By Matt Hardy
King Charles III is today expected to announce formal plans for a regulator of football at the State Opening of Parliament.
The plans have long been touted and are set to form part of the King’s Speech, where the government lay out their plans for the coming year.
The football regulator is expected to help ensure the financial security of England’s footballing pyramid following the demise of a number of teams across recent years.
Details are currently unknown as to what powers the regulator will have but it is understood that the civil service are currently hiring for an interim chief of the organisation on a salary of at least £95,000, rising to nearly £130,000.
In September the Department of Culture, Media and Sport said: “A new independent regulator for men’s elite football will be set up as a standalone body to make sure it is operationally independent from the game and can adequately protect clubs’ and fans’ interests.
“The Government will make sure the regulator has a tightly defined scope focused on four major areas: financial resources, suitable owners, fan interests and approved competitions.”
Inclusion in King Charles III’s speech today – in which he reads government policy plans rather than his viewpoint – does not guarantee the regulator will be enacted in law, especially with the approval of both Houses, the Commons and Lords, needed and the potential of a general election next year.
