Sunderland and rivals ‘to fund’ regulator as £100m cost fears rise | OneFootball

Premier League clubs are seeking clarity on a potential £100million regulator cost as uncertainty grows. According to The Guardian, teams across the Premier League and EFL have asked how much they might have to pay and how the Independent Football Regulator would be structured, with Sunderland among those potentially affected.

The regulator’s operating budget is believed to have risen significantly from an initial projection of around £10million per year, equal to £100million over a decade. Requests for detail have so far yielded little, prompting mounting frustration.

Concerns have sharpened after the regulator appointed US consultancy Boston Consulting Group, a move relayed to clubs last week. The firm is set to produce a comprehensive State of the Game report to inform future financial regulation.

Government funding is due to end at the start of the 2027-28 season. From then, clubs across the top five tiers are expected to fund the body via a levy. There is a general expectation that Premier League sides will shoulder most of the cost, though whether contributions are even or weighted by revenue or European participation remains undecided.

The backdrop is rising operational and legal bills. Combined Premier League losses for 2024-25 are reported at £1.65billion, and legal expenses have climbed amid regulatory cases. Clubs have pressed IFR chair David Kogan and chief executive Richard Monks at recent meetings, but no firm figures were provided.

A formal consultation is due later this year with clubs and other stakeholders before decisions are taken. Sunderland’s stance under joint owners Kyril Louis-Dreyfus and Juan Sartori remains unclear, though, as a Premier League club, they would be in scope. Any levy is expected to be a small share of Premier League revenues, yet it would add to costs as Profitability and Sustainability Rules move to Squad Cost Ratio.

Source: Sunderland Echo