Sports law in the UK: A brief guide to the regulations that govern football

One ball, two goalposts, and 22 players: football is a simple game that brings us unending joy (and often heartache, depending on where your allegiances lie). But a lot goes on behind the scenes of the beautiful game to keep it safe, fair, and inclusive for players and fans alike.

In England, we have a multitude of legal principles and regulations that govern sports. From contract and tort law (which deal with civil wrongdoings to another person or legal entity) to employment and intellectual property law, countless edicts are in place to ensure all sports-related activity is above board.

Bodies like the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), the Football Association (FA), and UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) work to make sure that laws concerning things like fair play and athletes’ rights are properly applied, and any sports-related conflicts are carefully mediated.

The work of these bodies and the lawmakers that craft regulations is crucial to maintaining the integrity of the sporting world—especially when it comes to our favourite pastime.

Football has long been an integral part of English culture and has come to be an important shorthand for community identity, pride, and tradition. Our clubs inspire fervent loyalty, and our passion for the game spreads across the globe to unite fans worldwide. It’s a major part of our economy too, with ticket sales, broadcasting rights, and merchandise adding big bucks to the country’s income. The Premier League alone generates billions every year, creating jobs and boosting tourism in the process.

This huge social, cultural, and financial impact is why we continue to spend so much time and energy regulating the game; an effort that began more than 150 years ago.

Sports law through the ages

We’ve come a long way from chunky balls with leather laces. And as sport has evolved in the UK, so has the law that governs it. What began with general legal principles and contract law has grown into a wide-ranging yet specialised field, addressing the unique needs of the sports industry; from doping and player transfers to commercial rights.

The establishment of the Football Association (FA) in 1863 brought in the first standardised rules for football, with the 1888 creation of the Football League marking the beginning of regular, organised competitions. In 1992, the broadcasting and commercialisation of football underwent a complete overhaul with the introduction of the Premier League.

More shake-ups came in 1995, when the Bosman ruling revolutionised player transfers, granting free movement for out-of-contract players within the EU and reshaping contract negotiations and club finances. In 2010, the FA Women’s Super League was created, putting women’s football on the map and implementing much-needed Financial Fair Play regulations.

Sadly, some of our most important developments have come as a result of terrible tragedies, with the investigation following 1989’s Hillsborough disaster mandating all-seater stadiums and improved safety measures.

In the years since, developments have continued to be driven by an increased focus on safeguarding, equality, and financial fair play. This evolution reflects the fact that the commercial and social significance of sports is only growing, creating the need for more tailored legal frameworks and dispute-resolution mechanisms.

The gaffers of modern football regulation

The way modern football is governed is largely determined by the organisations that do the regulating. Today, English football has several overseers, with key regulatory bodies including:

The Football Association (FA): The governing body of English football, responsible for overseeing all aspects of the game, from grassroots to professional levels.
Premier League: Operates the top tier of English football, managing its competition and commercial aspects.
English Football League (EFL): Governs the three tiers below the Premier League (Championship, League One, and League Two), organising competitions and ensuring financial fair play.
UEFA (Union of European Football Associations): Supervises European football, arranges competitions like the Champions League, and sets regulations affecting European clubs.
FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association): The global governing body for football, setting worldwide regulations and running the World Cup.

The most influential of these organisations in UK football is the FA. Since its founding, the FA has played a leading role in governing English football. Its vast duties include overseeing all English national teams, regulating countrywide competitions like the FA Cup, handling misconduct and enforcing rules, promoting grassroots football and youth development, and setting rules for club operations, transfers, and player conduct.

This collective of regulatory bodies has implemented many impactful regulations over the years that continue to shape the English game and its behind-the-scenes operations. Here are some of the most consequential:

Financial Fair Play (FFP) was introduced by UEFA in 2010 as a regulatory framework to help football clubs manage their finances responsibly and sustainably, ensuring clubs operate within their financial means and prevent excessive spending.
Transfer regulations govern player transfers, contracts, and agent activities to ensure fairness and transparency.
UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) enforces anti-doping regulations to maintain fair play.
Safeguarding policies such as DBS Checks, safeguarding training and anti-bullying policies that aim to protect young and vulnerable players from abuse and exploitation.
Equality and Diversity policies like the Kick It Out campaign, the Premier League Equality Standard, the Rainbow Laces campaign and compliance with the Equality Act 2010 aim to promote inclusivity, address discrimination, and ensure equal opportunities.
Player registration and eligibility policies govern player registrations, including homegrown player requirements and work permit regulations for non-EU players.

