The annual cost to English clubs of the Independent Football Regulator (IFR) has risen to £20.3m, roughly double the amount initially estimated. The watchdog has proposed a levy to fund operating costs of £18.3m to support 100 staff, with a further £1m set aside for potential litigation. Another £1m is towards a total estimated set-up cost of £45m, to be paid off over the next 10 years.
From next season, all regulated clubs in the top five divisions of English men's football will be required to pay for the IFR's operations. The IFR says it will be "a proportionate and affordable amount", but the figure is significantly higher than the £8-10.2m annual operating cost forecast in a 2019 impact assessment, before legislation was finalised. IFR chief executive Richard Monks said the £10m figure "is not a number we believe reflects either the current financial reality or the task ahead of us". The levy is designed so that most clubs pay around 0.1% of their annual revenues.
Under the proposed approach, the greatest contributions will come from those most able to afford them, including clubs in Uefa and Fifa competitions and those receiving Premier League parachute payments. The highest-earning Premier League clubs could be charged up to £1.8m per season, with most paying £600,000. Championship clubs not receiving parachute payments would pay around £45,000, League One clubs around £9,000, League Two clubs £6,000, and National League clubs less than £600.
The IFR says the levy is "significantly lower" than the costs of other UK regulators and football bodies such as the Premier League, which reported more than £200m in administrative expenses in 2024/25. Last week, the IFR's State of the Game report revealed that 94% of clubs are loss-making, and more than 60% of EFL and National League clubs are technically insolvent.
Source: BBC Sport Football · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing