on 21 July 2025.
CCST contributed at every stage, including:
- Working closely with the Football Supporters’ Association (FSA)
- Direct engagement with local and national politicians
- Online meetings with Martyn Henderson, then Chief Operating Officer of the Independent Football Regulator (IFR)
This sustained involvement ensured that the concerns and priorities of Cardiff City supporters were represented throughout the legislative process.
Purpose of the Act
The Act aims to secure the long?term sustainability and proper running of men’s football clubs in the top five tiers of the professional game in England and Wales.
To deliver this, it establishes the Independent Football Regulator, headquartered in Salford and currently staffed by around 100 people. The IFR has appointed Supervisors, each responsible for several clubs, to support them through compliance and licensing.
IFR Responsibilities
The IFR is required to:
- Protect and promote the financial soundness of regulated clubs
- Protect and promote financial resilience
- Safeguard club heritage
Club Licensing
All regulated clubs must hold an IFR?issued licence to operate. Without one, a club cannot participate in the top five tiers.
Key points:
- Detailed licensing requirements will be published later this year
- Clubs must hold a provisional licence before the 2027/28 season
- Supervisors will work with clubs to prepare for compliance
- Clubs must demonstrate ongoing compliance annually to retain their licence
To obtain their first licence, clubs must show they have:
- Systems ensuring financial stability
- Adequate access to funds
- Suitable owners and senior management (listed in a personnel statement and subject to enhanced checks)
- Evidence of meeting the fan engagement thresholds set out in the Act
Fan Engagement Thresholds
A central feature of the Act is the requirement for clubs to meet minimum standards of fan engagement. Clubs must:
- Consult fans on all “relevant matters”
- Demonstrate that fan views have been considered in decision?making — consultations cannot be tokenistic
Relevant matters include:
- Strategic direction and objectives
- Business priorities
- Operational and matchday issues, including ticket pricing
- Club heritage
- Plans for additional fan engagement
Heritage matters specifically include issues that have affected Cardiff City in the past, such as:
- Changes to the predominant home shirt colour
- Changes to the club crest or emblem
- Changes to the club name
- Relocation of the home stadium
Summary
The Football Governance Act 2025 gives supporters a stronger, enforceable role in shaping major decisions at their clubs. Decision?making authority remains with clubs and their senior leadership, but they must now properly consult, listen to and consider fan views before implementing significant changes.
CCST’s involvement throughout the development of the Act helped ensure that supporter influence is not only recognised but embedded in law — a meaningful step forward for transparency, accountability and fan representation in football governance. We aim to work closely with the IFR Supervisor, once nominated, to ensure supporters views are properly considered by the club.
Best regards,
Cardiff City Supporters’ Trust Board