Sports law and football in 2024

So what does the sports law that governs football look like now? Regulations span a huge range of areas and specialisms; let’s take a look at a few of these to see what an enormous impact sports law has on moving the goalposts for English football.

Governance and compliance

Good governance is vital for football clubs at all levels. It helps clubs make sure they’re financially stable, operating with integrity, maintaining trust with fans and stakeholders, adhering to laws and regulations, protecting their reputation, and keeping players safe.

Without a robust governance strategy (or the discipline to enforce it) in place, mismanagement, inadequate oversight, and even misconduct can creep in, leaving clubs vulnerable to legal and financial penalties—not to mention poor performance on the pitch.

To prevent this, there are many compliance and governance rules that clubs must stick to. In addition to the FFP, anti-doping, and wellbeing and safeguarding regulations we mentioned above, there are also rules around club ownership, domestic and international licences, and tax and employment to take into account.

Player contracts, transfers, and FFP

The legal framework governing UK player contracts is handed down from the FA, the Premier League, and the EFL, and adheres to national employment laws. Contracts must be in writing, outlining salary, duration, bonuses, buyout clauses, and other terms. To help ensure uniformity and legal compliance, the FA provides standardised player contracts.

When it comes to transfers, many regulations must be observed. While fans are vigilantly waiting for news on transfer deadline day, frantic negotiations are taking place between clubs, the player, and agents (who must be licensed and have their fees regulated). And all while the appropriate legal representatives are making sure that everything is done above board.

In addition to the regulations laid out by FFP, all parties must also take into account rules around transfer windows, international transfer edicts like FIFA’s Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players (RSTP), and the acquisition of International Transfer Certificates (ITCs).

Recently, FIFA issued a ban on third-party ownership (TPO), meaning third parties are no longer allowed to own player rights—a move made to help protect player welfare and club integrity.

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

English football has made strides in promoting diversity and inclusion across its numerous leagues, but unfortunately, challenges do remain. Several legal requirements and initiatives have been set out to boost representation and combat discrimination based on race, gender, sexuality, and disability.

As well as the UK government’s 2010 Equality Act, which prohibits discrimination in the workplace and wider society, the FA also issued its own Inclusion and Anti-Discrimination Plan in 2012, laying out strategies to promote equality and tackle discrimination at all levels of the game. The plan has taken many other forms over the years, with the most recent iteration, A Game for All, ending this year.

With racism still sadly present in English football, the FA’s Kick It Out initiative and the Premier League’s No Room for Racism Campaign aim to address racial discrimination and promote inclusivity through education and community programmes. In 2018, the FA adopted the Rooney Rule, a transplant from the NFL that requires clubs to interview at least one Black, Asian, or Minority Ethnic (BAME) candidate for all managerial positions. The rule was later implemented by the EFL in 2019, though the Premier League has yet to consider it.

Despite these regulatory efforts, racist abuse of players persists, particularly on social media. Women remain underrepresented in leadership roles, and female players face disparities in pay and opportunities. Homophobia remains a barrier for many, with few openly LGBTQ+ players.

But change is happening. Grassroots programmes are helping engage diverse communities in football from a young age, mentorship is creating pathways for underrepresented groups to advance in football careers, and leaders are strengthening the implementation and enforcement of EDI policies to create a more representative, fair, and competitive football culture in the UK.

Player welfare

Some of the most welcome developments in recent football regulation centre on player welfare. We’re seeing an increased focus on enhancing mental health support, injury management, and post-career planning for players, with the FA and Premier League implementing stricter concussion protocols and mental health initiatives, including mandatory mental health awareness training for coaches and staff.

Many of these changes were initiated by recommendations in the Crouch Report, a 2021 document commissioned by the UK government following the uproar over the proposed European Super League. Tasked with investigating the governance and financial sustainability of English football, MP Tracey Crouch outlined some key recommendations to improve player welfare:

Enhance mental health support across all levels of football, destigmatising mental health issues and ensuring access to trained professionals
Strengthen protocols for injury prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation to safeguard player health and ensure timely return-to-play
Provide comprehensive support for players transitioning out of football, including career guidance, financial education, and post-career opportunities
Promote inclusivity and combat discrimination in football, addressing issues of racism, sexism, and homophobia

Women’s football

Thanks in no small part to the ongoing success of the so-called Lionesses, women’s football has experienced significant growth in the UK in recent years, enjoying increased participation, investment, and visibility.

