Welcome to the first-of-its-kind report on the financial sustainability of men’s football clubs in the English league pyramid.

Football holds a profound place in the cultural fabric of our nation. From the globally recognised Premier League to the local football clubs embedded in their communities, the financial well-being of these institutions is of paramount importance.

2023 is set to shape the course of our national game significantly. With the recent release of the Government White Paper titled "A Sustainable Future – Reforming Club Football Governance," the need for change has become even more apparent.

Our new report delves into a concerning pattern of consistent losses across many football clubs. Without significant cash injections, often from club owners, these clubs would unlikely be able to survive with the current levels of spending. When the future of a football club is in the hands of an individual or business, this presents a major risk to the club, its fans, and their local communities.

Many key players in the industry are calling for more oversight and regulation to address the systemic risks across the game. In this report, we explore:

• Key trends in the men’s football industry, based on 92 clubs in the top 4 divisions of the men’s English league pyramid.
• Our recommendations to improve the financial sustainability of football clubs.
• We introduce the new LCP Football Sustainability Matrix which uses a range of financial metrics to assess the financial and sporting performance of clubs.