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Be a part of the Miguel Delaney: Inside Soccer e-newsletter
Be a part of the Miguel Delaney: Inside Soccer e-newsletter

Simply 4 golf equipment within the high 4 divisions are prepared for the arrival of English soccer’s new unbiased regulator, in accordance with a brand new research.
Brighton, Cambridge, Carlisle and AFC Wimbledon are the one golf equipment already in control, as set out within the Truthful Sport Index revealed on Wednesday.
The Index discovered virtually half of the 92 Premier League and EFL golf equipment (43) have lower than one month’s money reserves to cowl working prices, with simply 9 having three months’ reserves.
The unbiased regulator is about to be up and operating earlier than the tip of the 12 months. Its fundamental function shall be to function a licensing system designed to make sure golf equipment are run sustainably and are accountable to their followers.
Truthful Sport is a marketing campaign group which had lengthy known as for the institution of a regulator.
Its chief government Niall Couper mentioned: “If anybody had any doubts whether or not soccer wants a regulator, in the present day’s report blows these doubts out of the water.
“Monetary recklessness is rife, good governance is a rarity, and issues regarding ethics and atmosphere hardly ever attain the boardroom.
“There are some exceptions and we’re delighted to champion these golf equipment in the present day. These golf equipment are exemplars and soccer’s monetary move ought to look to reward them.
“Truthful Sport is delighted {that a} regulator is now in place – one thing we campaigned for – and we are going to do all we will to verify it’s a success and our hope is that the 2026 Index will present vital indicators of enchancment inside our nationwide sport.”

The Index, which checked out 164 golf equipment in all all the way down to Nationwide League North and South within the 2024-25 season, discovered 75 per cent of Premier League golf equipment have been technically solvent – that means a membership’s property no less than match its liabilities.
Nonetheless, solely 5 per cent of these golf equipment have been discovered to have three months’ money reserves.
Solely 29 per cent of golf equipment within the high 4 divisions had a wage-to-revenue ratio of 70 per cent or much less. Seventy per cent is the restrict imposed at UEFA stage in its monetary sustainability rules.
The bottom variety of golf equipment beneath or at that threshold have been in League One – the place simply 13 per cent of golf equipment had a wage-to-turnover ratio of 70 per cent or much less.
9 golf equipment – together with Chelsea, Manchester Metropolis, Manchester United and Tottenham within the high flight – got silver awards for making good progress in the direction of being regulator-ready, whereas an extra 13 have been awarded bronze for assembly what Truthful Sport described as minimal requirements.
The regulator, which had no position to play in compiling the Truthful Sport report or in what the report considers “regulator prepared” standards, is about to function a brand new house owners, administrators and senior government (ODSE) check designed to weed out rogue people, which can have wider and better powers than comparable exams operated by the Premier League and the EFL.
Regulator employees are already working intently with golf equipment and the leagues in preparation for its introduction, with the response of golf equipment understood to have been overwhelmingly optimistic.


















