Governing the Beautiful Game: The Future of Football in Civil Society
When:
—
Venue:
Birkbeck Clore Management Centre
Lecture Introduction and Personal Background
In November 2021, the UK government published its long-awaited Fan-Led Review into the governance of men’s football. The report, stimulated by years of growing unrest at the sport’s governance, and catalysed by both the epidemic of football clubs going into liquidation, insolvency and/or administration, was the most prominent government-led action into men’s football since the formation of the Premier League in 1992. Spearheaded by Conservative MP Tracey Crouch, the Fan-Led Review made a detailed analysis of the growing problems permeating through the men’s game and offered 47 potential solutions for implementation going forward. Most notable amongst these was the proposition of the introduction of a new, independent footballing regulator, to oversee the governance of men’s football. The government’s White Paper response to the Fan-Led Review largely accepted the proposals made, including the introduction of a regulator. Many of these changes look set to be implemented in time for the advent of the 2025/2026 English football season. This would herald the start of a new, more centralised era for men’s football, with a new system of governance and regulatory oversight.
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Aaryaman Banerji (Civitas think-tank) has been involved in the football industry for the last decade. Starting off as a grassroots coach at a top London academy, he went on to complete a Master’s Degree at Durham University, where the focus of his research was the global political history of football. Following this, he worked as a freelance reporter for the Football Association, and as a reporter for BCOMS. Following this, at 23, he became amongst the youngest individuals in two decades to study for FIFA’s MBA programme. Following his graduation second-in-cohort, he began work for the policy think-tank Civitas on a follow-up report to the Fan-Led Review. Banerji’s report, ‘Governing the Beautiful Game: The Future of Football in Civil Society’, assesses the feasibility and potential impact of the Fan-Led Review’s recommendations and how they may be amended to better suit the current footballing environment. Making 17 recommendations of its own, Banerji argues for the introduction of a new independent regulator, designed to help empower and modernise the Football Association, the traditional governors of football, with a viewing to transferring regulatory authority to the FA in the medium-term future.
This lecture will therefore look to cover four key aspects within the regulation of men’s football. First, it will examine how English football came to the point where government review and independent regulation was deemed necessary. It will then look at the findings of the initial Fan-Led Review, before going into the conclusions of Banerji’s own report for Civitas, and his personal view on how the regulation should be shaped. Finally, it will look at the future of regulation in the sport, the latest noise being made from Downing Street, and the impact of the government’s plans, if and when they are ratified and implemented.
Contact name:
Sean Hamil