Andy Burnham has become UK Prime Minister, and given his long-standing involvement in sport and football governance, his premiership could bring notable changes for the sector. Continuity is expected in some respects, as Lisa Nandy remains culture secretary and the pair already have a close working relationship, having overlapped when Burnham was Greater Manchester mayor and Nandy the MP for nearby Wigan.

Burnham, an Everton season-ticket holder who previously held Nandy's DCMS role in 2008, has backed a potential Olympic Games for the north of England and supported Manchester United's Old Trafford redevelopment ahead of the 2035 Women's World Cup. He has also clashed with the Premier League before, notably over Everton's points deduction in 2023, and has championed the independent football regulator, supporter ownership initiatives such as the Oldham Athletic taskforce, and possible restrictions on unlicensed gambling firms sponsoring sports teams.