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The Independent Football Regulator wants clubs in the top five divisions to pay a levy towards its running costs.
Whilst Hereford is currently one division below, there is always the possibility that any levy might be extended to cover more lower leagues.
This from the IFR:
The Independent Football Regulator has set out a proposed club levy of £20.3m. The plan is for the wealthiest clubs to shoulder the biggest burden IFR budget represents 0.22% of English football industry’s annual £9bn revenues.
The IFR budget is composed of three elements: 1. Its annual operating costs of £18.3m. 2. A £1m fund to cover potential litigation costs associated with regulatory actions. 3. The recovery of the IFR’s set-up costs incurred by Government and the IFR up to August 2027 spread over a 10 year period. The amount charged to clubs for the recovery set-up costs in year one will be £1m. All regulated clubs in the top five divisions of English men’s football will be required to pay the levy to fund the IFR’s operations from 2027/28, replacing the current Government funding arrangement.
Under the proposed approach, illustrative fees are as follows: The highest-earning Premier League clubs would contribute up to £1.8m per season, with fees averaging at less than 0.25% of their total revenue. Most Premier League clubs will pay £600,000 per season.
Championship clubs not in receipt of parachute payments would pay around £45,000 per season League One clubs would pay around £9,000. League Two clubs £6,000 National League clubs will pay less than £600 per season. There will be a six-week consultation period for clubs to discuss the levy.
IFR CEO Richard Monks: “The announcement of the levy is another big moment for the IFR. Over the last year we have been busy laying the ground for the world’s first independent football regulator.
“We have already started to deliver real change in football – whether that’s through the stringent suitability checks we are running on owners and directors or through the State of the Game report which shone a light on how the football industry needs to change.
“The levy we are proposing today represents a fair and balanced approach and will ensure that most clubs pay around 0.1% of their annual revenues.
“We are confident football will see this is a relatively modest investment to help achieve a more sustainable ecosystem which will provide peace of mind for fans, clubs and the communities they serve.”
The IFR will now also shift its focus to building the licensing system for the 116 clubs.