Week 29. Premier League Returns

Football is back.

Football has returned to our screens, but this season feels different. Alongside the excitement of the Premier League and Champions League, there is now closer scrutiny of how the game is governed. The Football Governance Act 2025, which recently received Royal Assent, represents a significant shift in the regulation of English football. Issues such as financial sustainability, supporter engagement, and accountability are no longer matters for voluntary codes of practice, they are now legal obligations.

In a sport where broadcasting rights are valued in the billions and individual clubs can be worth hundreds of millions, reputation and integrity are as important as financial performance. Maintaining trust in decision-making, both on and off the pitch, is central to the future of the game. Recent controversies, including the case involving former PGMOL official David Coote, (Trinity Chambers (2025) highlight how quickly confidence can be undermined and why a stronger framework of regulation is timely

The Football Governance Act 2025 passed through Parliament this summer, completing its final stages in July and receiving Royal Assent on 21 July. The Act creates an Independent Football Regulator (IFR) with oversight of the top five tiers of the men’s game in England. Its powers are wide-ranging: from ensuring clubs are run sustainably, to monitoring how revenue from broadcasting and competition rights is distributed. One of the most debated areas was the dispute resolution process, which will now give the IFR authority to step in when leagues disagree about how money should be shared, particularly in cases involving relegation payments. Importantly, the regulator must now consult with the Football Association (FA) before making a decision, keeping the governing body at the heart of the process.

The Act also introduces a review mechanism, requiring the Secretary of State to assess its effectiveness within five years, and to consult widely before reporting back to Parliament. Taken together, these measures signal a recognition that football is not only a global business but also a matter of public trust. For the first time, regulation will not be left solely to self-governance within the sport, but will be subject to independent legal oversight. (Morgan Lewis (2025))

Why This Matters

The timing of the Football Governance Act could not be more significant. Trust in English football has been strained in recent years on several fronts. The European Super League proposal of 2021 demonstrated how quickly commercial interests could override the wishes of fans and even jeopardise the competitive balance of the game. Without proper safeguards, supporters feared that the “people’s game” could be transformed into a closed shop for the elite few.

At the same time, concerns about refereeing standards and transparency have intensified. The Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) has faced mounting criticism over the consistency of decisions and the opaque operation of VAR. For fans and clubs alike, confidence in the fairness of the sport depends on clear, reliable officiating, and the perception of even minor errors or inconsistencies can have huge financial and reputational consequences.

Most recently, the case of David Coote, a former Premier League referee now facing criminal charges unrelated to his professional duties, has placed the spotlight once again on the need for accountability and integrity across every level of football governance. While Mr Coote maintains his innocence and awaits trial, (Trinity Chambers, 2025) the case highlights how fragile trust can be in a multi-billion-pound industry where reputation is everything.

Taken together, these examples highlight why independent regulation is not a luxury but a necessity. The health of the Premier League, and English football as a whole, depends not only on the goals scored on the pitch but on the structures that keep the competition fair, transparent, and worthy of the trust placed in it by millions.

Final Thoughts: Integrity Is the Goal

English football has always thrived on passion, community, memories, but for too long, it has also tolerated instability, hidden debts, and inconsistent accountability. The Football Governance Act 2025 is a turning point. It acknowledges that when integrity is compromised, be that in finances, ownership, officiating, or governance, everything else suffers.

The big clubs, the referee bodies, the fans, the independent regulator, all of them now have legal obligations, not just moral ones. If this works, we’ll see fewer financial crises at clubs, fairer ownership, clearer decision-making, and yes, more trust. If it fails, well... the consequences could be expensive, not just in money, but in fan loyalty, reputations, and the meaning of the game itself.

So let’s watch closely. Let’s demand clarity.

Let’s insist that the Premier League, and English football generally, lives up to its billing: the best in the world, not just in spectacle, but in fairness.

References

Football Governance Act 2025, c.21. Available at: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2025/21

The Football Association (FA) (n.d.) About us. Available at: https://www.thefa.com/about-football-association

Morgan Lewis (2025) Football Governance Act passes into law, establishing independent football regulator. Available at: https://www.morganlewis.com/pubs/2025/08/football-governance-act-passes-into-law-establishing-independent-football-regulator

Trinity Chambers (2025) Trinity’s Fraser Williamson appears in high profile criminal case. Available at: https://www.trinitychambers.co.uk/news-insights/trinity-s-fraser-williamson-appears-in-high-profile-criminal-case/