The FIFA World Cup may have ended on Sunday night, but the Independent Football Regulator’s game has just started: Morecambe Football Club became the first to receive a warning notice under the Football Governance Act from this newly established governing body.
Background
The Independent Football Regulator (IFR), is a statutory regulator established under the Football Governance Act 2025. Specifically, it has powers to require information, oversee club owners and directors, enforce compliance, and impose sanctions including censures and financial penalties on regulated football clubs and their owners.
Early in 2026, the IFR issued a request for information within its Owners, Directors and Senior Executives (“ODSE”) regime to Morecambe Football Club. This request was made under section 65 of the Football Governance Act 2025. Nevertheless, the Club failed to respond by the deadline and did not request an extension.
Subsequently, the club submitted responses on 8 April 2026. However, the IFR considered them incomplete and requested the missing information. That further deadline was missed. The IFR subsequently issued an Investigation Notice in June 2026, requiring complete responses. The club managed to provide further information, but some requests remained unanswered.
Alleged Breach of section 65 of the Football Governance Act 2025
According to the IFR, Morecambe Football Club and its owner failed to comply with statutory information notices issued under section 65 the Act, without giving reasonable explanations.
Consequently, it concluded that the failures prevented it from carrying out its regulatory functions efficiently. Notably, the impact has since been reduced after the Club’s relegation from the National League on 6 June 2026. From that point, the Club ceased to be subject to the ODSE regime.
That said, the Decision Notice is yet to be issued. The Club has until 28 July 2026 to make written representations before the IFR’s final decision.
Watch out, Football Clubs, Owners and Directors
Ultimately, this is a real time demonstration that the Football Governance Act 2025 has real regulatory power and that the IFR is duly exercising it as statutory obligations. Clubs, owners and directors should ensure they have effective governance processes in place. When it comes to IFR information requests, they are to comply with the Act and to respond promptly, accurately and in full.
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