Possible UEFA competition ban for England if new regulator’s authority is not heavily restricted

In Manchester, England, UEFA raises concerns about potential government interference in soccer, warning that England and English soccer teams could face removal from UEFA competitions if a new independent football regulator (IFR) is considered to be governmental meddling in the sport.

In a letter to the U.K.’s new culture secretary, Lisa Nandy, UEFA expressed worries about the proposed IFR in English soccer. The regulator is intended to ensure clubs’ financial sustainability and prevent them from participating in breakaway competitions like the European Super League. UEFA’s regulations prohibit government involvement in soccer operations.

UEFA’s general secretary, Theodore Theodoridis, cautioned in the letter that the ultimate consequence for breaching this regulation could be excluding the federation from UEFA and barring teams from competitions. England, a finalist in the last two European Championships, is set to host the 2028 edition of the tournament.

If UEFA carries out the severe measure of excluding the English Football Association, it could mean the England national team being disqualified from the Euros and Premier League clubs being prevented from participating in the Champions League and other tournaments.

The U.K. government’s proposed Football Governance Bill aims to empower an independent regulator to oversee and secure the future of clubs, with stricter criteria on club ownership and management. UEFA emphasized in its letter that football regulation should typically fall under the national federation’s jurisdiction.

UEFA voiced concerns about what it referred to as the regulator’s overreach into areas beyond clubs’ long-term financial stability and heritage assets, labeling it as “scope creep.” The governing body feared that widespread establishment of non-federation regulators across countries could impede effective governance in Europe.

UEFA urged that England’s regulator should be confined strictly to monitoring the long-term financial sustainability of clubs and their heritage assets to avert governance issues. In response, a U.K. government spokesperson highlighted that the Football Governance Bill seeks to establish an Independent Football Regulator to enhance fan engagement and address governance deficiencies for the enduring viability of English football clubs and communities.