- Kemi Badenoch criticizes the proposed football regulator, calling it a “waste of money.”
- Labour and supporter groups back the bill, aiming to protect clubs and strengthen fan influence.
- Premier League warns the regulator could harm investment, competitiveness, and global appeal.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has dismissed the proposed independent football regulator as unnecessary, calling it “a waste of money.”
The Football Governance Bill, aimed at establishing the first independent regulator for professional men’s football in England, was originally introduced by the former Conservative government in March 2024. However, it failed to pass through Parliament before Labour’s victory in the general election.
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Reintroduced by the new government in October, the bill is currently under review in the House of Lords before being debated in the Commons.
“I think a football regulator is going to be a waste of money,” Badenoch told The Telegraph’s Daily T Podcast. “When I speak to people in the industry, they don’t think it’s going to work. So why are we doing it?”
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has pushed back against attempts to derail the legislation, warning that it is “not acceptable to use parliamentary procedures to try to block” its progress.
Responding to Badenoch’s remarks, Nandy said on Tuesday: “The Tory U-turn on protecting football clubs from collapse is a complete betrayal of fans and communities up and down the country. We’ll support football to thrive and put fans back at the heart of the game.”
The bill has been welcomed by supporter groups and the English Football League (EFL), which represents 72 clubs, but has faced resistance from the Premier League. League officials argue that the regulator would have “unprecedented and untested powers” to interfere with financial distribution, potentially harming the league’s competitiveness, club investments, and global appeal.
The Premier League is in discussions with the government to amend aspects of the bill and avoid “unintended consequences.”
Badenoch acknowledged that stopping the bill outright would be difficult given Labour’s parliamentary majority but reaffirmed her opposition:
“I’m personally against it, and the party is looking at ways to improve the bill because we don’t have the numbers in the Commons or the Lords to stop it,” she said. “People believe a regulator will help smaller clubs, but I don’t think it will. I understand the problem, but this is not the solution.”
The Football Supporters’ Association (FSA) criticized Badenoch’s stance, calling it an “own goal.”
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“She claims to have spoken to people in the ‘industry’—we prefer to call it the game—but that doesn’t appear to include the EFL, which supports the regulator. Can Kemi let everyone know exactly who she’s spoken to in football?” the FSA said.
The association also highlighted key aspects of the bill, including blocking domestic involvement in a European Super League, increasing protections for clubs, and giving supporters a greater say in the game.
