# Clubs may need to hold £40m in cash to satisfy Independent Football Regulator

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/clubs-may-need-to-hold-40m-in-cash-to-satisfy-independent-football-regulator/
- Published: 2026-11-10T12:39:58+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-10T13:34:48+00:00
- Original publisher: City AM (publisher lean: Right)
- Original article: https://www.cityam.com/clubs-may-need-to-hold-40m-in-cash-to-satisfy-independent-football-regulator/
- Topics: Business, Football, Sport

## Key points

- The regulator is proposing financial reserves as a condition of club licences.
- High-risk clubs could need reserves covering five months of losses.
- Clubs would have until 2030 to meet the proposed rules.

## Summary

The Independent Football Regulator is consulting on rules that could require some clubs to hold more than £40m in readily available assets to qualify for a licence to compete. The aim is to make clubs more resilient to financial shocks, particularly the loss of funding from owners, amid widespread losses across professional football.

Clubs would have three years to build reserves before licensing conditions take effect by 2030. Outside the Premier League, clubs would need at least enough liquid assets to cover one month’s wages; medium-risk clubs would also cover two months of operating losses, and high-risk clubs five months. Southampton and Leicester City recorded operating losses of £87m and £81m respectively in 2023-24, meaning their required reserves could exceed £40m including one month’s wages. At least two thirds of eligible assets must be cash, government securities or money market funds; up to a third may be transfer payments due from other clubs.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.