Enforce the “50+1” Rule for professional football club ownership in the UK
The Parliament petitions site records 107,066 signatures for this petition, which closed on 23 October 2021. The Government responded on 24 May 2021. MPs debated it in Westminster Hall on 14 June 2021.
The petition
The petition's creator is not named in the Petitions site's published record. Quoted in full from the UK Parliament petitions site.
Enforce the “50+1” Rule for professional football club ownership in the UK
Bring in a law which enforces professional football clubs to have at least 51% fan ownership similar to how the Bundesliga operates this rule.
The new “European super league” plans show the clear greed of elite football club owners in England. This precedent of profit over people is already taking the game away from everyday people who founded and made the sport what it is. This law would ensure decisions made around the clubs would take the fans and good of the game as a priority over money.
The Government's response
The Government published its response on 24 May 2021. Its summary:
The European Super League proposals demonstrated now is the right time to launch the fan-led review of football governance. This will be a comprehensive examination of the English football system.
The response in full:
As announced in the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport’s Oral Statement on 19 April, Tracey Crouch MP will Chair a fan-led review of governance and will engage extensively with fans to ensure their experiences are at the centre of the review. As a former Minister for Sport, and a football fan herself, she is well-placed to deliver on this key aspect. Fans are the lifeblood of the sport, and the Government is committed to ensuring that their views are at the heart of the review.
We are currently working through the structure of the review with the Chair, including the timeline for publication of the report, and will provide updates shortly. Given the seriousness of these issues, we will be looking to move at pace on this. As the Terms of Reference demonstrate, Ministers and officials have collated ideas and issues from the numerous meetings with stakeholders over the past year. This will be a thorough examination of the English football system looking at issues of ownership, governance and funding through the football pyramid, including the women’s game and lower league football. As part of this, the review will be exploring governance structures in other countries, including ownership models, and whether any aspects can be beneficially translated to the English league system. It will also examine progress against the Government’s Expert Working Group on Football Supporter Ownership and Engagement, which set out recommendations to improve engagement, such as structured dialogue between clubs and fans.
We know how important this review is for fans across the country and will ensure that their voices are at the heart of the review.
Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport
Where the signatures came from
Signatures came from 650 constituencies on the boundaries used until the 2024 general election. The largest number, 3,454, came from Stretford and Urmston.
101,127 of the signatures were from the UK and 5,939 from elsewhere, by the location signers gave.
| Constituency | Signatures |
|---|---|
| Stretford and Urmston | 3,454 |
| Manchester Central | 1,913 |
| Cities of London and Westminster | 1,110 |
| Salford and Eccles | 729 |
| Wythenshawe and Sale East | 648 |
| Altrincham and Sale West | 614 |
| Worsley and Eccles South | 595 |
| Bury South | 581 |
| Manchester, Withington | 572 |
| Cheadle | 570 |
| Region | Signatures |
|---|---|
| North West | 25,325 |
| London | 13,426 |
| South East | 10,765 |
| East of England | 7,401 |
| West Midlands | 7,260 |
| South West | 6,527 |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | 6,509 |
| East Midlands | 5,777 |
| Wales | 4,888 |
| Northern Ireland | 3,915 |
| Scotland | 3,565 |
| North East | 2,046 |
Debate in Parliament
MPs debated the petition in Westminster Hall on 14 June 2021. Read the debate in Hansard. House of Commons Library debate pack.
Source and receipt
- https://petition.parliament.uk/archived/petitions/583310.jsonUK Parliament Petitions API · read 2026-10-15 · SHA-256
d930b1b8acaba6ab… - The petition on petition.parliament.uk
The petition's words are its creator's and the response is the Government's; this site quotes both and gives no view on either. Signature counts can still change while a petition is open. To report an error, send a correction request.