However, many legal issues have cropped up in the world of women’s football, including disparities in funding compared to men’s football, which has resulted in unequal resources for training, facilities, and salaries.

Some of these legal challenges have gained legislative support under the Equality Act 2010, which mandates equal opportunities in sports, encouraging more equitable treatment and funding allocation.

Despite this pervasive inequality, efforts are being made to achieve parity with the men’s game. Initiatives like the FA’s investment in the Women’s Super League (WSL), for example, have boosted financial support for women’s clubs. Broadcast deals with major networks have improved visibility, bringing matches and players to wider audiences. Some women’s teams have enjoyed well-deserved upgrades in training facilities and stadiums that have improved both playing conditions and fan experiences.

And grassroots initiatives and youth academies are nurturing talent and getting more women and girls engaged with the game, aiming to strengthen the talent pipeline of female players and secure a bright future for women’s football.

Fan rights and engagement

They don’t call them the twelfth man for nothing. Fans are a colossal part of English football, and as such, many of the regulations implemented around football are brought in to protect fans and their interests. Ticketing regulations, for example, impose fair access to match tickets and transparent pricing. Safety regulations are enforced to keep fans safe in stadiums. And data protection laws govern the appropriate handling of fan data through regulations like GDPR.

There are also several regulations that aim to govern fan behaviour and engagement with the game, including anti-discrimination laws that promote respectful environments for fans and players, and intellectual property laws that protect club trademarks and branding from unauthorised use.

As a crucial part of football infrastructure, fans also play a part in guiding legislation. Supporters’ clubs and other fan-led groups can heavily influence regulation by advocating for fan rights, engaging the community,, and even acquiring shares to influence club governance.

One notable recent example is the backlash against the proposed European Super League, which aimed to establish a closed league format outside of existing domestic and UEFA competitions. The proposal was viewed by many fans as elitist, and undermining the principles of fair competition and meritocracy in football.

Fans protested on social media, organised protests outside stadiums and club headquarters, threatened boycotts, and created petitions to compel their clubs to withdraw from the ESL. As a result of this action, and within just days of its announcement, the ESL was no more.

This event highlighted the importance of fan rights and triggered a strengthening of transparency, accountability, and community engagement in football governance. Since the ESL debacle, clubs are now mandated to consult fans on major decisions, and are subject to additional oversight to prevent unilateral actions by club owners.

The future of football governance

All these regulations are moving football in a safer, fairer direction, but it’s not time to park the bus. There’s always more work to be done to protect the interests of everyone involved in the footie.

So what’s next for sports law in English football?

In recent years, we’ve seen stronger oversight by regulatory bodies like the FA and Premier League to prevent financial misconduct and ensure fair play, and even calls for government intervention to regulate club ownership.

But arguably the biggest changes afoot come from the fan-led Crouch Report, which is continuing to drive big reforms. Earlier this year, new legislation was proposed in the form of the Football Governance Bill, designed to reform the governance structure of English football to ensure greater accountability, financial stability, and fan involvement.

The bill would introduce an independent regulator for English football (IREF) to oversee club finances, governance, and adherence to regulations. It also includes regulation around stricter club ownership rules, increased support for grassroots football, and the introduction of a “golden share”, giving fans a veto over critical decisions like stadium relocations, changes to club colours, or involvement in breakaway leagues.

Enhanced FFP rules are also on the horizon, coming into play next season to ensure stricter compliance with financial regulations and prevent clubs from overspending.

Clearly, ongoing legal reforms are essential for ensuring financial stability, fair governance, and fan trust in English football. When we put these sports laws in place, we safeguard clubs from unsustainable practices, enhance transparency, and promote equitable treatment of players and supporters—all of which are crucial if we want football to stay in its rightful place as a cornerstone of British culture.

It’s up to lawmakers, stakeholders, players, and fans to band together and enforce these regulations, challenge poor decisions, and continue driving positive change that makes our favourite game the best it can be.

That’s football.