New football watchdog to hold first summit despite European clubs clash

English football's new watchdog is convening its inaugural summit early next month despite being warned of a clash with the annual gathering of Europe's main clubs association.

Sky News understands that the Independent Football Regulator (IFR) has invited all 116 clubs in the Premier League, English Football League and National League to a meeting in Manchester on October 8.

The summit is expected to involve the IFR providing further details of a series of consultations flagged in new legislation on issues including a licensing regime for professional clubs and fan engagement.

The IFR began consulting this month on a toughened system of checks for club owners, directors and senior executives, amid fresh concerns about the fate of clubs such as Championship side Sheffield Wednesday.

Sources said the IFR had been informed that the date of the meeting clashed with the European Clubs Association's general assembly in Rome, which is scheduled to take place from October 7-9.

A Whitehall source insisted, however, that the IFR meeting would proceed as planned, adding that Premier League clubs were adequately resourced to be represented at both events.

Invitations to the IFR summit have been issued with clarity on its leadership still being sought.

David Kogan, the media executive, has been named as the government's preferred candidate to become chairman, but his appointment is yet to be formally ratified while a report on the government's handling of it remains outstanding.

Mr Kogan, a former Labour donor, has, nevertheless, been holding bilateral meetings with Premier League clubs and with larger groups of EFL clubs during the summer.

William Shawcross, the commissioner on public appointments, said in June that he would scrutinise the process, and was expected to have reported back within weeks.

Sky News revealed in July that Richard Monks, a partner at the accountancy firm EY who specialises in financial regulation, had been identified as the IFR's first chief executive.

The appointments of Mr Kogan and Mr Monks could be formally announced this month.

Among the IFR's powers will be the ability to impose a financial settlement on the Premier League in relation to the distribution of money to lower league clubs.

The regulator's creation was pledged by the last Conservative government in the wake of the furore over the failed European Super League project in 2021.

Its establishment comes with the top tier of the professional game still gripped by civil war, with Abu Dhabi-owned Manchester City at the centre of a major legal case with the Premier League over the club's financial affairs.

A spokesperson for the IFR declined to comment.

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