Uefa warns that England could face Euro 2028 ban over regulator plans: reports
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England risk a ban from Euro 2028 if Prime Minister Keir Starmer goes ahead of plans for a men's football regulator.
PHOTO: AFP
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LONDON – Uefa has warned the UK government that England risk a ban from the Euro 2028 tournament they are co-hosting, if Prime Minister Keir Starmer goes ahead with existing plans for a men’s football regulator, the British media reported on Sept 14.
In a letter to Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy, obtained by The Times of London and the BBC, general secretary of European football’s governing body Theodore Theodoridis said that there should be “no government interference in the running of football”.
According to the letter, Theodoridis cautioned against plans outlined in the King’s Speech to give the new regulator the power to oversee clubs in England’s top five leagues, saying the game’s independence was a “fundamental requirement”.
“One particular area of concern stems from one of Uefa’s fundamental requirements, which is that there should be no government interference in the running of football,” he wrote.
“We have specific rules that guard against this in order to guarantee the autonomy of sport and fairness of sporting competition; the ultimate sanction for which would be excluding the federation from Uefa and teams from competition.”
The previous UK government had announced plans to appoint a regulator in 2023, saying that it was necessary to protect clubs from financial mismanagement and to stop wealthy teams from joining breakaway leagues.
Mr Starmer’s government committed to the regulator in the Labour Party manifesto after being elected in July.
Theodoridis also told Ms Nandy that Uefa is “concerned about the potential for scope creep within the IFR (Independent Football Regulator)” – otherwise meaning that new changes, features or powers could be introduced that is not authorised by Uefa.
“While the initial intent of the IFR is to oversee the long-term financial sustainability of clubs and heritage assets, there is always a risk that, once established, the IFR may expand its mandate beyond these areas,” he said.
Uefa did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
As it stands, the plan for a football regulator remains on track.
“The Football Governance Bill will establish a new Independent Football Regulator that will put fans back at the heart of the game, and tackle fundamental governance problems to ensure that English football is sustainable for the benefit of the clubs’ communities going forward,” a Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport spokesperson said in a statement.
England, Northern Ireland, Ireland, Scotland and Wales are co-hosting the 2028 European Championship, and it remains to be seen what happens from now onwards following Uefa’s warning. REUTERS
