November 18 – In a wide-ranging interview, David Kogan, the newly appointed chair of the Independent Football Regulator (IFR), said English football needs outside oversight because of the “extreme challenges” facing clubs and the sport’s inability to solve them on its own.
Interviewed on the Athletic FC podcast, Kogan (pictured) said that while some Premier League critics see regulation as unnecessary for such a successful business, they’re ignoring what’s happening further down the pyramid. He argued the men’s professional game has nothing to fear from the IFR, which he sees as a tool to make football “more fan-friendly, resilient and sustainable.”
“I am responsible for billions of pounds of revenue that have flowed into English football,” he said. “So, I’m absolutely committed to a growth strategy, not just for the Premier League but also for the EFL and the National League.”
But success, he warned, shouldn’t hide the deeper issues. “Nobody can pretend…that the pyramid…face extreme challenges,” he said, pointing to clubs going bust, poor ownership, and the lack of any “early warning system” when trouble is coming.
A key part of the regulator’s plan is a licensing regime that tracks business plans, ownership commitments, and financial stability. “We will have amber lights flashing…long before the year it takes the EFL and Premier League,” he said. “Our remit is the stability of the pyramid and the individual clubs.”
In October, representatives from all 116 clubs across the top five divisions attended an IFR conference in Manchester.
The regulator’s next focus is a detailed “state of the game” report due next year, research that many in the EFL hope will strengthen the case for a fairer share of football’s wealth. Kogan is staying neutral for now, saying he wants the leagues to strike a deal themselves. “I have zero desire to do that,” he said of triggering intervention.
Kogan has been appointed for a 5-year term until 19 May 2030.
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