A New Era for Men’s Elite Football in England

Independent Football Regulator Launched— CloudSource is Proud to Power its Delivery

A new chapter in English football began in November with the launch of the Independent Football Regulator (IFR). What began as an ambitious mandate is now a reality; a new regulator built from the ground up to secure the future of the game.

CloudSource is proud to have been the technology partner chosen to make this vision happen. This wasn’t just a technology project. It was a unique opportunity to design, structure, and stand up a national regulator from scratch, and we are honoured to have helped IFR on that journey to become a forward-looking digital-first regulator.

From Vision to Reality, Building from the First Brick

From the moment CloudSource was awarded the contract, we understood the scale of what was being asked. A regulator had to be created, legally, operationally and digitally, where none had existed before. That meant:

• Building modern digital systems for case management, licensing, investigations and reporting.

• Creating secure platforms for clubs, supporters, leagues and stakeholders to interact with the regulator.

• Guiding the organisation through mobilisation, shadow operation and transition to full public launch.

This has been one of the most complex and meaningful regulatory builds to date, and CloudSource has been there every step of the way.

Domain Expertise Meets Delivery, CloudSource’s Foundational Contribution

The success of the IFR establishment rested not just on technology, but on understanding what it means to regulate, legally, operationally and culturally. CloudSource brought:

• Deep regulatory expertise, from working with national regulators and public bodies.

• End-to-end delivery capability, from operating models to process design to digital build with Microsoft technology.

• Close collaboration with IFR employees and operational teams, helping to embed systems and confidence across the organisation as it took shape.

• Secure platforms and scalable infrastructure, built on proven technology that supports transparency, accountability and public trust.

This fusion of domain knowledge, delivery discipline and organisational partnership enabled the IFR to move from political promise to public institution.

 

A Proud Transition And What Lies Ahead

The public launch is a moment of pride for everyone involved, from the leadership team guiding the IFR to those who helped shape it in its ‘shadow’ phase, to the internal teams who built its foundation from within.

As one of the trusted foundation partners, CloudSource will remain involved through the transition period to ensure continuity, stability and long-term success.

Our expertise in regulatory modelling, public sector transformation, and technology delivery has enabled a first-of-its-kind regulator to be stood up quickly and efficiently.

Let’s Keep the Conversation Going

The creation of the Independent Football Regulator is not the end of the journey; it’s the beginning of a new chapter for English football governance.

For further information or to speak with the CloudSource team about this project or our regulatory work, please get in touch.

Email: ozlem.kilavuz@cloudsource.uk.com Teams: +44 (0)1156 782 043