England could be banned from Euro 2028, UEFA warns
In a letter sent to Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy, which has been leaked to The Times, European football’s governing body UEFA outlined concerns that an independent regulator could constitute government interference in sport.
UEFA general secretary Theodore Theodoridis wrote there should be “no government interference in the running of football”, according to the newspaper, and that an independent regulator could lead to England being excluded from UEFA in the worst-case scenario.
An exclusion would mean English clubs would no longer be able to compete in the Champions League and other UEFA competitions - even though England is due to co-host the Euros in 2028.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport believes the independent football regulator will not jeopardise England’s participation at Euro 2028, the PA news agency understands.
The Times reported that in the letter, Theodoridis has warned against plans to place the new regulator in control of English football’s top five leagues, saying the game’s independence was a “fundamental requirement”.
A DCMS spokesperson said: “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.”
The previous Conservative government failed to get its Football Governance Bill through Parliament due to the calling of the general election in May, but Labour committed itself to the plan in its manifesto.
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The PA news agency understands the DCMS will respond to the letter shortly and that there have been no previous concerns raised by UEFA, which has been engaging alongside the Football Association with the new Government over the development of the Bill.
Campaign group Fair Game, which has long been calling for an overhaul in football governance, dismissed UEFA’s letter.
Fair Game chief executive Niall Couper said: “The DCMS have been over this ground a hundred times. This is nothing short of a scare story.
“With 58 per cent of the top 92 (clubs in England) technically insolvent, annual losses of £10 million a year in the Championship viewed as “a success”, football is an industry in desperate need of financial reform.
“The Government should not be derailed by such nonsense.”
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