England could face Euro 2028 ban over independent regulator, UEFA warns
UEFA has reportedly issued a warning to the UK Government that England could be banned from the men’s Euro 2028 Euro Championships, if it proceeds with plans for an independent football regulator.
Should UEFA ultimately sanction the English Football Association (FA), this could mean the England national team could be expelled from Euro 2028, which is set to take place across the UK and Ireland.
European football’s governing body could also potentially prohibit Premier League teams from competing in its club competitions, including the Champions League.
A letter from UEFA Secretary General Theorore Theodoridis, which was obtained by UK media, expressed that there should be ‘no government interference in the running of football.
The letter, which was addressed to UK Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy, read, ‘One particular area of concern stems from one of UEFA’s fundamental requirements, which is that there should be ‘no government interference in the running of football.’
‘We have specific rules that guard against this in order to guarantee the autonomy of sport and fairness of sporting competition; the ultimate sanction for which would be excluding the federation from UEFA and teams from competition.’
In March, the UK Government first revealed plans for a ‘Football Governance Bill’, which would see the introduction of an independent regulator, which would oversee the top five tiers of English football – the Premier League, EFL Championship, League One, League Two and the National League.
The regulator is intended to advocate greater financial sustainability within clubs, and to provide greater representation to fans, while preventing the prospect of potential breakaway leagues in the future.
Although the bill was delayed before it could pass into legislation, after former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak called for a General Election, the new Labour Government decided to reinstate the Bill in July, as was confirmed in the King’s Speech.
In other news, the UK Government is facing backlash from Sinn Féin and the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA), after announcing that it would not fund the redevelopment of Casement Park ahead of Euro 2028.
Plans for the Belfast stadium’s redevelopment were given the green light by the Government and GAA in 2016, with both parties set to provide funding.
However, the UK Government revealed on Friday that it could not commit to Casement Park’s full renovation, which would cost an estimated £400m, adding that there was also a ‘significant risk’ that it would not be ready in time for the tournament.
The UK Government’s Letter to Communities Minister Gordon Lyons said, ‘The estimated build costs have risen dramatically – from £180m when the Euro 2028 bid was awarded in October 2023 to potentially over £400m – and there is a significant risk that it would not be built in time for the tournament.
‘We have therefore, regrettably, decided that it is not appropriate for the UK Government to provide funding to seek to build Casement Park in time to host matches at Euro2028.’
Stay up to date with the world of sports business by subscribing to the Sport Industry Daily.
