Five senior figures including Mark McCafferty, Kevin Miles OBE, Justine Roberts CBE, Tara Warren and Dr Linda Yueh CBE have been appointed as non-executive directors to the Independent Football Regulator to bring expertise in sport, supporter engagement, digital communities and corporate governance
The government has named five non-executive directors to the Independent Football Regulator, a move aimed at tightening oversight across professional football in England and Wales. Each director will spend about one day a week on the role and will be paid £20,800 a year.
The appointments followed the Governance Code on Public Appointments and were overseen by the Commissioner for Public Appointments to ensure a fair, open process.
What the panel looked for
The selection deliberately mixed boardroom experience, supporter representation, digital-community leadership and sports governance know‑how.
Candidates had to declare any significant political activity from the last five years (a standard requirement) — none of the successful applicants did. The new line-up is intended to boost financial and commercial literacy, improve fan engagement and strengthen regulatory muscle across the professional game.
Who’s joining the board
- – Mark McCafferty
Mark brings a long track record in both sport and business. He chairs Warwickshire County Cricket Club and leads the England and Wales Cricket Board’s Professional Game Committee. He’s also a senior independent NED at European Professional Club Rugby, a director of ZigUp plc and a trustee of the Wooden Spoon children’s charity. His early career in international banking and later executive roles in travel and rugby give him a useful mix of commercial leadership and sports governance insight — practical experience the regulator can call on for strategy, risk and compliance questions.
- – Kevin Miles OBE
Kevin is one of English football’s most prominent supporter advocates. He has led the Football Supporters’ Association since 2012 and been active in fan representation since the late 1990s. Kevin has worked on government panels about supporter ownership and was part of the Fan‑Led Review process. He co-founded and chaired Show Racism the Red Card, is a trustee of Kick It Out and chairs Blyth Spartans AFC. His perspective brings grassroots accountability and fan-first thinking to the regulator’s debates.
- – Justine Roberts CBE
Justine founded Mumsnet and later launched Gransnet. Those communities reach millions and have a proven track record of shaping public conversations on parenting, social media and health policy. She’s also held senior non-executive roles — including at Admiral Group — and sat on the board of the English Football League. Her experience building and moderating large online communities will help the regulator think about fan engagement, digital safety and how to listen to diverse audiences.
- – Tara Warren
Tara is a commercial strategist with deep experience in operations, governance and stadium delivery. At West Ham United she led the stadium transition after the Olympic Stadium bid and has worked on long-term development for the women’s side. She’s sat on Premier League and WSL subcommittees and took part in the CEO Working Group that helped shape the current top-flight structure for women’s club football. Her background in finance, property and commercial partnerships gives her a practical eye for venue strategy and sustainable revenue planning. She also serves as a non-executive director at the British Horseracing Authority.
- – Dr Linda Yueh CBE
An economist and lawyer by training, Linda combines academic rigour with broad boardroom experience. She chairs The Schiehallion Fund and sits on the board of Standard Chartered. She’s advised government bodies, contributed to reviews of banking legislation and been involved in city‑wide initiatives around major events. Her macroeconomic perspective and experience in financial governance add depth to the regulator’s oversight of commercial and economic issues.
Terms, process and transparency
Each non-executive role expects about one day a week of work and pays £20,800 a year. The recruitment followed the Governance Code on Public Appointments, with independent oversight from the Commissioner for Public Appointments. Candidates were measured against published criteria and had to declare any recent political activity — a measure intended to protect impartiality.
How to find out more or apply
If you’re curious about public appointments more broadly, the government’s public appointments service lists vacancies, role descriptions and application guidance. It also explains eligibility, the declaration process and how conflicts of interest are managed. Practical tips: read the role description carefully, check you meet the published criteria, and prepare a concise statement of how your experience fits the post.
If you want the direct link or a quick summary of the application timeline, tell me and I’ll pull it up.
