Understand the responsibilities around your club.

The Football Governance Act 2025 created the IFR. Clubs in the top five tiers of men's football need an operating licence with four mandatory conditions.

Licensed clubs must regularly consult fan representatives on relevant matters and take their views into account. Representatives may be elected or otherwise appear to the IFR to represent the club’s fans.

A yearly report covering the previous 12 months of fan consultation, approved and signed by a director or individual with appropriate authority and published on the club website.

Clubs must explain how they apply the IFR’s Football Club Corporate Governance Code, using its apply-and-explain approach.

An annual declaration confirming licence information, supported by your log of notifiable events.

Material crest or predominant home-shirt-colour changes require reasonable steps to establish support from a majority of fans in England and Wales. Team-name changes require FA approval. Ground disposals and relocations have separate IFR approval requirements.

Licensed clubs pay a levy to fund the regulator, scaled by league and revenue.