Football Governance Bill

Official Summary

A Bill to require professional and semi-professional football clubs in England to disclose the identity of their owners; to give the Football Association powers to block the ownership of a club by anyone whom they consider is not a fit and proper person; to require all creditors of a football club to be compensated equally should the club go into administration; to facilitate the raising by supporters’ organisations of the finance required to acquire a controlling stake in a football club; and for connected purposes.

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Overview

The Football Governance Bill aims to improve transparency and fairness in English football club ownership. Key changes include mandatory disclosure of club ownership, stricter "fit and proper person" tests for owners, fairer treatment of creditors in insolvency, and support for fan ownership models.

Description

This bill introduces several significant changes to football governance in England:

Ownership Transparency

All clubs in the top eight tiers of English football must publicly declare their ultimate beneficial owners, including details of trusts and community benefit societies. This aims to increase accountability and reduce the potential for illicit activities.

"Fit and Proper Person" Test

The Football Association (FA) gains the power to refuse membership to clubs whose owners it deems unfit. This judgment is based on the owner's ability to comply with FA rules and regulations, with the FA having absolute discretion in this matter.

Creditor Treatment

The bill abolishes preferential treatment of creditors when a football club enters administration. All creditors will be treated equally, preventing certain creditors (like banks) from receiving preferential payments, protecting the club's assets.

Supporter Ownership

The bill prevents football leagues from enacting rules that discriminate against community benefit societies and fan-owned clubs attempting to take over a club.

Government Spending

The bill's impact on government spending is not directly addressed in the text. It is likely to have minimal direct impact, instead relying on the FA and football leagues to implement the changes.

Groups Affected

Football Clubs: Increased transparency and stricter ownership regulations.
Football Club Owners: Subject to increased scrutiny and potential rejection based on the "fit and proper person" test.
Football Club Creditors: All creditors will be treated equally in insolvency proceedings.
Supporters' Groups: Facilitation of raising funds to acquire controlling stakes in their clubs.
The Football Association (FA): Greater responsibility for vetting club owners and enforcing the new regulations.

Full Text

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