Football’s New Era: What the Independent Football Regulator Means for Clubs

The new season is underway and so is one of the most significant changes to the way English football is run: the introduction of the Independent Football Regulator (IFR).

This is a shift that will impact clubs not just at the boardroom level, but in their day-to-day decision-making, culture, and how they engage with the fans who make the game what it is.

Raising Standards Across the Game

The IFR has a clear focus, including:

• Fan engagement
• Financial regulation and reporting
• Enhanced corporate governance

Many clubs already perform well in these areas. But the relentless pursuit of success, often driven by fan pressure, can push even well-run organisations into risky territory. Ironically, while the Fan-Led Review set the reform in motion, it is often fan intensity that creates many of the short-term pressures.

Will the IFR Stop Overspending or Sackings?

The reality is that football’s culture won’t change overnight. Some clubs will still spend beyond their budgets. Managers will still be dismissed too quickly. Financial complexity will remain, it has never been an easy business.

The IFR won’t stop these behaviours entirely. What it should do is raise the bar around standards, transparency, and accountability. Over time, better communication with fans, stronger governance frameworks, and clearer financial oversight should reduce the risk of catastrophic failures and the damage that follows in their communities.

Governance as Culture, Not Compliance

For clubs, adapting to the IFR is about embedding governance into the everyday. It’s not simply a compliance exercise; it’s about creating a culture where sustainable decisions, open communication, and long-term thinking underpin everything.

Good governance and strong fan relationships are not optional, they are essential foundations for sustainable success.

My Perspective

Having worked in football as a CEO and FD for nearly 25 years, I support clubs and stakeholders in adapting to this new era. That means:

• Helping leadership teams translate regulation into practical processes
• Strengthening governance structures to balance ambition with sustainability
• Building fan engagement strategies that turn communication into trust
• Supporting financial discipline without losing competitiveness on the pitch

The IFR sets the standard. But how clubs respond will shape the future of the game.

My role is to ensure that governance and communication aren’t just box-ticking exercises, they become drivers of resilience, growth, and deeper connection with fans.

Let’s Talk

If your club or organisation wants to navigate the opportunities and challenges of the IFR era with confidence, gunnercooke Sport would be delighted to connect and share insights.