As you may be aware, all football clubs in the top 5 leagues in England must apply to the Independent Football Regulator (IFR) for an operating licence in order to compete in league and cup games before the start of the 2027/28 season.

Burnley FC, as well as every other club, have from 2nd November 2026 until 26th February 2027 to make an application by submitting a whole host of documentation, including but not limited to, a governance statement, a strategic business plan, financial forecasts, a review of group activities, personnel statements and risk assessments.

A subgroup of the BFCISA Committee has recently formed to review the Football Governance Act 2025 and the IFR guidance documentation in order to ensure that we, on your behalf, understand the legislation, what it means for Burnley fans and the consequences of not successfully obtaining a provisional operating licence.

The legislation states that BEFORE a club starts to create their Strategic Business Plan they MUST include fan consultation and demonstrate how fans comments have been used to structure the plan. To this end, we have already contacted the club requesting that BFCISA is involved in that consultation process.

As an aid to understanding the Independent Football Regulator’s guidance, BFCISA are in dialogue with the IFR, especially regarding the role of supporters in planning the club’s Strategic Business Case. We will keep you informed over the coming months as we learn more about this vital process that the club must undertake.