Sunderland and rivals ‘to fund’ regulator amid £100m cost concerns | OneFootball

Premier League clubs, including Sunderland, are seeking clarity on a potential £100million bill for the new Independent Football Regulator amid growing unease over its cost and design.

According to The Guardian, teams across the Premier League and EFL have sought the IFR’s operating budget, believed to have climbed well beyond an early estimate of about £10million a year, but responses have been light on detail.

Anxieties have increased since the IFR appointed Boston Consulting Group, notified to clubs last week. The consultancy is expected to help deliver a State of the Game report to shape future financial regulation.

Government funding ends at the start of 2027-28. From then, clubs across the top five tiers are expected to finance the regulator via a levy, with Premier League sides likely to bear most of the cost, though whether payments are flat or revenue-weighted remains undecided.

Clubs are already facing higher operating and legal bills, with combined Premier League losses for 2024-25 reported at £1.65billion as regulatory cases drive costs up. Questions have been put to IFR chair David Kogan and chief executive Richard Monks at recent meetings, yet no firm figures have emerged.

A formal consultation is due later this year with clubs and other stakeholders. Sunderland’s stance under Kyril Louis-Dreyfus and Juan Sartori is unclear, though as a Premier League club they would be among those expected to contribute once the model starts. The IFR’s stated purpose is to improve financial sustainability, strengthen leagues and protect the game’s heritage, with a proportionate, cost-effective budget to be shared with clubs as soon as possible.

Source: Sunderland Echo