England could be banned from own Euros by Uefa

Uefa have written to Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy warning that ‘government interference’ from proposed regulator could bring severe sanction

Uefa has warned that England could be banned from European competition – including the Euros it will host in 2028 – if there is government interference on the planned new regulator.
Theodore Theodoridis, Uefa’s general secretary, has written to Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy to stress that there should be “no government interference in the running of football” and explicitly warned that the “ultimate sanction for which would be excluding the federation from Uefa and teams from competition”.
World governing body Fifa, which hosts the World Cup, also states in Article 15 of its constitution that “national associations must be independent and operate without any form of political interference”.
This issue was raised in respect of Fifa back in February 2023 and it is understood that they are also closely monitoring the proposed legislation and the planned new power balance between the government, the regulator and the football authorities.
In a letter that was first leaked to The Sunday Times, but which has been confirmed to The Telegraph, Theodoridis stressed the absolute need for independence after proposals for a new regulator were brought forward by Sir Keir Starmer’s new Labour Government in the King’s Speech. The issue was apparently also raised to the previous Conservative Government and the new letter. which was sent earlier this month, lays bare the depth of concern inside European football’s governing body.
Theodoridis specifically highlights how, in the latest draft of the bill, club owners must “have regard to the foreign and trade policy objectives” of the government.
He also highlighted the regulator’s potential power over revenue distribution amid the current deadlock between the Premier League and the wider football pyramid over the distribution of broadcast income.
“We have specific rules that guard against [government interference] in order to guarantee the autonomy of sport and fairness of sporting competition; the ultimate sanction for which would be excluding the federation from Uefa and teams from competition,” said Theodoridis.
As well as the European Championship, Uefa hosts the Champions League and the Europa League and the future participation of English clubs has also been questioned if a line is crossed. European club competition resumes next week, while cities in the UK have been selected to co-host Euro 2028 with the Republic of Ireland.
Both major political parties have long backed the concept of the regulator, arguing that football’s governing bodies have shown themselves unable to adequately self-regulate and that it is needed to protect the financial sustainability of the national game. It is also designed to protect a club’s heritage, give additional power to fans and prevent any repeat of the attempt to create a European Super League.
In his letter to Nandy, Theodoridis stressed that the Football Association – which has broadly welcomed the regulator – should have its independence protected and preserved in “accordance with Uefa and Fifa statutes”.
Theodoridis specifically also highlighted concern that an English football regulator  – which would be the first in the world  – could set a precedent that damages wider global governance. “lf every country established its own regulator with similarly broad powers, this could lead to a fragmented, inefficient and inconsistent approach to football governance across the continent,” he wrote.
It is understood that Nandy has not yet replied toTheodoridis’s letter.
A spokesperson for the DCMS said: “The Football Governance Bill will establish a new Independent Football Regulator that will put fans back at the heart of the game, and tackle fundamental governance problems to ensure that English football is sustainable for the benefit of the clubs’ communities going forward.”