Tue Jul 08, 2025 9:37 pm
MPs have voted to back the Football Governance Bill and establish an independent regulator to oversee the men's game in England's top five divisions.
They voted by 415 to 98 to pass the bill at its third reading in the House of Commons, and it is now poised to become law.
The legislation will grant powers to a body that is independent from government and football authorities.
The government has previously said an independent regulator will "protect football clubs" by "ensuring their financial sustainability".
The bill was initially introduced in March 2024 by the then-Conservative government but failed to pass through parliament before a general election was called in May. The new Labour government reintroduced the bill in July 2024.
Football campaign group Fair Game described the bill clearing the Commons as "a historic step forward for our national game."
MPs, however, voted against a proposal from the Liberal Democrats to make at least 10 Premier League games available on free-to-air television each season.
The new clause would have also required the League Cup final, and the Championship, League One and League Two play-off finals to be free-to-air.
In the UK, the list of 'crown jewels' sports events, which cannot solely be shown by broadcasters who charge viewers, includes football's World Cup and European Championships as well as the FA Cup final.
Live Premier League matches have been broadcast behind a paywall since the league's inception 33 years ago, with only a handful of games shown on the BBC during Covid in 2020.
MPs also rejected a Conservative amendment to force ministers to launch a formal consultation on scrapping the rule banning alcohol in football stands across the top five tiers of men's football in England.