UEFA has warned the UK government that England could be excluded from the European Championship in 2028 amid concerns over the introduction of an independent football regulator (IFR).
Prime Minister Keir Starmer is pushing ahead with plans to set up an IFR for the professional men’s game, three years after it was proposed under the former Conservative government.
It is hoped an English football watchdog, which was ratified in parliament this year, will “protect clubs” by “ensuring their financial sustainability”.
The body will have the power to prevent breakaway competitions such as the European Super League, strengthen the owners’ and directors’ test and hold backstop powers around financial distribution between the Premier League and English Football League (EFL).
However, UEFA insists English football should be managed by the Football Association (FA) and fears an independent regulator could lead to “government interference” in the sport.
European football’s governing body laid out its concerns in a letter sent to culture secretary Lisa Nandy that has since been shared with The Athletic.
UEFA general secretary Theodore Theodoridis wrote: “One of UEFA’s fundamental requirements is that there should be no government interference in the running of football.
“We have specific rules that guard against this to guarantee the autonomy of sport and fairness of sporting competition, the ultimate sanction for which would be excluding the federation from UEFA and teams from competition.”
England is co-hosting Euro 2028 alongside Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
Theodoridis warned Nandy that it was “imperative to protect and preserve the independence of the FA”.
He wrote: “UEFA is concerned about the potential for scope creep within the IFR.
“While the initial intent of the IFR is to oversee the long-term financial sustainability of clubs and heritage assets, there is always a risk that, once established, the IFR may expand its mandate beyond these areas.”
The Football Supporters’ Association (FSA) said in response to UEFA’s letter they were “confident there’s no risk to England’s participation in tournaments”.
The Athletic has contacted the FA for comment.
(Top photo: Marc Atkins/Getty Images)
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