Government finally steps in after football proves it cannot run itself

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport has confirmed that a white paper endorsing the findings of Tracey Crouch’s fan-led review will be published this summer, writes Tony Evans

The failed European Super League venture has helped spark change (Getty)

The Football Association still believes that it can fulfil the role of the game’s independent regulator even as the government takes the next step to establish a new framework of governance for the sport.

Last year, Tracey Crouch’s fan-led review made 10 recommendations aimed at improving football and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has confirmed that a white paper endorsing the findings will be published this summer. This is the first step towards pushing legislation through Parliament.

The main proposal in the review was the introduction of a regulator with the ability to sanction teams that break financial rules and the powers to protect the identity and sustainability of clubs. The FA’s conviction that it can remain as the primary ruling body emanates from the government’s position that the problems highlighted in Crouch’s review should be “solved by the football authorities in the first instance”. A source close to the situation last night described the FA’s position as “delusional”.