Proposed changes to football governance aimed at preventing nation states from owning clubs are set to be discussed in the House of Lords this week. The second reading of the governance bill will address nineteen amendments put forward by Fair Game, a coalition of 34 men’s clubs advocating for a more sustainable approach to the sport. Among the proposed changes is a stipulation that would explicitly prohibit the ownership of clubs by states or state-controlled entities. The amendment states, “The Bill must exclude the possibility that an owner of a club could be a state or state-controlled person or entity.” Additionally, Fair Game is pushing for the inclusion of a human rights component in the owners’ and directors’ tests, as well as a requirement for club owners to disclose the sources of their funding. These changes reflect a growing concern over the influence of state ownership in football and the need for more responsible governance in the sport.

Ministers have reversed their decision to mandate that the new football regulator take the government's foreign policy into account when evaluating club takeovers. This change comes in response to concerns raised by Uefa, which warned that such a requirement could result in favoritism towards certain countries' bids and could be seen as political interference in the sport. The football governance bill, which is set to be introduced on Thursday, will no longer include this controversial stipulation. The climbdown reflects a growing recognition of the need to maintain the integrity of football governance and avoid entangling the sport in political agendas.

A new bill aimed at establishing a regulator for English football is expected to be presented to parliament within the next month by the Labour government. Ministers are set to resume talks with various stakeholders in the football community this week, with plans to expedite the legislative process. Sources indicate that the scope of the regulator's powers is likely to remain consistent with previous proposals put forth by the Conservative party. In addition, Labour is preparing to introduce a separate but similar bill to align with the Tory proposals.