British Prime Minister warned by Football Regulator chief: Interfere in Man City and I’ll resign

Independent Football Regulator (IFR) chairman David Kogan has vowed to resign if politicians interfere in the organisation’s handling of Manchester City’s financial breaches case. According to The Telegraph, Kogan reiterated his commitment to the regulator’s independence on Tuesday amid scrutiny over Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s links with the club.

Burnham previously said he would be “really concerned to lose them” as Manchester City’s Abu Dhabi owners, prompting concerns about potential political influence over the case. Kogan insisted that the regulator would make decisions based solely on its responsibilities, declaring: “And our independence is absolute. And my independence personally is absolute.”

He added: “any form of political interference in the way we operated is going to result in my resigning from this role,” reaffirming a pledge made last year. Manchester City have appealed against an independent commission’s verdict that found the club guilty of breaching more than 100 Premier League rules over several years.

Kogan confirmed that the IFR would take no action against the club or individuals connected to it until the appeal process concludes. The regulator’s draft State of the Game report also highlighted financial pressures across English football, finding that 94 per cent of 112 leading clubs were loss-making. Kogan warned that spending disparities between wealthy clubs and their rivals continued to create a damaging “arms race”.