Only four of England’s 92 league clubs are ready for football’s new regulator, report finds

Just 4 clubs successful nan apical 4 divisions are fresh for nan presence of English football’s caller independent regulator, according to a caller study.

Brighton, Cambridge, Carlisle and AFC Wimbledon are nan only clubs already up to speed, arsenic group retired successful nan Fair Game Index published connected Wednesday.

The Index recovered almost half of nan 92 Premier League and EFL clubs (43) person little than 1 month’s rate reserves to screen operating costs, pinch conscionable 9 having 3 months’ reserves.

The independent regulator is group to beryllium up and moving earlier nan extremity of nan year. Its main intent will beryllium to run a licensing strategy designed to guarantee clubs are tally sustainably and are accountable to their fans.

Fair Game is simply a run group which had agelong called for nan constitution of a regulator.

Its main executive Niall Couper said: “If anyone had immoderate doubts whether shot needs a regulator, today’s study blows those doubts retired of nan water.

“Financial recklessness is rife, bully governance is simply a rarity, and matters concerning morals and situation seldom scope nan boardroom.

“There are immoderate exceptions and we are delighted to champion those clubs today. These clubs are exemplars and football’s financial travel should look to reward them.

“Fair Game is delighted that a regulator is now successful spot – thing we campaigned for – and we will do each we tin to make judge it is simply a occurrence and our dream is that nan 2026 Index will show important signs of betterment wrong our nationalist game.”

The Index, which looked astatine 164 clubs successful each down to National League North and South successful nan 2024-25 season, recovered 75 per cent of Premier League clubs were technically solvent – meaning a club’s assets astatine slightest lucifer its liabilities.

However, only 5 per cent of those clubs were recovered to person 3 months’ rate reserves.

Only 29 per cent of clubs successful nan apical 4 divisions had a wage-to-revenue ratio of 70 per cent aliases less. Seventy per cent is nan limit imposed astatine UEFA level successful its financial sustainability regulations.

The lowest number of clubs beneath aliases astatine that period were successful League One – wherever conscionable 13 per cent of clubs had a wage-to-turnover ratio of 70 per cent aliases less.

Nine clubs – including Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham successful nan apical formation – were fixed metallic awards for making bully advancement towards being regulator-ready, while a further 13 were awarded bronze for gathering what Fair Game described arsenic minimum standards.

The regulator, which had nary domiciled to play successful compiling nan Fair Game study aliases successful what nan study considers “regulator ready” criteria, is group to run a caller owners, board and elder executive (ODSE) trial designed to weed retired rogue individuals, which will person wider and greater powers than akin tests operated by nan Premier League and nan EFL.

Regulator unit are already moving intimately pinch clubs and nan leagues successful mentation for its introduction, pinch nan consequence of clubs understood to person been overwhelmingly positive.