The Football Governance Act was passed into law on 21 July 2025. This follows a long period of debate amongst legislators, regulators, clubs, fans and other market stakeholders about the future of English football, in particular in relation to financial sustainability, corporate governance and transparency. The Act reflects an admirable legislative attempt to give effect to those principles, but the extent to which they can operate together in practice remains to be seen. The dispute resolution mechanisms available under the Act also raise interesting questions about the limits of the Independent Football Regulator’s powers, as well as the interplay between its decision-making functions and the courts’ oversight of the public law and antitrust issues arising from the Act’s new regulatory regime.

Earlier this month, a Regulatory Commission issued a significant decision limiting the scope of liability for misconduct under the FA Rules. In dismissing the FA’s charge against Arsenal FC manager Mikel Arteta, the Regulatory Commission confirmed that subject to certain limits and in the right context, the rules of the game allow for criticism of decisions, even if expressed in strong terms. In this blog, we consider the implications of the ruling for the right to voice criticism within the bounds of the FA rules. The Football Association v Mikel Arteta