Our Board met on Thursday 23 January 2025, and set out below are the main discussion points.
The FA is an equal shareholder in Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) alongside the Premier League and EFL. The PGMOL’s Chair, Martin Glenn, Chief Refereeing Officer, Howard Webb, and Chief Operating Officer, Dani Every, presented on the history of its establishment, its current operating model, financial position and the challenges that it is facing. The Board was supportive of the transformation plans it has in place.
The Board considered a request made by four Welsh clubs to take part in a restructured version of the FAW League Cup which would provide an opportunity to qualify for UEFA competition. As part of the request, the Welsh clubs would forfeit their existing right to qualify for UEFA club competitions through the English system whilst they remained members of the EFL. The Welsh clubs would then seek to qualify for UEFA competition via the English system should they be promoted to the Premier League. As a result of the request, The FA undertook a thorough consultation with stakeholders and invited submissions from the Welsh clubs. Following careful consideration, taking into account various factors including equal opportunity for clubs to participate in the same competitions, for the same rewards on an equal basis; concerns raised by stakeholders regarding competition integrity, fixture congestion and player welfare, and the impact on the standing of existing competitions, the Board rejected the request. It was noted that it is open to the Welsh Clubs to choose whether or not to participate in the English or Welsh system based on their own assessment of the relative merits of participation in each system, but if they choose to participate in the English system they must do so on the same basis as the English clubs which participate in that system.
In 2023, a comprehensive review of The FA Council and committee structure was completed. The FA’s Company Secretary, Richard McDermott, presented a proposal to review how it is working and areas where the organisation wants to further improve its corporate governance. These were supported by the Board, and Richard McDermott will update The FA Council at its next meeting.
The FA’s HR Director, Rachel Brace, presented on the succession plans in place in the event of any unexpected and planned departures of each of our Board Directors and Senior Management Team. The Board was supportive of the plans in place.
Mark Esiri and Jobi McAnuff will soon complete the first three-year terms as Independent Non-Executive Directors on our Board. Following consideration by the Nominations Committee of the contributions Mark and Jobi have made since first being appointed in May 2022, the Board unanimously supported their reappointment for a second three-year term. Shareholders will be asked to ratify this at the Annual General Meeting scheduled for May 2025.
As a funding partner of the Football Foundation, The FA has the right to nominate two members of its Board of Trustees. Mark Bullingham is ex-officio one of nominees as our CEO. Jack Pearce has served as our other nominee since 2018, and the Board supported his reappointment for a further year.
Report on The FA Board’s January 2025 meeting
Thursday 30 Jan 2025