Former sports minister Tracey Crouch is to lead a fan-driven government-backed review to look at “root and branch” reform of the governance and finances of football in response to plans for a breakaway European Super League.
Culture secretary Oliver Dowden announced that the review – promised in the 2019 Conservative manifesto – was being brought forward because of the shock move by 12 of Europe’s biggest clubs.
And he said it could lead to fans being granted a larger stake in the oversight of the game.
Mr Dowden said that football authorities would have the government’s “full backing” for any action to prevent the creation of the breakaway contest.
And he said that if the Premier League, Football Association and Uefa prove unable to block the elite-only tournament, the government will “put everything on the table” to prevent it.
This could include reform of football governance and the use of competition law or even the withdrawal of the government support required for games to take place, he said.
And he warned: “We rule out absolutely nothing.”
Mr Dowden said he was “appalled” by the plans announced last night by six English clubs – Manchester City, Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur – along with three each from Spain and Italy for a “closed shop” tournament from which founder members could never be relegated.
He told the House of Commons that the experience of games played to empty stadiums because of the Covid pandemic showed that “football is nothing without the fans”.
He warned the foreign owners of the six breakaway teams that they were no more than “temporary custodians” of their clubs and forgot the fans “at their peril”.
Mr Dowden said he had intended to hold back the fan-led review until after stadiums were once again open to supporters.
But he said he would now bring forward the “root and branch examination of football in this country”, covering sustainability, finance and governance and the arguments for the establishment of an independent regulator.
Announcing that the review will consider models for giving fans greater oversight of the game, he said: “We are unequivocally on the side of fans and their voices have to be heard when it comes to the future of our national game.
“It starts with fans and it ends with fans.
“In the meantime, we have thrown our full weight behind the football authorities and stand ready to do whatever is necessary to represent fans and protect their interests.”