Preston North End

The Club notified the IFR on 8 July 2026 that there is a reasonable prospect of the Club entering into arrangements whereby a relevant team operated by it would play a home match at a ground other than the Club’s home ground, pursuant to section 48(1) of the Football Governance Act (“the Act”). 

The IFR grants approval under section 48(4) of the Act to the Club to enter into the arrangements notified by the Club to the IFR to play the Club’s home EFL Cup match against Huddersfield Town F.C. on 8 August 2026 at Goodison Park, Liverpool. 

This means that, having considered the factors in section 48(4) of the Act and been proportionate in its approach, the IFR has concluded that: 

- The arrangements notified by the Club would not undermine its financial sustainability or cause significant harm to its heritage 

- The Club has taken reasonable steps to determine the views of its fans about the effect of the arrangements on the relevant matters set out in paragraph 4(2) of Schedule 4 of the Act and has taken these into account in considering whether to enter into the arrangements. 

Requests for review 

Under section 82 of the Act, a person who the IFR considers is directly affected by this decision (which is a ‘Reviewable Decision’ under the Act) may ask for it to be reviewed by a committee of the IFR Board who were not involved in making the decision. 

Any request must be made within 7 days of this decision’s publication date (or, if earlier, the date on which the IFR notified that person of this decision).   

Further guidance on who the IFR may consider to be directly affected by its decisions, and how to request a review, can be found here. 

After any requested review has been conducted, a concerned person, or other person with a sufficient interest, has a further right under section 84 of the Act to appeal the reviewer’s decision to the Competition Appeal Tribunal.