Football Governance Bill: call for evidence

Aims of the Bill

The bill is very similar to a bill introduced under the previous government which did not complete its parliamentary stages before the 2024 general election. 

An impact assessment on the bill (PDF) states that its policy objectives are to:

• improve the financial sustainability of individual clubs and English men’s professional football as a whole, in the interests of fans and local communities
• protect and preserve the use of important cultural heritage assets
• ensure that clubs sufficiently engage with their fans on matters of interest to supporters

A Department for Culture, Media and Sport factsheet summarises how the bill differs from the earlier bill.

Follow the progress of the Football Governance Bill [Lords]

The Football Governance Bill [HL] was introduced in the House of Lords on 24 October 2024 where it completed its stages on 26 March 2025. The bill had its first reading in the House of Commons the following day and had its second reading on 28 April 2025.

• Bills before Parliament: Football Governance Bill [HL]
• Read Explanatory Notes: Football Governance Bill [HL]
• House of Commons Library Briefing Paper

The government has published supporting documents on the bill:

• Impact assessment(PDF) (23 October 2024)
• Delegated powers memorandum (PDF) (24 October 2024)
• European Convention on Human Rights memorandum(PDF) (updated 27 March 2025)
• Regulatory Policy Committee opinion on the government’s impact assessment on the bill (updated 26 October 2024)

Factsheets on the bill, all dated 27 March 2025, have also been published:

• Overview of the bill
• How the bill differs from the previous government’s
• The independent football regulator
• Licensing regime
• Owners and directors of regulated clubs
• Duties on clubs and competition organisers
• Financial distribution backstop mechanism
• Investigations, enforcement and appeals

There will be no oral evidence sessions held for this Bill.

Guidance on submitting written evidence

Deadline for written evidence submissions

The Public Bill Committee is now able to receive written evidence. The sooner you send in your submission, the more time the Committee will have to take it into consideration.

Amendments tabled to the Bill, and information regarding the order in which amendments will be debated in Committee, will be available in due course on the Bill’s publications page (under ‘Amendment paper’ and ‘Selection of amendments’). Once the Committee has dealt with an amendment it will not revisit it.

The Public Bill Committee on the Football Governance Bill [Lords] will meet for the first time on Tuesday 3 June 2025 and is expected to report by 5pm on Thursday 26 June. When the Committee concludes its consideration of the Bill it is no longer able to receive written evidence and it can conclude earlier than the expected deadline of 5.00pm on Thursday 26 June 2025. You are strongly advised to submit your written evidence as soon as possible.

Your submission should be emailed to scrutiny@parliament.uk

Further guidance on submitting written evidence can be found here (pdf, 1MB).

Image: Pixabay