The top five tiers of the men's game in England now have an independent regulator.
What happened
The Football Governance Act received Royal Assent on 21 July 2025. It establishes an Independent Football Regulator covering the top five tiers of the men's game in England.
How it was structured
The Act introduces a licensing regime for clubs, tests for owners and directors, and backstop powers over how money is distributed between competitions.
Our review
For anyone lending into English football, regulation now sits in statute as well as league rules. A lender taking share security should think early about how owner tests would apply on enforcement, and how licence conditions could affect a club's ability to service debt.
Sources
Not RMF transactions, just general football and sports transactions. Figures are as publicly reported, and reports sometimes differ. General market commentary, not investment, legal or financial advice.