Historic new legislation set to “reform the governance” of men’s elite football in England has been introduced in Parliament.
Coming at what is said to be at a “critical juncture” for English football, following the attempted breakaway European Super League proposed back in 2021, as well as series of high-profile cases of clubs being financially mismanaged or collapsing entirely, and in a bid to “put fans back at the heart of the game”, the UK Government has this week announced ‘The Football Governance Bill’.
At the heart of the Bill, and what is undoubtedly the biggest talking point of the new legislation, is the establishing of a new ‘Independent Football Regulator’ (IFR) as a standalone body – which will be, like the name suggests, independent of both Government and the football authorities.
The body will be “equipped with robust powers”, according to the Government.
It will revolve around three core objectives:
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To improve financial sustainability of clubs
Ensure financial resilience across the leagues
To safeguard the heritage of English football
The Government has announced a ‘historic’ new independent regulator for men’s football in England / Credit: Fanga Images | Connor Coyne (via Unsplash)
New owners and directors will face stronger tests to stop clubs falling into the wrong hands under the new Bill, and will also face the possibility of being removed and struck-off from owning football clubs in the future, if they’re found to be “unsuitable”.
New backstop powers around financial distributions between the Premier League, the English Football League (EFL), and National League also form part of the new Bill, and would be triggered to “ensure a settlement is reached” if the three leagues fail to agree on a new deal on financial distributions.
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And, for the first time in football history, clubs from the National League – which is Step One in the football pyramid – all the way to the Premier League will be licensed to compete in men’s elite football competitions in England.
The Government says this will, however, be “proportionate to any problems, size, and circumstances” of the clubs, and will involve a system of provisional and full licences to give everyone “time to transition”.
The Football Governance Bill will put fans first, with:
⚽ An independent regulator and licensing for English elite men’s football clubs 📃 More financial sustainability and governance 👨👩👧👦 More fan involvement 🏆 Blocks on breakaway competitions
Find out more:
— Department for Culture, Media and Sport (@DCMS) March 19, 2024
All clubs will be subject to new baseline requirements under the legislation, the Government says, irrespective of their licence status
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The provisional licence will require all clubs to meet some mandatory conditions as standard, including basic requirements on fan engagement, corporate governance, and financial reporting, and then the regulator will apply additional bespoke licence conditions on clubs, as necessary, to ensure they meet necessary standards for a full licence across three key areas – financial resources, non-financial resources, and fan engagement.
The latter is said to be “a central tenet” of the ‘Football Governance Bill’.
As part of the licence, clubs will be required to consult their fans on key off-field decisions – such as club heritage, and the club’s strategic direction.
Sports Minister Stuart Andrew said football clubs are “vital community assets” as the new Bill was introduced in Parliament yesterday (18 March), adding: “For far too long, some fans have been taken for granted, and clubs lost to unscrupulous owners.
“Today’s Bill will pave the way for the creation of an Independent Football Regulator, and usher in greater protections to help clubs and their fans thrive over the long term.”
NHS urgently needs 500,000 men to take part in ‘major’ cancer research programme
Emily Sergeant
Half a million men are needed to take part in a ‘major’ cancer research programme.
From this week, the NHS has announced that it will begin contacting 500,000 men to invite them to join a major research programme that will work to improve the vital early detection and treatment of prostate cancer.
Men who have had or are living with prostate cancer will receive letters and text messages explaining how they can register to take part.
It’s hoped that this will become one of the world’s largest prostate cancer studies.
Formally named ‘Prostate Progress’, the study is designed to speed up the development of better tests, treatments, and care – with the NHS aiming to recruit as many participants as possible to improve how prostate cancer is diagnosed and treated, as well as understanding the side effects of treatment and the impact they have on quality of life.
The NHS urgently needs 500,000 men to take part in a ‘major’ cancer research programme / Credit: rawpixel
Prostate cancer is now the most common cancer in the UK, with around 60,000 new cases diagnosed every year and over 12,000 deaths annually.
Men who join ‘Prostate Progress’ will be asked to complete questionnaires about their experiences of living with the disease every few months.
Verified researchers will then be able compare men’s experiences of living with prostate cancer against their NHS records – including their symptoms and quality of life.
The NHS says it is ‘particularly keen’ to hear from black men for the programme, as they are at approximately twice the risk of developing prostate cancer – with around one in four black men in the UK expected to be diagnosed during their lifetime.
“Better representation will help researchers understand and address differences in diagnosis, treatment and outcomes,” the NHS said in a statement.
“Prostate cancer is now the most common cancer in the UK,” explained Health Minister, James Frith. “Every piece of data we gather brings us closer to the tests and treatments that future patients will depend on to live well for longer.
“Prostate Progress has the potential to become a hugely important resource, but only if men come forward and share their experiences, so I encourage anyone who receives an invitation to sign up.
“This is the kind of innovation the government’s National Cancer Plan is designed to support, making the NHS a world-leading destination for cancer research and ensuring patients across the country can help shape the treatments of tomorrow.”
Featured Image – Vitaly Gariev (via Unsplash)
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Police charge and name man after broad daylight stabbing of 19-year-old in Northern Quarter
Emily Sergeant
A man has been charged and publicly named after the stabbing of a teenager in the Northern Quarter last week.
Bandar Alzahar has been charged with attempted murder and possession of a bladed article in a public place, and has been remanded in custody ahead of a scheduled appearance at Manchester & Salford Magistrates Court today (Monday 3 August 2026).
The charges come after a 19-year-old man was stabbed in the Northern Quarter, in Manchester city centre, last Friday (31 July).
The shocking incident took place in broad daylight at around 12:50pm on Church Street.
After police attended the scene, they ‘quickly located’ a suspect – initially described as just being a man in his early 20s – at Manchester Airport within three hours of the incident occurring, and he was subsequently arrested on suspicion of Section 18 assault.
The victim sadly remains in hospital in a stable condition but with life-threatening injuries, police have confirmed.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) are still appealing to the public for information. In a public plea, police wrote: “We are still asking for information from anyone that may have witnessed the incident on Church Street to get in touch with us.
“This includes any CCTV, mobile phone or Dashcam footage that may assist our enquiries.”
Any information can be submitted to GMP by calling 101, quoting log 1580 of 31/07/2026. Alternatively, you can contact independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Emily Sergeant -
19th March 2024 
