The appointment of a chair for English football’s new referee is set to be approved by Lisa Nandy, the culture secretary, within days.
Sky News has learned that David Kogan, a media industry veteran who has been involved in negotiating television rights deals in the sport for decades, will be officially appointed as the chair of the Independent Football Regulator (IFR).
Sources in Whitehall have indicated that an announcement from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) could come as early as this week, with a confirmation hearing for Mr Kogan scheduled to take place in the next month.
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Last weekend, Sky News reported that Mr Kogan had become the top candidate for the position after previous shortlisted candidates were not selected.
The new regulator has the support of Sir Keir Starmer and is a crucial part of legislation currently going through Parliament.
Mr Kogan, who has served on the board of state-owned Channel 4, was initially approached during a previous recruitment process under the previous Conservative government.
He has ties to the Labour party, having donated to parliamentary candidates, chaired LabourList, and written books about the party.
Mr Kogan has extensive experience in English football, advising clients such as the Premier League, English Football League, Scottish Premier League, and UEFA on television rights. He recently negotiated broadcasting deals for the Women’s Super League and Championship with Sky and the BBC.
Currently, he advises executives at CNN and The New York Times Company on AI’s impact on their industries.
Sky News previously disclosed the shortlisted candidates, including Christian Purslow, for the role.
The others were Sanjay Bhandari, who chairs the anti-racism football charity Kick It Out, and Professor Sir Ian Kennedy, who chaired the new parliamentary watchdog established after the MPs expenses scandal.
The apparent hiatus in the appointment of the IFR’s £130,000-a-year chair threatened to reignite speculation that Sir Keir was seeking to diminish its powers amid a broader clampdown on Britain’s economic watchdogs.
Both 10 Downing Street and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) have sought to dismiss those suggestions, with insiders insisting that the IFR will be established largely as originally envisaged.
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The creation of the IFR, which will be based in Manchester, is among the principal elements of legislation now progressing through parliament, with Royal Assent expected before the summer recess.
The Football Governance Bill has completed its journey through the House of Lords and will be introduced in the Commons shortly, according to the DCMS.
The regulator was conceived by the Tories in the wake of the furore over the failed European Super League project, but has triggered deep unrest in parts of English football.
Its creation forms part of a process that represents the most fundamental shake-up in the oversight of English football in the game’s history.
The establishment of the body comes with the top tier of the professional game gripped by civil war, with Abu Dhabi-owned Manchester City at the centre of a number of legal cases with the Premier League over its financial dealings.
The Premier League is also keen to agree a long-delayed financial redistribution deal with the EFL before the regulator is formally launched, although there has been little progress towards that in the last year.
«We do not comment on speculation,» a DCMS spokesperson said when asked about the impending announcement of Mr Kogan as the IFR chair.
«No appointment has been made and the recruitment process for [IFR] chair is ongoing.»
Lisa Nandy, the culture secretary, is on the verge of finalizing the appointment of the chair of English football’s new regulator within a few days.
Sky News has learned that David Kogan, a seasoned media industry professional known for negotiating various television rights deals in sports over the years, is set to be officially confirmed as the chair of the Independent Football Regulator (IFR).
Sources in Whitehall indicated that an announcement from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) could be imminent, possibly later this week, although there may be a slight delay in the timeline.
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Once approved, Mr Kogan is anticipated to undergo a confirmation hearing in front of a committee of MPs early next month, according to the sources.
Last weekend, Sky News reported that Mr Kogan had emerged as the leading candidate for the position after a previous shortlist of three candidates was not selected.
The establishment of the new regulator has the full support of Sir Keir Starmer and is a crucial component of ongoing legislation in Parliament.
Mr Kogan, who has held boardroom positions including a directorship at state-owned Channel 4, was first approached during a previous recruitment process initiated under the previous Conservative government.
He has ties to the Labour party, having previously contributed financially to several individual parliamentary candidates, chaired LabourList, an independent news site, and authored two books about the party.
With extensive experience in English football, Mr Kogan has advised clients such as the Premier League, English Football League, Scottish Premier League, and UEFA on television rights agreements.
Recently, he led negotiations for the Women’s Super League and Championship on their latest five-year broadcasting contracts with Sky – the parent company of Sky News – and the BBC.
His current responsibilities include advising the chief executives of CNN, the American broadcast news network, and The New York Times Company on discussions with digital platforms concerning the impact of artificial intelligence on their industries.
In past months, Sky News has revealed the identities of the shortlisted candidates for the role, with former Aston Villa FC and Liverpool FC chief executive Christian Purslow among the three finalists in the supposed final selection.
Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Lisa Nandy.
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